A Secret Heart

synopsis

This deeply personal documentary portrait captures several years in the life of the director’s ageing father, who, following the death of his wife, decided he would no longer hide his secret from his family or the outside world. As he expresses his perceived femininity, external symbols of womanliness – such as dresses, make-up and wigs – are no longer enough for him. He undergoes both a physical and social transition, which is succinctly expressed in the shot of Lilou riding a ladies’ bicycle, her hair and skirt flowing in the wind and her earrings shining. Such a radical step, however, has a profound impact on the lives of the other family members, forcing them to reflect on their relationships with one another and on how they see themselves in the world.

“At the beginning, the purpose wasn’t to make a movie. I just wanted to film my father, because there was some difficulty in my family after my mother passed away.” — Tom Fontenille

Source: International Documentary Association

biography

Tom Fontenille is a French director and cinematographer. He holds degrees in geography, sociology and documentary filmmaking. Following the short films Sontay (2019) and Turbulences (2021), he directed the medium-length film Mémé Kim (2025). His feature-length debut, currently screening at Ji.hlava, won the Films en cours award at Belfort.

film details

director:	Tom Fontenille
producer:	Helen Olive
script:	Tom Fontenille, Valentine Bonnaz
photography:	Tom Fontenille
editing:	Marie Bottois
sound:	Tom Fontenille
sound design:	Rym Debbarh-Mounir, Mélissa Petitjean