Cannes 2024: The Girl with the Needle, Wild Diamond | Festivals & Awards


“The Girl with the Needle” is von Horn’s first feature to screen in the official selection—but not, technically, his first film to be selected for it. After Cannes canceled its 2020 edition, the programmers announced several dozen titles that would have shown there had the festival happened. Von Horn’s “Sweat,” a portrait of a fitness influencer who struggles to balance her online self-dramatization with her actual feelings, was among them. And that film, too, has several points of intersection with Agathe Riedinger’s “Wild Diamond,” the day’s other competition feature, and the only film in this year’s competition that is a directorial debut. 

Opting for a 1.33:1 ratio, “Wild Diamond” answers the unasked question, “What if Rosetta—of the Dardenne brothers’ Palme d’Or-winning film ‘Rosetta’—were an Instagram user?” Constantly trailed by Riedinger’s camera, the 19-year-old Liane (Malou Khebizi—like Carmen Sonne, carrying an entire movie) spends her days watching her younger sister, contending with a barely attentive mother, and making money from sneak sales of flash drives and perfume.

She spots a way out when she gets a chance to audition for a reality show called “Miracle Island,” whose ninth season would bring her to Miami. It doesn’t matter that she’d partying on camera with douchebros who, she admits at her audition, don’t respect women. It doesn’t matter that the programmers may pressure her to part with her virginity, which she doesn’t disclose. (“Do you do it easily or not?” she’s asked at the casting session, which surely tests the boundaries of legality. “We don’t want any goody-goodies.”) She is not happy about the pay disparity between her and her prospective co-stars, but that doesn’t appear to be a dealbreaker.

Elsewhere, a social counselor, skeptical of Liane’s prospects and doubtful that fan meetings are the basis of a durable career, urges caution. But Liane, somewhere between determined and delusional, sets out to improve her chances.

“Wild Diamond” teases a few interesting angles—psychological, economic, religious—without ever resolving them. Part of the trouble may be that influencers are already starting to seem past their expiration date as a subject, and other movies (like the 2019 documentary “Jawline“) have done a better job of elucidating what makes the TikTok generation tick. “Wild Diamond” is the sort of feature that might have been a breakout in Un Certain Regard. In competition, the glare of the spotlight is harsh.

You can view the original article HERE.

N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
N.Y. Assemblyman Introduces ‘Peanut’s Law,’ Says Investigation Request Ignored
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
‘B.M.F.’ Big Meech Gets Porcelain Veneers After Prison Bid
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
How TV news anchors gear up for election night
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
NBA Reopens Jaxson Hayes Investigation After TMZ Video of 2021 Incident
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Nothing Left to Prove: Quincy Jones (1933-2024) | Tributes
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol Ending, Explained
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
Every TV Series Coming to Major Streaming Services in November 2024
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
The Unloved, Part 131: Dark City | MZS
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
I was crying at a certain point because I felt that I had hurt him
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Gina Zollman To Perform Her Show “ORI gina LS” At The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm Desert, CA, Sunday 11/24/24
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Iggy Pop announces “landmark” 2025 London and Glasgow shows
Watch Fontaines D.C. sing Antonio Vega’s ‘Tesoros’ in Spanish in Madrid
Watch Fontaines D.C. sing Antonio Vega’s ‘Tesoros’ in Spanish in Madrid
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
The 3 Biggest Scandals in Sports History
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Kiss918 on the Edge: Pushing the Boundaries of Digital Casino Innovation
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Patriots’ Maye clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Titans
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
Silver: NBA looking at ‘other formats’ for 2025 ASG
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
The End Trailer Arrives for 2024’s Most Audacious Film
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Taylor Sheridan is Correct: Critics Have Become Irrelevant
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Silence of the Lambs Influenced Daisy Ridley’s New Movie Magpie
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Emilia Clarke’s ‘The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland’ Gets Release Date
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
Banana Republic’s Holiday Campaign, Burberry’s Stock Rises
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
The Best-Dressed Stars at LACMA Art + Film Gala 2024
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
Beauty Made In Italy Brings A Big Crowd To The West Hollywood EDITION Hotel
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards
The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2024 WSJ Innovator Awards