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The Spellbound

Name: The Spellbound
Director: Pascal Bonitzer
Released: 2019
Duration: 101 min

Representation Score

5.4/10

Fair

2019

Director

Pascal Bonitzer

Runtime

101 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Spellbound is a character-driven drama that emphasizes psychological depth and individual perspective. It successfully centers women's ability to drive the story through Coline, an intellectual protagonist who leads the investigation. The film also adds cultural diversity by introducing characters like Azar, suggesting a more varied social fabric than a typical rural setting.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Spellbound have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film centers on a traditional romantic tension between Coline and Simon. There is no explicit depiction of LGBTQ+ identities or structures that go beyond assuming everyone is straight.

How does The Spellbound portray gender?

Good

Coline is portrayed as a professional intellectual who plays a significant role in driving the story. The narrative emphasizes her psychological autonomy and emotional growth rather than passive female roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Spellbound?

Fair

Azar's presence introduces potential non-Western or Middle Eastern heritage, disrupting the expectation of a homogeneous European setting within the Pyrenean backdrop.

How does The Spellbound represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story explores personal spirituality through shared supernatural experiences. It prioritizes individual perception and personal truth over institutional religion or strict secular views.

Does The Spellbound include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no visible or invisible disabilities shown. No characters are identified as having neurodivergent traits or physical impairments.

Present on Screen

Strong women's ability to drive the story through Coline's professional role and intellectual curiosity.
Challenges traditional gender hierarchies by focusing on female subjectivity.
Introduces non-traditional spiritual perspectives that question Western rationalism.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or structures that go beyond assuming everyone is straight.
No characters with visible or invisible disabilities.
Limited markers of diversity to enhance overall inclusivity.

Official Synopsis

For the "story of the month," Coline, a contributor to a women's magazine, is sent deep into the Pyrenees to interview Simon, a rather wild artist who claims his mother appeared to him at the precise moment she died. Coline is particularly intrigued since her beautiful neighbor Azar insists the same thing happened with her father! On the night they meet, Simon attempts to seduce Coline, who resists but falls in love... Based on Henry James's 1896 short story "The Way It Came," later renamed "The Friends of the Friends" for the New York Edition.

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