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Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Céline Sciamma’s BAFTA-nominated film about the tentative love between a painter and her subject in 18th-century France.
Director: Céline Sciamma
Overview
In 18th-century France, artist Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is commissioned to paint the portrait of Lady Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) so it can be sent to a suitor. However, her subject neither wants to be married nor painted, so Marianne is tasked with stealthily capturing Héloïse’s likeness while pretending to be her walking companion. Sciamma’s masterly film is a beautifully observed romance that burns with passion and defiance.
Ranked 30th in the 2022 Sight and Sound Great Films of All Time poll
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