Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Set on a windswept island in 18th‑century Brittany, Portrait of a Lady on Fire follows Marianne, a young painter secretly hired to produce a wedding portrait of Héloïse, a reluctant bride recently returned from a convent. Posing as a companion so she can study Héloïse by day and paint her by candlelight at night, Marianne gradually falls into an intimate, tender relationship with her subject. As their bond deepens, the act of painting becomes a collaborative, defiant expression of desire and memory. Viewers will be drawn into a slow, deliberate drama defined by luminous, painterly visuals, sparse dialogue, and quiet emotional intensity. The film rewards close attention: long takes, careful compositions, and natural sound evoke the salt air and the claustrophobic freedom of Héloïse’s last days before marriage. Expect an aching, evocative love story that unfolds with subtlety and restraint—moving, elegiac, and visually ravishing—best appreciated by those who favor artful, character‑driven cinema and thoughtful explorations of love, agency, and memory.

Actors: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami

Director: Céline Sciamma

Runtime: 122 min

Genres: Drama, Romance

7.4 /10 95 /100 8.1 /10 8.3 /10