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Céline Sciamma

Céline Sciamma

Writer, director and actor, also producer · Born November 12, 1978 (47) · Pontoise, Val-d'Oise, France

BAFTA Award nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Céline Sciamma is a French screenwriter and film director. Sciamma's work is strikingly minimalist. She is known for her transformational work with themes of gender fluidity, sexual identity among girls and women, and the female gaze. Sciamma's considers her first three feature films, Water Lilies (2007), Tomboy (2011) and Girlhood (2014) to constitute a coming-of-age trilogy. Her 2019 film, Portait of a Lady on Fire, won her the Queer Palm and Best Screenplay at 2019 Cannes Film Festival. The film was widely acclaimed and was also named the 30th greatest film of all time in the Sight & Sound 2022 critics' poll. She has written screenplays for André Téchiné and Claude Barras, the latter of which won her the Best Adapted Screenplay at the 42nd César Awards. Sciamma is also an activist and a founding member of the 50/50 collective, an advocacy association that promotes gender parity, diversity, and inclusion in the film and audiovisual industry.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 12, 1978 (47)
From
Pontoise, Val-d'Oise, France
Works as
Writer, director and actor, also producer
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 19 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28

What are Céline Sciamma's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
40%
Self
40%
Power
14%
Survival
4%
Ideas
3%
Identity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 4 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 0 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
6
Contemplative
5
Tense
3
Romantic
2
Warm
3
Other
9

How their films linger

Bittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Céline Sciamma's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Céline Sciamma's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

19 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Tutti Frutti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Director · Cinematographer · Composer · Songs · Actor

  • The Balconettes(2024)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • This Is How a Child Becomes a Poet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director · Writer

  • Paris, 13th District(2021)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Petite Maman(2021)

    Director · Costume Designer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Portrait of a Lady on Fire(2019)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • With the Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Writer

  • La Coupe Bernard Tapine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director · Cinematographer · Writer

  • My Life as a Zucchini(2016)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Being 17(2016)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Young Tiger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Script Consultant

  • Girlhood(2014)

    Director · Costume Designer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Mademoiselle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Fille boîte

  • Bird People(2014)

    Script Consultant

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Tomboy(2011)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Ivory Tower(2010)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Pauline (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Water Lilies(2007)

    Director · Screenplay · as Caissier de McDonald's (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Brume (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay

Career shape

A full career of 19 titles, 18 of them dated from 2007 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

$10M worldwide

Highest rated

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

  • 2007Screen debut· Water Lilies

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting3 of 19: 1 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting9 of 19: 1 only directing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score92ndWriting16 of 19: 9 only writing, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score81stMusic1 of 19: 0 only music, 1 with another roleCinematography2 of 19: 0 only cinematography, 2 with another roleOther crew3 of 19: 0 only other crew, 3 with another role

19 titles, 8 with more than one role — writing and directing overlap on 7 of them.

By decade

2000s2 · 1 acting · 2 crew2010s11 · 1 acting · 10 crew2020s5 · 1 acting · 5 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

4 major awards from 14 major nominations, 2007–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Berlinale award, won
  2. 2022
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film Not in the English Language
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best International Film
  3. 2021
    • Berlinale award, nominated · Best Film
  4. 2020
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film Not in the English Language
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best International Film
  5. 2019
    • Cannes award, won ×2
    • Cannes award, nominated
  6. 2016
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best International Film
  7. 2014
    • Cannes award, nominated
  8. 2011
    • Berlinale award, won
Show 1 earlier year
  1. 2007
    • Cannes award, nominated ×2

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Céline Sciamma's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 81st percentile, the median of all 11; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 84th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

82ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 11 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · writer

Ivory Tower (2010)

60th percentile spread · 18% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 60/100 and the plot and story 53/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Céline Sciamma's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films and violence & gore and profanity lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles6–52 · median 23 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles29–77 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles2–48 · median 23 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles25–54 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles9–57 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Céline Sciamma work with?

People who share at least 2 of Céline Sciamma's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Julien Lacheray shares the most, 6.

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers