''À ton image'' is a 2004 French film directed by Aruna Villiers. The story, based on the 1998 novel ''À ton image'' by

Louise L. Lambrichs Louise L. Lambrichs (born 2 May 1952) is a French novelist and essayist. Lambrichs was born into a family of writers in Boulogne-Billancourt. Her father Georges Lambrichs (along with Jean Paulhan and Jérôme Lindon) was considered one of the gr ...

, is about a couple whose desire for a child leads them onto dangerous ground.

Plot

Haunted by painful memories and a terrible feeling of guilt a sterile young woman named Mathilde (played by

Nastassja Kinski Nastassja Aglaia Kinski (; , ; born 24 January 1961) is a German actress and former model who has appeared in more than 60 films in Europe and the United States. Her worldwide breakthrough was with ''Stay as You Are'' (1978). She then came to gl ...

) uses extreme

cloning Cloning is the process of producing individual organisms with identical or virtually identical DNA, either by natural or artificial means. In nature, some organisms produce clones through asexual reproduction. In the field of biotechnology, cl ...

methods to give birth to Manon (Audrey DeWilder), and is comforted by her

obstetrician Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a surgi ...

husband Thomas (

Christopher Lambert Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert (; ; born March 29, 1957) is a French-American actor, producer, and novelist. He started his career playing supporting parts in several French films, and became internationally famous for portraying Ta ...

). Manon starts off as a very normal child but then suffers from intense nightmares, that we later uncover to be her mother's memories. The child's growth is abnormally rapid and she becomes the splitting image of her mother. Manon becomes determined to destroy her mother's life, even showing affection for Mathilde's husband Thomas. Manon eventually learns what happened to her brother who drowned in the well at the back of their property. Gradually, the relation between them evolves in an odd manner as Manon takes over her mother's role in the family.

Cast

as Mathilde *

as Thomas * Audrey Dewilder as Manon * Jeanne Buchard as Manon (at the age of 5) *

Francine Bergé Francine Bergé (born 21 July 1938, Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions a ...

as Mathilde's mother *

Rufus Rufus is a masculine given name, a surname, an Ancient Roman cognomen and a nickname (from Latin ''rufus'', "red"). Notable people with the name include: Given name Politicians * Rufus Ada George (born 1940), Nigerian politician * Rufus Al ...

(Jacques Narcy) as Mathilde's father *

Andrzej Seweryn Andrzej Teodor Seweryn (born 25 April 1946) is a Polish actor and director. One of the most successful Polish theatre actors, he starred in over 50 films, mostly in Poland, France and Germany. He is also one of only three non-French actors to ...

as Professeur Cardoze *

Raoul Billerey Raoul Billerey (1920 - 2010) was a French actor. Partial filmography *''The Three Musketeers'' (1953) *''Cadet Rousselle'' (1954) - Un soldat à l'auberge des Trois Pichets / Un garde au Tribunal Révolutionnaire / Un sans-culotte *'' The Impo ...

as the father of Thomas *

Lyes Salem Lyès Salem (Arabic: إلياس سالم) (Algiers, 1966) is an Algerian actor and film director. His first film as director, Masquerades, won several prizes in France. Filmography As director * ''Lhasa'' short 1999 * '' :fr:Cousines'' short. ...

as Antoine * Christian Hecq as Gaëtan * Sandra Cheres as Claire * Isabelle Caubère as the principal * Paloma Martin Y Prada as the nurse * Pierre Poirot as the doctor

References

External links

* 2004 films Films based on science fiction novels French thriller films 2000s thriller films 2000s French films {{2000s-thriller-film-stub