Blue Is the Warmest Colour

Adèle is an introverted 15-year-old high-school student. She passes an older woman with short blue hair in the streets one day and is instantly attracted. She has sex with Thomas, a boy from school, losing her virginity, but is ultimately dissatisfied and ends their relationship. After having vivid sexual fantasies about the blue-haired woman while masturbating and kissing Béatrice, one of her female friends, Adèle becomes troubled about her sexual identity. Béatrice says she does not want to proceed further and tells Adèle to forget the kiss. Adèle's friend, the openly gay Valentin, takes her to a gay dance bar. Adèle later leaves and enters a lesbian bar, where some women flirt with her. The blue-haired woman, art student Emma, is there and intervenes, claiming Adèle is her cousin. Emma and Adèle become friends. After Emma shows up at the school, Adèle's friends suspect her of being a lesbian and ostracise her. Adèle and Emma grow closer and kiss at a picnic. They later have sex and begin a passionate sexual relationship. Emma's artsy family welcomes Adèle, but Adèle tells her conservative, working-class parents that Emma is her tutor for philosophy class. Some of Adèle's old friends attend her surprise 18th birthday party, but Emma does not. In the years that follow, the two women move in together. Adèle becomes a kindergarten teacher, while Emma tries to advance her painting career by throwing frequent house parties. At one party, Adèle meets Emma's pregnant colleague Lise, gallery owner Joachim, and aspiring actor Samir. Samir discusses America with Adèle while the others discuss sex, and the two become friends. Emma spends more time at the party with Lise. Emma belittles Adèle's career but encourages her to pursue writing, while Adèle insists she is happy the way she is. Their relationship grows tense as it becomes clear they have little in common besides their mutual physical attraction. Emma comes home late, having spent the evening working with Lise. Out of loneliness, Adèle has sex with a male colleague teacher named Antoine. Emma discovers the cheating and furiously breaks up with Adèle. Three years later, the two meet at a restaurant. Adèle is happy with her job as an elementary school teacher but has not moved on: she is still deeply in love with Emma. Emma is in a committed partnership with Lise and helps raise Lise's three-year-old daughter, but admits that she does not feel sexually fulfilled. Emma and Adèle kiss, but Emma withdraws. She tells Adèle that she no longer loves her, but that their relationship was special and she will always have "infinite tenderness" for her. The two part with apologies and tears. Adèle attends Emma's art exhibition. On one wall is a nude portrait of Adèle that Emma painted during their time together. Emma acknowledges Adèle but is focused on Lise and the other guests. Adèle congratulates Emma on her success and, after a brief conversation with Samir, leaves. He chases after her but goes in the wrong direction, while Adèle walks off into the distance.

Plot from Blue Is the Warmest ColourCC BY-SA 4.0