Miroirs No. 3

The new film by Christian Petzold, director of Undine and Afire, is a subtle yet enigmatic tale about coping with a painful loss. It stars German cinema icon Paula Beer.

 

Laura (played by Paula Beer) is a talented pianist from Berlin. Her boyfriend dies in a car accident, while she herself emerges from the collision almost unscathed.

 

Shocked and disoriented, the protagonist is taken in by Betty, a woman who witnessed the entire incident. Betty takes Laura to her modest country home, where she lives alone. Her husband Richard and son Max live in a nearby village, where they run a car repair shop.

 

During a family dinner, the men react with surprise and reserve to the fact that Laura is living in their home. Their initial distrust slowly gives way to understanding and a certain harmony, reminiscent of a peaceful life among loved ones.

 

Soon, family secrets begin to surface, which will not only change the dynamics of the relationships between the characters but also force Laura to confront her own loss and pain.

 

The title of Christian Petzold’s new film refers to a piano piece by Maurice Ravel, which, incidentally, plays an important role in the plot. In his characteristic style, the German director builds tension through understatement, subtle gestures, and glances. His film is a poignant story, shrouded in mystery, about the search for solace after a painful loss.