Barbara

An actress, Brigitte, is playing Barbara in a film that soon begins shooting. Brigitte works on her character, her voice, the songs and scores, the imitation of her gestures, her knitting, the lines to learn. Things move along. The character grows inside her. Invades her, even… Yves, the director, is also working - via encounters, archival footage, the music. He seems inhabited and inspired by her… But by whom? The actress or Barbara?

“It’s a film of scenes rather than of one unified narrative, but each scene is a showcase for the magnificent talents of Ms. Balibar, a multifaceted performer of spectacular magnetism and intelligence.” ~Glenn Kenny, The New York Times

“This is a loving tribute not only to the late Barbara (1930-97), the inimitable singing icon of the French chanson, but also to the star of this film, Jeanne Balibar, whose brilliant performance is boosted here by her uncanny physical resemblance to the late “Dame en noir”. ~Dan Fainaru, Screen Daily