A cruising spot for gays at an idyllic lake turns into the scene of a murder. Thriller-drama by Alain Guiraudie.

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At a small lake known as a cruising spot for gays, a hunk named Franck meets an unusual man in a sheltered spot. His name is Henri and he comes every day to enjoy the quiet and get lost in thought. He seems not to be interested in the sexual encounters everyone else goes there for. As Franck gets to know him, his eye catches the buff Michel. What starts off as secret interest soon turns into burning desire – even though Franck sees Michel drown a former lover in the lake.

Honored in Cannes, L'inconnu du lac has absolutely nothing to do with classic mainstream cinema. Director Alain Guiraudie is more interested in investigating unconditional desire and all its down sides. Unfortunately, he has a hard time combining the fundamental elements of drama into a successful thriller.