Absolute masterpiece.

Being a French speaker means I enjoyed it even more because you get to hear all the subtleties: for instance the fact that Héloïse and Marianne only use "tu" (informal "you") once or twice, most the movie they use "vous" (formal "you") which makes their exchange very sexy imo. I loved the fact that this movie barely had any music, except in three very crucial moments. I can't stand movies nowadays where every scene is drowned into music. I also loved the fact that there were barely any men at all. Such a breath of fresh air.

I also loved the equality between the two women, the fact that a lesbian directed it and that a lesbian actress played a lesbian (that's so rare), the beauty of the light, the last scene where Héloïse relives their love story (spoiler!), the meta aspect about the painter and her "muse" (who is in fact not her muse but an equal) vs Céline Sciamma and Adèle Haenel, the historical period (18th century) where female painters were actually freer than a century later, the chemistry between the two women is amazing too. There are so many layers to that movie. You have to rewatch it several times to understand all of it.

I know some lesbians dislike the fact that this has an "unhappy" ending. I understand that criticism. Céline Sciamma said that she thought this was in fact a happy ending. I don't know what to think myself. On one hand, I think it would have been totally possible for the two women to run away to another country (Italy perhaps? where Marianne had connections) to live there together as "friends" or "sisters" while Marianne would have earned money as a painter. Some lesbians did this, even if we don't necessarily know about them doesn't mean these couples didn't exist. But of course, they would have been shunned by their family and they would have had to hide. And maybe the truth would have come out anyway.

On the other hand, it would have indeed been difficult. And perhaps Héloise didn't want to betray/abandon her mother who clearly needed the money (they weren't rich) and support from that marriage. Yeah, it's a shit situation.