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My Little Sister

Play trailer 2:22 Poster for My Little Sister Released Jan 15, 2021 1h 39m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
94% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Brilliant playwright, Lisa, no longer writes. She lives in Switzerland with her family but her heart has stayed in Berlin, beating to the rhythm of her brother's heart. The ties between the twins have grown stronger since Sven was diagnosed with an aggressive type of leukemia. He's a famous theater actor and Lisa refuses to accept his fate, moving heaven and earth to get him back on stage. She gives her all for her soul mate, neglecting everything else, even risking her marriage. Her relationship with her husband starts to fall apart, but Lisa only has eyes for her brother, her mirror, who connects her back with her deepest aspirations and rekindles her desire to create, to feel alive...
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My Little Sister

My Little Sister

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Critics Consensus

Led by first-rate performances from its stars, My Little Sister explores familial bonds and terminal illness with honesty and sensitivity.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Observer (UK) This is rather special. Rated: 4/5 Oct 9, 2021 Full Review Kevin Maher Times (UK) A commanding central turn from the German actress Nina Hoss sustains this naturalistic cancer drama despite some overfamiliar themes. Rated: 3/5 Oct 8, 2021 Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian It's a fierce, thoughtful drama. Rated: 3/5 Oct 7, 2021 Full Review Erick Estrada Cinegarage By making a parallel to Hanzel and Gretel, the film makes us see that the protagonists' lives, though seemingly happy, were always surrounded by a threatening forest. [Full review in Spanish] Jul 18, 2023 Full Review Daniel Howat Next Best Picture Cancer dramas come with their fair share of cliches, and this film is no different, but it’s saved by outstanding performances that keep us invested from beginning to end. Rated: 7/10 May 20, 2022 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Stars Nina Hoss and Lars Eidinger elevate the story and give performances that capture the despair, anger, and hopelessness that a grave illness can spread. Rated: 3.5/4 Feb 12, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (3) audience reviews
Peter G A superior drama made more so by the performances of Hoss & Eidinger which provides a more complex emotional drama than what the predictable bare bones of the script would seem to offer. It is rare to see a relationship film surrounding twins which illustrates their unique connection as siblings & even though one knows the eventual outcome the details portrayed are more believable than most films dealing with this subject matter. A unique & frequently moving viewing experience. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 11/14/23 Full Review Kevin L This was a nice find I just came across when looking up Nina Hoss films I hadn't seen yet. I first really noticed her while watching Petzold's movies as she's in at least four of them. Having recently seen her give another finer performance in "Tar", I thought I'd look for some more worthy works with her in the cast. My Little Sister" deals with issues of one's life and artistic vitality being eaten away at. In one case, it's by a terminal illness. In the other, it's the demands of marriage and the spouse's work as opposed to the wife's waning writing career. The brother and sister- brilliantly performed by Lars Eidinger and Hoss- are twins, which serves to reinforce how close the siblings are. There's a connection; an unbreakable bond. Sven (Eidinger) is a flamboyant stage star in Berlin, suffering from the illness. His playwright sister Lisa lives in Switzerland with her husband, Martin (Jens Albinus) and their children. She leaves for Berlin to care for Sven, eventually bringing him to her home, where Martin reacts to his presence as an interference in his career. They have such great chemistry, convincingly selling us that they are brother and sister. As we spend more time with Martin and Lisa, the film shifts into the very type of problem she spoke of before- 'frustrated couples who rip each other apart and explore their sexuality to escape boredom', and the focus feels as split as Lisa herself. While it may be the intention, it is tough watching this woman stuck between both her husband and her ailing brother. There's nice touches here and there. Like Lars, an actor who must portray so many different people, wearing different wigs as if he's still acting, but in this case, he still can't hide his illness. The story opens with a bone marrow transplant between them, and culminates with a screenplay about Hansel and Gretel. Compare this to the scene of Martin taking Lars paragliding. The two are tethered together, almost like twin embryos, but the two men are not emotionally in sync. The only other half either twin needs is each other. Nice work by writers/directors Stéphanie Chuat, Véronique Reymond. Tone, pacing, dialogue, and story all cohere well. 3.7 stars Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member A beautiful film about the love between a set of fraternal twins. Every actor is pretty much just right, and the choice of music and the understated, lyrical cinematography makes this little film a piece of great art. The two directors of this film must be geniuses. This lovely, quiet picture will make you better for having watched it. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
My Little Sister

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Movie Info

Synopsis Brilliant playwright, Lisa, no longer writes. She lives in Switzerland with her family but her heart has stayed in Berlin, beating to the rhythm of her brother's heart. The ties between the twins have grown stronger since Sven was diagnosed with an aggressive type of leukemia. He's a famous theater actor and Lisa refuses to accept his fate, moving heaven and earth to get him back on stage. She gives her all for her soul mate, neglecting everything else, even risking her marriage. Her relationship with her husband starts to fall apart, but Lisa only has eyes for her brother, her mirror, who connects her back with her deepest aspirations and rekindles her desire to create, to feel alive...
Director
Stéphanie Chuat, Véronique Reymond
Producer
Ruth Waldburger
Screenwriter
Stéphanie Chuat, Véronique Reymond
Distributor
Film Movement
Production Co
Vega Films
Genre
Drama
Original Language
German
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 15, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 23, 2021
Runtime
1h 39m
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