Céline Sciamma | BAFTA Screenwriters’ Lecture Series

Céline Sciamma discusses her writing process and the importance of giving agency back to her female characters.
Sponsored by The JJ Charitable Trust.
Listen to the talk on Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/bafta/celine-s...
Read the transcript on our website: www.bafta.org/media-centre/tr...
The Screenwriters' Lectures are presented as originally recorded. Some of the lectures may contain outdated comments or views which some listeners may find insensitive or offensive.
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#BAFTA #CélineSciamma

[@baftaguru]

Are you looking forward to Portrait of a Lady on Fire?

[@fiorellaespinozaagramonte6857]

yesssssssss

[@danielsolano5403]

Best film of it's year

[@dj.deb.usa007justiceangels6]

THANKS FOR THE GREAT EXAMPLE OF LESBIANS 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈💌🛐🛐🛐🛐☦️🛐🛐☦️🛐☦️🛐💯🕯️🏳️‍🌈🔥🆘😘😇🥰🕯️🕯️🕯️ IN LOVE

[@dj.deb.usa007justiceangels6]

@@danielsolano5403 YES IT'S A GIFT PEOPLE NEED TO SEE

[@dj.deb.usa007justiceangels6]

PLEASE I WILL TRY TO WRITE A FEW MYSELF

[@stephaniebrown3404]

She is a genius. An absolute genius with a humble heart. Her films are life-changing and mean so much to many of us. Thank you for this.

[@enolaholmes3309]

This is an amazing lecture. She's so charismatic, eloquent and smart. She gives tremendous insight into her writing process, while staying humble. What an inspiration. Also, Portrait de la jeune fille en feu, is the best film of the decade. No work of art has ever touched me like that.

[@barbarajohnson1442]

She is shifting the paradigm: the power of art!!!

[@priyac7054]

I don't understand how France doesn't consider it a collected shame to NOT SEND this movie to the Oscars

[@captainawkward8734]

in the defense of the poeple making these choices, the movie we sent instead is almost equally brilliant. but i would have loved for Portrait to represent us at the Oscars!

[@nickl9317]

@@captainawkward8734t wasn’t even close. Les Miserables is militant bullshit sent to the Oscars as a fake sign of respect and hope to appease the suburbs after various incidents that could have created revolt. Nothing to do with talent or quality

[@TheFunk79]

I could listen to Sciamma talk for hours (and have). Her words are so poetic, regardless of language, and her intellect is enormous. By writing and speaking her truth and turning it into art, she is impacting people's lives and changing how people think about and make cinema. Portrait is her largest masterpiece to date. I can't wait to see what her future filmography will entail. Never stop writing Celine, and sharing your truth with the world. Genius.

[@aixagrandi]

She is the best director of our era and that's a fact. I love her so much. She changed my life.

[@sailorsally]

The theme of Orpheus and Eurydice was what tied the whole film together for me. So interesting that it was the last thing to be added!

[@dcgrrl321]

Totally jealous of how well she writes in a language that is not her native tongue. Extraordinarily well done. 👍🏼

[@Nikthehermit]

French is fancy English so.....

[@dcgrrl321]

@@Nikthehermit Nope. It is true that if you’re a native speaker of one, it’s not that difficult to learn to become conversant in the other. But, if you speak both, you know the rules are quite different. It’s one thing to hold a conversation. It’s quite another to compose a speech and deliver it with all the language complexities of a well educated native speaker and having written it at the last minute. Give this woman credit, her English is magnificent.

[@Nikthehermit]

@@dcgrrl321 I literally speak French and many of the rules that constitute a basic french sentence are identical in English but would be considered more formal. Many of the verbs and adjectives she uses are common place in France but when translated take on a higher "air". I'm not discrediting her intelligence I'm just telling (after having lived in France) why it's easier for her to maintain accurate translation and also convey of deeper meaning than someone else who spoke English as a second language.

[@dcgrrl321]

@@Nikthehermit If what you were saying were true, ppl would do it all the time. They definitely DO NOT. I speak both and I’m trying to figure out what you mean by the rules are the same but more formal. But it’s a waste of time, it doesn’t mean anything worth figuring out. Ciao

[@rg1809]

@@dcgrrl321 Actually, I found your discussion quite interesting.

[@thirzahemert7018]

I normally struggle with watching a 30+ minute youtube video, especially if it's just someone talking. But I could watch this for more than an hour. This felt like only 15 minutes

[@WuTengFamily]

Absolute queen. Having Adèle Haenel run fast towards the edge of a cliff? *chef's kiss*

[@gunespadem9264]

Her mind! Literally her MIND!

[@antonia2260]

A brilliant woman with a kind heart. I could listen to her for hours. She has inspired me as a writer, and for that I am forever thankful.

