Miroirs No. 3
Paula Beer plays a car crash survivor who forms a bond with the woman who rescues her in this mysterious new work from German auteur Christian Petzold
Christian Petzold and Paula Beer reunite for their fourth feature together, and this strange, quiet character study is a perfect fit for what they do best: gentle mockery of the human heart, in all its oddities and contradictions.
Miroirs No. 3 takes its title from the Ravel suite for solo piano, specifically its third section depicting a boat tossed on the waves, and opens with Laura (Beer), a pianist who's studying in Berlin, and her boyfriend getting into a car crash; he dies, and she escapes with minor injuries. Following the accident, Laura decides to stay with Betty (Barbara Auer), a stranger who came to her aid.
Betty tries her best to make Laura welcome and comfortable, leaving new clothes by her bed and tuning a piano that previously belonged to 'Yelena' so that Laura can practice. But when Betty invites her father and son – both mechanics – over for dinner, Laura begins to realise the family is adept at keeping secrets.
How far these (self) deceptions go forms the film’s central conflict, but overall, it is an understated, humane journey. Tensions and revelations constantly threaten to overwhelm, but Miroirs No. 3 zigzags through expected plot developments to subvert and surprise without contrivance. Petzold’s camera lingers long on Beer’s and Auer’s faces, letting subtle emotions shift and register. Ultimately, Miroirs No. 3 may feel more minor than Afire or Transit, but with one of the year’s best soundtracks, it is worth seeking out.
Released 17 Apr by New Wave; certificate 12A