Céline Sciamma’s striking fourth feature is an exquisite tale of female desire, hidden love, art, and the gaze.

Set in 18th century Brittany, it follows Marianne (Noémie Merlant), an artist commissioned by Héloïse’s (Adèle Haenel) mother, a countess, to paint her daughter's portrait - a piece of art destined for her future husband (who she has never met) as testament to her charms. None too pleased with this custom or her situation, Héloïse has already refused to sit for another artist. The Countess therefore demands subterfuge: Marianne must pose as a walking companion to Héloïse by day, and capture her likeness on canvas from memory at night. Intimacy and attraction swiftly develop between the two women, even as circumstance conspires to drive them apart...

One of the most acclaimed films of the year (it won Best Screenplay and the Queer Palm at Cannes), this is a stunning look at what we can create, how we can live, and who we can love.

---