A daughter picks up a camera to discover the woman behind her mother. With quiet sensitivity and palpable curiosity, Charlotte Gainsbourg approaches the icon Jane Birkin—and begins an intimate dialogue that confronts the depth and fragility of a mother-daughter relationship. Between interviews, everyday observations, and footage from family archives, a portrait emerges that tells as much about closeness as it does about distance. Birkin was France's “it girl” in the 1960s and 1970s—a muse, actress, singer, known for her provocative roles, her liaison with Serge Gainsbourg, and the scandalous song “Je t'aime... moi non plus.” But beyond the public persona, we see a fragile woman struggling with aging, illness, and memory—and with a daughter who wants to explore these contradictions without betraying her. JANE BY CHARLOTTE celebrated its world premiere in 2021 in the “Cannes Premières” section of the Cannes Film Festival and was later shown at numerous international festivals, including DOK.fest München. The film was nominated for a César in 2023 in the category “Meilleur film documentaire.”
Charlotte Gainsbourg (Nymphomaniac, Antichrist) and Jane Birkin (Blow-Up) explore their unusual mother-daughter relationship.
A daughter picks up a camera to discover the woman behind her mother. With quiet sensitivity and palpable curiosity, Charlotte Gainsbourg approaches the icon Jane Birkin—and begins an intimate dialogue that confronts the depth and fragility of a mother-daughter relationship. Between interviews, everyday observations, and footage from family archives, a portrait emerges that tells as much about closeness as it does about distance.
Birkin was France's “it girl” in the 1960s and 1970s—a muse, actress, singer, known for her provocative roles, her liaison with Serge Gainsbourg, and the scandalous song “Je t'aime... moi non plus.” But beyond the public persona, we see a fragile woman struggling with aging, illness, and memory—and with a daughter who wants to explore these contradictions without betraying her.
JANE BY CHARLOTTE celebrated its world premiere in 2021 in the “Cannes Premières” section of the Cannes Film Festival and was later shown at numerous international festivals, including DOK.fest München. The film was nominated for a César in 2023 in the category “Meilleur film documentaire.”