Portrait of a Lady on Fire

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Portrait of a Lady on Fire

R

2019

2h 1m

History

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

337 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

250+ Verified Ratings

In 1770 the young daughter of a French countess develops a mutual attraction to the female artist commissioned to paint her wedding portrait.

Critics Consensus

A singularly rich period piece, Portrait of a Lady on Fire finds stirring, thought-provoking drama within a powerfully acted romance.

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Andrea Thompson

Chicago Reader

06/21/2023

Things kick off simply, if not innocently, in Céline Sciamma’s masterful period film.

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Drew Gregory

Autostraddle

09/10/2021

Once in a while there is a work of art so specific, so complex, so new in its oldness and old in its newness, that it moves the craft, our craft, to another level of seeing.

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Leah Greenblatt

Entertainment Weekly

01/22/2021

A-

There's almost no single moment in Portrait of a Lady on Fire that couldn't be captured, mounted, and hung on a wall as high art.

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Calum Baker

Radio Times

08/30/2024

5/5

With elements of the surreal and supernatural dotted in among the erotic, the film's panoply of extraordinary images adds up to a haunting melancholic masterclass.

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Bianca Garner

InSession Film

07/31/2024

A

Claire Mathon’s stunning cinematography is achingly beautiful to gaze upon. Each frame is worthy of being hung in an art gallery, and each shot conveys so much meaning.

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Calum Cooper

Source (Scotland)

07/14/2024

5/5

They say memory is the poet’s choice of love. After watching this masterpiece, I suspect that the present moment is the artist’s choice of love.

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Saul F

03/15/2020

Slow moving - boring

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Peter B

03/12/2020

A gorgeous period piece, this film lacks nothing in direction, acting, and camera work. I was charmed by the characters, the stern landscapes, and the lighting in this movie. It’s a must-see.

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Aurolyn

03/12/2020

Too long. Could have cut 30.

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Tristan

03/11/2020

An absolutely amazing story of women. We need more incredible queer film like this. An emotional rollercoaster of love, joy, and the lack there of. Just brilliant!

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Emilio

03/10/2020

A beautifully shot film. Terrific acting from the 2 main characters. Slow at certain points, but overall a fine film

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Robert F

03/09/2020

Beautiful, touching.

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Céline Sciamma

Director

Noémie Merlant

Marianne

Adèle Haenel

Héloïse

Luàna Bajrami

Sophie

Valeria Golino

La Comtesse

Christel Baras

La faiseuse d'anges

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Portrait of a Lady on Fire: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In 1770 the young daughter of a French countess develops a mutual attraction to the female artist commissioned to paint her wedding portrait.

Director: Céline Sciamma
Producer: Bénédicte Couvreur, Véronique Cayla
Screenwriter: Céline Sciamma
Distributor: Neon
Production Co: Hold Up Films, Lilies Films, arte France Cinéma
Rating: R (Some Nudity and Sexuality)
Genre: History, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 6, 2019, Limited
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Feb 14, 2020
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 3, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.8M
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)