Anthony and Stéphanie

And Their Children After Them

This flow traces Anthony’s long-held attraction to Stéphanie through brief encounters that offer closeness but never become a shared future.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

The Beach Encounter The Beach Encounter from "And Their Children After Them". A Lasting Impression An improbable meeting Anthony reaches Bare-Ass Beach by canoe and meets Stéphanie.

The Beach Encounter from "And Their Children After Them". A Lasting Impression An improbable meeting Anthony reaches Bare-Ass Beach by canoe and meets Stéphanie.

A Lasting Impression An improbable meeting Anthony reaches Bare-Ass Beach by canoe and meets Stéphanie. Her presence transforms an ordinary, overheated afternoon into the beginning of an imagined romance. Unequal meanings Anthony invests the encounter with hope, while Stéphanie remains preoccupied with her own social world. That difference persists even as their paths cross again.

The Lookout Invitation The Lookout Invitation from "And Their Children After Them". A Small Opening Meeting on the road Anthony finds Stéphanie upset after Romain bothers her and follows her at a distance.

The Lookout Invitation from "And Their Children After Them". A Small Opening Meeting on the road Anthony finds Stéphanie upset after Romain bothers her and follows her at a distance.

A Small Opening Meeting on the road Anthony finds Stéphanie upset after Romain bothers her and follows her at a distance. She eventually accepts a drink with him at the overlook. A tentative confession They share vodka and talk about leaving Heillange. Anthony asks her out, while Stéphanie treats the invitation as a possibility rather than a promise.

The Lake at Night The Lake at Night from "And Their Children After Them". Desire and Unease A private encounter Anthony and Stéphanie spend time together near the lake, where their attraction becomes physical.

The Lake at Night from "And Their Children After Them". Desire and Unease A private encounter Anthony and Stéphanie spend time together near the lake, where their attraction becomes physical.

Desire and Unease A private encounter Anthony and Stéphanie spend time together near the lake, where their attraction becomes physical. The dark water and the memory of the missing Colin boy keep danger close to their intimacy. No settled relationship The night gives Anthony hope but does not establish a commitment. Their connection remains shaped by uneven desire and the limits of their different lives.

The Final Party The Final Party from "And Their Children After Them". Closeness Under Threat An interrupted reunion Anthony and Stéphanie find one another at the Bastille Day celebration and kiss.

The Final Party from "And Their Children After Them". Closeness Under Threat An interrupted reunion Anthony and Stéphanie find one another at the Bastille Day celebration and kiss.

Closeness Under Threat An interrupted reunion Anthony and Stéphanie find one another at the Bastille Day celebration and kiss. Their intimacy is interrupted when local youths attack the car in which they are trying to be alone. Departure without certainty After the attack, Stéphanie asks to be taken home. Anthony leaves for the army hours later, carrying the encounter as a final, unresolved closeness.

The Rejection at Home The Rejection at Home from "And Their Children After Them". A Love Remembered Alone A last approach After France reaches the World Cup final, Anthony rides Hacine’s motorcycle to Stéphanie’s home.

The Rejection at Home from "And Their Children After Them". A Love Remembered Alone A last approach After France reaches the World Cup final, Anthony rides Hacine’s motorcycle to Stéphanie’s home.

A Love Remembered Alone A last approach After France reaches the World Cup final, Anthony rides Hacine’s motorcycle to Stéphanie’s home. He hopes for a spontaneous ride and a chance to recover their old intimacy. Separate futures Stéphanie refuses, saying the relationship is over and preparing to leave for Canada. Anthony rides away with the knowledge that his feeling has lasted longer than their shared connection.

Summer 1992

Summer 1992, after the party

A night in summer 1994

Night of July 14, 1996

July 1998