Barbara

Barbara is a 2017 French drama film directed by Mathieu Amalric. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival where it won The Poetry of Cinema Award. The film was awarded Prix Jean Vigo 2017, the Prix Louis-Delluc 2017 and the Cesar for Best Actress for Jeanne Balibar.

Plot

Brigitte is preparing for the role of the famous French singer Barbara. The actress carefully studies the character, gestures, manners, and intonations. She learns the music scores, mimics her facial expression, but, as Brigitte does and more and more of it, she gradually merges with the character. The director is also preparing to shoot the film: he studies archival footage and painstakingly selects the music. He is inspired and even possessed—but with Barbara or with her new incarnation?