It seems like we shouldn't dwell on past feelings. If you’re being honest with yourself, your life is simply everything that has happened to you—and nothing else. The relationship between art and what’s real is central to this film; it’s unclear whether one inspires the other or vice versa. Olivier Assayas developed a sophisticated, thoughtful story that explores psychology, where the screenplay and the finished m…

As Maria Enders prepares to receive an award from the playwright who initially recognized her talent—a man who unexpectedly dies before the ceremony can take place—the celebrated actress finds herself needing to confront both the passage of time and her position within modern artistic expression. While preparing for a part she’s obligated to accept because of her age, she must also come to terms with the younger actr…

The film centers on an actress who retreats to the Swiss Alps alongside her assistant as she prepares for a new role. While there, she learns that the book which formed the basis of a project she starred in two decades prior is being remade, with a younger performer taking over her original part. It feels like a commentary on how cinema has changed; twenty years seems to have passed quickly, and the film industry's d…