The Souffleur

Lucius Glantz (the magnificent Willem Dafoe) has served as the concierge at the InterContinental Hotel in Vienna for several decades—the first luxury hotel of its kind to open in Europe. From morning to night, he oversees every aspect of the hotel’s operations, attending to even the smallest details. One day, Lucius learns that the hotel is to be sold to a new owner who plans to radically remodel it. Lucius embarks on an uphill battle to save the hotel—and his workplace, which has been his true home for years.

Acclaimed at the Venice Film Festival The Souffleur, directed by the master of Argentine cinema, Gastón Solnicki, is a lyrical and moving tale about the passage of time and the need to feel needed. It’s also about always being ready for a new chapter in life.

Solnicki navigates with remarkable precision between seriousness and irony. On the one hand, his film evokes the best of Jim Jarmusch’s work; on the other, it feels somewhat like a sarcastic response to The Grand Budapest Hotel. The magnificent cinematography by Rui Poças highlights the acting talent of Willem Dafoe – one of the most intriguing character actors in the history of cinema, who shines like never before in The Souffleur.