Director: Agathe Riedinger
Writer: Agathe Riedinger
Stars: Malou Khebizi, Idir Azougli, Andréa Bescond
Synopsis: Liane, 19 years old, daring and fiery, lives with her mother and little sister under the dusty sun of Fréjus in the South of France. Obsessed with beauty and the need to become “someone”, she sees reality TV as her opportunity to be loved. Fate smiles upon her when she auditions for “Miracle Island”
Exploring unhealthy avenues of fame and beauty is nothing new in the world of film; even recently, movies like The Substance and The Ugly Stepsister have each found unique ways of exploring this theme. French filmmaker Agathe Riedinger joins these films in delving into these ideas while managing to leave a lasting impression on the viewer. The film not only provides commentary on the insane standards of beauty for young women of today, but does it through the eyes of modern-day Gen Z and the brutal look at what it means to expose your body in such a way in the current social media landscape. Even when the film suffers from its more repetitive beats, Riedinger’s gritty and raw cinematography, matched with a fearless lead performance from Malou Khebizi, gives Wild Diamond the edge it needs to stand out.
Liane (Malou Khebizi) is a 19-year-old influencer who spends her days selling stolen goods and making sure her physical appearance is as perfect as possible. She has a rough home life being from foster care, having to babysit her sister and argue with her lazy mother, but she finally finds the opportunity she’s been striving for when she’s invited to audition for the reality show, “Miracle Island,” where she can finally reach what she has always dreamed of, the spotlight. From the jump, Wild Diamond shows all the harsh realities of spending so much time on the modern media landscape, boob and butt surgeries, instagram filters, compliments,and death threats in comment sections, it’s all here in droves. What sets it apart from other features that have tackled similar themes is how the film never strays away from how unsettling it can feel, and you can feel every ounce of pain Liane goes through. Every moment she sinks deeper into pleasing people she’ll never meet and doing something utterly demoralizing to get to the top, the film is relentless in its loneliness, and more palpable than most other features, giving a tremendous impact that can’t be shaken.
These sequences are only bolstered by Khebizi’s exceptional showcase as Liane. From the moment we meet her, we see how feisty and strong-willed she is, and Khebizi sells it in every scene. The performance becomes truly key when she shows how she’s about to break at any moment through mostly subtle facial expressions as she falls deeper into the admiration, deeper into arguments with her closest friends and family; anxiety is still bursting through the seams but sympathy is also felt for Liane, making her a compelling central character to follow. The entire film essentially revolves around being invested in Liane, or it would fall flat on its face, and Khebizi carries the film with stride.
Riedinger’s work with cinematographer Noé Bach shines throughout the film as well. Riedinger knows when to let the camera sit for sympathetic moments with colorful hues, but also lets loose with some exceptional uses of kinetic tracking and handheld shots. Scenes of unsettling subject matter or high confrontation are elevated by appropriate shaky cam and manic camera movements. It gives the film a beautifully gritty look throughout that complements the movie’s thematic presence and Liane’s traits as a character. It’s not the most subtle, but ends up being effective. Composer Audrey Ismaël’s string-centric score also adds to these key tension points. The score and cinematography harmonize to make the film uneasiness rather potent, creating a unique sense of atmosphere.
Not everything about Wild Diamond comes together. The film’s characters like Liane’s semi love interest Dino (Idir Azougli) and her pathetic mother (Andréa Bescond) suffer from severe underdevelopment within the screenplay and yes, the film isn’t breaking new territory with its familiar premise or mundane thematic beats, but Wild Diamond explores the darker elements of chasing fame so young in a compelling manner. Thanks to a great lead performance and effective visual techniques, Wild Diamond serves as a nice promise of potential for director Agathe Riedinger.
