If you are looking for the perfect film to watch this Valentine’s season—whether you are cuddled up with a significant other or left alone with your chronic yearning—I will always recommend one of the best portrayals of sapphic love in cinema, Portrait of a Lady on Fire. No one does romance like the French, so don’t let the subtitles scare you off, and allow yourself to be immersed in Céline Sciamma’s direction of passion and intensity.
Set in the 18th century, Portrait of a Lady on Fire follows Marianne (Noémie Merlant) as she is commissioned to paint a portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), who is to be married off after spending most of her life in a convent. As with any good romance, there is a catch. Marianne must create the portrait in secret. Heloise opposes the marriage and has been uncooperative with previous artists who have failed to capture her likeness. This sets in motion the navigation of a precarious relationship between artist and subject, and friend and lover.
The story is simple, but its grand presentation of emotion will satisfy any craving you may have for an intoxicating romance. There is a marked quiet and stillness. Music only appears to accumulate and release the palpable tension between the two protagonists. Any fans of Vivaldi will find a great home for his music in the film, perfectly complementing one of the most emotionally captivating close-ups in cinema history. Another highlight of the film is its almost entirely female cast, which explores femininity in a grounded, naturalistic way. This isolation from the greater world adds to the intimacy of the film. You will feel as though you are also in a fire-lit manor on the coast of Britanny.
What makes this the greatest romance film, in my opinion, is the magnificent depiction of sensuality through observation. To be seen is to be vulnerable, and to see is to understand. Marianne must invade the privacy of Héloïse to gain an understanding of her being without overtly examining her. If you know the dance of wanting to know your crush without making your infatuation known, then you know the exhilaration Marianne experiences. We see the closeness of the two women clearly evolve as the painting itself reflects their relationship. The shifting power dynamic between the women is electrifying as Marianne finds that even as the observer, she is vulnerable to the scrutiny of Héloïse. This excitement is the ultimate tension required for the perfect date night, giddy galentines, or a solitary wallowing watch. So grab some popcorn and chocolate, or cheese and wine, and devour one of cinema’s best love stories ever told.
Photo by Matthew Hunt on Openverse.