Underplayed Gems

Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)

Clouds of Sils Maria poster
Directed by
Olivier Assayas
Genre
drama film
Country
Germany, France, Switzerland
Runtime
2h 04m
Rated
R
Rating
6.6 of 10 from 817 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

An established actress grapples with insecurity and jealousy when she is cast in a romantic role opposite a younger star. Her personal turmoil simmers during rehearsals as her relationship with her assistant grows tense. The story shows the actress confronting her own aging and professional rivalries.

reflectiveintrospectiveuneasydeliberatesubtletensemelancholiccharacter-driven

What happens

Clouds of Sils Maria (known simply as Sils Maria in some territories) is a 2014 psychological drama film written-directed by Olivier Assayas, and starring Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, and Chloë Grace Moretz. The film is a French-German-Swiss co-production. Principal photography took place from August to October 2013, with most of the filming taking place in Sils Maria, Switzerland. The film follows an established, middle-aged actress (Binoche) who is cast as the older lover in a romantic lesbian drama opposite an upstart young starlet (Moretz). She is overcome with personal insecurities and professional jealousies—all while tension simmers between her and her personal assistant (Stewart). The screenplay was written with Binoche in mind and incorporates elements from her life into the plot. Clouds of Sils Maria was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or in the main competition section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival on 23 May 2014, and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival. The film received positive reviews, with critics lauding the work as psychologically complex and praising the lead actresses' performances. It won the Louis Delluc Prize for Best Film in December 2014 and received six César Award nominations. Stewart received the César Award for Best Supporting Actress in February 2015, the first time an American had won the award. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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