Juliette Binoche is finding the flavor of new love in “The Taste of Things.”

Written and directed by Tran Anh Hung, the film is officially France’s Oscars submission for the Best International Film category. “The Taste of Things,” formerly known as “The Pot-au-Feu,” premiered at 2023 Cannes.

Binoche and her ex-partner Benoît Magimel star as two chefs fall in love across 20 years in the 19th century; Hung adapted the romance drama from Marcel Rouffe’s 1924 novel “The Passionate Epicure.” The film marks Hung’s second Oscar entry, following 1993’s “The Scent of Green Papaya,” where Hung made history as the first Vietnamese nominee.

Set in France in the late 19th century, the film follows the life of Dodin Bouffant (Magimel) as the preeminent chef living with his personal cook and lover Eugénie (Binoche). Eugénie and Dodin share a long history of gastronomy and love. While emotions remain contained, the culinary discoveries are,...