{ "id": "epzyab4wn7", "slug": "letudiante", "title": "L'Étudiante", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance", "label": "Comedy and romantic films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-the-1980s", "label": "Comedies of the 1980s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-the-1980s" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-the-1980s.comedy-dramas-of-the-1980s", "label": "Comedy-dramas of the 1980s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-the-1980s.comedy-dramas-of-the-1980s" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-the-1980s", "label": "Western Europe · 1946 to 2000: Comedies of the 1980s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-the-1980s", "path": [ { "id": "geo.weu", "label": "Western Europe", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946", "label": "Western Europe · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance", "label": "Comedy and romantic films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance" }, { "id": "geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-the-1980s", "label": "Comedies of the 1980s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-the-1980s" } ] } ], "excerpt": "L'Étudiante (The Student) is a 1988 French romantic comedy by Claude Pinoteau starring Sophie Marceau as Valentine, an agrégation candidate in love with musician Édouard (Vincent Lindon); a La Boum follow-up written for Isabelle Adjani.", "snippet": "L'Étudiante (The Student) is a 1988 French romantic comedy by Claude Pinoteau starring Sophie Marceau as Valentine, an agrégation candidate in love with musician Édouard (Vincent Lindon); a La Boum follow-up written for Isabelle Adjani.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.comedy-romance.comedies-of-the-1980s.comedy-dramas-of-the-1980s", "markdown": "# L'Étudiante\n\n**L'Étudiante** (English title: *The Student*) is a 1988 French romantic comedy directed by Claude Pinoteau, starring [Sophie Marceau](https://www.edgepedia.org/sophie-marceau) as [Valentine](https://www.edgepedia.org/valentine), a literature student preparing the agrégation, and Vincent Lindon as Édouard, a night-time musician she falls in love with.[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) It was released in France on 5 October 1988 and is often described as a spiritual successor to Pinoteau's *La Boum* (1980) and *[La Boum 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/la-boum-2)* (1982), which had also starred Marceau.[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/fr/title/tt0096523/)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director and writers | Claude Pinoteau; screenplay by Pinoteau and Danièle Thompson[3](https://tf1pro.com/programmes/produit/letudiante) |\n| Release | 5 October 1988 (France); distributed by Gaumont[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) |\n| Runtime | 104 minutes; listed as 1h43 by AlloCiné and 1h44 by IMDb[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096523) |\n| Main cast | Sophie Marceau (Valentine Ezquerra), Vincent Lindon (Ned/Édouard), Élisabeth Vitali (Céline), Jean-Claude Leguay (Charly)[3](https://tf1pro.com/programmes/produit/letudiante) |\n| Production | France–Italy co-production: Gaumont, TF1 Films Production, and Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica[5](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark%3A/12148/cb39065510r) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096523) |\n| Music | Vladimir Cosma; the song \"You Call It Love\" (music by Cosma, lyrics by Jeff Jordan) performed by Karoline Krüger[2](https://www.imdb.com/fr/title/tt0096523/) |\n| Reception | AlloCiné spectator rating 2.6/5 (about 1,747 notes); IMDb 5.8/10 (about 2.7k votes)[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096523) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nValentine Ezquerra is preparing the agrégation de lettres classiques, the competitive examination that caps five years of literary studies, while teaching French on the side in a *boîte à bac*, a cram school for the baccalauréat.[6](https://www.pathehome.com/fr/fr/film/phf-3I8H8XFDCN/letudiante) • [7](https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/the-student) Her days are strictly scheduled around revision, and she has no time for love.[6](https://www.pathehome.com/fr/fr/film/phf-3I8H8XFDCN/letudiante) During a stay at a winter sports resort she meets Édouard, a pianist and composer who lives for music at night and dreams of writing film scores.[8](https://tv-programme.com/l-etudiante-film) • [9](https://www.senscritique.com/film/L_Etudiante/1057072)\n\nThe two fall in love despite opposite temperaments and incompatible schedules, and Édouard moves into Valentine's apartment, where a disillusioned professor, fellow students, a helpful nurse, and Céline, another agrégation candidate, orbit around her.[8](https://tv-programme.com/l-etudiante-film) The relationship strains under the pressure of the approaching examination, and the couple separates.[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) On the day of the agrégation, Valentine, her heart broken, delivers her oral presentation on Molière's *Le Misanthrope* in tears and, under cover of the lecture, addresses a declaration of love to Édouard, who has come to the amphitheater to win her back.[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) • [10](https://www.cinema-francais.fr/les_films/films_p/films_pinoteau_claude/l_etudiante.htm)\n\n## Production\n\nThe screenplay was written by Claude Pinoteau with Danièle Thompson, who also wrote the dialogue.[3](https://tf1pro.com/programmes/produit/letudiante) • [10](https://www.cinema-francais.fr/les_films/films_p/films_pinoteau_claude/l_etudiante.htm) The technical crew included Yves Rodallec as director of photography, Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte as editor, Jacques Dugied for set design, and Catherine Leterrier for costumes.