Seraphine

French biopic of the celebrated painter Seraphine Louis, sticking tightly to her life story through her obscurity and discovery, with the strong performance by Yolande Moreau in the lead role humanising a women whose actions even at the outset are odd, and helping us stay with her as she attempts to understand the changing world around her.
It's an awful task attempting to portray artisitic brilliance onscreen, but this film manages well by focussing largely on Seraphine's daily routines, only allowing us little glimpses as the works are made in her small apartment, at the end of a long days cleaning. It does go on, but we know where we are with it and the length is justified, if a little uncomfortable due to the rather stolid nature of the source material.
Ulrich Tukur is terrific as her German patron, popping up after a fine performance in the White Ribbin a few weeks back.
The film got the major gongs at the Cesars, film and actor, which is pushing it, as it is always at the level of engaging rather than riveting. However, there are some beautiful scenes (especially the very first one), and the portrayal of the not immediately obviously cinematic story of an elderly women's impressionist painting is carried off with intelligence and subtlety.