Artemisia review

Artemisia Gentileschi is worthy of a small but important footnote in the history of art as an artist that many consider the first woman painter of note. Rebellious female artists were frowned upon in 17th-century Italy. So when young Artemisia (Valentina Cervi) shows a prodigious talent, she has to bully her artist father into letting her study with debauched master Agostino Tassi (Miki Manojlovic).

It may all sound Mills & Boonish, but it isn't. What follows is a sympathetic story of a brave talent in the right place at the wrong time, filmed in suitably dark - but not bleak - tones. The headstrong girl has an affair with her tutor, and you just know she's going to get caught and land in all sorts of trouble. What you don't expect is Italian magistrates using thumbscrews on a 17-year-old girl.