Curiosa was released in 2019, and is one of the many French movies directed by Lou Jeunet which feature Merlant and Schneider. The movie is a drama, and tells the story of the life of the artist, and how art, love, and obsession combine together into one masterpiece during the Belle Epoque Paris.
Set during an era in which art could be created freely but freedom was restricted socially, the film tells the intense true life story of Marie de Heredia, a poet who was involved with Pierre Louÿs who was an erotic photographer and poet in his own right.
If you enjoy movies that have deep erotic undertones and have a feminist view regarding society, this film should be added to your list.
Plot Summary: A Passion That Burns, A Marriage of Convenience
Curiosa captures the period drama set in Paris in the 1890s while reminding the viewers of the unique artistic and sensual echoes of Curiosa.
Marie de Heredia was the daughter of a famous writer who, like her mother, belonged to the rich bourgeoisie. For the sake of securing her family’s financial situation, she married Henri de Régnier, a well…a very well to do fellow poet who was a tad more on the conservative side.
Yet Marie is irrevocably attracted to Pierre Louÿs, Henri’s friend and rival, whose erotic poems, sensual prose, and libertine attitude have an equal place in sensual photography. Even after she marries Henri, Pierre has parts of her mind and body where they share a relationship infused with an excess of passion, intimacy, and radicalism in art and life.
Their relationship is anything but straightforward. It is all-consuming, fueled by creativity, and made more complex by Pierre’s other lovers such as Zohra, the mystic Algerian muse.
With each love letter, photograph, and dangerously clandestine meeting, Marie begins to redefine her sense of self – no longer just a lover, but a woman seeking to assert herself through art and sexuality.
Cast & Characters
Noémie Merlant as Marie de Heredia – A multi-faceted woman who suffers from inner tension owing to the contradictions of being an inquisitive intellectual. Merlant (best known for Portrait of a Lady on Fire) splendidly embodies the interplay of control and sexual liberation.
Niels Schneider as Pierre Louÿs – Daring to the point of obsession, he is a poet notorious for his unrestrained attitude to love and literature.
Benjamin Lavernhe as Henri de Régnier – Author married to Marie. Kind and soft-spoken, yet lacking emotional depth, he embodies the polite but suffocating values of social acceptance.
Camélia Jordana as Zohra Ben Brahim – An Algerian rather enigmatic muse of Pierre who further the film’s context of sexuality and colonization.
Amira Casar as Madame de Heredia – Represents Marie’s mother who embodies rigid social norms during her era.
Themes: Power, Art as Freedom and Eroticism
Curiosa, like many works of art, specifies the form of censorship. It studies the issues on how women, most notably in the 19th century, balanced with the confines of what is socially acceptable versus their wish to be as real as possible.
🔍 Major Themes
💋 Exploring Erotica – Pierre photographs to capture desire, as Marie becomes his subject, and in so doing as his muse, she also becomes an artist.
📝 Obsessive Art – Poetry, prose, and photographic images become ways of expressing longing. Creation becomes the means for them to say what is unspeakable because society polices their speech.
💔 Passion and Marriage – Safe, but devoid of any emotions describes what it feels like for Marie to be wed to Henri. Unstable, yet full of creativity is how her affair with Pierre whom she passionately, and at the same time, emotionally enjoyed describes it.
⚖️ Woman Power – Defining oneself as a being is something Marie challenges recreate outside a paradigm of patriarchy whether as a wife, lover or a motif.
🌍 Cultural Contrasts – One of the elements we discuss is Zohra and Pierre’s interest in Eastern sensuality which speaks to topics of exoticism and the colonial gaze.
Style and Direction
Lou Jeunet, the director, uses vibrant colors, soft lighting, and meticulously crafted period costumes to dress the scenes. The sensuality of the film is aesthetic and emotional rather than exclusively sexual.
Elegance blended with eroticism is captured in the fast-changing setting, which includes drawing rooms, literary salons, and softly lit bedrooms.
The focus of the camera is directed to the faces, fabric, and skin, thereby, introducing the audience to the realm filled with pleasure, poetry, and tenderness.
Reception and Critical Response
Curiosa has polarised opinions amongst the critics and viewers.
🎭 Praised for:
Incredible production design and cinematography
Masterful performance by Noémie Merlant in the lead role
Their brave approach to the theme of sexual and creative emancipation
⚠️ Criticized for:
Loose structure of the narrative, which meanders at times
More focus on the visual aspects at the expense of deeper emotions
Neglected sidelined characters and context of the story
While some audiences classed the film as a contemporary feminist perspective of a sexualized historical narrative, others thought its exploration was far too broad to be cohesive, resulting in a lack of focus.
Despite its beauty, the film is rated poorly at the moment for its lack of coherence throughout the entire story.
Streaming Platforms
The film Curiosa can be viewed on Plex, while international DVDs are also available. However, it does not appear to be open on most popular services, meaning that streaming of physical copies or lesser-known platforms would be your best option.
Closing Statement: Is Curiosa Worth Watching?
Definitely, if historical dramas with a sensual poetic touch appeal to you.
✔ Sensual dramas centered around powerful women in a man’s world.
✔ Films intertwining eroticism with art, literature, and identity.
✔ Stunning cinematography from European masterpieces.
Not if you were hoping for the following:
❌ A romantic film in its purest form.
❌ Fast-paced plots or stories told in chronological order.
❌ Casual viewing.
A celebration of passion and creative rebellion along with bottled tension is what Curiosa exhibits. It is not for everyone as the heavy focus centers around art, literary history, and the juxtaposition of love and art, making the film controversial and fascinating at the same time.