A missing patient, a doubt that won’t be silenced, and a psychiatrist who begins to probe those she thought she knew: in Vie Privée, Jodie Foster gradually abandons the confines of her office to chase an intuition that has become an obsession. Rebecca Zlotowski's film airs on Canal+ on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 9:06 PM.
Private Life
Film | 2025
Broadcast on Canal+ : Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Drama-comedy, crime thriller | Runtime: 1h45
Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski | Starring Jodie Foster, Daniel Auteuil, Virginie Efira, Mathieu Amalric and Vincent Lacoste
Theatrical release: November 26, 2025
Country: France
Lilian Steiner is a renowned psychiatrist, used to listening to others without getting swept up in their emotions. When Paula, one of her patients, misses several appointments, she tries to understand what happened and learns of her death. The suicide theory doesn’t convince her: Lilian is convinced a crime has been committed.
She throws herself into an investigation that disregards both the rules of her profession and the conventions of a traditional inquiry. As she digs deeper, the most ordinary gestures become suspicious, memories lose their footing, and those closest to Paula seem to be shielding a portion of the truth. Lilian soon isn’t sure whether her intuition brings her closer to the facts or traps her in a personal, biased reading of the case.
To help her, she teams up with Gabriel, her former husband, played by Daniel Auteuil. Still tied to her despite their split, he becomes both her investigative partner, her foil, and the trusted witness to her outbursts. Their relationship injects a couple’s dynamic into the story, regularly disturbing the tension of the police thriller.
Rebecca Zlotowski isn’t just weaving a mystery around a suspicious death. The investigation pushes Lilian to step out of the role of the one who analyzes others and confront her own contradictions. What’s spoken, what’s left unsaid, and how people behave become as crucial as the concrete clues.
Premiered out of competition at the Festival de Cannes 2025, Vie Privée marks Jodie Foster’s first major performance entirely in French. The actress crafts a character who strides forward with confidence while gradually exposing her vulnerabilities, in a circle where no one seems truly transparent.
Virginie Efira stars as Paula, the patient whose disappearance sets the plot in motion. Mathieu Amalric, Vincent Lacoste and Luàna Bajrami complete the cast. The screenplay is written by Rebecca Zlotowski, Anne Berest and Gaëlle Macé.
After Les Enfants des autres, Rebecca Zlotowski reunites with Virginie Efira and continues her exploration of intimate relationships, power dynamics, and self-perception. Here she adopts the hallmarks of an investigative drama, but blends them with irony, psychological unease, and sometimes brisk exchanges between Lilian and her former husband.
Private Life may appeal to viewers who prefer investigations that focus more on the characters and their hidden sides than on the methodical solving of a crime. The film isn’t aimed at those who crave an action thriller or a police procedural with relentlessly tense pacing.
The trailer follows Lilian as he takes his first steps in the investigation, and shows how his professional certainties begin to crack under the weight of the case. It also offers a look at the duo formed by Jodie Foster and Daniel Auteuil, amid suspicion, disagreements and an old partnership.
To go further, also check out our picks for films, series and programs to watch on TV this week, our guide to releases across all platforms, and today’s streaming pick What to watch today on streaming.
This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.
