The film is extraordinarily moving because it rarely gives the viewer emotional distance. The camera remains close to the characters, and the performances are remarkably strong: Emmanuel Macchia as Pierre and Valentin Campagne as Francis, who jointly received the Best Actor award at Cannes 2026, anchor the film with an intense and affecting chemistry. Around them, the story moves through a continuous series of emotional shifts—fear, tenderness, humour, desire, grief, and brief moments of freedom. The ensemble surrounding Pierre and Francis is especially effective, giving the world of the camp an intensity that often feels like a film within the film.