Every child learns at a young age that smell and memory are closely linked, but what if one special child could harness that connection to her own ends? That’s the premise behind “The Five Devils” (“Les cinq diables“), the second feature from writer-director Léa Mysius that stars Adèle Exarchopoulos of “Blue Is the Warmest Color” fame. “The Five Devils” will premiere this weekend in the Director’s Fortnight section of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
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This is the second film from rising star Mysius. Her first film, “Ava,” was screened in the International Critics’ Week section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. In addition to her own work as a director, Mysius has made quite a name for herself as an in-demand writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with an impressive lineup of French filmmakers, including Arnaud Desplechin on “Ismael’s Ghosts” (2017) and “Oh Mercy!” (2019); Jacques Audiard on “Paris, 13th District” (2021); and Claire Denis on “The Stars at Noon” (2022). Denis’s latest film is also scheduled to premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Earlier this month, arthouse streaming platform MUBI announced its acquisition of “The Five Devils,” promising a limited theatrical release before the film premiered exclusively on its platform. As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, this was the third MUBI acquisition of Cannes, with the streamer also snagging the rights to Park Chan-wook‘s “Decision To Leave” and Mia Hansen-Løve’s “One Fine Morning.”
Here’s the official synopsis:
Vicky, a strange and solitary little girl, has a magical gift: she can reproduce any scent she likes, and collects them in a series of carefully labelled jars. She has secretly captured the scent of Joanne, her mother for whom she nurtures a wild, excessive love. When her father’s sister Julia bursts into their life, Vicky reproduces her smell and is transported into dark and archaic memories which lead her to uncover the secrets of her village, her family and her own existence.
“The Five Devils” will debut in Cannes this weekend, so keep an eye out for our official review.
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