The Diary of a Chambermaid The Diary of a Chambermaid The Diary of a Chambermaid

The Diary of a Chambermaid

Le Journal d'une Femme de Chambre

France, Romania | 2026 | 94 min

Language: French

Subtitles: English

Not for persons under 12


Director(s): Radu Jude

Script: Radu Jude inspired on the novel "Le Journal d'une femme de chambre" (1900) by Octave Mirbeau

Cast: Ana Dumitrașcu, Vincent Macaigne, Marie Rivière, Mélanie Thierry, Louen Bouteiller, Amélie Prévot, Louve Proust, Arnaud Baudoin, Ilinca Manolache, Sofia Dragoman, Liliana Ghiță

Production: SBS Productions

Distribution: SBS International


Drama | Dark Comedy


Literature Class Society At Work Outsiders Critics Choice (Mis)use of Power Première


Masters
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Screenings:

Radu Jude has been one of the leading figures on film festival circuits depicting Europe’s confusion in recent years. His films have explored Romania’s history and its place in both Europe and the rest of the world. Contemporary issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and artificial intelligence have also been examined. Previously, these were presented through provocative means, but his style has become more approachable.

Yet, Jude has not softened or lost his edge as a director. On the contrary, this more human perspective brings some of the most horrifying aspects of the world we live in into sharper focus: Europe is neither equal nor unified.

The film's central theme is underscored by a Romanian woman's life as a maid, where the only connection to her child back home is through smartphone video calls. The bourgeois French family’s home serves as an excellent setting for exploring both the differences and similarities between Eastern and Western Europe.

Juho Lipponen


Updated 2026-07-30 17:30:10 UTC