“The stuff of legend”

That’s what Jeff Wells is calling Kristin Scott Thomas’ performance in “I’ve Loved You So Long.”

Strong words, sure, but as I’ve said before, it is a mesmerising piece of work. Not everyone might connect with this very soft, low-key film — but Wells’ response is an indication of how passionate its supporters are. It’s the kind of performance that inspires first-place votes on the ballots of a devoted band of the actors’ branch, even as it may skip the radar of others. In this year’s unusually competitive Best Actress race, Scott Thomas is the one name I feel 100% confident about placing in my projected five.

I’ve had the pleasure this week of speaking to both Scott Thomas and her equally impressive co-star Elsa Zylberstein who, if there’s any justice, should be in the mix for Best Supporting Actress. Watch out for those interviews on these pages soon, as well as some others — I’m having an actressy week, as it turns out.