‘Seraphine,’ released in 2008, is directed by Martin Provost, who is a French film director, writer and actor. The film is a moving and inspirational drama, exploring a woman's experience with art, religion, and mental illness.
Séraphine (Yolande Moreau) was a simple, eccentric woman, who made a living by scrubbing the floors and doing laundry in a small village not far from Paris. My first impression of her was that she was quite pathetic as well as a figure of pity.
However, when she wasn’t working, she joyously turned to nature, painting brilliantly colourful canvases. Séraphine created paints from materials such as animal blood, oil from the candles in the church, and dirt pulled from the ground. With these simple and raw elements, she created vibrant and exotic paintings. She was driven by a talent that she viewed as guided by angels.
Her work would have never been appreciated if Wilhelm Uhde (Ulrich Tukur), a German art critic and collector, discovered her paintings. He was amazed by their use of colour and texture and by their uniqueness. However, their partnership was interrupted by the war, and they were only reunited years later. Despite the success that he brought to her, a sad future still lay ahead for Séraphine.
Séraphine is one of the most evocative films
about an artist I’ve ever seen. Her portrayal of a tormented artist is captured in this film in a way that is rare in films generally. Though, the film often lacks insight into
