Aimee Lou Wood has named one of her favourite films you can currently watch completely free of charge in the UK.
The film in question is currently streaming on Channel 4 and is guaranteed to melt your heart in just over an hour.
Star of The White Lotus and Sex Education, the beloved UK actress recently made an appearance in the Criterion Closet to talk about some of her most cherished movies.
She singled out Céline Sciamma’s poignant film about childhood and loss, Petite Maman, as a ‘heartbreaking’ must-watch.
Not only is the film critically acclaimed, but it’s only an hour and 10 minutes long and available for free on Channel 4, so there’s no excuse not to give it a try before it leaves the platform.
Picking out her favourites, Wood named Thelma and Louise, currently on Prime Video in the UK, and Petite Maman as two cinematic highlights.
When it came to the acclaimed 2021 French gem, she described it as “the sweetest, most haunting, beautiful film and it just tears me apart.
“It’s just mums, mums. Anything about mums gets me right in the ticker. I love my mum, I’ve got her name tattooed on my arm.
“And I also love [Sciamma’s] Portrait of a Lady on Fire, so I love all of her movies, so she’s just one of my faves.”
If Wood’s gushing review wasn’t enough, check out these five-star reactions from cinephiles who strongly recommend Petite Maman.
“A beautiful, tender hug of a film,” one fan raved.
“And refreshing to have a film mainly from a child’s point of view. The child actors were wonderful. As was the pace of the film. Perfection.”
Another wrote: “Mysterious, enchanting and very unusual. It draws you into their world and makes you ask questions. Very poignant. I wanted more!”
And a final fan on Letterboxd said: “What Céline Sciamma achieves in a mere 72 minutes is dumbfounding.
“A moving and tender portrait of familial relationships told through a fantastical but still grounded lens of time travel. My heart is full and I wept as the credits rolled. Sciamma is truly a master of the craft.
“I hope every living soul gets a chance to watch this.”
With these stirring reviews, how can you not be tempted to put Petite Maman on the top of your watchlist for this week?
Petite Maman is available to stream on Channel 4.