18/05/2026 - CANNES 2026: Driven by a highly colourful character, Lila Pinell’s film is a hard-hitting feminist tragicomedy exploring the theme of control

“I watched people. They had no idea what I was going through. I envied them for having a quiet life.” With Shana, the title role of her second feature film (her first as a solo director), unveiled in Directors’ Fortnight at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, Lila Pinell has chosen an explosive character, combative to the point of being offensive, who longs for “a normal life” but is completely trapped in the shackles of a toxic, passionate love affair; a larger-than-life personality whose misfortunes irresistibly draw the viewer’s astonished sympathy, portrayed in a playful yet hyper-realistic modern style that subtly addresses sensitive and paradoxical social issues.

Shana (Eva Huault) is no stranger to drama, and she isn’t afraid to let things escalate when she feels under attack, particularly by her mother (Noémie Lvovsky), with whom she has a stormy relationship. But in her personal life, she has willingly enslaved herself to the manipulative pervert Moïse (Sékouba Doucouré) – a jailed drug dealer, a real pain in the neck who has delegated his petty dealings to her and keeps a watchful eye on her from afar. But the wake-up call will be brutal…

Caught between the stinging force of denial and a desire for “Girl Power”, Shana — with her striking appearance (tall stature, extremely low-cut crop top, lip fillers) — navigates and improvises her way through contemporary Parisian life (individualism, friends who share her desire for cosmetic surgery, odd jobs to make ends meet, etc.), as the film gradually reveals the source of the emotional turmoil that has led her to this daily life turning into a nightmare with Moïse’s release from prison and the urgent need to find the money she has squandered.

Carried by the ever-present and fantastic Eva Huault, the film races along at lightning speed through a plot that unfolds over the space of a single week. Flirting with the burlesque whilst drawing on a reality that is at times very harsh (“drugs and pregnant women, prostitution within everyone’s reach, child abandonment”), Lila Pinell examines these contradictions (“I’m not superstitious, but I don’t want to tempt fate”, a pro-Palestinian Jew of Moroccan origin, relationships marked by love and betrayal, etc.) through the twists and turns of a dynamic comedy with biting humour. Entering through the window of a woman’s awakening, the filmmaker paints an endearing feminist portrait that scratches beneath the surface of society in search of truth, whilst avoiding oversimplifications.

Shana was produced by Ecce Films and CG Cinéma, and was co-produced by France 2 Cinéma. Les Films du Losange handles international sales.

(Translated from French)