I’m Not a F**king Princess – My Little Princess (2011)

Directed by: Eva Ionesco | 105 minutes | drama | Actors: Isabelle Huppert, Anamaria Vartolomei, Georgetta Leahu, Denis Lavant, Jethro Cave, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Pascal Bongard, Anne Benoît, Johanna Degris-Agogue, Déborah Révy, Lou Lesage, Nicolas Maury, Pauline Jacquard, Eve Bitoun, Joe Sheridan, Linda Bonneau

‘I’m Not a F**king Princess’ is a film hard to digest for two reasons: first, its controversial subject: an underage girl posing for erotic photos, and second, the fact that the events are based on the childhood experiences of the director, Eva Ionesco. Unfortunately, the film gradually sinks into playing time and the whole thing is left with good intentions.

The artist Hanah Giurgiu (Isabelle Huppert) is not very successful with her paintings, any more artistically than commercially. Hanah dresses like a 1940s Hollywood star and desperately tries to cling to a childhood she’s long left behind. She has a daughter, Violetta (Anamaria Vartolomei), who is raised in daily life by “grandma” (Georgette Leahu). Every now and then Hanah shows up, but just as quickly flutters away to indulge in the bohemian lifestyle. That changes when Hanah starts shooting and soon comes up with the idea of ​​using Violetta as a model. From dress-up sessions in Victorian robes, Hanah soon moves on to photographing her ten-year-old daughter in provocative poses and in revealing clothes. The art scene is ecstatic and the photos are causing a huge sensation in art circles and much commotion outside of it, but as mother and daughter spend more time together, more and more boundaries are pushed and their conflicts intensify.

The film is carried by the two protagonists Isabelle Huppert and Anamaria Vartolomei. Huppert plays a variant of her almost patented Ice Queen, but with manic traits and at times hysterical outbursts, which only further underline the instability of her character. Vartolomei impresses, not only because she not only manages to hold her own against an icon like Huppert, but is not even inferior to her. In addition, she knows how to deal with the adult emotions of her character in a convincing way. That said, the film is in many ways a battle of attrition, and that pays off in the acting in the long run. Ionesco seems to get lost every now and then and the film relapses quite a bit after the first half, with the same arguments and the same skirmishes coming back in ever wider circles. In addition, Ionesco does not always keep a tight hand, so that Huppert and Vartolomei start shouting themselves, which does not really benefit the credibility.

The decoration looks excellent, with old-fashioned dresses and hats, which are fully expressed by Huppert with her pale skin. It can be seen that the makers have also carefully chosen the clothes, however inappropriate, in which Vartolomei is sent to school and poses. Fortunately, Ionesco still somewhat controls the sexualization of her underage lead actress. No nude photos, in contrast to what Ionesco herself had to endure in her youth. The psychological pressure that Hanah exerts on Violetta and the attitudes that Violetta has to adopt, are enough to make the viewer feel uncomfortable. It is precisely the autobiographical element that makes the film both authentic and confrontational. The worst taste comes when Hanah and Violetta head to England for a photo shoot with raunchy pop star Updike (Jethro Cave, son of singer Nick).

‘I’m Not a F**king Princess’ (also released as the more neutral title ‘My Little Princess’) is especially successful in the structure and the first part. Ionesco does not mercilessly deal with her past, but mainly outlines a deeply dysfunctional relationship between mother and daughter. A subplot about concerned authorities comes too late and is too rushed, so that the story does not develop enough to keep you interested until the end.