Her Name Is Sabine review

Why you can trust 12DOVE Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

French thesp Sandrine Bonnaire makes her directorial debut with this intimate, poignant docu-portrait of her 38-year-old autistic sister Sabine. Clips from old home movies reveal a pretty, vibrant Sabine, who was able to play piano, learn English and join big sis on trips abroad, even if her erratic behaviour kept her out of school. Today, after a disastrous five-year spell in a psychiatric hospital, Sabine finds herself under heavy medication in a residential centre, tended by a team of carers. Chopping between Sabine’s past and present, the film sheds light on how her independence has been lost and personality stifled. Bonnaire’s carved an expression of deep love for her sibling – one that also asks vital questions about how civilised society should look after sufferers of debilitating behavioural conditions.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

Latest in Documentaries
The Wolf of Wall Street
The 32 greatest Leonardo DiCaprio movies
Grand Theft Hamlet
Video game theater reaches the next level in Grand Theft Hamlet, a GTA Online Shakespeare production where even the director can be killed
Hammer Films - The Heroes, Legends And Monsters
Late Star Wars actor Peter Cushing being brought back by AI for new documentary
The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee
The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee review: "A revealing exploration of a big screen icon"
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024)
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story review – "A moving portrait of a true-life hero"
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin | Official Trailer | Netflix
New Netflix documentary about a terminally ill player’s devotion to World of Warcraft gets touching first trailer showing the power of online community
Latest in Reviews
Lenovo Legion Go S with FlyKnight gameplay on screen featuring player character holding bow and arrow with enemy ant in backdrop.
Lenovo Legion Go S Windows 11 review: “my heart aches for this mixed up handheld”
Talisman 5th Edition game components
Talisman 5th Edition review: "The characterful imperfections of the original game remain clear to see "
WWE 2K25
WWE 2K25 review: "A colossal package even if you never go anywhere near Virtual Currency"
Altered: Trial by Frost booster box and packs on a playmat
Altered: Trial by Frost review - "Satisfying enough to offer highly varied gameplay"
Three SteelSeries QcK Performance mouse pads on a wooden desk
I didn't expect to prefer a coarser mouse pad, but SteelSeries' new QcK Performance range has changed my mind
Boro and Alta sit on a bench together in Wanderstop
Wanderstop review: "Exalting the transformative power of tea"