Before the Winter Chill

Before the Winter Chill (Avant l'hiver, 2013) is a French psychological drama you can watch online on iFILM. Written and directed by Philippe Claudel, it centres on Paul (Daniel Auteuil), a prominent neurosurgeon whose orderly life — devoted wife Lucie (Kristin Scott Thomas), respected career — starts quietly unravelling after a young woman, played by Leïla Bekhti, begins appearing at the edges of his days. Flowers at the office. Chance meetings that feel anything but.

Claudel moves the story slowly and without big scenes, letting unease do the work. Paul grows evasive, Lucie grows watchful, and the film holds its cards close until the end. For viewers who find the slow-burn French thriller more rewarding than a neat resolution, this one delivers. Stream Before the Winter Chill on iFILM.