The Truth

The 2019 French-Japanese drama directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda centers on renowned French actress Fabienne Dangeville (Catherine Deneuve), who publishes memoirs that distort or omit significant events from her life. This strains her relationship with her daughter Lumir (Juliette Binoche), a screenwriter living in New York, who returns to France with her husband Hank (Ethan Hawke) and daughter Charlotte (Clémentine Grenier). Lumir confronts her mother about the inaccuracies, leading to the resurfacing of old grievances and unresolved conflicts. The film delves into complex family dynamics, the line between reality and fiction, and the impact of the past on the present. Set against the backdrop of a science fiction film shoot where Fabienne plays a mother who never ages, the story unfolds as one of forgiveness, understanding, and reconciliation. This marks Kore-eda's first work outside Japan, exploring themes familiar from his previous films but within a European context.