[@tearwordmelody]

Céline Sciamma, the genius herself. The film is a true masterpiece. The best example of poetic cinema. It's so perfect that it blows me away every time. It changed my life forever.

[@nickl9317]

There are a lot of other-and much better-poetic films. This one has a few qualities that make it noteworthy, especially the colors. The main problem is it takes a very brainy approach typical of certain « schools », but lacks a bit in terms of atmosphere and symbolism, which was not the case with the work of the great poetic films. Still a very good film, but please everyone stop with the superlatives. Once you find the most something your quest ends. Stay open, watch everything, this is not the end of the line, there is a LOT of other stuff out there, even better stuff.

[@tearwordmelody]

@@nickl9317 Lacks a bit in terms of symbolism? I think you should watch it again, Nick. You talk about "so many other films", but didn't mention any. Who said my quest ended? I still watch many films but couldn't find something like that again, especially in queer cinema.

[@merrymayma714]

"Screenwriting is to work on your desire instead of immediately acting on them." Bravo Sciamma!!! Thanks A LOT!!!

[@vhagarsand968]

Thank you BAFTA Guru, this lecture is pure GOLD. Not that often it's given the chance to listen and learn SO MUCH from a screenwriter's personal process like this one. I have been discussing about this film since two months with my friend by now. I can consider myself a film buff, I love cinema, I have seen many remarkable movies in my life, but It's not that easy remember a film that gave me so much as much _Portrait de la jeun fille en feu_ . Literally not a single dusk pass by without talking about this, actually we talk about this until earl mornings. I am keeping rewatching it and not only the enthusiasm and the emotions that it give to me don't decrease, actually they are keeping growing and growing day after day. Now this MASTERCLASS is keeping me and my friend going even deeper the process and to read new layers of the opera, that reverberate obsessivly and pleasantly on my mind. Artist's filmography built her way of thinking, a pure vision that pigeonhole into a mindset would be unfairly thight. All of this gently exploded into this masterpiece, a delicate and firm deafening silence. *Céline Sciamma* if you are reading this, well, I wish I could meet you in person to tell you how much I am gratefull for this everlasting opera. It would be amazing to learn more from you and I can't wait to see what else you have to give and tell. I can't rationally get my self together to explain what this film means to me, and always it will. GRAZIE MILLE Céline. There is a _before Portrait de la jeun fille en feu_ and an _after Portrait de la jeun fille en feu_ . P.S. I am italian and god, this could not have been that a french, and a french spoken film.

[@saraarribas]

👏👏👏👏👏 same here

[@ultraconservative]

"P.S. I am italian and god, this could not have been that a french, and a french spoken film." What do you mean?

[@farzanazafreen9495]

She is absolutely brilliant. Every word she says is filled with knowledge and deep understanding. I am awed. And I am glad that I could watch her giving this beautiful speech. Just wonderful!

[@meerkattie]

i’m in love with her and her mind

[@ao637]

There's a full transcript online with the full uncut Q&A. Just google "bafta celine sciamma" (I tried posting the link before, but my comment was suppressed. Trying again without link..) Including the full Q&A, it must be at least twice as much as what's included in the video here. When I found it, my jaw dropped. Enjoy.

[@annabella7285]

rorysaur Thank you very much! Sciamma is truly a genius! Very fast read.

[@jessegiotti4397]

thnks:)

[@joannetiu471]

What a generous artist Celine Sciamma is! She broke down the process so clearly that I am inspired. Not necessarily to get into screenwriting and film-making, but just to live my life full of desire, learning and collaboration. I don't think I can watch another movie for a while after Portrait, which just watched (2 years too late).

[@genevievetrinh9977]

This woman is a genius.

[@user-rl7mm6ce9r]

I knew Celine had an amazing talent in writing but just found out she also has that humor and charisma in making a speech! She's definitely a genius. I wouldn't have wanted Parasite to win the Palme d'Or like that much if I saw Portrait of a lady on fire earlier(just joking I love Bong's film too😂). Anyway it's one of the best movies in my entire life! Love and support from S.Korea🖼🔥

[@camilaoca]

What a fascinating woman! She's so inspiring.

[@willhawthorne]

Wow! Absolute gold dust. Thank you Céline. Such humility and openness about the writing process. Accessible, profound and seemingly put together in the space of 4 days (in a second language). Bravo!

[@actingout4462]

she is phenomenal. i look up to her so much as an artist. thank you céline sciamma for this movie. i look forward to getting to know your other films past and future

[@andreavalentinaperez2734]

She represents everything that i admire in an artist and also, she is so interesting, articulate and attractive. Sciamma is the kind of woman i want to be around and women like her make me feel glad i'm a lesbian.

