‎Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) directed by Céline Sciamma • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

2019 ‘Portrait de la jeune fille en feu’ Directed by Céline Sciamma

On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the 18th century, an artist is commissioned to paint a young woman's wedding portrait.

Noémie Merlant Adèle Haenel Luàna Bajrami Valeria Golino Christel Baras Armande Boulanger Guy Delamarche Clément Bouyssou

Alternative Titles

Portrait of the Girl on Fire, Портрет девушки в огне

drama history romance

119 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

News We pick our top 10 dramatic premieres at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Read post

Popular reviews

Review by David Sims ★★★★★ 6

I’m, and I can’t stress this enough, yelling
Review by davidehrlich ★★★★½ 1

Halfway through Céline Sciamma’s razor-sharp and shatteringly romantic “Portrait of a Lady Fire” — as perfect a film as any to have premiered this year — the three main characters sit around a candlelit dinner table and argue the meaning of what happened between Orpheus and Eurydice. More specifically, the point of contention hinges on what motivated Orpheus to ignore the instructions he was given and turn around to look at his love, even though he knew it would cause her to vanish from the world forever.

Sophie (Luàna Bajrami), a naïve young house servant, opts for the most literal interpretation of the ancient tale: She insists that Orpheus was an idiot. But Héloïse (a brilliant Adèle Haenel), the older,…
Review by Demi Adejuyigbe ★★★★½

NZIFF FILM #5
It’s very dumb how much time I spent considering whether to rate this 4 or 4.5 stars.

This movie is fantastic, but for a lot of the runtime I had sort of resigned myself to feeling like this might be a very typical-feeling period gay costume drama. As the movie unfolded, I was definitely more and more enrapt in it, but not finding it particularly exciting or special, save for great dialogue and a few moments. Then there are two things that happen in the film that really perked me up– one being a truly phenomenal use of music in a movie which, otherwise, does not really have anything in the way of score or soundtrack.

The…
Review by cookie ★★★★★ 2

its come to my attention that women are the only people who know how to make movies
Review by Kern ★★★★ 2

Passionate and sophisticated, but surprisingly modest. Marvelous acting and direction, and the narrative is much more engaging than I expected from a period piece. Can't wait to see this again.
Review by michelle ★★★★½ 3

one of the most beautiful and tender films i have ever seen. the screenplay was amazing and i wanted every single frame to last forever (especially the bonfire scene HOLY SHIT).

this would get a full five stars if it the last two scenes were cut because the perfect ending was right there omg.......

Recent reviews

Review by Sophie ★★★★★

Imagine being straight and literally never knowing tenderness. That’s wild
Review by Christine ★★★★★

First of all, I just want to say - I haven’t watched this masterpiece yet - and I already knew it IS a masterpiece after watching its trailer. Second of all... GOD, PLEASE TAKE AWAY “BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR” AND SEND US MORE “PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE”!!!
Review by Matthew Smith ★★★★½

Wow! The last few scenes - and I was already thinking this was very good
Review by J.R. Crawford ★★★★½

Plays like a great magic trick. The first hour is a dry, patient set up, a score-less cinematic sleight of hand before the second half king hits you, revealing its cards to capitalise on every seed planted, every stolen glance and whispered nothing. Bonfires and acapella. Big eyes and beach tears. I'm as in love with this as I am angered by its cheeky ability to play me like a fiddle, but letting it win is the easiest decision there is.

I could list the five best scenes of 2019 and they'd all be here in the final hour. Increddddible.

MIFF 2019.
Review by Courtney C. ★★★★½

me halfway through: this is OK
me in the last 30 minutes: I’m dead
Review by isarge123 ★★★★★ 2

CURRENTLY NO. 1 IN “2019 RANKED” :)

A slow, sumptuous and deeply textured work, deftly composing little details and gestures for the viewer/painter/filmmaker to coalesce into an incredible whole. It’s a string of knockout scenes that come at you with the force and constancy of the waves on the film’s beaches, taking your breath away with their pristine imagery and pointed dialogues and perfectly-timed glances (give Oscars to the whole cast and crew). It was such a blessing to see this early as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival, but such a burden knowing that it’ll be months before I can see its beauty again. Y’all are in for such a treat. 10/10
Review by Ruby Lieber ★★★★½

The more I think about it the more I love it and want to watch it again. Although (minor minor detail) I wish it had ended one scene earlier.
Review by Em ★★★½

#MIFF2019

I’m about to break some hearts but I didn’t *love* this! (Eeeep don’t yell at me!) It was a fine film. I liked it and I really liked some elements but sadly, for the most part, it didn’t quite do it for me. I thought it was beautifully shot and composed but I think my expectations were set too high and it just didn’t reach them. I definitely need a rewatch because I think I’d appreciate it more and I genuinely think I’m defective at this point.
Review by Riley ★★★★★

Film: Shows a portrait of a lady on fire

Me nudging random person next to me: Yoooooooo