Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
(Portrait de la jeune fille en feu, Céline Sciamma, France 2019, 122 min., French and Italian with English subtitles)
In 1760 Brittany, France, an artist named Marianne (Noémie Merlant) was commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), a young woman who had just left the convent. Because she is a reluctant bride-to-be, Marianne arrives under the guise of companionship, observing Héloïse by day and secretly painting her by firelight. As the two women orbit one another, intimacy and attraction grow as they share Héloïse’s first moments of freedom. Héloïse’s portrait soon becomes a collaborative act of, and testament to, their love. Winner of several prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, including the Queer Palm, the film solidifies Céline Sciamma as one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. Together, Merlant and Haenel turn the female gaze into a dangerous, engrossing thrill, crafting the most breathtaking and elegant performances of the year. The film reach no. 30 on Sight and Sound magazine’s list of The 100 Greatest Films of All.
Presented with our Community Sponsor, the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House