The Rose Maker (2020), directed by Pierre Pinaud

Crusty rose grower Eve Vernet is determined to maintain her father’s legacy, but her business is slowly going broke. Corporate pwerbroker Lamarzelle has seemingly cornered the rose market and he wants to take over Eve’s business and use her name for credibility. Her trusty offsider Vera has been doing everything possible to keep the business going and she arranges for some cheap rehab trainees to join the company. Fred, Nadege and Samir have no clue about roses, but they each have hidden talents that could help out if only Eve can be flexible enough to recognise them. It is slow going at first, but the film’s pace and charm grow as Eve recognises her shortcomings and learns to live more for the future than the past. Dodgy subtitles were seemingly written for the American market by someone not entirely fluent in English, as there is a strong disconnect between what is written and spoken at times. A bittersweet ending underlines the importance of family and the realisation that you can choose your own.