This unique romance is set during a time when a man would be sent the painting of the woman he was to marry before the wedding could take place. Héloïse, secluded with her mother and a maid on a remote island, doesn’t approve of her upcoming wedding and refuses to be painted. Her mother sends for a new painter, Marianne, to try to paint her without her noticing. Marianne has to take on this near-impossible task when she starts having feelings for Héloïse. This makes for a riveting romance where Marianne has to choose between her heart and her art while keeping a huge secret from her love interest.
"Even without showing men onscreen, Sciamma depicts the myriad ways in which the patriarchy constricts the lives of her female protagonists."
— Rachel Syme
"Céline Sciamma's masterpiece."
— Katie Goh
On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.
Other
1 nomination
A truly excellent romance. Brilliantly shot and acted with excellent planting/payoff and character arcs that are believable and satisfying. The last scene is hauntingly beautiful and will stick with me for a while.
Slow burn captivating romance.