Jessica Palud's newest film shines a light on a troubling period for women, especially considering current challenges to their rights and protections. The movie looks back at a time when actresses faced incredibly different circumstances, focusing on the sexist expectations placed upon Maria Schneider (1952-2011), portrayed by Anamaria Vartolomei. Her breakthrough came at age 19 when she was cast alongside Marlon Brando (Matt Dillon) in “Last Tango in Paris” (1972), a controversial film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci (Giuseppe Maggio). What should have been an exciting opportunity became a nightmare because Bertolucci altered the film’s ending without telling Schneider, supposedly to elicit a more "natural" performance. This change led to one of cinema's most upsetting moments: Schneider was subjected to a degrading act that deeply impacted her professionally and personally. Her reaction felt incredibly real, conveying fear and anguish as what appeared to be a depiction of rape unfolded so authentically it was hard to believe it wasn’t genuine. Following this incident, some viewers wrongly criticized Schneider for suggestive behavior (which originated elsewhere), and she was largely offered roles reinforcing the idea that she was simply a sex object—a situation she publicly addressed but was quickly silenced about by powerful figures in Hollywood. These experiences were so damaging that she turned to heroin, which led to financial problems and difficulties with her partner, Noor (Céleste Brunnquell), and her supportive Uncle Michel (Jonathan Couzinié), the only family member who stood by her during these crises. Even though Schneider continued to work in smaller roles for much of her career, she was never quite the same after the trauma she experienced on set. The film serves as a disturbing cautionary tale about what happened to Schneider and the conditions many women faced at that time—conditions that seem to be reappearing as protections against such treatment are being eroded. “Being Maria” can be very upsetting to watch, but it’s likely to spark justified anger in viewers. Palud has created an edgy yet engaging film with excellent performances from Vartolomei and Dillon, along with Maggio as the unsettling director responsible for these distressing events. The pacing occasionally feels slow, though that's a minor issue compared to everything else the movie gets right. It’s not always easy to watch this biopic, but that’s precisely the purpose—to expose the unacceptable treatment Schneider endured and what society must actively prevent from happening again.

Source on TMDB