Celle que vous croyez (2019)

Directed by: Safy Nebbou | 97 minutes | drama, romance | Actors: Juliette Binoche, Nicole Garcia, François Civil, Marie-Ange Casta, Guillaume Gouix, Charles Berling, Jules Houplain, Jules Gauzelin, Francis Leplay, Pierre Giraud, Sonia Mohammed Cherif

to be abandoned. That is high on the list of social fears. Juliette Binoche confirms this during the Berlin Film Festival. She knows how to empathize very well with the role of literary teacher Claire Millaud in ‘Celle que vous croyez’. Claire is a divorced mother of two and a beautiful woman in her 50s. Her husband left her very dubious for a younger woman. Of course that left a deep wound, but she is now enjoying her life again. There is nothing wrong with her love life. But when her much younger lover Ludo abruptly ends their affair, Claire is thrown off balance again.

She cannot let the unexpected and bitter break-up rest and decides to create a fake account on Facebook in order to peek at her ex’s social media channel. What she does not take into account is that Ludo’s roommate Alex turns out to be a very charming appearance. When Alex sees the profile photo of Claire’s alter ego Clara, he becomes curious about this energetic handsome twenty-something. He adds her and they start talking on Messenger.

When Claire can’t resist her constantly glowing smartphone during lectures and visiting friends, Alex and Clara’s digital romance begins to take on more serious forms. Alex wants to meet Clara.

Flattered and with a sense of renewed power after the adultery in her marriage, Claire becomes mercilessly entangled in her crush and in the life of her fictional character. She posts photos and videos of her niece who – without her knowledge – has been assigned the role of Clara. It is clear that this online obsession is not without consequences.

Today, social media is indispensable. It is now a given that it leaves a mark on the sense of reality and self-image of us humans. Nothing is what it seems on the internet and almost everyone knows what a ‘catfish’ is. Not? Impersonating someone else on social media.

Juliette Binoche plays the role of digital impostor very disarmingly. She keeps her character of hurt wife Claire restrained, allowing the exciting and youthful Clara to pull out all the stops. A beautiful double role, without Clara actually getting a script. As a viewer, you feel for her when she takes those first steps in someone else’s skin and has to google the word ‘insta’ awkwardly. You can feel the delicious dopamine being released in her brain as her fake Facebook begins to garner the much-needed attention. And at the same time you want her to stop and no longer hide behind an alter ego, because she is an intellectual, graceful figure who does not need this cheap trickery.

This film by director Safy Nebbou serves as a nice canvas for the downside of social media, the digital age in which not every development is a good one. As you would expect from Paris-born Binoche, she has made her mark and her films do not disappoint. ‘Celle que vous croyez’ is an excellent modern addition to her portfolio.