Stranger by the Lake 2014

Franck frequently visits a nude beach and its adjacent woods, both of which have become a known cruising spot for gay men. There, he forms a bond with Henri, an older man who seeks solace at the beach after his breakup with a girlfriend. At the same time, Franck develops an intense attraction to Michel, a striking man who catches his eye immediately.

One ominous evening, Franck witnesses Michel committing a shocking act—drowning another man in the lake. Despite being terrified by this revelation, Franck finds himself irresistibly drawn to Michel and continues to pursue him. As the body of the drowned man is discovered and identified, a police investigator begins to question the regulars at the beach. When asked about the incident, Franck insists he saw nothing unusual on that fateful night.

As the relationship between Franck and Michel deepens, Franck becomes increasingly frustrated with Michel’s insistence on only meeting at the beach. Meanwhile, Henri, sensing the underlying tension and darkness surrounding them, warns Franck about Michel’s true nature.

During one of Franck’s swims, Henri confronts Michel, explicitly accusing him of murder. Henri then takes a walk in the woods and throws one last look back at Michel before departing. Upon returning, Franck finds that the beach has turned eerily desolate. Venturing into the woods, he stumbles upon Michel, who is emerging from a secluded area of tall grass, only to discover Henri lying there with his throat cut. Henri cryptically tells Franck that he got what he wanted before the weight of dread fully sets in.

As Franck becomes the target of Michel’s wrath, he sprints into the woods to evade capture. In a shocking turn, he witnesses Michel assaulting the investigator, plunging a knife into his stomach. As night descends, Franck remains hidden, while Michel calls out, professing his need for Franck’s love and his desire to spend the night together. Franck, however, remains silent, forcing Michel to delve deeper into the woods in search of him. Eventually, Franck musters the courage to stand and begins to call out Michel’s name into the darkness, the echo of their tumultuous connection hanging heavily in the night air.