The third film collaboration from co-directors Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau, The True Story of My Life in Rouen tells the tale of a young French teen's struggle to come to terms with his emotional and physical development during puberty. When young Etienne (Jimmy Tavares) turned 16, his grandmother (Helene Surgere) gave him a video recorder. The new toy turns into an obsession for Etienne as he sets out to film nearly every aspect of his life, as well as some of his friends' and family's lives -- much to the ire of his mother, Caroline (Ariane Ascaride). In the process, however, Etienne begins to emotionally distance himself from everyone around him. As his loved ones begin to find Etienne's filming intrusive, Etienne also discovers that the camera is not merely a passive observer, but holds a great amount of influence on the actions of those being taped. As Etienne continues to film his friends and family, Etienne's coming-of-age becomes the true subject of his films, which also have begun to inversely influence his developing maturity. The True Story of My Life in Rouen was an official selection at the 2002 Locarno International Film Festival.
~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide