AtanariaCéline Sciamma, a French filmmaker known for her nuanced portrayals of femininity, coming of age, and LGBTQIA+ love, has carved a unique niche in contemporary cinema. Her films delve deep into the experiences of women, often highlighting their strength, resilience, and transcendence in the face of societal constraints. Sciamma’s filmography, though not extensive, is rich with thematic consistency and emotional depth, making her one of the most significant voices in modern feminist cinema.
Water Lilies (2007)
Sciamma’s debut film, Water Lilies (Naissance des Pieuvres), introduces many of the themes that would become central to her work. Set in a Parisian suburb, the film follows the lives of three teenage girls—Marie, Anne, and Floriane—as they navigate the turbulent waters of adolescence. At its core, Water Lilies is a coming-of-age story that explores the complexities of female friendship, desire, and identity.
The film’s portrayal of teenage desire is both tender and raw. Marie’s infatuation with Floriane, a beautiful synchronized swimmer, is depicted with a sensitivity that avoids sensationalism. Sciamma captures the intensity of Marie’s feelings through lingering close-ups and a subdued color palette that mirrors the melancholic undertones of unrequited love. The film also addresses the performative aspects of femininity, particularly through Floriane, who struggles with the expectations placed upon her due to her beauty.
The strength of Sciamma’s characters in Water Lilies lies in their resilience and self-discovery. Despite the pain of rejection and the confusion of burgeoning sexuality, Marie, Anne, and Floriane each find a way to assert their identities. The film’s ending, which shows Marie and Anne dancing together, symbolizes a tentative but hopeful step towards self-acceptance and solidarity.
Tomboy (2011)
With Tomboy, Sciamma shifts her focus to gender identity and the fluidity of childhood. The film follows Laure, a ten-year-old girl who, upon moving to a new neighborhood, decides to present as a boy named Mikael. Tomboy is a quiet, introspective film that explores the innocence and complexity of childhood identity.
Sciamma’s portrayal of Laure/Mikael is both empathetic and nuanced. The film does not present a didactic narrative about gender; instead, it allows the audience to experience Laure’s journey through her eyes. The summer setting, with its long days and natural landscapes, provides a backdrop that emphasizes the freedom and possibility of childhood. Laure’s interactions with her new friends, particularly Lisa, who develops a crush on Mikael, are depicted with a tenderness that highlights the fluidity of childhood relationships.
The strength of Laure/Mikael’s character lies in their courage to explore and assert their identity, even in the face of potential rejection. The film’s climax, where Laure is forced to reveal her assigned gender, is handled with a delicate balance of realism and hope. While Laure’s mother insists on revealing the truth, the film ends on a note of acceptance and resilience, with Lisa acknowledging Laure’s identity in a silent but powerful gesture.
Girlhood (2014)
Girlhood (Bande de Filles) marks a significant evolution in Sciamma’s exploration of femininity and identity. Set in the outskirts of Paris, the film follows Marieme, a black teenager who, feeling constrained by her family and societal expectations, joins a girl gang. The film addresses themes of race, class, and gender, offering a multifaceted portrayal of teenage girlhood.
Marieme’s journey is one of self-discovery and empowerment. Sciamma portrays her protagonist with a depth that captures the struggles and joys of adolescence. The film’s title, Girlhood, underscores the universality of Marieme’s experiences, while also highlighting the specific challenges faced by black girls in marginalized communities. Through her relationship with the girl gang, Marieme experiences a sense of belonging and agency that contrasts with her constrained home life.
One of the most iconic scenes in Girlhood is the group’s dance to Rihanna’s “Diamonds.” This moment of pure joy and freedom serves as a powerful expression of female solidarity and resilience. Sciamma’s use of music and visual aesthetics in this scene encapsulates the transformative power of friendship and self-expression.
The film also addresses the intersectionality of Marieme’s identity, exploring how race, gender, and class shape her experiences. Sciamma’s nuanced portrayal of these intersecting identities offers a powerful commentary on the systemic barriers faced by young black women. Marieme’s strength lies in her ability to navigate these challenges and carve out a space for herself, even when the odds are stacked against her.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Portrait de la jeune fille en feu) represents a culmination of Sciamma’s thematic preoccupations. Set in the 18th century, the film tells the story of Marianne, an artist, who is commissioned to paint the portrait of Héloïse, a young woman destined for an arranged marriage. As the two women spend time together, they develop a deep and passionate love.
The film is a masterclass in visual storytelling, with Sciamma using the medium of painting as a metaphor for the gaze and the act of seeing. The relationship between Marianne and Héloïse is built on mutual respect and equality, a stark contrast to the patriarchal society that surrounds them. Sciamma’s portrayal of their love is both tender and intense, capturing the profound connection that develops between them.
