The Truth (2020) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Lumir discovers that her mother has already printed multiple copies of the memoir without her knowledge, which she sees as a betrayal. More importantly, Lumir finds stark contradictions between the book's narrative and her own recollections of their shared past, particularly the absence of Sarah from the story.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Lumir notices the manuscript was already printed despite Fabienne claiming to have overlooked it.

• Lumir
• Fabienne
• memoir
• confrontation
• book discrepancy

"Memories of My Mother" is a sci-fi drama Fabienne is filming, about a mother who defies death by traveling into space and returning to Earth periodically, leaving her daughter behind to age. The narrative mirrors the real relationship between Fabienne and Lumir, exploring themes of time, memory, and abandonment.

• sci-fi film
• space mother
• film within film
• Manon Lenoir

Sarah was Fabienne's close friend and an actress whose tragic drowning forms a dark chapter in their shared history. Lumir believes Fabienne's actions indirectly contributed to Sarah's death, though Fabienne insists it was an accident while acknowledging her flaws as both a mother and friend.

Foreshadowing: The tension builds when Luc mentions the film's up-and-coming star Manon has similarities to Lumir's life, triggering Lumir's frustration about Sarah's omission.

• Sarah
• drowning
• death
• Fabienne
• Lumir
• tragedy

Lumir accuses Fabienne of appropriating Sarah's story and performance for her acclaimed César-winning film, which Pierre produced. This allegation intensifies the family conflict during dinner, as Lumir connects this appropriation to the broader pattern of Fabienne rewriting their shared history.

Foreshadowing: Pierre's arrival at the gathering sets up this confrontation, as he produced the film in question.

• César award
• Sarah
• stolen performance
• Pierre
• Lumir accusation

Pierre, Fabienne's ex-husband, makes a sudden appearance raising suspicions of ulterior motives. Lumir quickly dispels any notion of compensation by revealing the book absurdly states Pierre has passed away. His presence reignites family tensions and connects to the ongoing conflict about the memoir's accuracy.

Foreshadowing: The turtle story Fabienne tells Charlotte earlier relates metaphorically to Pierre, whom she describes as the "turtle" in her life.

• Pierre
• ex-husband
• family gathering
• surprise visit

Fabienne tells Charlotte that Pierre was metaphorically the "turtle" in her life, a role that carries symbolic weight in their family discourse. When Charlotte later finds an actual turtle in the garden, Fabienne cryptically reveals Pierre has been "returned to his rightful owner," adding mystery to his sudden departure.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Fabienne entertains Charlotte with a whimsical story about transforming someone into a turtle.

• turtle metaphor
• Pierre
• Charlotte
• Fabienne secret

In a moment of profound realization, Fabienne gifts Manon Sarah's cherished dress, a gesture rich with history. She recognizes qualities in Manon that she once admired in Sarah, creating a symbolic connection between the past and present while acknowledging Sarah's enduring influence on her career.

Foreshadowing: This moment occurs after Fabienne praises Manon's exceptional talent and reflects on similarities between her life narrative and Sarah's legacy.

• Sarah dress
• Manon
• gift
• legacy
• reflection

Fabienne confides in Lumir that she did indeed attend her daughter's school play but chose to keep it secret to avoid burdening Lumir. This revelation surprises Lumir and touches on Fabienne's conflicted nature, wanting to be present while also protecting her daughter from the complexities of fame.

• school play
• secret
• Fabienne
• Lumir
• attendance

Luc shares his plans to retire and move in with his son's family, revealing an extensive, previously unknown family tree filled with grandchildren. When Lumir asks about this sudden shift, Luc expresses feeling erased from Fabienne's memoirs, urging Lumir to manage Fabienne effectively, suggesting their partnership could relieve some emotional weight.

Foreshadowing: This revelation comes during a period when Lumir is already grappling with discrepancies in her mother's memoir.

• Luc
• retirement
• family tree
• manager
• emotional burden

Amid frustrations with Manon's perceived mockery and mounting family tensions, Fabienne declares her intent to retire from acting, depressed by the younger actress's interpretation. However, she ultimately rallies herself to return to set, where she intensifies her dedication and successfully completes her scenes.

Foreshadowing: This breakdown occurs after intense confrontations about the memoir and Sarah's legacy.

• retirement
• acting
• depression
• Fabienne
• Manon conflict

Charlotte expresses her dreams of becoming an actress, voicing a heartfelt wish for her family to witness her journey. This moment resonates deeply with Fabienne, bridging generational gaps and connecting the family's artistic legacy to the future, though Lumir later questions whether this heartfelt moment was authentic or crafted.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Fabienne tells Charlotte whimsical stories about magic and transformation.

• Charlotte
• actress dream
• family legacy
• Fabienne
• wish