Camille Claudel

Set in the 1880s, Camille Claudel is a passionate biographical drama recounting the troubled life of a French sculptor with the same name and her turbulent relationship with legendary artist Auguste Rodin. Isabelle Adjani plays strong and fiery Claudel overcoming prejudices against female artists while pursuing a romance with Rodin played by Depardieu.

Bruno Nuytten's first feature film after working as a Cinematographer for films such as Manon des Sources and Jean de Florette portrays Claudel beautifully in a lavish period setting. Impressive visuals stylise Claudel's life as colourful in all its grandiose melodrama. The film traces her romantic bond with Rodin, twice her age at the time they met, and the breakdown of their relationship due to the increasing pressures of Rodin's fame and his love for another woman.

Claudel's paranoia that Rodin's gang are out to steal her ideas and to ruin her reputation and life re establishes the thin line between artistic genius and insanity. Morphing from an eccentric character to a more dangerously deranged one the film captures the breakdown and emotional tumult of a tortured artist.

Pondering the importance of status and money in the art world, and the position of women in a male-dominated society, this film offers lots to think about and Adjani and Depardieu's on screen chemistry are irrefutable.

A huge box office success in France where it also won five César awards including best picture and best actress, the film translated its success with Adjani being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her dramatic performance as Claudel.