Passages (2023 film)

French film by Ira Sachs

Passages

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Ira Sachs
Written by|

* Mauricio Zacharias
* Ira Sachs
* Arlette Langmann[a]

Produced by|

* Saïd Ben Saïd
* Michel Merkt

Starring|

* Franz Rogowski
* Ben Whishaw
* Adèle Exarchopoulos

Cinematography| Josée Deshaies
Edited by| Sophie Reine

Production
company

SBS Productions

Distributed by| SBS Distribution

Release dates

* 23 January 2023 (2023-01-23) (Sundance)
* 28 June 2023 (2023-06-28) (France)

Running time

| 92 minutes[1]
Country| France
Languages|

* English
* French

Box office| $1.1 million[2]

Passages is a 2023 French romantic drama film co-written and directed by Ira Sachs and starring Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, and Adèle Exarchopoulos. It depicts a same-sex male couple whose marriage encounters a crisis when one of the men begins an affair with a young woman.[3][4]

The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, and was released theatrically in France on 28 June 2023 by SBS Distribution.

## Plot

[edit]

Tomas, a German filmmaker based in Paris, has completed his latest film. At the wrap party, he meets Agathe, a young primary school teacher, and dances with her after his husband, Martin, an English printer, declines to dance with him. Tomas goes to Agathe's home for an after-party, and the two have sex.

Upon arriving home the following day, Tomas, who slept over at Agathe's, admits to Martin that he had sex with a woman and felt something he had not felt in a long time. Tomas argues that their marriage is deteriorating and enraged by Martin's refusal to discuss it, starts packing a suitcase to leave but is stopped by Martin. Before leaving, Martin kisses Tomas and assures him they will overcome this. Later, Agathe visits Tomas at the editing room of his film. They have sex again.

Tomas and Martin travel to their country house and ultimately discuss their lives together. Tomas expresses dissatisfaction with their too-comfortable and riskless relationship, while Martin accuses him of falling in love with Agathe.

Back in Paris, Martin meets Amad, a writer and novelist, through a mutual friend at a restaurant. When Tomas arrives, he is somewhat hostile towards Amad and later tells Martin he finds Amad "an arrogant prick". As they leave, Tomas claims to be heading to the editing room but goes to Agathe's instead and spends the night there. In the morning, after Agathe sings Tomas a lullaby from her childhood, he confesses he has fallen in love with her.

Tomas and Martin officially separate, and Tomas moves out of their apartment into Agathe's. While packing, he stumbles upon Amad's book, which Martin is reading. On his way out, Martin informs Tomas he will put the country house up for sale, as he does not wish to own anything with Tomas anymore.

Martin begins a relationship with Amad, whom Tomas runs into when he uses his key to enter Martin's apartment unannounced; Tomas storms out. After Tomas turns up at Martin's workplace to share that his film had a negative first screening, Martin asks him for the apartment keys back.

While at a restaurant with Agathe and friends, Tomas sees Martin arrive with friends, but the two men avoid speaking to each other. Tomas later comes by the apartment to return the keys, inviting himself to spend the night and come with Martin to the country house early the next morning for repairs, claiming it is his property as well. At bedtime, Tomas enters Martin's room and they have sex. In the morning, Tomas reveals to Martin that Agathe is pregnant.

Tomas arrives late to dinner with Agathe's parents at her house. They interrogate him about his plans to support Agathe and their child, as well as his past with Martin, to which he is hostile and defensive.

Tomas returns to Martin's apartment, telling him that audiences loved the recent screening of his film. He kisses Martin and invites himself inside. Tomas proposes that he and Martin raise the baby as a family, confessing he is confused about his feelings for Agathe and misses being with a man. Martin immediately breaks up with Amad, who says neither Tomas nor Martin will survive the relationship.

Some time later, Agathe, Tomas, Martin, and friends gather at the country house. Agathe listens to the two men have sex from the other bedroom. Tomas later climbs into Agathe's bed and embraces her while she is crying.

Agathe severs all contact with Tomas. She meets Martin for lunch, where she reveals to him that she has undergone an abortion, stating that although she wants a family, she realised she would disappear among the three of them. Martin holds back tears, and they say goodbye.

Upon returning home, Martin breaks up with Tomas, refusing to accompany him to Venice and telling him to never contact him again. Tomas stops by Agathe's classroom, begging her to forgive him and inviting her to join him on his trip, but she rejects him as well. He then rides his bicycle aimlessly through the city.

