The Cannes Film Festival saw the debut of a compelling story that pulls back the curtain on the often-glamorized, yet demanding, world of social media influencers. “Unpacked Diamond” delves into the life of Liana, a 19-year-old aspiring influencer, and the extreme lengths to which she’s willing to go to achieve fame. The film, directed and written by Agate Ridinger, raises a critical question: How high a price is the social media generation willing to pay for recognition without losing themselves in the process?

Ridinger, known for her work in short films, advertising, and music videos, uses the contrasting backdrops of opulent villas in southern France and the gritty reality of Liana’s everyday life to tell this story. The inspiration for “Unpacked Diamond” stems from her short film “Waiting for Jupiter” (2018), which itself was inspired by documentaries about 19th and 20th-century courtesans. Ridinger draws a parallel between these past figures and today’s reality TV stars and influencers, stating that, “Cocottes played the same role in the community that a hundred years later played by the members of reality shows.” One of the most famous of these courtesans was Liane de Pougy.

The Allure and Illusion of Social Media Stardom

Liana’s days are consumed by scrolling through the accounts of accomplished influencers and creating her own content. However, lacking the resources of her more established counterparts, she resorts to petty theft to fund her aspirations, selling stolen goods on the street at discounted prices.

And then, after finding out that participants are being sought for the popular reality show “Miracle Island”, she decides that it will be the only and the right step to become famous, and goes to a meeting with the broadcast producer.

Driven by the dream of fame, Liana sets her sights on “Miracle Island,” a popular reality show. However, her initial enthusiasm turns to frustration when the producer becomes unresponsive after thier meeting. This rejection forces liana to confront the harsh realities of her life: a strained relationship with her mother, who is critical of her appearance and ambitions; a devoted boyfriend, Dino, whose affection she struggles to reciprocate; and friendships complicated by differing attitudes toward life and the pressures of conforming to modern beauty standards. This scenario is all to familiar in the U.S., where reality TV and social media offer the promise of instant fame, often leading to disappointment and exploitation.

In the U.S.,reality TV shows like “Love Island” and “The Bachelor” are often criticized for promoting unrealistic standards of beauty and behavior,creating a distorted view of relationships and success. Similarly, social media platforms are filled with filtered images and curated content, perpetuating a culture of comparison and inadequacy.

Director’s Vision: Hypersexuality and Modern Masculinity

Ridinger addresses the hypersexualization frequently enough prevalent in reality shows and its potential impact on young women. She emphasizes that while makeup artists and stylists create the external image, many young women lack the resources and guidance to navigate the pressures and potential exploitation that come with it.The director also highlights the frequently enough-derogatory attitudes these women face from those around them.

Ridinger elaborates on her research, explaining, “She has also watched a lot and still watching reality shows entirely based on the hypersbearance and hypersexualization of the participants, so she wanted to explore the purpose of the young women before signing a contract for participating in them. Much comes from a poor habitat and not educated, so TV shows are becoming an possibility to climb the stairs of the hierarchy of society, quickly earn a lot of money and become famous, which in other circumstances would hardly be possible.”

Through the character of Dino, Ridinger also challenges traditional masculine stereotypes, which she describes as “money, muscles, loud voices, big cars and loud motorcycles.” Dino represents a contrasting image of a “real romantic,” offering a gentler,more authentic form of masculinity.

A Star is Born: malu Kebizi as Liana

The film marks the debut of Malu Kebizi in the lead role of Liana,a casting choice that has been widely praised. Kebizi’s performance has earned her a nomination for the French National Film Award Caesar for Most Promising Actress, with “Unpacked Diamond” also nominated for Best First Feature Film. The film has also received recognition from the brothers Lumière Awards.

The Broader Impact and Lessons for U.S. Audiences

“Unpacked Diamond” offers a timely and relevant commentary on the pervasive influence of social media and reality TV. For U.S. audiences, the film serves as a reminder to critically evaluate the messages and images presented online and to be mindful of the pressures they create. It prompts viewers to consider the true cost of fame and the importance of staying true to oneself in a world that frequently enough values superficiality.