What a story and what a film. We went to the cinema in Chinon. A Cinéplus evening, meaning an art house film (d'art et d'essai). Over the last six years (this August), we've seen some great films thanks to Cinéplus programming. French, American, British, Iranian, Georgian, German, Italian, Australian, Chinese - just a selection to give an idea of the range. It's always worth going.
This séance was another stunning piece of work. Camille Claudel 1915. Filmed and performed to perfection, conveying the hopelessness, the loneliness and the mental torture inflicted on a female creative spirit in the 19th century. The life shown was uncompromisingly harsh and relentless.
Juliet Binoche was exceptional in her portrayal of Camille Claudel. In the programme notes, it seems this film project was something she had wanted to do and the director, Bruno Nuytten had been her choice of director. He also wrote the script.
The life of Camille Claudel makes lamentable reading. A sculptress of some repute, the lover of Rodin as well as his muse, she was consigned to life in mental institutions for over thirty years. Despite the attempts of successive doctors, they were unable to persuade her family to take Camille home. She wasn't insane, but subject to outbursts of passionate belief. She accused Rodin of stealing her ideas. Something we read about quite frequently in the papers these days, but of course no one is accused of being insane and then committed. Good little earners too those cases for barristers. Camille's lifestyle choices offended her family. The institutionalised life they imposed on her comes across more as one of vengeance. Her brother was as passionate in his religious beliefs, but of course no one questioned his state of mind.
The film was shot with actual medical staff and their patients. The result was flawless collaboration and film making that was 'incredibly compassionate and humble'.
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