Living with her mother and younger sister in Frejus, southern France, her entire waking time is focused on climbing the social ladder through superficial sites like TikTok and Instagram. She is prone to worship and wears provocative clothing. And the wolf’s whistles do not bother him; Rather they boost her ego, although she may not display it, pretending to be displeased with such boisterous attention. Karl Marx would probably describe such passion as the opium for the current group of youth.

Reality television is boosting her self-confidence whose corrupting influence is eating away at Lianne – although she rarely realizes it. Or, perhaps pushes it aside. To climb such a destructive social ladder, she stops at nothing. As the film begins to pick up and move with its sometimes disturbing restlessness, we see teenagers stealing items from clothing stores. This is the only way she knows to survive in her world which is very shallow indeed.

She has had surgery on her breasts, and her lips have been injected with a chemical that turns them sour. Wearing really short shorts and a top that clings to her body, she runs around trying to find the magic of life. She posts endless selfies on social-media sites, sometimes going to torturous extents. She even gets grotesquely tattooed on her stomach which causes her unbearable pain. Khebizi reminded me of Brigitte Bardot, who once earned her scandalous praise for her extremely sexy moves.

Lianne eventually finds success, and a reality television producer ends up leaving a message saying they were impressed by her photos on social media and wanted her to interview for a spot on Miracle Island, where 15 girls live on a beach. Will live in .’s house. “We don’t want nice-looking girls”, says the producer and packages his show in such a way that the contestants bitch and claw with each other. That way he would become a star, he assured her. And Lian is completely sold on this.

Coming from a first-time writer-director, Wild Diamond is a revealing commentary on the destructive kinds of wild dreams into which young people sink. The film looks dramatic with a handheld camera capturing Liane’s panic. It is undoubtedly as powerful as the work of Andrea Arnold or the Dardenne Brothers. Liane’s 100% selfishness is conveyed in a compelling way while underscoring her notorious narrow-mindedness.

Competing for the festival’s top Palme d’Or, Wild Diamond may find it a little difficult to impress the jury led by American director Greta Gerwig, whose Barbie stole the show last year.