Artemisia

REVIEW
Soft-core masquerading as an art film, Artemisia is a biopic about the first woman painter in 17th-century Italy. The film, which presents the life and times of Artemisia Gentileschi (Cervi), has some notable things going for it -- a few ideas on perspective, and ample nudity -- but the dramatic crux of the narrative is flimsy. Director Merlet, who cowrote the screenplay, focuses on Artemisia's relationship with her mentor, Tassi (Manojiovic), and a large segment of the film is devoted to a trial about whether or not he raped her. Most viewers, however, will prefer watching the numerous sex scenes and nude models, for they are far more interesting. Artemisia tries to be an intelligent examination of a female painter trying to overcome the prejudices of the time, and it ends up being artless. (French with English subtitles)