It allows the harsh reality of Priscilla’s life to cut through the sugary pastels and beautiful psychedelia like a knife, reminding us sharply not just of the age gap between the couple, but also of the immense power imbalance between them. And, while there is clearly a very genuine love at play here, too, you’ll breathe a heartfelt sigh of relief when Priscilla finally finds her footing as a woman of her own making.

Still, it’s a happier ending than we’re used to seeing from Coppola; the last shot of Marie Antoinette lingered on the destruction strewn throughout the Palace of Versailles, reminding us that she and her children failed to make it out of France alive.

The Virgin Suicides, too, leaves us with five dead girls and the unsolvable mystery of the Lisbon sisters. And The Beguiled, despite allowing its female protagonists to survive their encounter with a handsome Union soldier, still sees them irreparably damaged by his presence. Priscilla gives us, at last, a bird who manages to finally break free of her cage.

Perhaps this film hits differently because, in spite of everything, Priscilla is Coppola’s most relatable story. After all, it’s a tale of feminine vulnerability – of changing yourself for someone, losing yourself entirely in a relationship and finding yourself all over again. It’s a reminder, too, that a relationship doesn’t have to be everlasting to have a happy ending. Sometimes, that blissful ever after can be found in admitting that you’ve outgrown something or that you deserve more.

A love letter to Sofia Coppola – why we’re still obsessed with the Priscilla director