[@newyorkmyndd9801]

Um, this is freaking awesome! 4 days! Celine is incredible at communicating a process that can apply to many things in art and life and is almost apologizing for not having more time to be more brilliant. Love her films and her way of explaining and telling us a story. Portrait is so beautiful ❤️👏💐

[@cinelez]

What an iconic figure! I adore her.

[@anhtieu2118]

Big thanks for this video! I’ve been waiting for this this whole time~ 😍 Never get tired of listening to Céline Sciamma sharing about cinema ❤️

[@DevyanshBahri]

_Portrait of a Lady on Fire_ is my favourite movie of all time. A transcendent experience like no other. Please watch it if you haven’t.

[@gilllee625]

This lecture inspires me a lot. With her witty insight on writing, feminism, and art history, I start to consider Celine Sciamma as my tutor. Absolutely wonderful! Thank you BAFTAGuru, and thank you, director.

[@angeljones2291]

Wow. What a gift. I could listen to her talk about writing alllll day. Thank you for this!

[@pete7110]

Love Céline Sciamma and her work. Very intelligent writer and director

[@iankamontas]

Céline, your job is important, keep going.

[@solangeboudreau6467]

How awesome is this woman!!!!!

[@emilyw9034]

genius. absolute genius

[@jyzhan8252]

I seem to have found the intellectual role model for my daughter

[@karenmgr]

sciamma is an absolute genius but PLEASE let your daughter choose lmao

[@jyzhan8252]

@@karenmgr I mean intellectually of course

[@Discover_Peace]

The attention to detail is well defined. Celine sciamma has proved it in her stage speech too. How dedicated to present it on English language. My respects🙏🏽

[@woolf28]

Céline Sciamma is a genius! I respect your fantastic work in the cinema!

[@CharlotteLeguy]

Magnifique, merci Céline !!! 🙏🙏🙏

[@CeramicShot]

@9:11 Part about scenes as units of desire. This was an amazing lecture.

[@morqon]

This is really excellent, thank you.

[@AkitaMix]

I learned a lot about a process of script writing that's so interesting in that short speech alone

[@AmiralMable]

Brilliant! She is absolutely brilliant.

[@BigBuddhaFilmsUK]

Really useful. Thank you. Will be rewatching this.

[@teodorasilva2279]

Sciamma is just marvelous!! The lecture is so clear to be understood though I'm no writer. Kudos to Portrait of the Lady on Fire. Looking forward to more screenplay and films to be made her.👍❤️

[@Alineebastos]

People never laugh at her jokes and I always do

[@helena19479]

I do that too. I like her humor. She's almost always brilliant.

[@levierkey]

I rewatched this lecture recently and since then had that idea of 'being radical with your desires' echoing in my head. Céline said it was her method for writing scripts, but what if we could extrapolate a bit and say that it could also be a method for living life? 'Find something that hits you accurately, which means - deeply.' Or maybe I'm being too philosophical. Anyway, I agree with everyone in the comments saying Céline is a genius. Her films and her outlook have provoked a tremendous amount of thought in me (I don't know if this is English - you tell me (c) Céline), and I can say with no exaggeration that she changed my life.

[@pjsopinion8028]

In my opinion, you are not being too philosophical at all. The portion of your comment "Find something that hits you accurately, which means - deeply" touched something in me, and provoked precious introspection in me. I actually love the way your mind works. Blessings 🙏

[@harleyquiinnnn]

I agree with the previous commentator 🙏🏼

[@danielsolano5403]

"I just learned about this a few days ago please excuse if I'm bad at this" Proceeds to give a great and meaningful and beautifully written speech

[@harleyquiinnnn]

céline sciamma is the embodiment of brilliance

[@angeljones2870]

She is so phenomenal and so inspiring and skilled!

Thank you so much, Céline and BAFTA.

[@jallcowasji]

How did I just discover her?! She managed to articulate so effortlessly what I have often felt about the tired convention of characters overcoming obstacles. Thank you for sharing this insightful and meaty lecture.

[@barbarajohnson1442]

I am sheltered at home,COVD19, cannot stream the movie yet!!! Theater closed, imagine my frustration. Yet I am learning so much from Celine Sciamma about her artistic process. I look forward to it, and to all of her films. Brava!!!

[@TheFunk79]

This film is worth the wait!

[@barbarajohnson1442]

TheFunk79, I have no doubt!!! Thank you.

[@nitoy12489]

Tonight, at midnight, Hulu will release it :o treat ya self :)

[@barbarajohnson1442]

Nitoy12489, you have made my night! Fantastic! Merci!

