Written and directed by Celine Sciamma

Starring Noemie Merlant and Adele Haenel

Portrait of a Lady on Fire has the kind of slow moving brilliance you don’t see in movies anymore. A simple story told heavily in silence and voyeuristic looks, yet features two natural talents and is brought to real life by the direction of Celine Sciamma. I knew it was epic the first time we see Heloise, cloaked in a black and blue caped dress, avoiding gaze. This is one of the best doomed romances you’ll ever see.

I think, still, a lot of people might be turned off from it because of its pacing. But to me, the framing and performances kept me even more captivated. There wasn’t a better way this story was gonna be told. About a painter in 18th century France hired to complete a portrait of a woman who is to be wed off to a Nobleman in Milan. Doesn’t sound like much of a movie does it?

The painter is Marianne, who has been tasked with this by the mother of the woman to be wed. The movie gives us little breadcrumbs of information slowly after she has arrived. Nothing is told to you in some expositional vomit. You’re going to have to be patient with this one.

Her daughter is Heloise, who does not want to be sent off to wed a man she has not met. So she has refused to let her face be seen to anyone who will paint it. A previous painter had tried (a man) but she would not allow it. The aftermath of this is shown as a side painting that features her in a green dress but with no face drawn (hence why she is epicly covered in that caped gown when Marianne first sees her).

But her mother has told her Marianne is just a companion for her to take walks outside and nothing more. She thinks the best chance for the painting is that Marianne studies her face one the walks and paints her in secret. Heloise has no idea Marianne paints.

And that’s where I’ll stop talking about the story, because this is more about how its told. So much of it is in the looking at Heloise, as Marianne watches her face closely. Heloise takes her observant looks as something else. A lot of the movie is Marianne looking at Heloise, and Heloise at Marianne, and sometimes we realize it’s just us looking at the two of them. It is unbelievably fascinating, intimate like I’ve never seen before. The patient and calm camera that dares us to love with the two of them. Marianne, whose unintruding good nature pair as the main female gaze. And Heloise, who’s stronger facial features lend her as the perfect subject/object that must be looked at against her will.

This movie is incredible at what it does. There isn’t a phony moment in it. It didn’t even register with me that this lesbian tale has such a rush of forbidden love, because the movie isn’t stupid enough to spout that. Yes, it’s a feminist piece, but again just amazingly subtle like The Witch and Little Women. These are great movies first because they tell great stories and don’t beat you over the head with their themes.

I couldn’t look away from the screen for this one either. The camera moves only along with the actors, and otherwise stays planted as a witness to their growing relationship. The costumes are all perfect and fitting (ha get it). Marianne has colors and outfits like a painter of her time would, Heloise takes to stronger colors that a resistant person like her would. It just makes perfect sense.

And the two lead actors, who leave their indelible presences on this. Noemie Merlant as Marianne (who creepily resembles Emma Watson), who is elegant and carries herself like an artist would. And Adele Haenel as Heloise, whose outspoken face and looks make her the perfect choice (the director wrote the part with her in mind). The two of them can convey an infinity of emotions with their gazes. They had to for the movie. But in a lesser film it wouldn’t work. Their exchanged glances, embarrassed hidden feelings, and reveals in each other’s character are as real as you will ever see on the silver screen. This is what cinema is all about, showing more than what’s on the page. The whole movie is LOOKING and yet it is endlessly watchable. The love here is intense, and the passion palpable. It’s one of the hottest movies I’ve seen. Because of the emotional drive it always has, and because it takes its precious time. And that is has an underlying epicness to it all. That’s why the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice plays its part.

Celine Sciamma wrote and directed the movie. And what a movie it is. She has told a great love poem through the lense. Her script doesn’t take any cliched routes, and knows when to divulge tidbits at the right times. Her direction stands above it, and is masterful. This film is alive like even a lot of great films aren’t. “Silent scenes are scenes when you can actually talk”, she says. Spoken like a true filmmaker