By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Céline Sciamma
Starring: Adele Haenel | Luàna Bajrami | Noémie Merlant | Valeria Golino
Country: france
Year: 2020
Running time: 121
IMDB: https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt8613070/
Chris says: “Celine Sciamma’s exquisite 18th century romance between two women, an artist (Noémie Merlant) and her subject (Adèle Haenel) gains so much power from the barest essentials. Rather than pile on stylistic cues to lead the audience in a certain direction, this takes the slow burn route, deploying all of its accoutrements sparingly, letting the connection between its two leads develop organically so that when it reaches a crescendo in the astonishing feast scene midway through, one can’t help but be fully engaged in their fate. And, as that actual fate becomes apparent, it’s near-impossible not to feel and absorb the mad rush of emotions practically emanating from the screen, culminating in a simple but profound, powerful final shot. 5 cats“
Brett says: “Hypnotic and really thrives off of being stripped to the necessities in certain moments. It’s a portrait all its own at times with perfect use of mise en scene in those moments. A terrific example of how to use fine attention-to-detail understated qualities to arrive a big payoff that never feels like you’re getting slammed with obvious direction. It’s a film that breathes its own story.
“5 cats out of 5”
Bob says: “This may be the strongest film I’ve seen this year. Some time in the 18th century, a female painter is sent to a chateau on a remote island to paint a portrait of a young woman who doesn’t want to be painted. She has her reasons.
“This really twists the concept of the male gaze to the point where it breaks. The gaze here goes both ways, and it’s about understanding and knowing, not sexualizing or possessing.”
I was avoiding seeing this because of a perception of the plot, but am so glad I was encouraged by these reviews. Painterly cinematography, an underlayment of Orfeo and Eurydice… 5 cats.