[@barbarajohnson1442]

And now I have seen it twice! Going for 3rd tonight. Marvelous!!!

[@leticiamachado6819]

I've been reading a lot of Juri Alschitz and this fits really well! I adore this movie and to be able to see it with celine's eyes to it, is amazing. Desire, ideas, acting, writing, questioning, analyzing. That's art. She talked about it but is messing with my head ultimately, we tend to look at a role with psychological questions "what the character should do, say, think, WHYY??" That's not enough, not for theater, cinema...

[@pjsopinion8028]

She is absolutely brilliant... I could listen to her talk about this film and her thoughts behind the composition of it for hours! ❤️ Blessings 🙏

[@DasKollektiv47]

Great lecture! Write without fear, edit without mercy--but let desire lead you.

[@NeilStevensFilms]

She is incredible!

[@MasleyVystupoe]

Thanks for uploading this inspiring and educating lecture. Portrait is a film that blew me away.

[@spaceinvad0r]

So brilliantly insightful ❤❤❤❤

[@orbitalclue3]

Incredible

[@stephaniebusto5258]

Legend

[@Luke-cz9tm]

7:38 three steps

[@fannyguillot9709]

i'm french and very glad to see that this beautiful piece of art is being spreaded throughout the USA ;)

[@NoAimGirlKane]

Ce que j'adore c'est le soutien outre-Atlantique pour le film, l'équipe et l'acte militant de réaliser/tourner/regarder le Portrait.

[@VousEtesOdileDeray]

J'ai l'impression qu'il reçoit beaucoup plus de soutien et d'attention aux US qu'en France... Et tant mieux après tout si le film peut être apprécié à sa juste valeur par le plus grand nombre !

[@fannyguillot9709]

@@VousEtesOdileDeray oui mais ça signifie qu'il n'est pas assez à mon goût soutenu en France, hélas il n'a reçu qu'un seul César alors qu'il a été nominé 10 fois...

[@VousEtesOdileDeray]

@@fannyguillot9709 c'est clair, mais bon le public français est manifestement pas si ouvert d'esprit que ça (et l'académie des César non plus, mais ça on le savait déjà...)

[@fannyguillot9709]

@@VousEtesOdileDeray oh je vois que tu es aussi abonnée à dimanche à dix heures ! Bienvenue dans le club ;)

[@duelbuster123]

thank you legend!!!

[@baibabecker2209]

Queen. She is such a Queen

[@picturesbynassah]

Why is she so fucking cool

[@ravishankarkaushik7823]

Beautiful.

[@page28club58]

Thank you for this. Is there a video of the full Q&A anywhere?

[@krishnansrinivasan830]

I had a nice time watching this video :)

[@PercySenna]

9:07 - the scenes

[@merrymayma714]

20:59! Spider-man backward kiss! >

[@LouHedges05]

Does anyone know where I can find the script to Portrait?

[@jordanpardi1516]

31:30 Nice.

[@NehaSharma-2023]

♥️

[@isismeiraa]

Her movies literally changed my life...

[@LavineMatos]

Would there be a transcript of the lecture?

[@wansiya]

Lavine Matos on their Website :)

[@LavineMatos]

@@wansiya Thank you, but unfortunately I couldn't find the transcript of Céline's lecture.

[@wansiya]

@@LavineMatos www.bafta.org/media-centre/transcripts/screenwriters-lecture-series-2019-celine-sciamma

[@LavineMatos]

@@wansiya Thank you very much! Thank you for your kindness.

[@wansiya]

@@LavineMatos Glad to help :)

[@firealarmism]

a female genius wedding mind and heart. sharp like a knife, tender like a feather all at once. like a woman. love you

[@turquoise1997]

17:27 she is jocular😁

[@viktoriyarts]

0:39 did she said "bitch"? If yes lol :D

[@carolinavega2464]

she said speech, lol

[@harleyquiinnnn]

@@carolinavega2464 i actually think she said bitch lmao... but i'm not 100% sure

[@geardestroy]

I hear she is a misandrist

[@TheFunk79]

That's what anyone calls a feminist, when they are very much two different things. I've seen Sciamma give many interviews, and she shows the same deference and respect to male interviewers as this one. As a filmmaker, she prefers to write stories about women as she can relate to the perspective, and while there are many women in her crew, there are also men in her film crew she collaborates with consistently on each film.

[@harleyquiinnnn]

Also, labeling someone as a 'misandrist' just because they want to give women more space to create because they've been underrepresented for years, while no one would call a male director a 'misognist' because there are more men in his team and lead roles is hilarious. Because that would make every male director a 'misognist'. While she thankfully gives many women place to participate in her projects, they're still chronically underrepresented in the industry. So your comment is hilarious to say the least.