After studying audiovisual arts in Paris, where she grew up, Carine Tardieu worked as an assistant director before directing two short films that won multiple awards at international festivals. After a stint in television, where she worked as a screenwriter, Tardieu co-wrote and directed her first feature film, In Mom’s Head (2007). This was followed by The Dandelions (2012), Just to Be Sure (2017), which was selected for the Directors' Fortnight at the Festival de Cannes, and The Young Lovers (2021). The Ties That Bind Us is her fifth feature-length film.