When an automobile accident claims the lives of her husband and young daughter, a distraught French woman fades from view. Deliberately removing herself from the trappings of her former, affluent life, she ghosts her friends, rents a bare apartment in a slummy part of town, frequents the local coffee shop and waits for a new life to come knocking. Which it does, along with a few pesky remnants of her old one. In the end, she must choose between cherishing the best years of her early adulthood and discarding their memory in favor of a fresh start.

Although this is a film about loss, it’s not a drag. Not entirely, anyway. While she’s frequently stung by echoes of her past, Julie gradually grows to accept and appreciate these reflections as more than just monuments to a misfortune. Over time, she opens herself to new people and experiences she would’ve avoided before the accident. After she’s had time to think it over, she uses an unfinished musical composition to explore different aspects of her ex-husband and the relationship they shared. Personal tragedy isn’t the only challenge we see Julie face, but in showing grace and generosity to solve other obstacles, she learns to process her loss, heal, and let go. I found that beautiful.