Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

A romance from France like no other

The Very Best

8.2

Movie

France
French, Italian
Drama, History, Romance
2019
CÉLINE SCIAMMA, CÉLINE SCIAMMA
Adèle Haenel, Adèle Haenel, Armande Boulanger
120 min

What it's about

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.

The take

This unique romance is set during a time when a man would be sent the painting of the woman he was to marry before the wedding could take place. Héloïse, secluded with her mother and a maid on a remote island, doesn't approve of her upcoming wedding and refuses to be painted. Her mother sends for a new painter, Marianne, to try to paint her without her noticing. Marianne has to take on this near-impossible task when she starts having feelings for Héloïse. This makes for a riveting romance where Marianne has to choose between her heart and her art while keeping a huge secret from her love interest.

Comments

Slow burn captivating romance.

A truly excellent romance. Brilliantly shot and acted with excellent planting/payoff and character arcs that are believable and satisfying. The last scene is hauntingly beautiful and will stick with me for a while.

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