# Secrets & Lies (1996) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/secrets-and-lies-1996/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-31

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 87% |
| Editorial Rating | 95/100 |
| Audience Snapshot | 90% (excluded from composite) |
| Metascore | 91/100 |
| Letterboxd | 4/5 |
| IMDb | 8/10 |
| Director | Mike Leigh |
| Genres | Drama |
| Runtime | 142 min |
| Festival premiere | Cannes 1996 (Palme d'Or) |

## Quick answer

Secrets & Lies (1996) earns a 87% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Secrets & Lies — Palme d'Or at Cannes 1996. A landmark festival winner on Celluloid. Metascore 91/100. Directed by Mike Leigh.

## Celluloid verdict

Secrets & Lies — Palme d'Or at Cannes 1996. A landmark festival winner on Celluloid.

## Synopsis

After her adoptive mother dies, Hortense, a successful black optometrist, seeks out her birth mother. She's shocked when her research leads her to Cynthia, a working class white woman.

## Cast

Brenda Blethyn, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Timothy Spall, Phyllis Logan, Claire Rushbrook, Lee Ross, Lesley Manville, Elizabeth Berrington, Michele Austin, Ron Cook

## Accolades

Premiered at Cannes 1996, where it won the Palme d'Or.

## Where to watch

Global: HBO Max, The Criterion Channel
the United States: HBO Max, The Criterion Channel
South Korea: TVING

## Common questions

**Is Secrets & Lies worth watching?**
Secrets & Lies holds a 87% Celluloid Score. Secrets & Lies — Palme d'Or at Cannes 1996. A landmark festival winner on Celluloid.

**What is Secrets & Lies about?**
After her adoptive mother dies, Hortense, a successful black optometrist, seeks out her birth mother. She's shocked when her research leads her to Cynthia, a working class white woman.

**Who directed Secrets & Lies?**
Secrets & Lies (1996) was directed by Mike Leigh.

**What is the Celluloid Score of Secrets & Lies?**
87% — calculated from available Celluloid editorial (95/100), Metascore (91/100), Letterboxd (4/5), and IMDb (8/10) inputs. Audience sentiment is excluded.

**Where can I watch Secrets & Lies?**
Secrets & Lies is streaming on HBO Max, The Criterion Channel; on HBO Max, The Criterion Channel in the United States; on TVING in South Korea. Availability varies by region.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

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