At the end of the 18th century, Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is commissioned to paint — without her subject’s knowledge — a wedding portrait of the tempestuous and mysterious Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). Confined to the gender roles of the time, Héloïse confides in Marianne about the limitations set upon her, and an unspoken infatuation grows between them as Marianne secretly struggles to capture Héloïse's essence on canvas. Their budding forbidden romance makes for a passionate liberation and self-actualization despite the confines of the era, leading to an unforgettable and euphoric climax. A meditation on love and muses told from a feminine point of view, Sciamma evocatively presents her story of two women falling in love firmly outside of the eyes of men, and delivers one of the most rapturous romances of the modern era.

Winner: Best Screenplay, Queer Palm, Cannes