Murmur of the Heart

In this semi-structured chronicle of youth, we delve into the life of 15-year-old Laurent Chevalier as he navigates through the tumultuous waters of adolescence in 1950s France. His journey begins with a series of missteps, including his first sexual encounter with a prostitute and narrowly avoiding the touch of a prying priest. A case of scarlet fever subsequently finds him, leaving not just physical scars but also an audible heart murmur that leads to his confinement in a sanatorium. In this unfamiliar environment, he shares space not only with other sick patients but also with his own mother - a woman overly concerned and battling her own secrets of infidelity. This introspective tale weaves a story of coming-of-age against the backdrop of post-war France, revealing the complexities and challenges faced by both the protagonist and those around him.