Depuis le Jour(1987)

Depuis le Jour is Derek Jarman's experimental short film interpreting Gustave Charpentier's aria from the 1900 opera Louise. Aimée Delamain plays an aging opera singer reflecting on a youthful romance as she delivers her final performance. The film weaves together her memories with scenes of Tilda Swinton and Spencer Leigh moving through manicured gardens and coastal landscapes, embodying the aria's meditation on love and longing. Jarman uses the celebrated soprano Leontyne Price's performance to anchor the piece's emotional core. Made for the 1987 portmanteau project Aria, in which ten directors created shorts set to operatic arias of their choice, Depuis le Jour showcases Jarman's distinctive visual approach to classical music and desire.