“Painterly” might be an overused term to describe certain aesthetic aspects of a film product, but it seizes the essence of “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”. When director Celine Sciamma brings the digital version of 18th century painting into light, her subject of the entrancing historical drama is a perceptive, erotic exploration of power.
Set in a remote island in Brittany, France, the film finds equality between a gifted painter and a wealthy young woman by embracing the power dynamics that are possible when centuries of romantic road maps don’t easily apply. Tactile glances and a sheer emotional weight manifested within each frame that's perfectly thought out, the story deliberately unfolds through a unique proximity and intimacy that linger over the characters.
Sciamma carefully takes her audience through a poignant visual treat, all while exploring the private desire and burning tension that echo in the love story. At one point, almost as though being caught up by the charming, yet ultimate lonely sentiment that takes place during the wee hours, the film brings sudden flashbacks to Ang Lee's ‘Brokeback Mountain’. Both films are about a forbidden romance between two people of the same gender that petered out after sharing an absolutely heart-rending story.
This French language film won the Queer Palm at Cannes, and it's the first film directed by a woman to win the award. It has received over 100 nominations, including Independent Spirit Awards, Critics Choice Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, and was chosen by the National Board of Review as Top Five Foreign Language Films of 2019.
Pictures via Neon, Hulu, Curzon Artificial Eye
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