Séraphine vividly recounts the tragic story of French naïve painter Séraphine Louis aka Séraphine de Senlis (1864-1942), a humble servant who was also a gifted self-taught painter. She came to prominence between the wars only to descend into madness and obscurity with the onset of the Great Depression and World War II.

In 1913, German collector Wilhelm Uhde (Ulrich Tukur), discoverer of Picasso and acclaimed naïve primitive painter "Le Douanier Rousseau", rents a house in Senlis in order to write and take a break from his Parisian life. He hires a housekeeper, 48 years old Séraphine (Yolande Moreau, When the Sea Rises - SFFF 2004). Some time later, while visiting the home of a prominent local family, he notices a small painting on wood. His surprise is great when he finds out that Séraphine is the talented painter. A poignant and unexpected relationship develops between the avant-garde art dealer and the visionary cleaning lady. Martin Provost’s fictionalized and tragic portrait of this forgotten painter is a testament to creativity and the resilience of one woman’s spirit.

Séraphine was awarded the 2009 César for Best Film; while the astonishing Yolande Moreau won her 2nd César for Best Actress, four years after receiving the award for her role in When the Sea Rises (SFFF 2004).

Shown with Mon petit frère de la lune (My Little Brother from the Moon) by Frédéric Philibert

Q&A with Liz Constable, Director, Film Studies, Women and Gender Studies UC Davis follows the Saturday screening.