What does an intimate relationship between a man and a woman look like when they know nothing about each other – not even their names? When they strip away all social roles and what remains is only raw, unfiltered essence? When Last Tango in Paris premiered in 1972, critics hailed director Bernardo Bertolucci’s bold vision and his experimental directing style, which pushed actors to their emotional limits in search of authenticity.

Marlon Brando was praised for his powerful performance and enjoyed another career peak in the lead role. But the story had a darker underside. For Maria Schneider, the young actress who saw the film as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the experience left lasting scars. While the film became a cinematic milestone, she emerged from it not as a star, but as its most tragic casualty.

During filming, she felt excluded, deceived, humiliated, abused, and even raped by the Bertolucci-Brando duo. For many years, no one knew how Last Tango in Paris had negatively affected her life. The film Being Maria fills this void.