The strength of the characters in Portrait of a Lady on Fire lies in their defiance of societal expectations and their assertion of their desires. Marianne and Héloïse’s love is a form of resistance against the constraints placed upon them as women. The film’s exploration of the female gaze, as opposed to the male gaze that dominates much of art and cinema, is a radical act of reclaiming women’s agency.
The film’s ending, which depicts the inevitable separation of the lovers, is both heartbreaking and empowering. Sciamma leaves the audience with an image of Héloïse as Marianne remembers her, a testament to the enduring power of their love. The film’s exploration of memory and art underscores the transcendence of their relationship, which defies the constraints of time and societal norms.
Petite Maman (2021)
Petite Maman, Sciamma’s latest film, continues her exploration of childhood and the bonds between women. The film follows Nelly, an eight-year-old girl who, after the death of her grandmother, meets a girl her age in the woods who turns out to be her mother as a child. This magical realist premise allows Sciamma to explore themes of grief, memory, and the cyclical nature of life.
The film’s portrayal of the mother-daughter relationship is both poignant and tender. Sciamma captures the simplicity and depth of childhood emotions with a sensitivity that avoids sentimentality. The connection between Nelly and her mother, Marion, as children, allows for a unique exploration of the transmission of trauma and the possibility of healing.
The strength of the characters in Petite Maman lies in their emotional resilience and their ability to find solace in each other. The film’s gentle pacing and intimate cinematography create a space for quiet reflection and connection. Sciamma’s use of magical realism serves as a metaphor for the ways in which we connect with our past and find continuity in our relationships.
Thematic Analysis
Across her filmography, Sciamma consistently explores themes of femininity, coming of age, and LGBTQIA+ love, often through the lens of marginalized characters. Her films are characterized by their empathetic portrayals of complex emotional landscapes and their focus on the resilience and strength of their protagonists.
Femininity and Identity
Sciamma’s exploration of femininity is multifaceted, addressing both the performative aspects of gender and the internal experiences of her characters. In Water Lilies and Girlhood, she examines the ways in which societal expectations shape young women’s identities and the pressures they face to conform. In Tomboy, she explores the fluidity of gender and the ways in which children navigate their identities in a binary world. Portrait of a Lady on Fire offers a radical reimagining of the female gaze, emphasizing the importance of women’s perspectives and desires. Petite Maman continues this exploration through the lens of intergenerational connections and the ways in which femininity is experienced and transmitted across generations.
Coming of Age
The coming-of-age theme is central to Sciamma’s work, with each of her films depicting the journey of self-discovery and identity formation. In Water Lilies and Girlhood, the protagonists navigate the turbulent waters of adolescence, grappling with issues of desire, friendship, and societal expectations. Tomboy offers a unique perspective on childhood identity and the fluidity of gender, while Petite Maman explores the emotional landscape of childhood and the connections between generations. Sciamma’s films capture the intensity and complexity of growing up, emphasizing the resilience and strength of her characters as they navigate these transformative periods of their lives.
LGBTQIA+ Love and Desire
Sciamma’s portrayal of LGBTQIA+ love and desire is characterized by its sensitivity and depth. In Water Lilies, she explores the intensity of teenage desire and the pain of unrequited love, while Tomboy addresses the fluidity of gender and the ways in which children navigate their identities. Portrait of a Lady on Fire offers a powerful depiction of a same-sex relationship in a historical context, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and equality. Sciamma’s films challenge normative representations of love and desire, offering nuanced and empathetic portrayals of LGBTQIA+ relationships.
Strength and Resilience
The strength and resilience of Sciamma’s characters are central to her narratives. Despite the societal constraints and challenges they face, her protagonists find ways to assert their identities and desires. In Water Lilies and Girlhood, the characters navigate the complexities of adolescence with resilience and determination. In Tomboy, Laure/Mikael’s courage to explore their identity is a testament to the strength of childhood resilience. Portrait of a Lady on Fire depicts the power of love and art as acts of resistance, while Petite Maman highlights the emotional resilience of its young protagonists as they navigate grief and memory.
The Exploitation of Silence
Sciamma’s use of silence is a powerful tool in her storytelling arsenal. Silence in her films often serves to heighten emotional tension, create intimacy, and allow the audience to fully immerse themselves in the characters’ internal worlds. This technique is especially evident in Portrait of a Lady on Fire, where the absence of a conventional score directs attention to the natural sounds and the characters’ interactions.
