Festivals - The Better Me: Olga Kurylenko and the game of doubles under the snow in Gérardmer

By Mulder, Gerardmer, 31 january 2026

Presented at the 33rd Gérardmer International Fantasy Film Festival, The Better Me has established itself as one of the most talked-about French films of early 2026, not only for its clever concept, but also for the presence of Olga Kurylenko, whose appearance at the festival added an extra touch to an already lively event. Directed by Nicolas and Bruno, the film had already caused a sensation earlier in the year at the Alpe d'Huez International Comedy Film Festival, where Laurent Lafitte received the award for Best Actor, but its screening in Gérardmer gave it a different resonance, placing this comedy about identity in a festival traditionally devoted to fantasy, unease, and psychological turmoil. In Gérardmer, surrounded by snow, genre enthusiasts, and late-night debates, The Better Me felt perfectly at home, its humor tinged with a more unsettling and introspective touch, echoing the festival's growing appetite for intimate stories wrapped in genre conventions.

At the heart of The Better Me lies a deceptively simple idea: Alex Floutard, played by Laurent Lafitte, discovers that his new neighbor, Axel Chambon, is his perfect double, except that he is better in every way. He has hair, he is funnier, more charming, and seems more accomplished. This double doesn't just mirror Alex, he exposes all his insecurities, all his silent frustrations, and all the compromises of a life lived slightly below his potential. What begins as an absurd situation quickly becomes a cruel psychological experiment, where identity, self-esteem, and social performance clash. The screenplay written by Nicolas and Bruno skillfully plays with comic timing while allowing a certain unease to settle in, transforming everyday situations into silent nightmares of comparison and replacement. The Gérardmer audience, familiar with tales of doubles and fractured personalities, reacted strongly to this mixture of laughter and unease, recognizing a fantastical premise that directly echoes contemporary anxieties.

The story of the film's production also anchors it firmly in a tangible French reality. Shot primarily in Picardy, with numerous shots in Merlimont, The Better Me was filmed between September and October 2024, a relatively tight schedule that contributes to its controlled and precise tone. David Chizallet's cinematography favors clean compositions and subtle visual echoes between the two versions of the same man, never overloading the concept, but letting repetition and variation do the work. Nicolas Errèra's music underscores this approach, supporting the comedy without neutralizing the growing sense of unease, while the production, handled by Mathieu Verhaeghe and Thomas Verhaeghe for Atelier de Production, keeps the film grounded in reality, eschewing any overtly fantastical visual artifice. Distributed in France by Tandem, the film will be released in theaters on March 4, 2026, with a running time of 104 minutes that allows its central idea to unfold without dragging on.

The screening in Gérardmer also drew attention to the film's rich supporting cast, including Blanche Gardin, Nathalie Floutard, Marc Fraize, Denis Moulard, Zabou Breitman, and Olga Kurylenko, whose presence at the festival extended beyond the film itself. Olga Kurylenko was in Gérardmer to present Alter-ego on Friday, January 30, at the Espace du Lac, but her association with The Better Me created a natural thematic link between the films and the festival's broader exploration of identity. Over the years, Olga Kurylenko has built a career marked by deliberate unpredictability, moving effortlessly from European arthouse cinema to large-scale international productions. Since her breakthrough in Quantum of Solace, where she subverted the traditional archetype of the Bond girl with a sober and wounded performance, she has consistently chosen roles that explore fragility, inner conflict, and resilience. Her work in science fiction, intimate dramas, and daring independent films has shaped a filmography guided less by image than by curiosity, a quality that resonates strongly with audiences and the philosophy of Gérardmer.

The 2026 edition of the Gérardmer International Fantasy Film Festival has once again demonstrated why it remains a benchmark for genre cinema in France. Held every year at the end of January in the Vosges, the festival combines a friendly atmosphere with a demanding selection of films that push the boundaries of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. Beyond the films in competition, Gérardmer thrives on encounters between filmmakers and audiences, retrospectives, tributes, and late-night discussions where emotional reactions count as much as formal analysis. This year's awards reflect a clear trend toward personal and intimate narratives within genre cinema, with the Grand Prix going to Johanna Moder's Mother's Baby and other awards going to films by Callum Devlin, Adilkhan Yerzhanov, Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus, Emilio Portes, and Jonas Brisé. In this context, The Better Me stood out not as an award-winning film, but as one that quietly embodied the spirit of the festival, using a familiar fantasy device to explore something deeply human.

When the lights came back on after the screening, it was clear that The Better Me had benefited enormously from its presence at Gérardmer. The laughter it provoked was often uncomfortable, the recognition sometimes painful, but it is precisely this tension that makes the film so memorable. Carried by Laurent Lafitte's award-winning performance and enriched by a cast that includes Olga Kurylenko, the film confirms that Nicolas and Bruno are filmmakers capable of integrating sharp social observations into popular forms. Gérardmer 2026, which emphasizes emotion, identity, and creative risk-taking, proved to be the ideal setting for this story of a man confronted with a better version of himself and forced to wonder whether improvement is always a blessing.

Synopsis:
Alex has a problem: his new neighbor is his perfect doppelganger. With hair. A better doppelganger, who will completely turn his life upside down.

The Better Me
Written and directed by Nicolas Charlet, Bruno Lavaine
Produced by Mathieu Verhaeghe and Thomas Verhaeghe
Starring Laurent Lafitte, Blanche Gardin, Nathalie Floutard, Marc Fraize, Denis Moulard, Zabou Breitman, Olga Kurylenko
Director of photography: David Chizallet
Edited by Camille Delprat
Music by Nicolas Errèra
Production companies: Production studio
Distribution: Tandem (France)
Release date: March 4, 2026 (France)
Running time: 104 minutes