Sister

Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) is a small-time thief. The 12-year-old hangs around the ski resort at the top of the hill, stealing equipment and picking pockets, then returning to the bottom of the hill to sell what he's collected. It's how he and his older, less ambitious sister (Léa Seydoux) make due. Simon weaves in and out, largely unnoticed, but it's nonetheless a rough life for a kid, who when asked about his family, tells contradictory lies. Whether that's to shield the truth or simply to avoid facing the truth is not clear. The boy meets Kristin (Gillian Anderson), a mother of two who takes an instant liking to him and vice versa. He feels the pangs of needing a mother, something for which his sister, in so many ways, is ill-equipped. It's a concise look at poverty heavily indebted to two wonderful, sad performances.