Known for her acclaimed work in the queer Portrait of a Lady on Fire, which has gathered international accolades, the talented Céline Sciamma has established herself as one of the most interesting filmmakers working today as well as one of the best in France. Her most recent project, Petite Maman, is arguably among the most compelling studies on grief and motherhood. But which are the films that inspire Sciamma?
Surprisingly, the director's taste ranges from animated features like Turning Red to science fiction essentials such as E.T.(though feminist filmslike Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles are also at the top of the list). These are some of the movies that Céline Sciamma has discussed over the years, whether they served as an inspiration for her work or simply hold a dear place in her heart.
10 'Turning Red' (2022)
Director: Domee Shi
The beautifully animated Turning Red follows the self-discovery journey of a thirteen-year-old named Mei Lee (Rosalie Chiang) as she faces teenagehood and puberty, navigating around her interests, relationships, and body. What makes it a different tale from all other coming-of-age stories is that Mei "poofs" into a giant panda whenever she gets too excited.
In an interview with SlashFilm, the Petite Maman director could not praise Turning Red enough when discussing her latest movie. "The film is beautiful, brilliant. It's one of the best," Sciamma said. Indeed, the 2022 movie is among the most captivating animated films of recent years; the way it sheds light on family dynamics, culture, and traditions, as well as parental expectations, makes it a poignant watch for both younger and more mature audiences.
Turning Red
PGAnimationAdventureComedy- Release Date
- March 11, 2022
- Cast
- Rosalie Chiang , Sandra Oh , James Hong
- Runtime
- 100 minutes
9 'Groundhog Day' (1993)
Director: Harold Ramis
One of Bill Murray's most iconic roles to date — and one of the most popular time-traveling flicks there is — is in Groundhog Day, where the actor plays a narcissistic weatherman who finds himself trapped in a time loop on the fictional titular federal holiday.
Not only does Harold Ramis's utterly entertaining movie take a spot on Sciamma's LaCinetek list of recommended films, but she has also mentioned it in interviews. Again, when discussing the beautifully moving Petite Maman, which also features some time-traveling elements, the filmmaker highlighted the popular film along with Robert Zemeckis' iconic feature: "I'm 44, so I'm a kid from Back To The Future", said the director to SBS. "Even you know Groundhog Day. We know all about harvesting high concepts around the situation. So how would I harvest mine?"
Groundhog Day
PGComedyDramaFantasyRomance- Release Date
- February 11, 1993
- Cast
- Bill Murray , Andie MacDowell , Chris Elliott , Stephen Tobolowsky , Brian Doyle-Murray , Marita Geraghty
- Runtime
- 101 minutes
8 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' (1982)
Director: Steven Spielberg
As it seems, Sciamma is understandably rather keen on sci-fi classics, with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrialalso taking a place among her most treasured. The legendary Steven Spielberg movie tells the story of a 10-year-old boy (Henry Thomas) who discovered, befriended, and helped a gentle alien stranded on Earth return to his home planet.
When talking with Letterboxd about her acclaimed feature Portrait of a Lady on Fire and asked which is the most romantic film she has ever seen, Sciamma did not hesitate to name E.T., saying that it is "a great love story" and "one of the greatest endings in terms of how a relationship ends: E.T. has this idea that the breakup between the two characters is… they want the same thing." No doubt, E.T. is among the best films of its genre also given its execution and the way it deals with themes of friendship, connection, and overcoming differences.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
PGAdventureFamily Sci-Fi- Release Date
- June 11, 1982
- Cast
- Henry Thomas , Dee Wallace , Robert MacNaughton , Drew Barrymore , Peter Coyote , K.C. Martel
- Runtime
- 115 minutes
7 'Mulholland Drive' (2001)
Director: David Lynch
David Lynch's Mulholland Drive is regarded as one of the most puzzling films of all time thanks to its surrealist narrative following a car crash survivor, now an amnesiac woman (Laura Harring), and an aspiring Hollywood star (Naomi Watts). In search of answers, the two set out on a trip across Los Angeles in this arthouse film that blurs the line between dreams and reality.
With top-notch cinematography and an absorbing narrative, Lynch's globally beloved film is an inspiration to many filmmakers, and Sciamma has revealed herself to be at the top of the list. "Mulholland Drive is a film that definitely was also an inspiration because it’s a film that creates its storytelling around an idea of love," the director revealed in an interview with Letterboxd also when discussing Portrait of a Lady on Fire.
Mulholland Drive
RCrimeDocumentaryDramaMysteryThriller- Release Date
- June 6, 2001
- Cast
- Naomi Watts , Laura Harring , Ann Miller , Dan Hedaya , Justin Theroux , Brent Briscoe
- Runtime
- 147
6 'The Piano' (1993)
Director: Jane Campion
This Oscar-winning Jane Campion movie stars Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin —two Best Actress and Supporting Actress winners, with Paquin being the second youngest person to ever win an Academy Award just behind Tatum O'Neal — is set in the mid-19th century, and follows a mute woman sent to New Zealand along with her young daughter and piano for an arranged marriage to a farmer (Sam Neil).
