'Artemisia' wins rating on appeal

Erotic biopic avoids NC-17

By BENEDICT CARVER

Miramax Films has won its appeal against an NC-17 rating for "Artemisia," its erotic biopic of the 17th-century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi.

After a personal appeal by actress Valentina Cervi to the ratings board last week, the film will now go out as an R through the Miramax Zoe label.

Pic, which is directed by Agnes Merlet, will open May 8 in New York and Los Angeles.