PREVIEW: Sister (15)

This week sees the release of one of the early front runners in the Best Foreign Language Film category at next year's Oscars. Selected as the official Swiss entry for the 85th Academy Awards, Sister (L'Enfant d'en haut) is the latest offering from renowned French-Swiss director Ursula Meier. After receiving the prestigious Cesar award, among many other accolades for her debut feature film Home, Meier provides us once again with a quintessentially European piece that draws upon themes of disillusionment within society and adolescence.

Living with his sister in an industrial valley at base of a ski-resort in Switzerland, Simon is a clever 12 year-old boy. Clever in that he spends his days at the resort stealing skiing gear and other possessions from the wealthy tourists to then re-sell it. His sister is equally reckless and irresponsible, but her dependency on Simon's enterprise gives him a false sense of purpose. Everything changes however when Simon falls for the affections of a woman he meets on the slopes (played by X-Files and Shadowdancer star Gillian Anderson), forcing him to confront his sister with the truth.


With an early-shoe in for next February's Academy Awards in the bag, Sister might very well be the dark horse having already secured the Silver Bear award at this year's Berlin Film Festival. Judging from the end result it's not hard to see why as not only does it boast breathtaking scenery and ravishing cinematography but it also provides, at its core, a portrait of a boy on the brink of puberty with a distinctive need for love and tenderness in a world that can't provide it, for all its inequities.

*Meier explores the cruel physical and atmospheric contrasts between the two worlds, high and low, dwelling on the cloudy skies, grimy slush and the shadow cast by the peaks, which brings semi-darkness to the valley bottom*

Jacques Mandelbaum- The Guardian

*A stunning mediation on secrets, lies and moral obligation, Ursula Meir's compassionate character study of a boy forced to grow up too fast is a movie for the ages*

David Ansen- Newsweek

Check out the trailer here:

Sister (15) opens on Tuesday 20th November until Thursday 22nd November at 7:45pm except on Tuesday when it is a Screen Tea showing at 2pm only.