US 
Canada 
Mexico 
Spain 
UK 
Ireland 
Australia 
Argentina 
Chile 
Colombia 
Uruguay 
Paraguay 
Peru 
Ecuador 
Venezuela 
Costa Rica 
Honduras 
Guatemala 
Bolivia 
Dominican Rep. Séraphine
- Original title
- Séraphine
- Year
- 2008
- Running time
- 125 min.
- Country
France- Director
- Screenwriter
- Cast
-
Yolande Moreau
Ulrich Tukur- Anne Bennent
Geneviève Mnich- Adélaïde Leroux
- Nico Rogner
Françoise Lebrun- Léna Breban
- Muriel Riou
- Serge Larivière
- See all credits
- Music
- Cinematography
- Producer
- Genre
- Drama | Biography. Disease/illness. Painting. Gay & Lesbian
- Synopsis
- Based on the life of French painter Séraphine de Senlis, born in 1864.
Films about painters tend to concentrate on the masters, but Martin Provost turns his camera on a little-known yet endlessly fascinating artist known as Séraphine de Senlis, a simple housekeeper whose brilliantly colourful canvases adorn some of the most famous galleries in the world. Sparse and frankly realized, Provost's fictionalized portrait of this forgotten painter is a revelation. Yolande Moreau's performance as Séraphine is a towering accomplishment – she literally becomes the artist onscreen.
By day, Séraphine is a housekeeper whose hours are occupied with the solitary duties of laundry, cleaning and ironing. In her spare time, however, she immerses herself in the wonders of nature. There she talks to the trees, birds and insects around her. It is the only communication available to her, and her intimacy with the natural world inspires her to express her feelings on canvas.
Desperately poor, she either steals the things she needs for her art or relies on what is around her. She makes her own paints from the soil, the blood of animals and oil stolen from the votive candles at church. Alone in her room, she studiously paints wondrous canvases of flowers. Then new tenants take over the house where she works, and her life takes a turn.
The year is 1912. Wilhelm Uhde, a German art critic and collector, moves to Senlis. The locals certainly don't take Séraphine or her painting seriously; she is, after all, just an ignorant housekeeper. But while out for dinner one evening, Wilhelm is struck by a painting, and is shocked to discover that it is the work of Séraphine. Overwhelmed by her talent, he eventually sets up an exhibition and offers her money to free up her time to paint.
Apart from Moreau's exquisite performance, the great strength of this film is the manner by which Provost complements the simplicity and directness of his subject. Every moment matches the vibrant character of its protagonist, yet the story has its own tragic dimensions. A testament to creativity and the resilience of one woman's spirit, Séraphine is a marvel – a celebration of art and nature and an acknowledgment of the costs involved. (From tiffca08.com)-
NEWAbout similar movies and series:Similar Movies to SéraphineSimilarity over 75%Similarity between 60% and 75%Similarity between 40% and 60%Similarity below 40%
- Awards
-
2008: 7 Cesar Awards, incl. Best Movie, Best Actress (Moreau), Screenplay, OST2008: Cairo International Film Festival: Best Actress (Yolande Moreau)2008: Ghent International Film Festival: Nominated for Best Film2009: Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Best Actress (Yolande Moreau)2009: European Film Awards: Nom. Best European Actress (Yolande Moreau)2009: National Society of Film Critics (NSFC): Best Actress (Yolande Moreau)
- Critics' reviews
-
-
"Moreau is bewitching -- she simply breathes her role, without a hint of vanity"
-
"Provost and cowriter Marc Abdelnour explore the mutable boundaries between spirituality, naivete, genius, and madness"
-
"'Séraphine' is one of the most evocative films about an artist I've ever seen"
-
- Movie Soulmates' ratings
-
Register so you can access movie recommendations tailored to your movie taste.
- Friends' ratings
-
Register so you can check out ratings by your friends, family members, and like-minded members of the FA community.
Is the synopsis/plot summary missing? Do you want to report a spoiler, error or omission? Please send us a message.
If you are not a registered user please send us an email to [email protected]All copyrighted material (movie posters, DVD covers, stills, trailers) and trademarks belong to their respective producers and/or distributors.
For US ratings information please visit: www.mpaa.org www.filmratings.com www.parentalguide.org
