Petite Maman

Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Girlhood)’s film is a sublime modern fairytale about the quiet wonder of mother-daughter relationships. A favourite of the 2021 Berlin Film Festival, this beautifully understated drama returns the director to her preoccupation with coming-of-age stories to masterful effect.

The film tells the story of eight-year-old Nelly’s fantastical journey after the death of her beloved grandmother. While helping her mother clear out her childhood home, Nelly begins to explore the surrounding woodland and encounters a strangely familiar girl her own age. Instantly forming a connection with this mysterious new friend, Nelly embarks on a formative flight of fancy that encourages her to come to terms with this newfound loss.

Featuring exceptional central performances from real-life twins Joséphine and Gabrielle Sanz, Sciamma’s warm and gently profound film mixes the intimate with the fantastical with her characteristically delicate touch, weaved together into a tale of childhood, memory and loss that will resonate with audiences young and old.

“Enchanting… A gentle drama about daughterhood” – Little White Lies