The Cat (Romans Durs)

In a back alley in Paris, an elderly couple live in mutual hatred and complete silence, after their marriage descended into a twisted psychological game in which torturing the other is the only victory—and the only point.

Tucked away in a Parisian alleyway, Émile and Marguerite live in a state of silent war. A marriage that began as a mismatched second chance for widow and widower has curdled into a hatred so intense that the couple cannot even speak to each other—nor can they leave each other alone. Instead, Émile and Marguerite torment each other with cruel, biting notes while flaunting their ability to live alone alongside the other, dredging up past accusations and inventing new provocations. Recounting the origins and tragic escalation of their bizarre, toxic coupling, The Cat dredges up two lifetimes of disappointment and resentment with Simenon’s characteristic psychological acuity, painting a stark portrait of two individuals whose entangled suffering has become their only reason to live.