Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2019 (2019)
Founder	Céline Sciamma
Products	Historical romantic drama film

Portrait of a Lady on Fire () is a 2019 French historical romantic drama crafted and directed by Céline Sciamma, featuring performances by Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel. Set in the late 18th century in France, the narrative explores a fleeting romance between an aristocratic woman and an artist hired to create her portrait. This film marked Haenel's final acting role before her retirement in 2023.

The movie was a contender for the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and secured the Queer Palm, making it the first film directed by a woman to earn this distinction. Additionally, Sciamma received the Cannes award for Best Screenplay. It premiered in French cinemas on 18 September 2019.

Produced with a budget of €4.86 million, Portrait of a Lady on Fire generated roughly $10 million globally. It earned nominations for Best Foreign Language Film at the Independent Spirit Awards, Critics' Choice Awards, and Golden Globe Awards. The National Board of Review listed it among the top five foreign language films of 2019. The French Ministry of Culture shortlisted it for submission to the 92nd Academy Awards, although it was ultimately not chosen.

Widely praised by critics, the film was ranked as the 30th greatest motion picture ever in the 2022 Sight & Sound critics' poll and is regarded as one of the finest films of 2019, the 21st century, and all time.

Plot

In late 18th-century France, Marianne is an artist who leads an art class. One student inquires about a painting titled Portrait de la jeune fille en feu.

Some years earlier, Marianne travels to a secluded island in Brittany to paint Héloïse, a young noblewoman betrothed to a Milanese aristocrat. Héloïse’s mother, the Countess, explains that her daughter has refused to sit for any portraits before, resisting the arranged marriage following her sister’s suicide that forced her return from a convent. To secretly capture Héloïse’s likeness, Marianne poses as her companion during daily coastal walks.

After finishing the portrait, Marianne destroys it when Héloïse criticizes it for failing to reflect her true self and exposes Marianne’s purpose. Just as the Countess plans to dismiss Marianne, Héloïse surprises everyone by agreeing to pose. While the Countess is away, she allows Marianne five days to complete the painting. Haunted by visions of Héloïse wearing a wedding gown, Marianne and Héloïse grow closer, sharing myths such as Orpheus and Eurydice and attending a bonfire where Héloïse’s dress briefly catches fire.

Their bond intensifies into affection and intimacy. Together they also support Sophie, the housemaid, through an abortion. Before the Countess returns, Marianne draws Héloïse nude on page 28 of her sketchbook as a personal memento. The Countess approves the finished portrait; Marianne leaves after hearing Héloïse say "Turn around," revealing her dressed in bridal attire.

In the present day, Marianne recalls encountering Héloïse twice more: once at an art exhibition displaying a portrait of Héloïse with a child that subtly reveals page 28; and again at a concert in Milan where Héloïse is moved by Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, music Marianne had played for her years earlier.

Cast

• Noémie Merlant portrays Marianne
• Adèle Haenel plays Héloïse
• Luàna Bajrami appears as Sophie
• Valeria Golino takes the role of The Countess
• Christel Baras is featured as The Abortionist
• Armande Boulanger acts as The Painting Student

Production

Filming commenced in October 2018 and wrapped up within 38 days. Locations included Saint-Pierre-Quiberon in Brittany and a château situated in La Chapelle-Gauthier, Seine-et-Marne. Production was handled by Lilies Films, Arte France Cinéma, and Hold Up Films.

The artworks and sketches shown in the movie were created by artist Hélène Delmaire, who dedicated 16 hours daily to painting during the shoot, basing her pieces on the blocking of scenes. Her hands are also visible on screen. To align with the French premiere, Delmaire’s paintings were showcased at Galerie Joseph in Paris from 20 to 22 September 2019.

Soundtrack

Director Sciamma opted against a conventional score, instead centering the soundtrack around an original composition titled La Jeune Fille en Feu ('The Young Lady on Fire'), crafted by Para One and Arthur Simonini. This piece is performed by the female choir Sequenza 9.3 under conductor Catherine Simonpiétri, featuring a cappella singing accompanied by rhythmic clapping. Though inspired by Baroque music from the 18th century, the composers aimed for a contemporary sound influenced by György Ligeti’s Requiem. Sciamma contributed Latin lyrics that roughly translate to "They cannot escape" and "We rise."

Critics lauded the song’s emotional power: Matthew Dessum of Slate described it as "rapturous," particularly impactful during the bonfire scene, while Ellen Johnson from Paste praised its striking presence despite minimal preceding music.

Additionally, the film includes Vivaldi’s "Summer" from The Four Seasons, performed by the Italian Baroque ensemble La Serenissima.

Release

On 22 August 2018, distributor mk2 initiated international rights sales, with Pyramide Films acquiring distribution rights for France. By 10 February 2019, Curzon Artificial Eye secured UK rights, Karma Films obtained Spanish rights, Cinéart took Benelux rights, and Folkets Bio gained Swedish distribution. Following its Cannes debut, Neon and Hulu acquired North American distribution rights in a competitive bidding involving Sony Pictures Classics and Netflix.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire premiered in France on 18 September 2019. It saw a limited theatrical release in the United States starting 6 December 2019 before expanding widely on 14 February 2020. The UK release occurred on 28 February 2020.

Home media

Pyramide Video released the DVD and Blu-ray editions for Zone 2 on 18 February 2020. Hulu made the film available via VOD starting 27 March 2020. For Region 1 and Region A, The Criterion Collection issued DVD and Blu-ray versions on 23 June 2020.

