Dirs: Stéphanie Chuat, Véronique Reymond | Cast: Nina Hoss, Lars Eidinger, Marthe Keller, Jens Albinus, Thomas Ostermeier | Swiss | drama 99′
Twins share a bond like no other. And this elegant arthouse drama stars Nina Hoss as a married mother whose main focus is her twin brother.
Swiss director, Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond clearly understand the twin territory. My Little Sister is a tense and psychologically astute family story which is convincing and beautiful to look at in its exploration of the complexity of twin-ship and also of the nature of creativity, themes that are core to their own artistic collaboration.
Nina Hoss plays talented Berlin playwright Lisa who has moved to Switzerland with her children and husband, who runs an international school there. When her twin brother Sven (Erdinger), a star actor at Berlin’s Schaubühne theatre, falls ill with leukaemia, she dedicates herself to his recovery and his continuing career on stage. The two are creative soulmates who have had a lifetime of sharing ideas and dreams together, although, from the looks of it, Lisa also enjoys a fulfilling relationship with her husband Martin, a sympathetic Jens Albinus. Less nurturing is the rapport with their mother (Marthe Keller) who seems competitive, unreliable and self-seeking, in retirement in her plush Berlin apartment which serves as a base for the recovering Sven, and for Lisa when she’s in town. The two reminisce with their old books and games – it certainly feels like they are the family nucleus with their shared history, even more so when Lisa puts her own life at risk to save her brother’s life.
In the gorgeous surroundings of the Swiss mountain resort of Leysin, which is known for its health spas, Sven goes to convalesce and enjoy the fresh air, post treatment. But his hopes of returning to an ongoing production of Hamlet are suddenly shelved by the director, a shock that derails his recovery. Determined to boost his morale, Lisa immediately starts writing a new role for Sven, a fairy tale, with two adults as Hansel and Gretel, the theatre as the gingerbread house and the illness as the evil witch. With its outstanding leading cast, My Little Sister is a mature and moving drama. MT
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