film
The Five Devils
[Les cinq diables], directed by Léa Mysius, France 2022, 103' (English friendly)
- The Five Devils is a true feast for the senses. Léa Mysius’s film is a visually sophisticated, stunning and delirious love story that also unexpectedly stimulates our sense of smell.
- Young Vicki has an extraordinary gift: she is able to grasp, memorize and reproduce all possible smells, which she collects in carefully labelled jars. Those dedicated to the scent of her mother, Joanne (Adèle Exarchopoulos, known from Blue Is the Warmest Colour), hold a special place. Their seemingly orderly life is disrupted by the arrival of Julia, the long-lost, mysterious sister of Joanne’s husband. Intrigued by her aunt’s unexpected visit, Vicki grasps her scent and discovers that it allows her to travel into Julia’s past, learning her family’s secrets that have been hidden for years. Fiery romances, broken hearts and dormant emotions come to light.
- The Five Devils is a tense story that draws you in like the best thriller and daringly combines an unobvious love story with parapsychological fantasy. Behind the camera is one of the most interesting contemporary French directors, Léa Mysius, creator of the Cannes and Toronto award-winning Ava and co-writer of Paris, 13th District.