[10](https://www.cinema-francais.fr/les_films/films_p/films_pinoteau_claude/l_etudiante.htm) The score was composed by Vladimir Cosma.[10](https://www.cinema-francais.fr/les_films/films_p/films_pinoteau_claude/l_etudiante.htm)\n\n**Filming at Méribel.** Part of the shoot took place at the Méribel ski resort; a France 3 Grenoble report broadcast on 9 April 1988 showed the filming there and included interviews with Pinoteau about the story and with Marceau about her role.[11](https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/video/lxc01025441/cinema-tournage-de-l-etudiante-de-claude-pinoteau) This is where Valentine and Édouard meet in the film's story.[9](https://www.senscritique.com/film/L_Etudiante/1057072)\n\nThe film was produced as a French–Italian co-production involving Gaumont, TF1 Films Production, and the Cecchi Gori Group's Tiger Cinematografica.[5](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark%3A/12148/cb39065510r) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096523) Alain Poiré is credited as producer.[12](https://www.molotov.tv/fr_fr/p/16348/l-etudiante)\n\n## Relationship to La Boum\n\nBecause it reunited Pinoteau with Sophie Marceau, *L'Étudiante* is frequently described as a quasi-sequel or spiritual successor to *La Boum* (1980) and *La Boum 2* (1982), the films that made Marceau famous as the teenager Vic.[2](https://www.imdb.com/fr/title/tt0096523/) • [1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) The heroine's name, Valentine, echoes Vic, and some viewers have called the film \"La Boum 3\".[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html)\n\nPinoteau and Thompson, however, maintained that *L'Étudiante* was never meant to be \"La Boum 3\": the screenplay was initially written for [Isabelle Adjani](https://www.edgepedia.org/isabelle-adjani), an actress traditionally seen as more bookish than Marceau.[13](https://shakscreen.org/media/articles_pdf/Delord_2021.pdf) Critics were divided on the comparison; one French television guide described the film as a kind of targeted-product \"Boum III\", while AlloCiné's audience score of 2.6 out of 5 sits well below the affection the earlier films enjoy.[8](https://tv-programme.com/l-etudiante-film) • [1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html)\n\n## Release and home media\n\nGaumont distributed the film in French cinemas from 5 October 1988.[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) It was later released on DVD on 1 March 2008 and on Blu-ray on 26 February 2020, with VOD availability from 1 January 2008.[1](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html) A French DVD edition also contains a presentation by Danièle Thompson, an audio commentary by Pinoteau, an interview with Vincent Lindon, and a report on the Méribel shoot.[5](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark%3A/12148/cb39065510r) The film remains available for rental or purchase on French streaming services including Amazon Video, Canal VOD, TF1+, Pathé Home, LaCinetek, and Apple TV Store.[7](https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/the-student)\n\n## International titles\n\nThe film circulated internationally under titles including *The Student* (English), *La estudiante* (Spanish), *Die Studentin* (German), *Studentka*, and *Il tempo delle mele 3* (Italian), the last tying it to the Italian release titles of the *La Boum* films.[14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGIhLZgaQg4)\n\n## References\n\n1. [L'Etudiante – Film 1988 – AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D29685.html)\n2. [L'étudiante (1988) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/fr/title/tt0096523/)\n3. [L'étudiante – TF1 Pro](https://tf1pro.com/programmes/produit/letudiante)\n4. [L'étudiante (1988) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096523)\n5. [Notice bibliographique L'étudiante – Bibliothèque nationale de France](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark%3A/12148/cb39065510r)\n6. [L'Étudiante – Pathé Home](https://www.pathehome.com/fr/fr/film/phf-3I8H8XFDCN/letudiante)\n7. [L'Étudiante – JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/the-student)\n8. [L'étudiante – TV Programme](https://tv-programme.com/l-etudiante-film)\n9. [L'Étudiante – SensCritique](https://www.senscritique.com/film/L_Etudiante/1057072)\n10. [L'Etudiante – Cinéma Français](https://www.cinema-francais.fr/les_films/films_p/films_pinoteau_claude/l_etudiante.htm)\n11. [Cinéma : tournage de \"L'étudiante\" de Claude Pinoteau – INA](https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/video/lxc01025441/cinema-tournage-de-l-etudiante-de-claude-pinoteau)\n12. [L'étudiante en streaming & replay – Molotov TV](https://www.molotov.tv/fr_fr/p/16348/l-etudiante)\n13. [Delord (2021), article on Claude Pinoteau and L'Étudiante](https://shakscreen.org/media/articles_pdf/Delord_2021.pdf)\n14. [L'Étudiante (1988) Bande Annonce VF – YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGIhLZgaQg4)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of the 1980s › Comedy-dramas of the 1980s*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/letudiante", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/letudiante.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"L'Étudiante\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/letudiante. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[L'Étudiante](https://www.edgepedia.org/letudiante)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/letudiante](https://www.edgepedia.org/letudiante). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"L'Étudiante\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/letudiante. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "L'Étudiante is a 1988 French romantic comedy by Claude Pinoteau starring Sophie Marceau as Valentine, an agrégation candidate in love with musician Édouard; a La Boum follow-up written for Isabelle Adjani." }