The Five Devils

Available on MUBI

Léa Mysius’ sophomore feature is a curious affair that veils a complex and emotionally engaging queer love story within a thematic menagerie of magic, time travel and witchcraft. Whether it’s to good effect will depend mostly on your own cinematic tastes, but it’s certainly fair to say that The Five Devils intrigues throughout its modest runtime.

Mysius and Paul Guilhaume’s screenplay is focused on Vicky (played enigmatically by Sally Dramé), a young girl with an innate ability to smell and reproduce any scent, which she then fastidiously collects and bottles within labelled jars. Vicky’s bond with her mother (Adèle Exarchopoulos) is fiercely strong until it is challenged by the arrival of her aunt Julia (Swala Emati), whose scent transports her to a dark and hidden past.

Dramé and Exarchopoulos are undoubtedly the beating heart of this picture and both deliver standout performances, although the dominance of their respective arcs does have the troublesome effect of leaving Emati and Moustapha Mbengue’s equally important characters feeling marginalised. That is arguably a consequence of The Five Devils’ admirable attempt to juggle multiple topics, which makes its central premise hard to decipher.

Such ambition should not necessarily be derided, but it feels as if there is a more humble (and subsequently impactful) story laying dormant here. Nonetheless, the aforementioned lead performances, Guilhaume’s luscious cinematography, and a cool soundtrack make this a more than worthwhile experience.