Influences

Céline Sciamma sought to craft "a romance film with a totally new story," focusing on representing the female gaze. Her inspirations include Titanic, Mulholland Drive, works by Alfred Hitchcock, and Barry Lyndon—notably for its candlelit cinematography. She also drew from Ada’s character in Jane Campion’s The Piano, especially mirroring the scene where Marianne retrieves painting supplies from water. Sciamma regards Portrait of a Lady on Fire as a thematic successor to Campion’s film.

Critical response

Portrait of a Lady on Fire garnered extensive critical praise. According to the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film boasts an approval rating of based on reviews from critics, with an average score of . The site's consensus characterizes it as "a uniquely rich period drama" that offers "a deeply moving, intellectually engaging romance brought to life by powerful performances." On Metacritic, it holds a weighted average score of 95 out of 100 from 48 critics, signifying "universal acclaim," and has been recognized as a Metacritic "Must See" film. It stands as the second highest-rated film of 2019.

A. O. Scott from The New York Times described the movie as a "subtle and exhilarating love story," praising its unsentimental depiction of women's realities and its nuanced investigation into the nature of desire. Mark Kermode of The Observer/The Guardian gave it five stars, labeling it "an intellectually charged erotic exploration of power and passion," and highlighted its frank approach to taboo topics from a female viewpoint. Peter Debruge at Variety lauded the "meticulously crafted" screenplay and Sciamma's emphasis on expressing profound emotional truths beyond superficial appearances.

Rachel Syme, writing for The New Yorker, underscored the film’s focus on the relationship between artistic creation and romantic love, portraying it as an inquiry into the electrifying bond between women and art’s lasting capacity to affirm and comfort beyond mere romance.

In the Sight and Sound Greatest Films of All Time 2022, it was voted the 30th greatest film overall and was the highest-ranked title from the 2010s decade. In 2025, it secured the 38th spot on The New York Times list titled "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century," as well as placing 26th in their "Readers' Choice" version. That same year, it was ranked 82nd on Rolling Stone’s compilation of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century."

Accolades

... [The table continues with similar formatting for remaining awards]

Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Reference
Cannes Film Festival	25 May 2019	Palme d'Or	Céline Sciamma	Template:Nom
		Best Screenplay		Template:Won
		Queer Palm		Template:Won
British Independent Film Awards	1 December 2019	Best International Independent Film	Céline Sciamma, Véronique Cayla, Bénédicte Couvreur	Template:Nom
Ljubljana LGBT Film Festival	1 December 2019	Pink Dragon Audience Award	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Won
European Film Awards	7 December 2019	Best Director	Céline Sciamma	Template:Nom
		Best Actress	Noémie Merlant	Template:Nom
			Adèle Haenel	Template:Nom
		Best Screenwriter	Céline Sciamma	Template:Won
		European University Film Award	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Won
New York Film Critics Online	7 December 2019	Foreign Language	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association	8 December 2019	Best Cinematography	Claire Mathon	Template:Won
Toronto Film Critics Association	8 December 2019	Best Foreign Language Film	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Runner-up
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association	8 December 2019	Best Foreign Language Film	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Nom
Women Film Critics Circle	9 December 2019	Best Movie by a Woman	Céline Sciamma	Template:Runner-up
		Best Woman Storyteller		Template:Runner-up
		Best Movie About Women	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Won
		Best Foreign Film By or About Women		Template:Won
		Karen Morley Award		Template:Nominated
		Best Screen Couple	Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel	Template:Won
Chicago Film Critics Association	14 December 2019	Best Cinematography	Claire Mathon	Template:Nom
		Best Costume Design	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Nom
		Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Nom
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association	14 December 2019	Best Foreign Language Film	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Runner-up (5th place)
Boston Society of Film Critics	15 December 2019	Best Picture	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Runner-up
		Best Foreign Language Film		Template:Runner-up
		Best Cinematography	Claire Mathon	Template:Won
St. Louis Film Critics Association	15 December 2019	Best Foreign Film	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Nom
IndieWire Critics Poll	16 December 2019	Best Film	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Runner-up (5th place)
		Best Director	Céline Sciamma	Template:Runner-up (4th place)
		Best Screenplay	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Runner-up (10th place)
		Best Actress	Noémie Merlant	Template:Runner-up (13th place)
			Adèle Haenel	Template:Runner-up (10th place)
		Best Supporting Actress	Template:Runner-up (13th place)
		Best Cinematography	rowspan=2|'Portrait of a Lady on Fire'	Template:Runner-up (3rd place)
		Best Foreign Film	Template:Runner-up (3rd place)
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle	16 December 2019	Best Foreign Language Film	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Nom	align="center"|
rowspan="2"	Seattle Film Critics Society	16 December 2019	Best Foreign Language Film	Portrait of a Lady on Fire	Template:Nom

See also

• Jeanne-Philiberte Ledoux
• In the Loge

External links

• Portrait of a Lady on Fire available at Pyramide Films
• Portrait of a Lady on Fire hosted by MK2 Films
• Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019 Festival de Cannes Press Kit), Lilies Films, 17 pages
• Portrait de la jeune fille en feu listed in the Lumiere database
• Portrait de la jeune fille en feu on UniFrance
• Portrait of a Lady on Fire: Daring to See, an essay by Ela Bittencourt at the Criterion Collection