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.

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