Dealing with some of the more sober realities of life - relationships, parenthood, serious illness - Solveig Anspach's second fiction feature is a life-affirming study of mankind's inner strength. The lead character, Emma, is expecting her first child when she learns that she has breast cancer.

The doctor who diagnoses the disease tells Emma that she must terminate the pregnancy, because the course of treatment will be too dangerous for the child.

Her lover, Simon, persuades her to get a second opinion from Dr Morin, who tells her the treatment will be safe. Emma's strength returns, and this time she's fighting for two.

Solveig ANSPACH, director :

Haut les Coeurs ! tells the story of a battle. It is a pregnant woman's fight with her own body, shared by her lover and father of her child.

Haut les Coeurs ! confronts cancer, how it destroys femininity and transforms love relationships.
But their attitude allows for distance and humor and thereby prevents the story from ending up in dark pessimism.

Haut les Coeurs ! is not a story about courage.
My characters are not heroes. They do not have a choice, they simply must fight.
I wanted the action to start during spring impregnated with its colors and odors. As Emma's treatments became more and more trying, the season shifts to the dead of winter. And the color in her life disappears as well.