France 2025
Opening April 16, 2026

Directed by: Rebecca Zlotowski
Writing credits: Anne Berest, Rebecca Zlotowski, Gaëlle Macé
Principal actors: Jodie Foster, Daniel Auteuil, Virginie Efira

Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster) is a therapist, who aids patients with their problems. Sadly, one patient, Paula (Virginie Efira), dies, supposedly of suicide. Lilian is skeptical and suspects a murder. Parallel is another death, that of Aunt Perle. Was Paula responsible? Suffering with tears in her eyes from constant crying, Lilian goes to eye doctor Gabriel (Daniel Auteuil), who is also her former husband. And then there is Simon (Mathieu Amalric), who is the former partner of Paula and father of their daughter Valerie. He carries a gun.  What is his responsibility? Lilian meets her son Julian and his Asian girlfriend for lunch. Lilian tapes her sessions with patients. Suddenly one tape is stolen—a tape which everyone desires to possess, due to its information about the relationships among these people.

The original title is Vie privée (the English title, A Private Life.) Coming to Germany, the title is changed to Paris Murder Mystery. Perhaps this title will draw more viewers, who might also be remembering Manhattan Murder Mystery directed by Woody Allen in 1993. The first word in the film is “shit,” a good description of many of the relationships involved. This is a great opportunity to experience a big troupe of actors, although one might not always comprehend their relationships. Filmed in Paris in French (which American actress Jodie Foster masters), it premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The German premiere was at the 2025 Hamburg Film Festival, coming out in the original English title of A Private Life.  (Becky T.)