Seraphine

The last time I nearly cried while watching a film was when I saw Toy Story 3. For me, that is like BIG. Like when my friend Tasha cries when watching Sophie Scholl. I didn't expect Séraphine to be THAT good too!

I saw that it was on telly tonight so I thought, since T got somebody the DVD for Christmas last year I may as well watch it. The name intrigued me, and tonight's showing certainly lived up to my curious expectations.

The movie is based on the life story of the French painter Séraphine Louis [de Senlis], who became well known for being part of the Naïve movement in the 1920s-30s. Like most truly gifted artists, she wasn't without complications, suffering from mental illness, poverty and the whole palava while being possessed by this irrepressible need to create. Yolande Moreau (she played the concierge in Amélie!) plays the part perfectly, portraying the troubled artiste, who ended up living her final years in a hospital annex at Villers-sous-Erquery in 1942, friendless and alone. Talk about tragique!

I would have to say that this film is definitely one of the best I have seen in yonks. I know that right now Harry Potter has come to us like the plague, with everybody suffering from withdrawals whenever possible, but I advise you to watch Seraphine ASAP if you haven't already. There are movies that are good because of the effects or the script. Then there are the kind of movies that are great because of what it offers. An insight to a life story that should be known.

Great performances, cinematography, and just overall production.

xoxo