The title characters of Lieven Debrauwer's brief and leisurely
paced but ultimately rewarding Belgian domestic drama, "Pauline
& Paulette," are two single sisters in their 60s who live apart
from one other in a small town between Brussels and the sea.
Pauline (Dora van der Groen) is severely mentally handicapped,
with the sensibility of a small child, and is cared for by a
third sister, Martha (Julienne De Bruyn), who allows her to
spend her days watering the flowers and running undemanding
errands.  Pauline also idolizes Paulette (Ann Petersen), a
portly woman who runs a fabric store, surrounds herself in
shocking pink and is the diva of the local operetta company -- a
30-year avocation that is her true passion and "reason for
living."  The self-absorbed Paulette finds the fawning Pauline
an embarrassing nuisance and has basically shut her out of her
life. But when Martha suddenly dies and there's no longer anyone
to give Pauline the 24-hour care she needs, Paulette has a big
problem on her hands.  So the m