Aisle

Set in contemporary Paris, German filmmaker Thomas (Rogowski) embraces his sexuality through an intense affair with a young woman named Agathe (Adele), an impulse that blurs the boundaries between him and her husband Martin (Ben Whishaw). When Martin begins an affair of his own, he succeeds in regaining his husband's attention while also arousing Thomas' jealousy. Struggling with conflicting emotions, Thomas must either accept the limitations of his marriage or accept that the relationship has come to an end. Sachs's grounded examination of human experience focuses on the similarities and differences between physical and emotional attraction and raises questions that separate art from the artist. Elegant cinematography is deftly balanced with highly complex performances that allow his characters to settle in for quiet, uncomfortable moments, confronting their imperfections. Passage is a deeply intimate work that refuses to shy away from the chaos of life.