Clouds of Sils Maria
Driven by knockout performances from Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart and Chloë Grace Moretz, CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA is a highly atmospheric behind-the-scenes psychodrama written and directed by Olivier Assayas with a knowing nod to Fassbinder. Binoche plays a superstar actress sequestered on a remote alpine retreat while she weighs up an offer to revive one of her career-making stage plays—this time in the older female role. Stewart co-stars as the personal assistant who works as the diva’s counselor, confidante and sometime sparring partner. Cast and crew won multiple prizes, including a César for Stewart, the first female American to earn the honor.
Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz
- Notes From Kim GordonThe relationship in this movie between the two main characters, Maria and Valentine, is so multifaceted. When Jo-Ann enters the picture she brings another meta aspect to the whole thing. The relationship dynamics keep changing, along with the play that Maria is rehearsing and her attitude. There’s also an underlying tension throughout that the landscape brings. I like when Val is driving along the curving mountain road, listening to a song by Primal Scream, and it suddenly turns into a sort of overlayed collage of images mimicking a music video, portraying her nausea. Is it from the curving road or her relationship to Maria?