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Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu
2019 121 min France R 18+
★8.4
Drama, Romance
Director: Céline Sciamma
Trailers
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Teaser
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Description
On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.
Budget:
$5.74M
US Gross:
$3.76M
Worldwide:
$9.92M
Starring
Noémie Merlant
Actor
Adèle Haenel
Actor
Luàna Bajrami
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2019
— Best Screenplay
César Awards 2020
— Best Cinematography
European Film Awards 2019
— Best Screenplay
Cannes Film Festival 2019
— Best Screenplay
César Awards 2020
— Best Cinematography
César Awards 2020
— Best Director
Goya Awards 2020
— Best European Film
César Awards 2020
— Best Production Design
César Awards 2020
— Best Costume Design
BAFTA 2020
— Best International Feature Film
César Awards 2020
— Best Sound
European Film Awards 2019
— Best Director
César Awards 2020
— Most Promising Actress
Cannes Film Festival 2019
— Queer Palm
César Awards 2020
— Best Actress
César Awards 2020
— Best Screenplay
European Film Awards 2019
— Best Screenplay
European Film Awards 2019
— Best Actress
San Sebastián International Film Festival 2019
— Sebastian Prize
Key opinion
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is widely celebrated as a masterful, visually stunning exploration of love, longing, and the female gaze. While most critics laud its emotional intensity and artistic craftsmanship, a minority of viewers find its minimal dialogue, slow tempo, and focus on ideology over traditional narrative to be alienating.
| Cinematography | The cinematography is masterfully lush and sensual, using natural light and candlelit interiors to create a powerful visual identity. | |
| Theme | The film succeeds as a poignant manifesto on the female gaze, centering the experience of women in a world largely devoid of men. | |
| Acting | The central performances convey deep intimacy and burning desire through subtle gestures, looks, and the physical act of painting. | |
| Pacing | The slow-paced, contemplative tempo rewards those engaged by the film's atmosphere, while others feel the lack of traditional narrative incident makes scenes drag. | |
| Screenplay | The minimalist dialogue is perceived by many as an authentic reflection of the characters' internal worlds, while critics argue it feels stylized, adolescent, or historically incongruous. |