Jeanne Herry

Jeanne Herry, born April 19, 1978, out in Boulogne-Billancourt, isn’t just another French filmmaker—she’s got this knack for digging into the raw, knotty stuff most people would rather sweep under the rug. Her movies? They don’t just skim the surface. Take “Pupille” from 2018. It’s not your typical adoption drama—it’s a close-up on the messiness and hope tangled up in the foster system, zeroing in on the adults scrambling to do right by a baby who’s basically dropped into a world already spinning. It’s tense, it’s tender, and honestly, there are moments that’ll just knock the wind out of you. Then there’s “Elle l’adore” (2014), her debut, where she flips the crime genre on its head. Instead of the usual grizzled detectives and hardened criminals, you’ve got this awkward, obsessive fan who ends up way too close to her favorite pop star—a wild ride that’s half thriller, half dark comedy, and never lets you get comfortable. Jump to “All Your Faces” (2023), and she’s at it again—this time poking at the idea of restorative justice. The movie throws victims and offenders into the same room, peels back all the layers, and asks if forgiveness is even possible. It’s not preachy, though. Jeanne’s got this sharp eye for the little moments—the stuff that cracks people open—so everything feels honest, sometimes even uncomfortably so. She’s not just telling stories; she’s digging into what makes people tick, and making you feel every bit of it.