In Water Lilies, silence underscores the unspoken emotions between Marie and Floriane. The moments of quiet between them amplify the tension and unexpressed desires, allowing the audience to feel the weight of their unspoken feelings. Similarly, in Tomboy, the silence often reflects Laure/Mikael’s internal struggle with their gender identity, creating a space for contemplation and empathy.
Sciamma’s strategic use of silence challenges the conventional reliance on dialogue and music to convey emotion, instead allowing the characters’ body language, facial expressions, and the ambient sounds to speak volumes. This approach not only deepens the emotional impact but also respects the audience’s ability to engage with the subtleties of the narrative.
Long Sequence Shots
Long sequence shots are another hallmark of Sciamma’s cinematic style. These extended takes allow for a more immersive and continuous experience, often highlighting the characters’ emotional journeys in real time. This technique is particularly effective in creating a sense of realism and intimacy, drawing the audience into the characters’ lives.
In Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Sciamma uses long takes to capture the growing intimacy between Marianne and Héloïse. The extended shots of Marianne painting Héloïse are particularly significant, as they allow the audience to witness the meticulous process of creating art and the evolving relationship between the two women. These shots emphasize the slow, deliberate nature of their connection, mirroring the gradual development of their love.
Similarly, in Girlhood, the long take during the dance scene to Rihanna’s “Diamonds” captures the pure, unfiltered joy of Marieme and her friends. This uninterrupted shot allows the audience to experience the full impact of the moment, emphasizing the transformative power of friendship and self-expression.
Long sequence shots in Sciamma’s films often serve to deepen the emotional resonance of a scene, providing a sense of continuity and immersion that enhances the storytelling. By allowing the camera to linger, Sciamma creates a space for the audience to fully engage with the characters’ experiences and emotions.
Mediums of Art
Art, in various forms, plays a significant role in Sciamma’s films, often serving as a metaphor for the characters’ inner lives and relationships. In Portrait of a Lady on Fire, painting is the central medium through which the story unfolds. The act of painting becomes a means of connection and expression for Marianne and Héloïse, symbolizing their mutual respect and the depth of their relationship.
The process of creating art in the film is depicted with meticulous detail, highlighting the skill and dedication required. This focus on the artistic process underscores the themes of observation and perception, as Marianne’s gaze transforms Héloïse from an object to be observed into a subject with her own agency and desires.
In Water Lilies, synchronized swimming serves as a medium through which the characters express their desires and navigate their identities. The sport’s emphasis on coordination and performance mirrors the performative aspects of femininity that the characters grapple with. The physicality and discipline required in synchronized swimming also reflect the struggles and resilience of the characters as they navigate their emotional landscapes.
Through the use of various artistic mediums, Sciamma explores the ways in which art can serve as a means of expression, connection, and resistance. Her films highlight the transformative power of art, both for the characters and the audience, offering a deeper understanding of their inner lives and relationships.
The Female Gaze
The concept of the female gaze is central to Sciamma’s work, challenging the dominant male gaze that pervades much of cinema. The female gaze in Sciamma’s films is characterized by a focus on the characters’ subjectivity, desires, and experiences, offering a more nuanced and empathetic portrayal of women.
In Portrait of a Lady on Fire, the female gaze is explicitly explored through the relationship between Marianne and Héloïse. Marianne’s act of painting Héloïse is an act of seeing and understanding, rather than objectifying. The film emphasizes mutual gaze and recognition, allowing both characters to exist as subjects with their own agency. This mutual gaze creates a space for intimacy and equality, challenging the traditional power dynamics of the male gaze.
In Water Lilies and Girlhood, Sciamma continues to explore the female gaze through the characters’ perspectives and relationships. The films focus on the inner lives and emotions of the characters, allowing their experiences and desires to take center stage. The emphasis on the characters’ subjective experiences challenges the objectification and simplification of women in traditional cinema.
The female gaze in Sciamma’s films not only offers a more authentic and respectful portrayal of women but also invites the audience to engage with the characters’ perspectives and experiences. This approach creates a more inclusive and empathetic cinematic experience, allowing for a deeper connection with the characters and their stories.
The Female Gaze As Reality
Céline Sciamma’s cinema is a powerful exploration of femininity, coming of age, and LGBTQIA+ love, characterized by its empathetic portrayals of complex emotional landscapes and its focus on the resilience and strength of its characters. Through her nuanced storytelling and innovative use of visual aesthetics, Sciamma offers a radical reimagining of women’s experiences and perspectives. Her films challenge normative representations of gender and sexuality, offering a space for marginalized voices to be heard and celebrated. As one of the most significant voices in contemporary feminist cinema, Sciamma’s work continues to inspire and resonate with audiences, highlighting the transformative power of storytelling and the enduring strength of women characters.
