Character Relationship Map: DNA

Characters

• Caroline (played by Fanny Ardant) — protagonist

  Neige's mother, separated from Neige's father. Neige is on execrable terms with her, and Caroline is part of the family tensions surrounding the grandfather's death and the family's Franco-Algerian id...

• François (played by Louis Garrel) — protagonist

  Neige's former partner; she has broken up with him. His absence contributes to her emptiness at the start of the film.

• Kevin (played by Dylan Robert) — supporting

  One of Neige's siblings; appears in the family dynamics after the grandfather's death. Neige has little time for her siblings.

• Lilah (played by Marine Vacth) — supporting

  One of Neige's siblings; a sister involved in the family gatherings and tensions following the grandfather's death.

• Françoise (played by Caroline Chaniolleau) — supporting

  Neige's grandmother, widow of the Algerian independence fighter; part of the older generation in the family.

• Pierre (played by Alain Françon) — supporting

  Neige's father, separated from her mother; Neige is on execrable terms with him.

• Ali (played by Florent Lacger) — supporting

  One of Neige's siblings; a brother in the family scenes.

• Matteo (played by Henri-Noël Tabary) — supporting

  One of Neige's siblings; a brother in the family scenes.

• Neige (played by Maïwenn) — supporting

  Protagonist of mixed French-Algerian descent. Struggles with identity, family estrangement, and emptiness after her grandfather's death. After a failed DNA test and hospitalization, she travels to Alg...

• Anne (played by Anne Berest) — supporting

  One of Neige's siblings; a sister in the family scenes.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Pierre → Françoise (Family Ex-spouses) — Former married couple now separated
• Neige → Françoise (Family Mother) — Mother-daughter relationship marked by conflict
• Pierre → Kevin (Family Father) — Father-son relationship
• Pierre → Caroline (Family Separated Spouses) — Separated parents of Neige
• Neige → Matteo (Family Brother) — Sibling relationship
• Neige → Kevin (Family Brother) — Sibling relationship
• Neige → François (Romantic Ex-boyfriend) — Former romantic partner
• Neige → Caroline (Family Sister) — Sister relationship with some distance
• Neige → Pierre (Family Father) — Father-daughter relationship marked by conflict

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Neige → Ali (Alliance Guide) — Helps Neige in Algiers
• Neige → Anne (Social Confidante) — Someone Neige confides in
• Neige → Lilah (Social Friend) — Supportive friend

Story Analysis

A family reckons with the loss of the person who held it together while confronting disputes over heritage, belief, and belonging.

Plot Progression

1. A Family Memory Preserved — The family gathers around the grandfather and shares a book built from his memories. Its stories connect his life in Algeria and Paris with his family and public commitments.
2. Grief and Funeral Disputes — The grandfather's death turns the family's attention to funeral arrangements. Disagreement about a mosque ceremony and attendance brings differing ideas about identity and belonging to the surface.
3. Old Wounds Surface — A family member apologizes and describes the grandfather as the person who held everyone together. The exchange reveals fear of being hurt and a struggle over whether to stay silent or seek inner peac...
4. A Search for Origins — Neige asks a man close to her for a saliva sample so she can investigate her heritage. His refusal and insistence on his French identity lead to a discussion of Vietnamese roots, his late father, and...