Six Days in Spring

Six Days in Spring
Theatrical release poster
FrenchSix jours ce printemps-là
Directed byJoachim Lafosse
Written by
  • Joachim Lafosse
  • Chloé Duponchelle
  • Paul Ismaël
Produced by
  • Anton Iffland-Stettner
  • Eva Kuperman
  • Régine Vial
  • Alexis Dantec
  • Jani Thiltges
  • Hans Everaert
Starring
  • Eye Haïdara
  • Jules Waring
  • Léonis Pinero Müller
  • Téodor Pinero Müller
CinematographyJean-François Hensgens
Edited byMarie-Hélène Dozo
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • Cinéart (Belgium)
  • Les Films du Losange (France)
  • Samsa Film (Luxembourg)
Release dates
  • 19 September 2025 (2025-09-19) (SSIFF)
  • 12 November 2025 (2025-11-12) (France)
  • 10 December 2025 (2025-12-10) (Belgium)
Running time
94 minutes
Countries
  • Belgium
  • France
  • Luxembourg
LanguageFrench

Six Days in Spring (French: Six jours ce printemps-là) is a 2025 drama film directed by Joachim Lafosse, who co-wrote the screenplay with Chloé Duponchelle and Paul Ismaël. The film stars Eye Haïdara as a desperate woman who borrows her ex in-laws' house on the French Riviera to spend a short holiday with her children without telling them.[1]

The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 73rd San Sebastián International Film Festival on 19 September 2025,[2] where it won Silver Shell for Best Director and Jury Prize for Best Screenplay.[3]

Cast

Production

In 2023, the film received advance on receipts from Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée for the production funding.[4] It also received the support in production funding from Wallonia-Brussels Federation Film and Audiovisual Centre in October 2023, before its filming later in Spring.[5]

In March 2024, screen.brussels committed the support to film project from the Regional investment fund.[6]

Release

Six Days in Spring was selected to compete for the Golden Shell at the 73rd San Sebastián International Film Festival,where the film had its world premiere on 19 September 2025 and won two prizes.[7] On 26 September 2025, it competed at the Odesa International Film Festival in European competition program.[8]

It was also screened in International Perspective at the São Paulo International Film Festival on 17 October 2025.[9]

The film competed in the 'Progressive Cinema Competition - Visions for the World of Tomorrow' section of the 20th Rome Film Festival on 19 October 2025.[10][11]

It was released theatrically in France on 12 November 2025 by Les Films du Losange and in Belgium on 10 December 2025 by Cinéart.[12][13]

Reception

Critical response

Aurore Engelen of Cineuropa reviewing at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, praised the film for its characteristic alignment with Joachim Lafosse's cinematic style, notably his focus on familial alienation, intimate power dynamics, and emotionally charged enclosed settings. Engelen noted that while the film maintains a palpable tension, it "tends to avoid crisis point, despite it always seeming just around the corner," subtly subverting audience expectations through the risks taken by its protagonist, Sana. Engelen praised Eye Haïdara's performance for its precision and restraint, writing that she "treads along this razor edge with confidence" in a narrative built around "small nothings, avoided acts, faces turned away." The film's plot "allows room'" for broader social reflections, including "the assignment of social class, the illusion of social mobility and of changing social class, and the universal right to beauty," concluding in what Engelen describes as a "dogged determination to not allow the joy of gazing at the sea to be taken away."[14]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
San Sebastián International Film Festival 27 September 2025 Golden Shell Joachim Lafosse Nominated [15]
Silver Shell for Best Director Won
Jury Prize for Best Screenplay Joachim Lafosse, Chloé Duponchelle, and Paul Ismael Won
Odesa International Film Festival 4 October 2025 Best European Feature Film Six Days in Spring Won [16]
Rome Film Festival 26 October 2025 Best Film Nominated [17]

References

  1. ^ "Six Days in Spring". San Sebastián International Film Festival. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  2. ^ "Edward Berger, Claire Denis, Dolores Fonzi, Joachim Lafosse, Olmo Omerzu, Xiaoyu Qin and James Vanderbilt join the Official Selection competition". San Sebastián International Film Festival. 19 August 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  3. ^ Sarasola, Ainhoa; Lizarralde, Mikel (28 September 2025). "'Los domingos' filmak irabazi du Urrezko Maskorra" [The film 'Los domingos' wins the Golden Shell]. Berria.eus (in Basque). Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  4. ^ Lemercier, Fabien (17 July 2023). "Arnaud Desplechin's Filmlovers receives a CNC advance on receipts". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  5. ^ Engelen, Aurore (3 October 2023). "The Wallonia-Brussels Federation Film and Audiovisual Centre is backing new films by Jessica Woodworth and Joachim Lafosse". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  6. ^ Engelen, Aurore (3 March 2024). "screen.brussels to back new movies by Nabil Ben Yadir and Joachim Lafosse". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  7. ^ Oganesyan, Natalie (27 September 2025). "'Los Domingos' Claims Golden Shell, 'The Voice Of Hind Rajab' Takes Audience Award At San Sebastián Film Festival – Full List Of Winners". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  8. ^ "ШІСТЬ ДНІВ НАВЕСНІ" [Six Days in Spring] (in Ukrainian). Odesa International Film Festival. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  9. ^ "Six Days in Spring". São Paulo International Film Festival. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  10. ^ "Festa del Cinema di Roma 2025, il programma completo (diretta)" [Rome Film Fest 2025: Full program (live)]. Ciak Magazine (in Italian). 19 September 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  11. ^ "Day 5: Il programma di domenica 19" [Day 5: Sunday 19th's schedule] (in Italian). Rome Film Festival. 18 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  12. ^ Lafosse, Joachim (27 September 2025). "Six Days in Spring". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  13. ^ "Six jours, ce printemps-là" [Six Days in Spring] (in Dutch). Cinéart. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  14. ^ Engelen, Aurore (22 September 2025). "Review: Six Days in Spring". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  15. ^ Cabeza, Elisabet (27 September 2025). "Spanish drama 'Sundays' wins best film at San Sebastian film festival". Screen Daily. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  16. ^ Economou, Vassilis (6 October 2025). "Odesa International Film Festival announces its award winners". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  17. ^ Scarpa, Vittoria (22 September 2025). "The 20th Rome Film Fest reveals its line-up". Cineuropa. Retrieved 19 October 2025.