Unauthorized Céline Dion Biopic, ‘Aline,’ Receives Standing Ovation At Cannes

Aline, a French film inspired by Céline Dion‘s life, received a five-minute standing ovation after its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

The biopic, which follows a mostly faithful interpretation of Dion’s life, has a singular casting choice that has everyone talking. Actress-director Valerie Lemercier, 57, played the superstar singer at every stage of her life, from five to 12 and into her adulthood.

Variety editor Ramin Satoodeh posted a video on Twitter of Lemercier, whom he described as the “Kristin Wiig of France,” reacting to the standing ovation with a broad smile and a tearful speech.

While the movie’s plot sticks relatively close to Dion’s life, give or take a few artistic choices, it appears to have been made without her authorization. The trailer’s beginning comes with a sort of disclaimer, reminding viewers that Aline is “a fiction freely inspired by the life of Céline Dion.” This explains the title character’s name Aline, not Céline, and the absence of many of the singer’s major hits as the rights were impossible to acquire.

Lemercier played children during her comedic career, lending some credibility to her performance as an adolescent where, according to The New York Times, she was “shrunk to Hobbit size and Facetuned into near-oblivion.” Several scenes in the movie caused the audience to giggle.

Aline may have premiered outside of competition for the major awards at Cannes, but it’s receiving promising buzz from media outlets and critics alike.

Critic Kyle Buchanan said, “I can’t explain half of the directorial choices made in Aline, but at least they’re so goofy and distinctive that I’ll be thinking about them for years to come.”