The Truth is a 2019 French-Japanese drama film directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, starring Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke, and Ludivine Sagnier. The film explores themes of family, honesty, and the nature of art and storytelling.
Deneuve plays the role of Fabienne, a revered French actress who has just published her memoirs. Binoche plays her daughter Lumir, a screenwriter living in New York with her husband (played by Hawke) and young daughter. While visiting Paris to celebrate the publication of her mother's book, Lumir realizes that the memoirs contain numerous inaccuracies and half-truths.
As the two women confront each other about their past and the nature of their relationship, old resentments and secrets come to the surface. Meanwhile, Fabienne continues to struggle with the realities of aging and her own legacy as an actress.
Throughout the film, Kore-eda employs a nonlinear narrative structure that shifts back and forth between the present day and flashbacks to Fabienne's earlier experiences in the film industry. The film's complex portrayal of family dynamics and the blurred lines between reality and performance has earned widespread critical acclaim.
The Truth premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August 2019 and was released in France that same year. It received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the performances of Deneuve and Binoche.
