In “Wild Diamond,” the dream of reality TV stardom is one young woman’s salvation — a way out of her bleak life in southern France.
But should a 19-year-old have to commodify her sexuality in the name of self-worth? Does it become more understandable — or more unsettling — when we learn she’s driven by emotional neglect?
Even if we didn’t witness the fame-obsessed Liane (Malou Khebizi) shielding her younger sister from their mother’s sex sounds in the next room, or see the threat of eviction, we’d still sense trouble at home just by her frantic determination to make it onto “Miracle Island.”
Liane auditions for the hit reality show, which might be her best shot at breaking free from the confines of her troubled family. But when she tattoos her abdomen — wincing in pain, then calmly flaunting the fresh ink for her thousands of TikTok followers — you want to show her another path. Moments like these crystallize, to heartbreaking effect, the movie’s uneasy compassion for influencer culture.
Originally a short film by the writer-director Agathe Riedinger, this feature debut unfolds in waves of tension and release. Khebizi brings palpable desperation to the role of Liane, despite the limited script, while the cinematographer Noé Bach intimately frames Liane like we’re intruding on her space. Her glittering ambitions stand out all the more against this unadorned naturalist look.
Eventually, we find out whether Liane got the role. But the film’s most haunting question remains: Which reality is safer — the one she’s learned to survive, or the one that tempts her with its illusion of hope?
Wild Diamond
Not rated. In French, Italian and English, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes. In theaters.
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