National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Pulp Fiction arrived in October 1994 through Miramax Films, directed by Quentin Tarantino following his debut Reservoir Dogs. The film's nonlinear structure, sharp dialogue, and interwoven crime narratives made it a defining work of independent cinema in the 1990s, earning the Palme d'Or at Cannes and an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Its cultural footprint remains substantial, influencing filmmakers and popular culture for decades.

This cell, titled Mia Wallace, captures Uma Thurman's character in a quiet, intimate moment — applying lipstick beneath cool blue-purple lighting and an overhead camera angle characteristic of the film's stylized interior sequences. The framing is close and deliberate, isolating Mia Wallace in a way that reflects Tarantino's careful attention to character detail and visual composition throughout the film.