Final Rating: 3/5
Wild Diamond is a stylish debut feature from director Agathe Riedinger. It follows the journey of Liane (Malou Khebizi) an attractive nineteen year old living in France who sets out to be a star, regardless of what it takes. She’s obsessed with beauty and considers this the only way to achieve anything of real value. She believes it’s ultimately how we’re all measured, and affords us power.
As a result Liane’s constantly online trying to learn from various influencers and posting her own photos, obsessively looking for clicks and comments, good or bad, because as she notes it doesn’t matter what people are saying as long as they’re paying attention. She seems to be in complete juxtaposition to her friends who, from the glimpses we glean, are content to live their lives, work their ordinary jobs and spend time with their kids/significant others. They point out how hollow her desired lifestyle is but Liane aspires for more, feeling this is what someone of her stature deserves.
At one juncture when arguing with her mother Sabine (Andréa Bescond) about the viability of this pursuit, she shows her how many followers she has accrued, but like many, in particular of her generation who only know this online world, is essentially conflating this attention for real affection or love. However, one must ask the question: is the attention itself all that really matters? She also shoplifts, selling the goods to make ends meet.
Liane and her younger sister live with Sabine who flits from one man to another and can’t hold down a job. We learn they’re soon to be evicted and Liane is desperate to free herself from this life. She auditions for a show called ‘Miracle Island’ which will, in her mind, launch her into the world of celebrity, fame and fortune. She spends what money she has saved up on a new designer dress as she is so convinced she’ll be making far more soon.
What her journey achieves is making us think about connecting in an online world, the true nature of modern relationships and fame it-self. Liane dresses provocatively for attention, but does that mean she is a certain ‘type’ of person, and does that warrant the criticism she faces from her friends and others? They chide her for being a tease as she is presented with several situations to be with men, but isn’t comfortable with their advances. She starts seeing Nathan (Alexis Manenti), a young man who works repairing motocross bikes with his older brother, but again wants more out of life then this simple position. He borrows a fancy car to impress her and takes her to his boss’s fancy house where she gets a glimpse of the kind of life she dreams of.
The nature of her journey, especially for those pursuing a career in the arts will be very relatable, as you’re often stuck in hurry up and wait mode. The difference here is that we don’t see her trying and failing. There aren’t a bunch of meetings or shady producers who give her a raw deal, a sense of failed attempts to be on TV or movies. We simply see her doing what she can to get clicks, going out with friends, reviewing her posts, all while she waits to hear back on the one opportunity presented, at one point yelling outside the agent’s office, before she finally gets the phone call saying she’s been accepted for the show.
This flat character arc is one that leads us to appreciate her sense of self belief and conviction, which is consistent throughout, but certainly questions the nature of such ‘celebrity’. The film has a sort of primal feel in the manner of how Liane presents herself, makeup is her battle paint, her attire transforming her into an object of desire, which ultimately gives her the strength she needs to pursue this dream. However, it would resonate more if the challenges presented were more persistent that the repetitive way in which she just bides her time, it would help us see her struggle more and feel more earned than just catching a break in an ultra-competitive industry.
Wild Diamond was seen during the 2025 International Film Festival of Ottawa.
