‘Politics, art, history and race all tied in a big bow.’
That’s how director Amma Asante describes her latest film, Belle. Released in the UK in mid-June, it has met with huge acclaim both from audiences and film critics. Much of its success lies in the fact that it combines the traditional elements of a Jane Austen romance with a nuanced awareness of the difficult politics of the period.
A shocking painting
The story behind the film was inspired by a painting in Scone Palace, Scotland. Screenwriter Misan Sagay spotted the unusual image of two richly-dressed young women, one black and one white. The painting dates from 1779 yet shockingly, for that time, the women are portrayed as equals. After doing some research, Sagay discovered that it depicted Dido Elizabeth Belle and Lady Elizabeth Murray. The two women were cousins and were both raised by their aristocratic great-uncle Lord Mansfield, one-time Lord Chief Justice.
