Hafsia Herzi's breakthrough transformation in 2007's "Cere Secret" has led her from obscurity to stardom, establishing her as the middle of French films. More than a decade later, she redefined her artistic path with her self-produced directorial debut, You deserve a lover, which premiered in 2019.

Recently, both sides of her career have reached new heights: She recently won Cesar of the best actress in the crime thriller "Borgo" and now competes in the Palme d'Or competition with "Little Sister". This latest director’s outing reunites the debut of her song, a loyal team that also worked with her as a “good mother” that screened from a certain perspective in 2021.

“I just got tired of waiting,” Hertz said of her command. "I've always dreamed of doing something quick and kind of throwing it together. One day, I just said, go. The worst case scenario, I'll have a movie. I have nothing to lose, it's just a movie theater."

The director brings the same live spirit to "Little Sister", an adult drama about a young Franco-Algerian woman who struggles with her queer identity and her deep religious beliefs.

"I've been chasing the real thing," Hertz said. "Live, I think I'm the first audience of the movie - watch it right away. I'm trying to keep feeling about what happened, close enough, but far enough, but not getting in the way of me. If I laugh or cry, if I laugh or cry - I know it's working.

Herzi initially stepped on the camera out of pure necessity, knowing her name could help her debut. But since then, she'd rather be in the air-opening-she plans to stay that way.

"I'm most happy when shooting someone else," she said of her intimate, close-up-driven style. "I like to get close to people, their faces, their skin. I'm inspired by portraiture. That's why there's almost no makeup on - everything is kept simple, so I can keep it close and feel their breathing, their pulse. I want to live with them. If I'm too far away, the frame isn't right, or the frame isn't right, I'll lose that face.

Going forward, Hertz remains committed to this approach.

"I want to light up people we rarely see on screen," she said. "Even if I know a lot of women who like her, I rarely see a proud North African character on screen. I have to tell her story."