In her third French-language role, two-time Academy Award® winner Jodie Foster (Nyad, MVFF46) captivates as Lilian Steiner, a psychiatrist who moonlights as an amateur sleuth following the death of one of her long-time patients, Paula (Virginie Efira). Convinced that Paula’s supposed death by suicide is actually an unsolved murder, Lilian pursues her nagging suspicions. But Rebecca Zlotowski’s latest isn’t a straightforward caper. Instead, the writer-director blends genres in a disarmingly delightful way. Lilian, a devout skeptic, begins to unravel: Her guarded demeanor slips after she seeks the guidance of a hypnotist, glimpses her supposed past life, and reconnects with her ex-husband (an equally enchanting Daniel Auteuil). Always magnetic, Foster balances the beguiling twists of a mystery-drama with A Private Life’s sometimes zany (but undeniably charming) black comic turns, making it easy to see why this 2025 Cannes Film Festival entry received a 10-minute standing ovation. —Kate Bove
Rebecca Zlotowski
Rebecca Zlotowski was born in 1980 in Paris. She studied at the École Normale Supérieure and La Fémis and holds an agrégation in Modern Literature. She has directed six feature films, all selected at the Cannes or Venice film festivals. She also created the mini-series Les Sauvages. She lives and works in Paris.