Aline is not a biopic of Celine Dion, but it’s also not not a biopic of Celine Dion. And for an example of how blurry the lines are between Valérie Lemercier’s upcoming Roadside Attractions release and reality, Consequence presents this exclusive clip from the film, in which legendary pop singer Aline Dieu (Lemercier) prepares for a big performance at what is never explicitly called the Academy Awards.
In the clip, Aline and her faithful makeup artist Fred (Jean-Noël Brouté) are getting her ready when they realize that the extravagant dress she’s wearing simply isn’t right. So they quickly decide on a new look, a simpler black turtleneck gown that ensures that her voice is the true star on stage that evening.
Aline goes on to perform at the ceremony, singing “My Heart Will Go On” (again, it’s not not a Celine Dion biopic) to a rapturous crowd. The film does a pretty remarkable job of recreating Dion’s real-life 1998 Oscars appearance — the only detail that feels slightly off is Aline’s necklace, which is nice but hardly on the level of the Heart of the Ocean.
Confused about what Aline is? Well, here’s the official plot description of the film, which premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival:
For Aline Dieu, nothing in the world matters more than music, family and love. Her powerful and emotional voice captivates everyone who hears it, including successful manager Guy-Claude Kamar, who resolves to do everything in his power to make her a star.
As Aline climbs from local phenomenon to bestselling recording artist to international superstar, she embarks on the two great romances of her life: one with the decades-older Guy-Claude and the other with her adoring audiences. Two-time César Award winner Valérie Lemercier plays Aline from ages five to 50 in a fictional musical dramedy freely inspired by the life of Celine Dion.
Watch the clip below, and find out what exactly “freely inspired” means (not to mention what it looks like when a woman in her late 50s plays a small child) when Aline arrives in theaters Friday, April 8th. In related news, here are the newest photos from the upcoming Weird Al Yankovic biopic, featuring Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna.
