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Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Original title: Portrait de la jeune fille en feu
  • 20192019
  • RR
  • 2h 2m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
79K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
945
372
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Adèle Haenel in Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
Directed by Céline Sciamma. Starring Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel. In Theaters December 6.
Play trailer2:16
4 Videos
99+ Photos
DramaRomance

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.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.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.

IMDb RATING
8.1/10
79K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
945
372
  • Director
    • Céline Sciamma
  • Writer
    • Céline Sciamma
  • Stars
    • Noémie Merlant
    • Adèle Haenel
    • Luàna Bajrami
Top credits
  • Director
    • Céline Sciamma
  • Writer
    • Céline Sciamma
  • Stars
    • Noémie Merlant
    • Adèle Haenel
    • Luàna Bajrami
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 438User reviews
    • 291Critic reviews
    • 95Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 57 wins & 155 nominations total

    Videos4

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:16
    Official Trailer
    Bande-annonce [OV]
    Trailer 1:50
    Bande-annonce [OV]
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire
    Trailer 2:16
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire
    Clip 1:47
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire

    Photos1075

    Céline Sciamma and Noémie Merlant at an event for Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Kang-ho Song, Adèle Haenel, Noémie Merlant, and Woo-sik Choi at an event for Gisaengchung (2019)
    Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Adèle Haenel and Noémie Merlant in Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Adèle Haenel in Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Adèle Haenel and Noémie Merlant in Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
    Adèle Haenel in Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Noémie Merlant
    Noémie Merlant
    • Marianneas Marianne
    Adèle Haenel
    Adèle Haenel
    • Héloïseas Héloïse
    Luàna Bajrami
    Luàna Bajrami
    • Sophieas Sophie
    Valeria Golino
    Valeria Golino
    • La Comtesseas La Comtesse
    Christel Baras
    • La faiseuse d'angeas La faiseuse d'ange
    Armande Boulanger
    Armande Boulanger
    • L'élève atelieras L'élève atelier
    Guy Delamarche
    • L'homme salonas L'homme salon
    Clément Bouyssou
    • Le batelieras Le batelier
    Michèle Clément
    Michèle Clément
    • Une paysanneas Une paysanne
    • (uncredited)
    Cécile Morel
    • Une paysanneas Une paysanne
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Céline Sciamma
    • Writer
      • Céline Sciamma
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In 18th century France a young painter, Marianne, is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Héloïse without her knowing. Therefore, Marianne must observe her model by day to paint her portrait at night. Day by day, the two women become closer as they share Héloïse's last moments of freedom before the impending wedding.
    lesbian relationshipportrait paintingarranged marriagepaintingportrait241 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for some nudity and sexuality
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The paintings by Marianne were all created by painter Hélène Delmaire, whom Noémie Merlant worked closely with to inform her character's perspectives and sight lines when painting.
    • Goofs
      When the shipper boxes up the portrait to send to Italy, he uses wire nails. Wire nails weren't invented until the 1860's. He would have used cut nails.
    • Quotes

      Héloïse: When you're observing me, who do you think I'm observing?

    • Connections
      Featured in Amanda the Jedi Show: 'Faster than your First Time' Reviews (Joker, Jojo Rabbit, Lucy in the Sky and everything else) (2019)
    • Soundtracks
      Portrait de la jeune fille en feu
      (Bande originale du film)

      Para One, Arthur Simonini

    User reviews438

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    One of the great films of the 21st century
    I haven't written a review in a while because frankly there haven't been too many great movies in recent years to warrant any. But then I watched Portrait de la jeune fille en feu, and found it so revelatory and refreshing that I thought I would add my dollop of daisy to the ocean of praise this film has rightfully been getting.

    The film is about a love affair between a painter and her subject, both women, and in a sense it is as simple as that. There is a backdrop of male dominance overhanging the period in which the story is set - the film contains few men, and when they are seen, they appear as benevolent figures. But repression pervades each scene - the subject of the painting is an aristocratic women who is on her way to be married, and yet she isn't thrilled at the prospect and she might not have a choice in the matter. The painter, a young woman, at the end of the film displays her work under the name of her father, unable to present her work under her own name. So the specter of control is injected throughout, although this theme is only hinted at. This subtle touch gives the film an essential underpinning to what is otherwise a beautiful love story.

    Some thoughts about the film-making. First: what a beautiful thing to behold. Such refined artistry is a rarity in the days of quick-consumption digital, and it goes to show how the technicians that work behind the camera are as important as what is happening on screen. Each frame is a thing of aesthetic delight, of color coordination, of subtle lighting and design elements all married into a whole. The fact that it was shot in digital rather than a traditional film look for a period piece somehow heightens and modernizes the proceedings in a way that made its most visual moments feel fresh and completely new.

    Second, the respect for the audience, to not settle for petty narrative cliches when there were so many opportunities in this story to resort to them. It is one of these very pure and true stories, told with love and respect for the characters as well as those watching them breathe, yet we keep waiting for a moment of emotional violence between the main players, which doesn't occur. When I became aware of how delicate this story was as it unfolded to its end, I was moved to my core.

    This is a revolutionary and passionate film on many levels, and I believe those who have seen it can only attest to that. It kind of defies criticism beyond that fact.
    helpful•40
    4
    • Camoo
    • Feb 4, 2021

    FAQ5

    • Does anyone knows what kind of herb the two women used to "fly" together on the bed? On their armpits?
    • Listening to the French, I thought the formal "vous" was used every time, even in the most intimate scenes. Why would they not use the familiar "tu" in those scenes? Actually, I believe I heard the familiar exactly once: near the end, when Héloïse says "Turn around," it sounded like "Retourne-toi". I wish I could check the script! Is that really what she said?
    • What are the words to the song the women want together near the him fire? Were they celebrating a festival day?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 14, 2020 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Site
    • Languages
      • French
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Bức Chân Dung Bị Thiêu Cháy
    • Filming locations
      • Saint-Pierre Quiberon, Morbihan, France
    • Production companies
      • Lilies Films
      • Arte France Cinéma
      • Hold Up Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,759,854
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $67,344
      • Dec 8, 2019
    • Gross worldwide
      • $10,145,200
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 2 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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