''Secret Name'' (, ') is a 2021 French

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed and co-written by , and starring

Lyna Khoudri Lyna Khoudri (; ; born 3 October 1992) is an Algerian and French actress. In 2017, she won the Orizzonti Award for Best Actress at the 74th Venice International Film Festival for '' The Blessed''. In 2020, she won the César Award for Most Promi ...

Maud Wyler Maud Wyler (born 14 December 1982) is a French actress. She appeared in more than thirty films since 2009. Selected filmography References External links * 1982 births Living people French film actresses 21st-century French actre ...

and

Sabine Azéma Sabine Azéma (born 20 September 1949) is a French stage and film actress and director. Born in Paris, she graduated from the Paris Conservatory of Dramatic Arts. Career Her film career began in 1975. Azéma appeared in '' A Sunday in the C ...

. The film was inspired by the 1873 novel ''The New Magdalen'' by

Wilkie Collins William Wilkie Collins (8 January 1824 – 23 September 1889) was an English novelist and playwright known especially for ''The Woman in White (novel), The Woman in White'' (1860), a mystery novel and early sensation novel, and for ''The Moonsto ...

. ''Secret Name'' premiered at

Locarno Film Festival The Locarno International Film Festival is a major international film festival, held annually in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narr ...

on 9 August 2021 where it was nominated for

Golden Leopard The Golden Leopard () is the top prize at the Locarno International Film Festival, an international film festival held annually in Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. Directors in the process of getting an international reputation are allowed to b ...

award in 'Best Film' category. The film was released theatrically in France on 19 January 2022.

Plot

In 1914 during

WWI World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting took place mainly in Europe and th ...

, Nélie Laborde (

), a young nurse from a humble background, meets Rose Juillet (

), an

upper class Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status. Usually, these are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper cla ...

Swiss woman. When their building is hit by German artillery fire and Rose is mortally wounded, Nélie takes on her identity and presents herself in her place at the house of a wealthy woman in search of a better life.

Cast

as Nélie Laborde *

as Eléonore de Lengwil *

as Rose Juillet * as Julien Valence * as Massip

Reception

References

External links

* * 2021 drama films French drama films 2020s French films Films scored by Frédéric Vercheval Films based on British novels Films based on works by Wilkie Collins {{2020s-France-film-stub