Petite Maman

Following her grandmother’s death, eight-year-old Nelly travels to the old woman’s home to help her parents pack everything up. After her mother unexpectedly leaves, Nelly befriends a little girl in a nearby forest – an encounter that reveals a strange and beguiling new world.

Tightly packed into its brief running time and realised entirely at a child’s perspective, Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire) draws inspiration from the fantastical world of Hayao Miyazaki to explore the theme of the Mother and the complexity of growing-up. Evocative autumnal cinematography (thanks to director of photography extraordinaire Claire Mathon), and pitch-perfect performances from its young cast drive this deeply imaginative and tender film.