In France, same-sex couples have only been able to have their shared parenthood recognized before birth since 2021. Previously, thanks to the “Marriage for All” law passed in 2013, it was possible for the non-birthing part of a lesbian partnership to subsequently adopt the child, but until then only the biological mother was listed on the birth certificate. It was a complicated legal process that often lasted six to 18 months – and during this time one of the two women was essentially without parental rights.
In her feature film debut, director Alice Douard accompanies a couple who prepare for exactly this bureaucratic adoption process and have to go through it after the birth – including the titular “15 proofs of love”. The result is an authentically frustrating, but also surprisingly light-footed film that raises intelligent questions about motherhood and motherhood between baby food, bureaucracy and Beethoven – captured in cozy, warm images by cameraman Jacques Girault.
Céline (Ella Rumpf) and Nadia (Monia Chokri) are expecting their first child together – they just have to laboriously prove their love to the authorities.
Paris in 2014: The sound engineer Céline (Ella Rumpf), who also plays as a DJ, is expecting her first child with her wife Nadia (Monia Chokri). They made the decision as to which of them should carry the baby very pragmatically: At 37, it is high time for Nadia to become a mother, while 32-year-old Céline still has time to think about a future pregnancy. But while Nadia, as the biological mother, will give birth to her daughter in three months, Céline first has to prove to the relevant authorities that she is suitable as a mother. In addition to official documents, she also needs 15 letters from friends and family members that certify that she is lovingly involved in the care of her daughter.
Céline's mother Marguerite (Noémie Lvovsky) would also be an important candidate for such a letter, but as a successful pianist she has always been more concerned about her career than her daughter. Nevertheless, Céline tries her luck. Marguerite is a good observer, immediately spots the wedding ring and learns about Céline's parentage. She is looking forward to becoming a grandmother. But when she learns that Nadia will carry the child, Marguerite confronts her daughter with a painful truth: “Congratulations to her. It's wonderful to be pregnant.” Céline is not pregnant – and in order to become a mother, she first has to go through a Kafkaesque bureaucratic madness…
15 proofs of love – but many more questions
“15 Proofs of Love” begins with Nadia’s pregnancy and ends with the birth of their child. But until then, Céline still has a lot of things to clarify. Through the quiet but haunting performance of Ella Rumpf (“Raw”), you can feel her doubts and questions: How do you even become a good mother? And can she even become one herself when her own mother was mostly absent? How can she support Nadia during her pregnancy? What happens after that? What will your life together with your child be like?
It's almost a relief when Nadia suggests going out. Then they're both free and lose themselves in the night to Disclosure's “You & Me.” They smile at each other. Director Alice Douard also hints at a sex scene between Céline and the heavily pregnant Nadia, and the chemistry between Ella Rumpf and Monia Chokri is convincing.
Marguerite (Noémie Lvovsky) proves to be much more empathetic than her daughter ever thought possible.
Céline's conversations with a friend who is a father themselves are nice: They are in a similar situation, as neither of them has carried their own child in their stomachs for months. A strange, albeit obvious, thought. “15 Proofs of Love” does not carry any bitterness, but thanks to the script by Alice Douard and her advisors Julie Debiton and Laurette Polmanss, it has a loving tone – with a quiet humor that usually arises from sudden moments or bureaucratic rigidity.
You can simply feel that Douard knows what she's talking about: She herself delved deeply into research in 2018 when she had to go through the same process to adopt her own child – and experienced the very special pitfalls of being a same-sex mother herself.
Conclusion: “15 Proofs of Love” portrays the facets of modern motherhood quietly, astutely and with a lot of warmth.
We saw “15 Proofs of Love” at the Hamburg Film Festival 2025.