## Cast

[edit]

* Franz Rogowski as Tomas Freiburg[5]
* Ben Whishaw as Martin[5]
* Adèle Exarchopoulos as Agathe[5]
* Erwan Kepoa Falé as Amad[5]
* William Nadylam as Clément
* Caroline Chaniolleau as Agathe's mother[5]
* Olivier Rabourdin as Agathe's father[5]

## Production

[edit]

Filming began on 15 November 2021 in Paris.[6][7] The costume designer was Khadija Zeggaï.[8][9]

## Release

[edit]

Franz Rogowski and Ira Sachs promoting Passages at the 2023 Berlinale

Passages premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 23 January 2023.[10] Shortly thereafter, Mubi acquired distribution rights in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland and Latin America; the streamer would subsequently acquire rights in Germany, Austria, Italy, Turkey and the Benelux as well.[11][12] It screened in the Panorama section of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2023.[13] It was also invited to the 27th Lima Film Festival in the Acclaimed section, where it screened on 10 August 2023.[14]

The film was released theatrically in France on 28 June 2023 by SBS Distribution,[15][16] and was released in select theatres in the United States on 4 August 2023.[17]

### U.S. rating

[edit]

Ahead of its U.S. release, the film received an NC-17 rating from the Motion Picture Association. Sachs called the rating "a form of cultural censorship that is quite dangerous, particularly in a culture which is already battling, in such extreme ways, the possibility of LGBT imagery to exist".[18] Mubi issued a statement calling the decision "unexpected" and "deeply disappoint[ing]" and said it would release the film in the United States without a rating.[19]

## Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 94% based on 169 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Elevated by a remarkable Franz Rogowski performance, Passages adds another smart, deeply humanistic film to director/co-writer Ira Sachs' estimable filmography."[20] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 80 out of 100, based on 41 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[21]

The character of Tomas drew comparisons to the life of the German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder.[22][23][24][25]

Filmmakers Chloe Domont, Andrew Haigh, Zoe Lister-Jones, Rachel Morrison and James Ponsoldt all cited Passages among their favorite films of 2023.[26]

In June 2025, IndieWire ranked the film at number 57 on its list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 2020s (So Far)."[27]

### Accolades

[edit]

