Dir: Hélène Rosselet-Ruiz | France 89’. 2026
Directed by Hélène Rosselet-Ruiz this tightly wound feature debut unfolds within a sprawling Parisian mansion, where a group of women are interviewing for a demanding 24/7 position as housekeeper and caretaker for an ultra-wealthy Saudi prince (Monsieur).
Laura (Malou Khebizi) secures the job and quickly discovers the intensity of the role. Her employer, Madame Souria (Soundos Mosbah), never leaves the house and insists that no woman in her presence upstages her beauty or allure. To occupy her time, Souria relies on an indoor pool and a fully equipped gym, maintaining a rigid routine of exercise, grooming, and the latest fashions.
The film unfolds through security cameras, portraying a familiar servant–master dynamic, pushing credibility at times with the extreme behaviour and expectations of the elite household. Madame is brisk, exacting, and rarely polite, issuing contemptuous remarks (“send that Courrèges selection back, it’s ugly”). All this belies a deep insecurity surrounding her status with the prince. Laura maintains her composure, keeping herself physically and mentally strong throughout with disciplined, military routines for her potential career in the army.
It soon becomes clear that Madame Souria is not the lady of the house but Monsieur’s mistress, effectively trapped in a gilded cage. She longs to become his second wife but must remain hidden whenever his actual wife visits Paris. The mansion itself reflects this strange captivity, including a caged black panther, sedated to ensure its docility—a stark metaphor for Souria’s own existence.
When Monsieur and the butler, Emre, leave for two days, Laura is tasked with ensuring that Madame does not leave the house and reporting on any strange behaviour. During their absence, Souria seems to have a lover, but these comings and goings remain mysterious due to the tight security. After drinking and smoking excessively, the two of them mock Laura. Meanwhile, Laura develops a tentative connection with Emre, who offers her an army knife engraved with her name and confides his hope of using Monsieur’s Saudi connections to help his family escape Palestine.
The director keeps her narrative enigmatic and we’re never quite sure of the action due to hidden surveillance in this secretive set-up. Tensions suddenly escalate, Souria is clearly upset about her love life and failed scheming, unleashing a stream of verbal abuse, criticising Laura who promptly leaves in an emotional outburst. Souria begs her to stay. Laura agrees, requesting only a night off to celebrate her sister’s birthday. Gradually, the power struggle softens into a fragile bond. Souria reveals her vulnerabilities, complicating Laura’s role as both employee and observer. Souria confided more openly about the ruthless, male-dominated Muslim world she inhabits, uncertain of her ultimate fate, relying on nouse and feminine charm in this medieval society.
This is ultimately a tale of two women: one from a modest background but with considerable agency, the other surrounded by wealth yet stripped of any power. A pared back but gripping thriller, directed with confidence and style.
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL | premiering on 19 May 2026.