SERAPHINE

France, 2008, 125 minutes, Colour.
Yolande Moreau, Ulrich Tukur, Anne Bennent, Adelaide Leroux.
Directed by Martin Provost.

This is the kind of film that we say is typically French and that the French do so well. It re-creates the period just before World War I in rural France and then moves to 1927. It is well-paced, with elegance and dignity. The performances are excellent, with Yolande Moreau winning the Cesar as Seraphine and Ulrich Turkur (so fine in John Rabe) as an art dealer, and the visuals, the period music just right.

We first see Seraphine as a middle-aged woman, devout, simple, not quite right in the head, who cleans and cooks and has an old-style peasant bluff and brusque manner. The film spends quite some time establishing her character and her behaviour and attitudes. We also see that she keeps to herself – and communes with nature in the woods when she is sad.

For those audiences who were not in the know, it soon becomes clear that Seraphine paints, creating her materials from all kinds of local ingredients which are her secret. A German art dealer comes to live in the town and Seraphine works for him. He discovers a painting after a dinner with the locals who fancy themselves as artistic and who look down on Seraphine. He is entranced and encourages Seraphine with her distinctive style of painting flowers and fruit. But, war breaks out and he has to flee with his sister. For Seraphine, life continues as before.

Until 1927 when the dealer returns and finds that Seraphine is still alive and painting. This is her heyday and she is exhilarated. With the Wall St crash and the consequences in Europe, the dream comes to an end and Seraphine has a mental breakdown spending years in an institution.

The film informs us at the end that Seraphine is recognised as a key artist of the first half of the 20th century.

Not only does the film offer a biography well drawn in the social contexts of the time, it communicates something of the artistic processes of the unschooled and intuitive Seraphine – told to paint by her guardian angel, singing hymns as she works, dissatisfied with her work but, while unworldly and simple, not averse to success and material benefits. Once again, the artist is caught up in madness and creativity.

1.An interesting French-style biography? The period? The calm and elegant style?

2.The awards, performance, writing, film?

3.Audience knowledge of Seraphine or not? Her art? The artists of France in the early 20th century? The movements? The work of the dealers?

4.The 1914 setting, the detail of the village, the river, the streets, the shops and homes, the woods? The transition to 1927? The development in the towns, shops, mansions? The asylum? The final scene of Seraphine in the field, the tree?

5.The location photography, the set design, the musical score – and the historical instruments giving a particular tone?

6.World War One, 1914, the tensions in France, the towns, in the German path, the outbreak of war, the Germans resident in France fleeing, the background of explosions, refugees?

7.The opening: Seraphine, in the river, getting material for her paints? The strong attention to detail of her servant work, cleaning, scrubbing, making beds, preparing tea? The way that she was treated, as a common servant, as a peasant? Her singing hymns, her love for the church, her presence in church? Her devotion? The getting of the wax from the candles, the soil, making paints? Her painting and its style? The reaction of her landlady, wanting the rent? The importance of money, getting the paints? The river and the laundry? Her meeting with Wilhelm Uhde, his sister? As their servant? Hearing him sob? Leaving him be? His friendliness towards her?

8.The character of Wilhelm Uhde, German background, his age, the support of his sister? Taking up residence? The enigmatic reasons for this – later explained? His getting tea from Seraphine? The landlady and her snobbishness? Seeing Seraphine’s painting, the landlady having bought it and put it aside? Seraphine and her knowing what was going on with the landlady’s son? Uke(*?) Uhde and his buying the painting? Going to see Seraphine, seeing her paintings, buying them? Her reaction?

9.Seraphine and her simplicity, the visit of the nuns, her being with them, their concern about her mental condition? The information that voices told her to paint? Her guardian angel?

10.Uhde, his not marrying, his sister going to Paris? Seraphine not understanding?

11.Uhde’s work as a dealer, the paintings, the Germans advancing, his having to flee?

12.Post-war, Seraphine and her watching the Germans advance, in the town, continuing her painting, the years passing, everything being the same?

13.The focus on Uhde and his return? Another village? The war and his loss of his collection, wanting to recoup it? The newspaper interview? Rudi as his companion? Rudi’s illness? Rudi as a painter, painting Wilhelm’s sister?

14.Seraphine and her paintings over the years, the change in her work, her ageing, being tired, still working as a servant, the greater ambition of her art, devoting herself to it, her friendship with Minouche and Minouche’s help?

15.Uhde coming to the town, seeing Seraphine’s painting, going to meet her, his praise, her returning his diary to him and his delight?

16.Seraphine and the change, becoming more prolific? The support of Uhde? Her visit to the mansion, to the shop for her bridal gown? Money, celebrity? The secret of her paints?

17.Growing extravagance, the phone call to Uhde, the difficulties, the Wall Street crash? The repercussions of lack of finance in Europe?

18.Her collapse, going to the asylum, her losing her gift, the voices not telling her to paint? The reaction of the other people in the town? Uhde and his concern, financing a better room for her?

19.The finale, the information about the years passing, Seraphine in the institution, the more comfortable room? Her going out into the field, under the tree? Her previous comments about peace of mind, communing with nature and its beauty, her sitting in the tree?

20.The period, its ethos? Art and art history? Between the wars? The film exploring creative processes, talent, madness, creativity?