PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE
Céline Sciamma; 2019; France; 119 min.; in French and Italian, with English subtitles

Desire can be a powerful force, capable of consuming the heart like a roaring fire. Set in 18th century France, PORTRAIT OF LADY ON FIRE follows Marianne, a young painter commissioned to undertake the wedding portrait of reluctant bride-to-be Héloïse. Pretending to be her companion, Marianne discreetly observes her muse by day and secretly paints her by night. The intimate moments they share during their daily walks along the beach spark the flames of a passionate romance that defies their fate, which has been imposed on them by the norms of their conservative and repressive society.

Winner of the Queer Palm and the Best Screenplay prizes at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, out lesbian director Céline Sciamma (WATER LILLES, GIRLHOOD, AND TOMBOY, Best Narrative, SLGFF 2011, and co-writer of BEING 17) wraps us in an elegant and seductive canvas, where each frame of the film becomes a stunning work of art, thanks to its breathtaking cinematography. Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel deliver monumental but nuanced performances, freely inhabiting the fascinating female-centric world Sciamma constructs. An arresting and provocative drama, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is one of the most beautiful and fervent romances in recent years, one that everyone will fall in love with.

“Not a moment in PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is wasted, which suits a story about lovers without a moment to lose.” — THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

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