"A singularly rich period piece"

Starring: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami, Valeria Golino, Christel Baras, Armande Boulanger

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"You were right. I am scared. Do all lovers feel they're inventing something? I know the gestures. I imagined it all, waiting for you." - Héloïse

Why watch this? At a time and place of beauty in art, forbidden love cannot be denied.

Plot Summary: In 18th-century France, a painter named Marianne is commissioned to secretly paint a wedding portrait of Héloïse, a young noblewoman reluctant to be married. Posing as a hired companion to study her subject by day, Marianne observes Héloïse, and the two develop an intimate connection as they share. As the painting progresses towards completion, the growing attraction between the women turns into a passionate, fleeting romance.

Dad's Preview: Romances between two members of the same sex have long been taboo in society and the arts. That said, it has existed for centuries, whether you believe it or not. This film, with its incredible screenplay, is set on a breath-taking island in Brittany. It is a beautiful and tragic love story that sheds a small light on two women brought together is solitude to satisfy a mother's desire for a painting. What initially starts as a secret, eventually turns into a pathway for these two young women to see each other, and manifest who they really are... regardless of the obligations of their sex and situation. I am always moved by the pain these people have been forced to endure at the hands of religion and societal "norms". When we allow a person to be who they are, and love them, they will always flourish.  

Lillies Films, Arte, Hold Up Films; Pyramide Films