"“An affecting and pertinent examination of social class...”"

Subtle yet significant, Sister is Ursula Meier’s second feature film following her critically acclaimed debut Home – and she returns with an affecting and pertinent examination of social class, in what is one of the stand-out films at this Autumn’s London Film Festival.

Set at a ski resort on the Swiss Alps, we follow the young and mischievous Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) who has formed somewhat of a living for himself stealing skiing gear and accessories from tourists, and making money selling them on to help feed and look after both himself and his emotionally unstable older sister Louise (Léa Seydoux), as the pair live together on an estate nearby.

Exploiting and thieving off the likes of Scottish chef Mike (Martin Compston) and tourist Kristin (Gillian Anderson), the wily youngster possesses quite a talent for larceny although he must do all he can to avoid being caught, as both his own and his sister’s livelihoods depend on the money be brings in from his rather dishonourable vocation.

Despite the rather subdued premise, Sister is a feature full to the brim of double meanings and symbolism, as you truly feel that every little thing has been implemented for a reason by Meier. Everything appears necessary, nothing superfluous. The imagery used is vastly metaphorical, with the settings feeling like characters in themselves. Just take the very fact the rich bide their time on the peak of the Swiss alps, while the poor find themselves surviving below – essentially the overriding narrative to this feature.

Such poignant themes approached are enhanced greatly by the incredible performance of the young Mottet Klein. So much of this films success hinges on his very performance – in what is not only a study of society, but of this young boy – and he performs admirably. Effectively you shouldn’t actually like Simon, he is manipulative, dishonest and conniving – yet you simply can’t help but empathise with his predicament, and credit but must go the way of Mottet Klein for that.

Sister is of a similar ilk to the recent The Kid With a Bike – also a fascinating study of dysfunctional family dynamics – in a film that feels somewhat reminiscent of a Dardenne brothers production, and any comparisons made to such inspiring film makers is certainly no bad thing at all.