Secret Name

Secret Name is director Aurélia Georges’s beautiful adaptation of Wilkie Collins’ novel “The New Magdalena” from 1873. It is a thrilling film about stolen identity and the battle of survival between three women of different social classes. Set in a period without social welfare systems, they play a game of high stakes.

The film brims with many emotional and tender scenes, where the characters try to care for each other, even though their different roles in the social hierarchy prevents them from touching or hugging. The suspense between physical distance and emotional closeness, drives the story forward in a multi-layered way. Secret Name is an excellent example of how a period drama can be highly relevant for current society. The magnificent Lyna Khoudri, who recently appeared in The French Dispatch, shines in her role as Nélie.