Hunting and Gathering 2007 Watch Online

Hunting and Gathering: A Tale of Love and Loss

The film opens showing the day-to-day life of an elderly lady named Paulette. Paulette lives alone, dedicated to her animals, in particular her cats, and her garden. Her worst fear is of dying far from her home and garden. However, when she takes a fall she is sent to the hospital who then advises that she recovers in a nursing home, much to her dismay.

A Chance Encounter

Meanwhile, Camille, an artist and cleaning lady, lives a lonely and anorexic life in a small attic in Paris. One day she meets the shy postcard salesman Philibert, who is in temporary custody of a grand apartment in her building. This belonged to his recently deceased aristocratic forebear and is filled with heirlooms. Philibert has arranged his life to have as little contact with the outer world as possible. Instead he lets his lodger, Franck – who works as a low-ranked cook in a big restaurant – take care of his shopping and other such things. Philibert and Franck are complete opposites; Philibert is a gentleman, with classical interests and preoccupations, who stutters when anxious. Franck is constantly busy; brash, gruff, confrontational, and confident. He works long hours at the restaurant and habitually spends his only day off going to visit his grandmother Paulette, who raised him.

A Complicated Relationship

Camille reaches out to Philibert on impulse, inviting him to ‘picnic’ in her attic. They hit it off, but in apparent denial of her sexual potency, Camille then has her hair cropped, “manière de petit garçon”. The turning point comes when, determined to return to her tiny attic, Camille cannot find the key. Franck tells her that he has it in his pocket but refuses to give it back. He says it is he who should leave, asking that she stay with Philibert, who is decidedly happier and more eager to interact with others when she is around. He says he will definitely leave unless she stays.

An Unexpected Turn of Events

After a few months in respite care, Paulette is eager to return home, however she is too fragile to live alone. Camille, who has become close with the old woman, convinces Franck to let her live at Philibert’s apartment, where she will quit her unsatisfactory job in order to look after Paulette. Initially hesitant, Franck agrees, and his grandmother moves in. Around the same time Franck and Camille, whose relationship turned a corner after the incident with the stereo, enter a period of flirting. However, when this evolves into a sexual relationship, Camille sets the rule of not falling in love. Franck is visibly upset and withdraws emotionally from Camille, as he has already fallen in love with her.

A Bittersweet Ending

Paulette later returns to her home for a week, with Camille resident to help out. However, almost immediately she passes away, exactly as she wanted, in her beloved home. At the same time, Philibert’s apartment is sold by his great-aunt and the trio break up. Camille, realizing she is in love with Franck, tries to contact him, in spite of his remaining withdrawn. After she waits for him outside his restaurant, they go out for a drink where Franck reveals he is moving to England at the end of the week. Camille suggests that he should stay in France, and buy a restaurant where they had eaten for her birthday, so he could be his own boss. Franck, sick of her tiptoeing around the central issue, asks her why she doesn’t just ask him to stay (implicitly, because she loves him) to which Camille replies that she’s afraid.

Finally, Camille arrives just in time to say goodbye to Franck. Heartbroken, Camille walks out of the train station where she receives a call from Franck. He tells her he’s worried that she is walking all alone, crying and lost. He pretends to be passing through customs, but in reality, unbeknownst to Camille, he has instead followed her. The two kiss passionately, happy to be together again.

Watch Hunting and Gathering Online Now!

Don’t miss out on the emotional journey of love and loss in “Hunting and Gathering.” Watch it online now and experience the beautiful story of connection and redemption unfold before your eyes.