Sibyl

In order to return to writing, which she gave up ten years ago for a career as a psychologist, Sibyl radically reduces her number of patients. She retains, among others, a young and somewhat invasive aspiring actress, Margot, who requires help with a very fundamental life decision. Her inability to act independently leads Sibyl to the film set, where she plays the role of Margot's psychological support and at the same time a communicator in a love triangle between Margot, her acting colleague and the director of the film. But Sibyl herself has to deal with her own demons from the past, which gradually come to the surface through flashbacks. The film is set on the beautiful island of Stromboli, whose smoking volcano is a symbolic harbinger of a possible eruption. The performances of both Virginie Efira and Adèle Exarchopoulos are solid, convincing and moving, but arguably the best tragic-comic outburst of emotion worth seeing comes from Sandra Hüller as the director. Her momentary loss of nerve is one of the few proper comedy scenes a film that is rather dark in its entirety. (02/15/2020)