Rights sold to : Finland (Tammi), Greece (Polis), Korea (Gimmyoung), The Netherlands (De Geus), Russia (Pokolenie), Spain (Salamandra) and Vietnam (Bach Viet).
Marylou, a modest secretary and a single mother, is late for an important work meeting. Stuck in traffic and then in the subway, she ends up sprinting through the crowd, carrying her heavy file under her arm. Sometimes, life is all about a handful of minutes.
Albert Foehn, on the other hand, is early. He is on his way to his lawyer’s office, where he would like to finalize his legacy. At the age of seventy-eight, he has but a few months to live. In a few seconds, the truth about his life is revealed.
Tom wants to propose to the capricious Libby, whom he is deeply in love with, but a stupid cycling accident changes everything.
Prudence is a brilliant lawyer, a partner in a reputed Legal advisory office where her career is not progressing the way she would like it to: the colour of her skin is proving to be an obstacle to her professional progress.
A dog, a violet macaroon, a failed suicide, the explosion of a building… the course of these characters’ existence suddenly changes as they find themselves brought together in the same hospital. As in the domino effect, chance deals them all a new hand.
In the vein of Short Cuts, the multiple narrative of Providence mingles and intercrosses the destiny of these characters and creates a funny, moving and romantic tale that points to the flaws of a contemporary era dominated by loneliness and compromises.
Valérie Tong Cuong is the author of five novels: Big (1997, Nil), Gabriel (1999, Nil), Où je suis (2001, Grasset), Ferdinand et les iconoclastes (Grasset, 2003), and Noir dehors (2006, Grasset). She also writes and sings for the group Quark (three albums released to-date). She is currently working on the screen adaptation of Où je suis.
Modeste secrétaire, élevant seule son fils, Marylou est très en retard pour une importante réunion de travail. Coincée dans les embouteillages et le métro, elle finit par piquer un sprint, son lourd dossier sous le bras. Elle tente le tout pour le tout. La vie tient parfois à une poignée de minutes.
Albert Foehn est, lui, plutôt en avance, il a rendez-vous chez un notaire pour régler sa succession. A soixante-dix-huit ans, il ne lui reste que quelques mois à vivre. En quelques secondes la vérité sur son existence éclate.
Producteur de cinéma influent, père d’un grand fils dont il ne se sent pas proche, Tom veut demander sa main à la capricieuse Libby. Il en est très amoureux. Un stupide accident de vélo va changer la donne.
La brillante Prudence, « partner » dans un cabinet de conseil réputé, a dû mal à se faire une place au sommet. La couleur de sa peau entrave son ascension. Mais parfois la vie vous remet les cartes en main.
Un chien, un macaron à la violette, un suicide raté, l’explosion d’un immeuble vont modifier le destin de ces protagonistes et les réunir dans un hôpital. Telle la chute de dominos, la providence, bousculant leur vie, s’amuse à redistribuer le jeu.
L'auteur
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