One of France’s most influential contemporary filmmakers, screenwriter and director Celine Sciamma is known for exploring the themes of gender fluidity and sexual identity among women in her work. She cites David Lynch, Chantal Akerman and the writing of Virginia Woolf as major influences. Since her debut feature, WATER LILLIES in 2007, Celine has written and directed four features and was responsible for the screenplay for three other feature productions among other writing credits.

She has won numerous accolades, including a Cesar Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI, directed by Claude Barras and based on Gilles Paris’ 2002 novel ‘Autobiographies d’une Courgette’. The film was nominated for an Academy and BAFTA Award for Best Animated Feature in 2017.

Celine’s latest film, the erotic love story of two women in love, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE screened at last year’s London Film Festival, which Celine attended along with both leads Adele Haenel and Noemie Merlant. It was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Queer Palm and the Best Screenplay Award for Celine. The film was also nominated for a Golden Globe, BAFTA and nine Cesar Awards. She is a founding member of the French branch of the ‘5050 by 2020’ movement, a group of movie industry professionals advocating gender parity in film.

Celine attended a screening and Q & A of the film at the Curzon Soho cinema last October, where she signed my sketch.