Sibling rivalry in 'Mozart's Sister'

A title like "Mozart's Sister" suggests one of those occasionally off-key movies told from, say, the point of view of Dr. Jekyll's (and Mr. Hyde's) housemaid, or Rochester's crazy wife up in the attic of "Jane Eyre." Nothing of the kind is "Mozart's Sister."

Director René Féret certainly puts a feminist spin on the story of Wolfgang Amadeus' real-life sister, Maria Anna, aka "Nannerl," a musical prodigy herself. But the film is also authentic-feeling, rhythmically sound, and is a sly take not only on male chauvinism but the freak-show aspect of celebrity, something that was apparently as healthy in the 18th century as it is today. Despite her own considerable musical gifts, Nannerl is shunted aside in favor of her virtuosic brother not only because he's a boy, but because he's 10 years old. Granted, he'd grow up to write the Jupiter Symphony. But Nannerl never had a chance.

Which is too bad, because as inhabited by Marie Féret (the director's daughter), she has her own spark of divinity and genius. Her brother "Wolfie" (David Moreau) is a bratty, feral-looking pipsqueak who plays the violin like an angel and whose compositions are greeted with awe by his royal audiences. (The music is by Marie-Jeanne Serero.)

Nannerl, on the other hand, despite singing like a goddess, is also blessed with a quiet charm and personality that infatuates those around her -- including the youngest daughter of King Louis XV (another Féret, Lisa). She becomes so instantly enamored of Nannerl she draws the Mozart sister into the sphere of the House of Bourbon, where Nannerl meets the Dauphin and heartbeats quicken. Although a work of fiction, "Mozart's Sister" never rings less than true, much like the music itself.

PLOT The gifted Nannerl Mozart chafes under the shadow of her prodigious brother and her father's heavy hand. Unrated

CAST Marie Féret, Marc Barbe, Lisa Féret, David Moreau

LENGTH 2:00

PLAYING AT Cinema Arts Centre, Huntington

BOTTOM LINE Austere, intelligent and consistently engaging period piece. (In French with English subtitles.)