First Look: Léa Seydoux in 2026’s Most Ambitious French Film, “L’Inconnue”

A tantalizing visual to whet the appetite of fans! The film magazine Les Cahiers du Cinéma has released the first image from Arthur Harari’s fantasy film “The Unknown.”

It features Léa Seydoux in the lead female role.

She stars opposite Niels Schneider in this intriguing French fantasy film, which is based on a graphic novel by Lucas and Arthur Harari, published by Sarbacane in November 2024.

Adaptation of a Critically Acclaimed Graphic Novel

Approaching 40, David Zimmerman is a photographer, though unbeknownst to anyone. Rarely leaving his home, friends drag him to a wild party. There, he spots a woman in the crowd, can’t take his eyes off her, and follows her… Into the night, his life changes drastically. David wakes up… in the body of the unknown woman.

Before it was confirmed to be an adaptation of the graphic novel, it was simply known that the film would be “a mix of realistic urban chronicle, fantasy film, investigation, melodrama, and dreamlike fantasy.” It was also known that “The Unknown would continuously transform before our eyes, while its horizon would be the deep and irreversible transformation of the character.”

A “Body-Swap” Film

Detailed in Deadline, it’s revealed that this will be a “body-swap” film, where characters exchange bodies.

This marks Arthur Harari’s third directorial effort following “Black Diamond” and “Onoda.” For reference, Arthur Harari is also the co-writer of “Anatomy of a Fall” (which won the Palme d’Or, César Awards for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, and the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay).

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