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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.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.