My Little Sister

Directed by Stéphanie Chuat, Véronique Reymond
Film Movement
2020
100 Minutes
Switzerland
German, French, English
Drama
Not Rated
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DVD
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Lisa, once a brilliant playwright, no longer writes. She lives with her family in Switzerland, but her heart remains in Berlin, beating in time with that of her twin brother Sven, the famous theatre actor. Since Sven has been suffering from an aggressive type of leukaemia, the relationship between them has become even closer. Lisa does not want to accept this blow of fate, she does everything in her power to bring Sven back on stage. For her soulmate she neglects everything else and even risks losing her husband. Her marriage goes awry, but Lisa only has eyes for her brother, who reflects her deepest longings and awakens in her the desire to be creative, to feel alive again.

Cast

  • Nina Hoss
  • Lars Eidinger
  • Marthe Keller
  • Jens Albinus
DVD Features

Video intro by directors Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond.

Bonus Short Film

Three Deaths
Directed by Jay Dockendorf
United States
English Language
13 minutes

Three strangers confront death in a modern interpretation of a Tolstoy short story.

Official Selection - Sundance Film Festival

Discs: 1

  • Highest Rating
    "Superb performances by Nina Hoss and Lars Eidinger ground this moving, unfussy Swiss drama of twin siblings whose bond is tested by leukemia. This is bright, unaffected naturalism with a fluidly roving camera, but also a generous regard for its ensemble, as befits a film affectionately embedded in the Berlin theater scene. Chuat and Reymond’s direction is delicate and unobtrusive, in tune with their calmly deep-digging actors. "
    Guy Lodge, Variety
  • Highest Rating
    "Chuat and Reymond take their time unspooling a graceful drama that twists the tear-soaked conventions of the cancer drama into something raw and satisfying."
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire
  • Highest Rating
    "My Little Sister is an affecting, emotionally truthful experience.... [Nina Hoss] delivers a raw, compelling, performance...."
    Lee Marshall, Screen Daily
  • Highest Rating
    " [I]ntensely emotional.... My Little Sister serves as yet another vehicle for the great Nina Hoss to demonstrate just how talented an actress she truly is."
    Wilson Kwong, Film Inquiry
  • Highest Rating
    "It's a film that carries emotional power ... anchored by two focused lead performances."
    Ed Frankl, The Film Stage
  • Highest Rating
    "This is a quietly stunning film that strikes chords of emotional truth, lingering long after viewing."
    Josephina A., One Room with a View
  • Highest Rating
    "With stirring performances and poignant direction, My Little Sister will break your heart in the way only a great film can."
    Mark Goodyear, Battle Royale with Cheese
  • Highest Rating
    "Nina Hoss ...turns every moment into an acting master class."
    Boyd van Hoeij , The Hollywood Reporter
  • Highest Rating
    "A miraculous performance piece...."
    Andrew Bundy, The Playlist
  • Highest Rating
    "CRITIC'S PICK! [T]ender...faces terminal illness with a refreshing emotional candor. Distinguished by a modestly discreet directing style that allows the actors to shine, “My Little Sister” offers neither false uplift nor dreary realism. The photography is bright and lustrous, the tone vital and purposeful. "
    Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times
  • Highest Rating
    "With performances deeply entrenched in character ordeal and interpersonal ties, My Little Sister could not have come at a better time. "
    Joseph Braverman, We Live Entertainment
  • Highest Rating
    "“My Little Sister” ...is a thoughtful and deep look at the bonds both breakable and unbreakable in family."
    Neely Swanson, Easy Reader News
  • Highest Rating
    "With sophistication and restraint, ‘My Little Sister’ tells an engrossing tale of sibling love. Written and directed by Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond with superb control and insight...."
    Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
  • Highest Rating
    "The film’s a showcase for Hoss, ... a performance of raw feeling..... “My Little Sister” comes from an unusual creative team: Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond, Swiss friends from childhood who write and direct films together. This time, they’re collaborating with an actress willing to take a blind leap and bring us with her. It’s a bracing trip, a work of daredevil nerve that serves as its own reward. "
    Ty Burr, Boston Globe
  • Highest Rating
    "“My Little Sister” is frank and poignant, with first-rate performances...."
    Carlos Aguilar, The Los Angeles Times
  • Highest Rating
    "Hoss is, as always, utterly beguiling as she creates a character who transforms as she peels back new layers. "
    Pat Mullen, That Shelf
  • Highest Rating
    "My Little Sister is boosted by its powerful performances. Nina Hoss and Lars Eidinger are wonderful as the twin siblings who are trying to help each other get through life. They are surrounded by excellent supporting characters. Great camerawork make this moving drama a worthwhile watch."
    Nathaniel Muir, AIPT
  • Highest Rating
    "My Little Sister has a heartfelt and heart wrenching story brought to life by the powerful and dynamic performances of Edinger, Hoss, and Albinus. Watch it."
    Watch or Pass
  • Highest Rating
    "One of Europe’s greatest leading female stars, Nina Hoss has a strong, enigmatic presence like no one else. When she’s in scene nothing else really matters, attentions are all on her, as she takes total dominion of the screen, the situation, penetrating into the viewer’s her deepest emotions. Writers-Directors Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond’s latest collaboration is a magnificent look at the importance of art, how it helps us create a different perspective on life and its circumstances, and its ability to unify and heal. Delicate, honest and heart moving, this official Swiss entry for the 2021 Oscars is a powerful study on compassion and unconditional love. "
    Roger Costa, Brazilian Press
  • Highest Rating
    "The quiet wonder of “My Little Sister,” Switzerland’s Oscar entry, is its cumulative effect."
    Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal
  • Highest Rating
    "Nina Hoss and Lars Eidinger, along with iconic Swiss actress Marthe Keller as their mom, give acting master classes in this melodrama about the family ties that bind."
    Patrick Brzeski & Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter
  • Highest Rating
    "Grade: A- Eidinger will remind some of Tom Hanks’ Academy Award-wining turn in “Philadelphia.” Hoss, best known for her collaboration with Christian Petzold (“Yella,” “Barbara,” “Phoenix”) is a completely riveting screen presence, who brings tremendous humanity to Lisa. What Hoss is asked to do here is show us how a creative mind operates even under great duress, and she does it brilliantly. Also adding to the film’s emotional power are selections from Brahms, Chopin, Schumann and Bach."
    James Verniere, Boston Herald

Awards & Recognition

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