There’s nothing so achingly romantic on screen as a brief encounter.

A dramatic construction involving limited time and an accident of chance, with a neat beginning, middle and end: the protagonists meet, fall in love, but part due to the obstacles of an uncaring world. The lovers experience a fleeting yet passionate liaison, one left unscathed by the mundanities of everyday life, resulting in a potent mix of pleasure and pain that stimulates the mind as well as the heart.