Celebrate Heritage Month with a French Heritage Film !

L'Histoire d'Adèle H de François Truffaut (1975)

with Robinson Bruce, Marriott Sylvia, Isabelle Adjani
Restored Version (95min)

Synopsis

Miss Lewly took up residence in a boarding house in Halifax, England in 1863. There, she sought out Lieutenant Pinson—with whom she was madly in love, though he did not return her affection. No matter how clearly he made this known to her, she continued to pursue him, even fully aware that he had a mistress. Miss Lewly was, in reality, Adèle Hugo, the poet's second daughter. She strove to marry him at all costs, going so far as to sabotage Pinson's planned marriage to another woman. Adèle's mother passed away, and when Pinson departed for Barbados, she followed him. Taken in by a Mrs. Baa—who subsequently alerted the Hugo family—she was sent back to France and committed to an institution.

Trailer

The Story of Adèle H., directed by François Truffaut, is a haunting portrait of obsessive love and emotional disintegration. Based on the real diaries of Adèle Hugo — daughter of literary icon Victor Hugo — the film follows her descent into fixation as she pursues a British officer who does not return her affection. Isabelle Adjani delivers a powerful and mesmerizing performance. Her portrayal of Adèle balances fragility, dignity, and madness so convincingly that the film often feels less like historical drama and more like an intimate psychological tragedy. Adjani’s expressive eyes and shifting emotional tones reveal the inner world of a woman consumed by longing, isolation, and defiance. Truffaut’s direction is restrained and poetic, reflecting Adèle’s internal turmoil through subdued color palettes, quiet pacing, and close-up shots that emphasize her emotional unraveling. Instead of sensationalizing her obsession, the film approaches it with empathy, showing how love — when deprived of balance and reciprocity — can evolve into self-destruction. While the deliberate pacing may feel slow for some viewers, it mirrors the suffocating nature of Adèle’s infatuation. The narrative doesn’t aim to judge her but to illuminate a tragic psychological truth: love without reciprocity can become a prison. Ultimately, The Story of Adèle H. is both heartbreaking and unforgettable — an exploration of passion pushed beyond the bounds of reason, anchored by a performance that lingers long after the film ends. 

With the support from l’Institut Français du Cinéma.

Event Information

Date : Friday, May 29, 2026

Time : 6.30-8.30pm

Location : Alliance Française 1420 Walnut St, Suite 700, Philadelphia

Language : French with English Subtitles

Cost : $10 AF Members / $15 for Non Members

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