In addition to it being listed as a Celine Sciamma recommendation, The Piano was one of the many influences behind PoaLoF, along with other well-known features such as Titanic and Persona (via Insider). It is not difficult to grasp why, given how profound the film is and how the story is equally told through the female gaze. Like PoaLoF, Campion's critically acclaimed film is a must-see if audiences are into heart-wrenching stories that really stick with viewers.
The Piano
R- Release Date
- May 15, 1993
- Cast
- Holly Hunter , Harvey Keitel , Sam Neill , Anna Paquin
- Runtime
- 117
5 'Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me' (1992)
Director: David Lynch
Chronicling Laura Palmer's (Sherly Lee) final days one year after the murder of Teresa Banks (Pamela Gidley), this essentialmovie by the one and only David Lynch proves that the enthralling fictional universe of Twin Peaks is one of the best and most compelling of all.
This atmospheric psychological horror film is an incredible addition to the television show and a groundbreaking film that paved the way for many in the genre with its astounding execution and well-crafted supernatural elements. Sciamma seems to think so, too, as she has named Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Meone of the films that changed the way she looks at cinema. "I hadn’t seen Twin Peaks ever before so I didn’t know what was going on; I was lost, but also into it like crazy. When I got out, the whole world felt different," the director admitted.
4 'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg' (1964)
Director: Jacques Demy
French New Wave director Jacques Demy is the mind behind one of the most well-known movie musicals — and possibly one of the prettiest looking, too — The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. The film tells the story of a young woman named Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve) who was pushed apart from her boyfriend Guy (Nino Castelnuovo) when he was sent to complete his military service. Strongly encouraged by her mother, heartbroken Geneviève accepts a marriage proposal from a gem dealer (Marc Michel).
Not only is this visually striking film guaranteed to fulfill audiences' eye candy needs, but it features captivating sequences and an interesting story at its center. As stated in her Letterboxd interview, the film that made Sciamma want to become a filmmaker was Demy's pastel-colored musical. "When discovering mise-en-scène — the fact that there was a director, a vision of somebody — it really blew my mind. I remember I fell in love with the idea of cinema," revealed the director.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
MusicalDramaRomance- Release Date
- December 16, 1964
- Cast
- Catherine Deneuve , Nino Castelnuovo , Anne Vernon , Marc Michel
- Runtime
- 91 minutes
3 'Parasite' (2019)
Director: Bong Joon-ho
This South Korean essential meditates on greed, class, discrimination, and capitalism as it follows an impoverished, hopeless family (Choi Woo-shik, Song Kang-ho, Jang Hye-jin, and Park So-dam) who scheme to make their way into the life and home of the wealthy Park family by getting jobs in the household. However, when the owners go away on a trip, the entire family moves in and undergoes a life-changing experience.
It's not for no reason that Bong Joon-ho's film endures a globally praised one (as well as one of the most watched on the cinephile platform Letterboxd); Parasite is an undeniably incredible movie that made history by being the first non-English language Best Picture winner. After it won the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild awards, Sciamma says that she got in touch with filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho and texted him that she felt like she won, too (via The Guardian), given that both Neon and PoaLoF share the same distributor, Neon.
Parasite
RComedySatireDrama- Release Date
- May 8, 2019
- Cast
- Seo Joon Park , Kang-ho Song , Seon-gyun Lee , Yeo-Jeong Jo , Woo-sik Choi , Hye-jin Jang
- Runtime
- 132 minutes
2 'Vertigo' (1958)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Vertigo is among the best movies of all time for different reasons, including its suspenseful, mysterious plot revolving around a San Francisco police detective (James Stewart) who juggles facing his personal issues and becoming utterly obsessed with the beautiful woman (Kim Novak) that he has been hired to trail.
Alfred Hitchcock's seminal masterpiece takes a spot among the films recommended by Céline Sciamma (via LaCinetek), and it is clear that it shares some likeness with her most popular piece, namely in the painting-related scenes. With a hypnotizing aura throughout, the twisted and meticulously crafted Vertigo is guaranteed to captivate anyone who dares to sit through it. It explores themes of guilt, manipulation, and the objectification of women.
Vertigo
PGMysteryRomanceThriller- Release Date
- May 28, 1958
- Cast
- James Stewart , Kim Novak , Barbara Bel Geddes , Tom Helmore , Henry Jones , Raymond Bailey
- Runtime
- 128
1 'Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles' (1976)
Director: Chantal Akerman
Chantal Akerman's groundbreaking feminist movie was considered the greatest film of all time in 2022 according to Sight and Sound's poll, marking the first time in the poll's 70-year history that a film directed by a woman took first place. Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxellescenters around a lonely housewife (Delphine Seyrig) and illustrates her monotonous life as she does her daily chores.
According to Sciamma, "We're not talking enough about Chantal Akerman and how important she is. She's one of the most important filmmakers in the history of cinema. Every image that she crafted is important. Jeanne Dielman is always a film I think about because it makes you believe in the mise-en-scène and how radical you can be, and how being radical is also being generous." The filmmaker's love for the 1976 film is evident, and understandably so.
