Frantz
In 1919 Quedlinburg, Germany, a young woman named Anna is still mourning the death of her fiance, Frantz Hoffmeister, in the Great War while living with his equally devastated parents. One day, a mysterious Frenchman, Adrien Rivoire, comes to town both to pay his respects to Frantz's grave and to contact that soldier's parents. Although it is difficult for both sides with the bitterness of Germany's defeat, Adrian explains that he knew Frantz and gradually he wins Anna and the Hoffmeisters' hearts as he tries to connect with them. Unfortunately, Adrien and Anna discover the truth of his motives and things seem shattered for all. However, when Adrien leaves, Anna has her own struggles with the truth and her feelings until she sets out to find Adrien in France. With that, Anna has her own journey to make in more than one sense, even as they both realize that neither have easy answers to their complex personal conflicts with each other and the dead man linking them.
The film earned $7.5M at the global box office.
6 wins & 36 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Frantz (2016) exhibits strategically placed narrative design, characteristic of François Ozon's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 53 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Anna visits Frantz's grave in the cemetery of post-WWI Germany, a ritual that defines her existence as a grieving fiancée in a town devastated by loss.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Anna discovers a mysterious Frenchman, Adrien Rivoire, placing flowers on Frantz's grave—an unthinkable act in this German town filled with French hatred.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Anna actively chooses to welcome Adrien into their lives and home. She invites him to dinner, making the conscious decision to believe his story and accept the emotional connection he offers., moving from reaction to action.
At 56 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Adrien confesses the devastating truth: he was never Frantz's friend. He killed Frantz in battle and has come seeking forgiveness. Everything was a lie. The beautiful world collapses back to black and white., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 84 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Anna fully recognizes her impossible situation: she cannot tell the Hoffmeisters the truth without destroying them, yet she cannot continue living this lie in Germany. Frantz is truly dead, and the illusion dies with finality., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 90 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Anna decides to travel to Paris to find Adrien, choosing truth and life over the comfortable prison of mourning. She realizes that the lie gave the Hoffmeisters what they needed, and she can give herself what she needs: the possibility of moving forward., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Frantz's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Frantz against these established plot points, we can identify how François Ozon utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Frantz within the drama genre.
François Ozon's Structural Approach
Among the 7 François Ozon films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.5, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Frantz takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete François Ozon filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more François Ozon analyses, see Swimming Pool, The Crime Is Mine and Young & Beautiful.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Anna visits Frantz's grave in the cemetery of post-WWI Germany, a ritual that defines her existence as a grieving fiancée in a town devastated by loss.
Theme
Frantz's father Dr. Hoffmeister states: "We must learn to live with our grief." The film explores whether we can overcome grief through truth or require beautiful lies.
Worldbuilding
Post-WWI Germany: Anna lives with Frantz's parents, trapped in mourning. The town harbors deep resentment toward the French. We see Anna's isolated existence and the Hoffmeisters' inconsolable grief.
Disruption
Anna discovers a mysterious Frenchman, Adrien Rivoire, placing flowers on Frantz's grave—an unthinkable act in this German town filled with French hatred.
Resistance
Anna and the Hoffmeisters debate whether to trust Adrien. He claims to have been Frantz's friend in Paris. Despite initial resistance and danger from townspeople, Adrien's stories of Frantz bring the first comfort they've felt since his death.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Anna actively chooses to welcome Adrien into their lives and home. She invites him to dinner, making the conscious decision to believe his story and accept the emotional connection he offers.
Mirror World
Anna and Adrien visit the Louvre together (in Adrien's recounted memory or Anna's imagination shown in color), experiencing Manet's "Le Suicide." Adrien becomes the vehicle through which Anna can experience life and hope again.
Premise
Anna and Adrien grow close through shared memories of Frantz. The color sequences emerge showing beauty returning to Anna's life. They attend concerts, take walks, and Anna begins to fall in love—with both the version of Frantz that Adrien creates and with Adrien himself.
Midpoint
Adrien confesses the devastating truth: he was never Frantz's friend. He killed Frantz in battle and has come seeking forgiveness. Everything was a lie. The beautiful world collapses back to black and white.
Opposition
Anna is shattered but conceals the truth from the Hoffmeisters, who would be destroyed by it. Adrien returns to France. Anna struggles with the burden of the lie, knowing the truth but watching the Hoffmeisters find comfort in the fiction. She writes to Adrien.
Collapse
Anna fully recognizes her impossible situation: she cannot tell the Hoffmeisters the truth without destroying them, yet she cannot continue living this lie in Germany. Frantz is truly dead, and the illusion dies with finality.
Crisis
Anna sits in darkness with her grief and the weight of her knowledge. She must choose between the comfortable lie that sustains the Hoffmeisters and her own need for truth and a future beyond mourning.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Anna decides to travel to Paris to find Adrien, choosing truth and life over the comfortable prison of mourning. She realizes that the lie gave the Hoffmeisters what they needed, and she can give herself what she needs: the possibility of moving forward.
Synthesis
Anna goes to Paris and discovers Adrien is engaged to a French woman. She visits the Louvre alone, experiencing the Manet painting in reality (in color). She realizes she has been carrying forward the same lie Adrien told—protecting others from painful truth. She returns to Germany without revealing herself to Adrien.
Transformation
Anna writes a final letter to the Hoffmeisters from Paris, perpetuating the beautiful lie about Adrien while sitting in the colorized world she has now entered. She has transformed from grief's prisoner into someone who understands that lies can be acts of love, and chooses life while honoring loss.