Overview

• Directed by Guillaume Nicloux and co-written with Nathalie Leuthreau, the film eschews standard biopic formulas for a more interpretive portrait.
• Critics emphasize a romantic approach that privileges artistic passion and atmosphere over strict historical reconstruction.
• Kiberlain is widely credited with carrying the film through a nuanced portrayal of the pioneering stage legend.
• Nicloux casts Bernhardt as a rebellious, vanguard figure, invoking his own “anarchism punk” ethos and calling her “vampiric” and “excessive.”
• Coverage highlights a staging of La Dame aux Camélias at the Théâtre de la Renaissance and notes the film’s previous two César nominations.