Director Laura Wandel’s Por el bien de Adam (L’intérêt d’Adam) explores the intersection of professional ethics and public health, centering on a four-year-old boy hospitalized in Belgium due to malnutrition.
The film, which opened the 2025 Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival, follows the escalating conflict that ensues when a nurse attempts to provide care beyond established institutional protocols.
In the film, Adam is a patient in a public hospital’s pediatric ward, where his mother, Rebecca, played by Anamaria Vartolomei, is restricted by a court order regarding the frequency of her visits.
Lucy, the head nurse portrayed by Léa Drucker, chooses to allow Rebecca to remain with the boy longer than authorized, believing the continued maternal bond will aid the child’s recovery. When the mother subsequently refuses to leave the facility, the nurse’s compassionate decision creates a crisis for the hospital staff.
Wandel developed the narrative after spending three weeks observing operations at the Hospital Saint-Pierre in Brussels, a public center noted for its social focus.
The production utilizes close-up shots and a focus on the protagonist to emphasize the daily pressures of the medical environment, including simultaneous emergencies and the difficulty of balancing rigid protocols with individual patient needs. The film’s supporting cast includes Alex Descas, Jules Delsart, Laurent Capelluto, and Claire Bodson.
Wandel, who is considered a protégé of the Dardenne brothers, received mentorship from Luc Dardenne during the production of her 2021 debut film, Un pequeño mundo. That first feature premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, where it secured the Fipresci prize from the International Federation of Film Critics.
According to La Nación, the director’s signature style—characterized by dry realism, narrative austerity, and an emphasis on childhood—is shared between her debut and Por el bien de Adam. While her latest work received a positive reception at the festival, it was reportedly less enthusiastic than the response to her first film.
The cast features Anamaria Vartolomei, the Franco-Romanian actress known for her lead role in Audrey Diwan’s El acontecimiento, which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Critics have noted the solvent performance of Vartolomei alongside the central role of Léa Drucker, who conveys internal conflict through minimal gestures.
The story unfolds as the healthcare system faces heavy strain. The setting mirrors broader societal challenges in Belgium, where nearly 19% of minors are considered at risk of poverty or social exclusion, with inequalities disproportionately affecting immigrant populations. This film marks Wandel’s return to the festival circuit following the success of her 2021 inaugural project.
