Clouds of Sils Maria

Almost 20 years after his well-known Irma Vep, Olivier Assayas once again takes on a self-referential subject. In Clouds of Sils Maria, the French director tells the story of an acting diva named Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche), who agrees to appear in a revival of the film that opened the door to her international career years earlier. In preparing for the role, she is aided by a go-getting assistant named Valentine (Kristen Stewart). A strong bond develops between the two women based on mutual admiration, jealousy and hidden desire. In the film, which has been compared to Bergman’s acclaimed Persona, Assayas skillfully blends what is an intimate psychological drama with an ironic reflection on changes taking place in contemporary cinema. Another one of the film’s strong points is the beautiful cinematography of the Alpine landscape, where a large part of the film is set. Particularly picturesque is the scene at the Maloja Pass, where a characteristic weather phenomenon becomes, in time, a metaphor that is essential to the story.