10. Sister
Ursula Meiers (Home) second film proves to be a probing, quietly moving examination of fractured family, as 12-year-old Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) and his sister Louise (Léa Seydoux) eke their way through life living at the foot of a luxury ski-resort in Switzerland. Simon is a little rogue, stealing from the resort's residents to make a small living for himself, while Louise prostitutes herself; what's more compelling, though, is the relationship between the two, which effortlessly switches gears between seat-of-your-pants hilarity and anxious tension. Gillian Anderson delivers a strong - if unexpectedly brief - performance as a mother at the resort to whom Simon becomes attached, cementing his own lack of parentage and desperate need for a mother figure. This becomes more pronounced once the film begins to play its long-held cards, creating an even more difficult and uncomfortable situation for the siblings. As it hurtles towards a stinging ending with an unforgettable final shot, it's the excellent performances that really drive this one home.
Sister is available on DVD/Blu-Ray March 11th, 2013.