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

336 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.

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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

Jun 21, 2023

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

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Drew Gregory

Autostraddle

Sep 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

Jan 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

Aug 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

Jul 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)

Jul 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

Mar 15, 2020

Slow moving - boring

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Peter B

Mar 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

Mar 12, 2020

Too long. Could have cut 30.

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Tristan

Mar 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

Mar 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

Mar 9, 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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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)

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