Award  | Date  | Category  | Recipient  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Berlin International Film Festival | 25 February 2023 | Panorama Section – Best Film  | Ira Sachs | Nominated  | [28]
Teddy Award for Best Feature Film  | Nominated  | [29]
Guadalajara International Film Festival | 9 June 2023 | Maguey Award  | Passages | Nominated  | [30]
Gotham Independent Film Awards | 27 November 2023 | Best Feature | Nominated  | [31]
Outstanding Lead Performance | Franz Rogowski | Nominated  | [31]
New York Film Critics Circle Awards | 30 November 2023 | Best Actor | Won  | [32]
IndieWire Critics Poll | 11 December 2023  | Best Performance  | 10th Place[b] | [33]
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards | 21 December 2023 | Best Actor | Won  | [34][35]
Satellite Awards | 17 February 2024 | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated  | [36]
Independent Spirit Awards | 25 February 2024 | Best Film | Michel Merkt, Saïd Ben Saïd  | Nominated  | [37]
Best Director | Ira Sachs  | Nominated
Best Lead Performance | Franz Rogowski  | Nominated
Best Supporting Performance | Ben Whishaw  | Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards | 14 March 2024 | Outstanding Film – Limited Release | Passages | Nominated  | [38]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Additional dialogue
2. ^ Tied with Glenn Howerton for BlackBerry, Benoit Magimel for Pacifiction and Koji Yakusho for Perfect Days.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Passages (18)". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
2. ^ "Passages (2023)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
3. ^ San Vincente, Romeo (18 January 2022). "Ira Sachs Embarks on 'Passages' with Ben Whishaw". Hotspots! Magazine. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
4. ^ Lang, Brent (13 May 2022). "Ira Sachs, Mya Taylor, Jude Dry Sign With Fusion Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
5. ^ a b c d e f Frosch, Jon (23 January 2023). "'Passages' Review: Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw and Adele Exarchopoulos in Ira Sachs' Searing Chronicle of Romantic Chaos". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
6. ^ Pearce, Leonard (15 November 2021). "Ira Sachs Begins Shooting Passages Starring Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw & Adèle Exarchopoulos". The Film Stage. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
7. ^ Pym, Olivia (7 February 2022). "Ben Whishaw's Disturbed Dramas". Esquire. UK. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
8. ^ LaMantia, Brooke (22 August 2023). "A Wardrobe for Destroying Your Relationship". The Cut.
9. ^ Ang, Raymond (9 August 2023). "How Passages Became the Summer's Sexiest Fashion Film". GQ.
10. ^ Debruge, Peter (7 December 2022). "Sundance Unveils Female-Dominated 2022 Feature Lineup, Including Films From Nicole Holofcener, Sophie Barthes and Jane Campion's Daughter". Variety. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
11. ^ Galuppo, Mia (24 January 2023). "Sundance: Mubi Lands U.S. Rights for Ira Sachs Film 'Passages'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
12. ^ Kay, Jeremy (25 February 2023). "Mubi takes additional territories on 'Passages' after Berlin European premiere". Screen International. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
13. ^ Roxborough, Scott (15 December 2022). "Berlin Fest Unveils First 2023 Panorama and Generation Titles". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
14. ^ "Pasajes" [Passages] (in Spanish). Lima Film Festival. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
15. ^ Haddad, Yohan (31 May 2023). "Adèle Exarchopoulos emportée au coeur d'un triangle amoureux dans Passages [bande-annonce]". Première (in French). Retrieved 12 October 2023.
16. ^ "Passages". SBS Distribution. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
17. ^ Zilko, Christian (13 May 2023). "'Passages' Teaser: A Brutal Love Triangle Unfolds in Ira Sachs' Sundance Hit". IndieWire. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
18. ^ Olsen, Mark (19 July 2023). "Sundance sensation 'Passages' gets an NC-17 rating. Its director calls that 'censorship'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
19. ^ Sharf, Zack (20 July 2023). "Sexy Love Triangle Drama 'Passages' Gets NC-17 Rating, Director Slams Decision as 'Cultural Censorship That's Quite Dangerous'". Variety. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
20. ^ "Passages". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
21. ^ "Passages Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
22. ^ Debruge, Peter (24 January 2023). "'Passages' Review: Ruthlessly Truthful Director Ira Sachs Brings His Brand of Close-to-Home Drama to Paris". Variety. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
23. ^ Jenkins, David (24 January 2023). "Passages – first-look review". Little White Lies. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
24. ^ Chang, Justin (2 August 2023). "Review: 'Passages,' a beautifully acted romantic triangle, has major Sachs appeal". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
25. ^ Williams, Conor (7 August 2023). "Ira Sachs on Fassbinder, Passages, and the State of Queer Cinema". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
26. ^ "38 Directors Pick Their Favorite Films of 2023". IndieWire. 31 December 2023.
27. ^ "The 100 Best Movies of the 2020s (So Far)". 16 June 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
28. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (15 December 2022). "Berlinale Reveals First Panorama, Generation Titles For 2023 Edition". Variety. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
29. ^ "Feature Films: TEDDY nominated" (in German). Teddy Award. 11 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
30. ^ "Catalogo Oficial" (PDF) (in Spanish). Guadalajara International Film Festival. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
31. ^ a b Lewis, Hilary (24 October 2023). "'Past Lives,' 'A Thousand and One' and 'All of Us Strangers' Top Gotham Awards Film Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
32. ^ "New York Film Critics Awards: 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Wins Best Film, Nolan Wins Director (Full List)". Variety. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
33. ^ Blauvelt, Christian (11 December 2023). "2023 Critics Poll: The Best Films and Performances, According to 158 Critics from Around the World". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
34. ^ Anderson, Erik (13 December 2023). "Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
35. ^ ""The Boy and the Heron" flies high with Florida Film Critics". Florida Film Critics Circle. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
36. ^ "2023 Nominees | International Press Academy". Retrieved 18 December 2023.
37. ^ Keates, Emma (5 December 2023). "Here are all the nominees for the 2024 Film Independent Spirit awards". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 9 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
38. ^ Pedersen, Erik (17 January 2024). "GLAAD Media Awards Nominations Revealed". Deadline Hollywood.

## External links

[edit]

* Passages at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Ira Sachs

* The Delta (1996)
* Forty Shades of Blue (2005)
* Married Life (2007)
* Keep the Lights On (2012)
* Love Is Strange (2014)
* Little Men (2016)
* Frankie (2019)
* Passages (2023)
* Peter Hujar's Day (2025)

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