[Spoilers Inside] Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) — Film of the Week

submitted by piylot from self.Lesbians

What did you think of it? What scene/line was your favourite?

Carol (2015) is next week's film. I think it's free on amazon prime right now(?) & I encourage you to get a free trial and cancel before Jeff Bezos gets your money.

all 10 comments
sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun

[–]begonia_skies 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I loved the movie and actually recently rewatched it. Not happy about the ending, at some point, it feels like we are being told over and over again indirectly (or directly) our love isn't longlasting and will end in tragedy. I watched another sad ending lesbian movie right before this movie, so I'm pretty much over that particular type of ending, especially when it is so common in gay/lesbian films. I do understand this was a realistic portrayal for the time and place, so I guess I will just have to get over it.

I loved the cinematography, there were so many beautifully shot scenes. Of course, the lack of men in the film just made it so much better, when a man finally appears later in the movie it's almost jarring. Adèle Haenel is striking on-screen and the relationship develops organically. I do not know French, but I did feel like a bit may have been lost in translation. Overall, love the movie (I just don't watch the ending), it's a beautiful film.

[–]SavvyDiogenes 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I got the opposite message actually - that even in circumstances that should make long lasting love absolutely impossible (like Heloise's forced marriage) it is still more than possible.

After years of marriage and having actual children Heloise still cries when remembering Marianne. She still holds her in her memory, never letting go and even having the page "28" in her other portrait - something that can be likened to a sort of homage that only she'd understand the meaning of. She still remembers and loves Marianne - if that's not longlasting love, then what is? Tragic, certainly, but also longlasting.

[–]spirette 12 insightful - 2 fun12 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Absolute masterpiece.

Being a French speaker means I enjoyed it even more because you get to hear all the subtleties: for instance the fact that Héloïse and Marianne only use "tu" (informal "you") once or twice, most the movie they use "vous" (formal "you") which makes their exchange very sexy imo. I loved the fact that this movie barely had any music, except in three very crucial moments. I can't stand movies nowadays where every scene is drowned into music. I also loved the fact that there were barely any men at all. Such a breath of fresh air.

I also loved the equality between the two women, the fact that a lesbian directed it and that a lesbian actress played a lesbian (that's so rare), the beauty of the light, the last scene where Héloïse relives their love story (spoiler!), the meta aspect about the painter and her "muse" (who is in fact not her muse but an equal) vs Céline Sciamma and Adèle Haenel, the historical period (18th century) where female painters were actually freer than a century later, the chemistry between the two women is amazing too. There are so many layers to that movie. You have to rewatch it several times to understand all of it.

I know some lesbians dislike the fact that this has an "unhappy" ending. I understand that criticism. Céline Sciamma said that she thought this was in fact a happy ending. I don't know what to think myself. On one hand, I think it would have been totally possible for the two women to run away to another country (Italy perhaps? where Marianne had connections) to live there together as "friends" or "sisters" while Marianne would have earned money as a painter. Some lesbians did this, even if we don't necessarily know about them doesn't mean these couples didn't exist. But of course, they would have been shunned by their family and they would have had to hide. And maybe the truth would have come out anyway.

On the other hand, it would have indeed been difficult. And perhaps Héloise didn't want to betray/abandon her mother who clearly needed the money (they weren't rich) and support from that marriage. Yeah, it's a shit situation.

[–]Innisfree 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

In what regards the ending I have also felt devastated on first impression but after watching one of Celine's interviews, it seems necessary to her project. The film is a manifesto on love, art and feminism. On the one hand she wanted to upend this trope of love at first sight by showing, as Lez put it "the delicate dance" of two women falling in love, and on the other to upend the myth of "true love" being only the love that ends in marriage and the two people stay together forever. On this last point I think the film deftly shows how love, regardless of how long the people stay together, is in a way everlasting - the memory of things we shared and the gift of knowing another person's world are all a part of us forever. And here is where art comes in, it fills the void and consoles us when we can no longer be together. So in a way a relationship nourishes us not only while it lasts, but even in its ending remains an invaluable source of growth. It's really a way of looking at the world, instead of seeing only the loss of a lover, you focus on what can fill this loss - on potential if you will. And you console yourself with art and the memory of love. Oof so hard to explain all the things this film makes you feel, so many layers like spirette said :) I suppose it can be also said that we should not be like Orpheus trying to possess our Eurydice, but trust in the delicate alchemy of love to endure and if it does not, we can keep it alive through memory and art.

Edit: clarity

[–][deleted] 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I loved this one. I've never seen a movie that focused so heavily on female camaraderie or love. I enjoyed every scene, especially the one by the fire and at the museum. I like how quiet and contemplative the movie felt too. It commanded your attention by requiring you to focus on what was actually happening, think about how the characters were thinking. It reminded me a lot of that delicate dance women in love do to feel each other out.

Now for me to geek: Those gorgeous period costumes! The solemn but beautiful scenery! The painting scenes! The longing and love the actresses portrayed! The dialogue! That ending! The almost complete lack of men on screen! (I only remember the boat guy and vague male shapes in crowd scenes.) I want to rewatch the film just remembering it all.

Personally I like the lack of sex scene. It left more to the imagination and gave the sense that what happened between them was an actual intimate, secret exchange. I'm usually waiting for sex scenes to just be over because they often feel very male gazey in hetero/lesbian movies. Just showing the lead-up and the aftermath was somehow more effective.

I was afraid I wouldn't understand the hype behind Portrait but I liked this movie a lot!

[–]piylot[S] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

When this film was first recommended to me I didn't think I'd like it. Period pieces generally don't appeal to me, but pretty soon into this I was on board. This film is beautifully shot, tastefully done and emotionally devastating. I rewatched it only about a month after watching it the first time, which is rare for me. In addition to the 4 hours I spent watching the film, I've spent at least 4 more thinking about the closing scene.

I recently watched an interview with Celine Sciamma, the director, and the two leads, (to re-experience it without letting it get too old) and Sciamma talked about how there was no power imbalance between the two leads. I think that can be a rare thing (Carol next week ladies) and I really appreciated it. Also big appreciation for the almost entirely female cast. I really liked the character of Sophie being there too. In addition to being a good lesbian film, it's a great feminist film.

If you were hoping to see a hot explicit sex scene or a happy ending the film loses a few points.

I really feel like a lot of lesbians out there have been affected by this, and what a crueller but more powerful time to leave us yearning than in this lockdown.

[–]Innisfree 4 insightful - 3 fun4 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

Regarding the love-making scene, particularly the finger going into the armpit. What did you guys think?

I went bananas for a moment cause I didn't twig it was an armpit 😂 all I saw was an orifice and a finger going in!

Edit: I should specify I was watching on the phone (horrible, I know). I was travelling at the time with no access to a computer and no patience to get to one :).

[–]yousaythosethings 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I adored this film, and I knew I would from the moment I saw the trailer in a theater. It hit me like a ton of bricks when I watched the film, and I knew it would haunt me for a while. It’s been months since I’ve seen it but when I think of it, I picture all of the subtle and intense looks Heloise and Marianne gave each other. Especially the scene where Marianne plays the piano while Heloise sits down next to her. I loved the chemistry between the actresses.

I also picture each stroke of Marianne’s hand as she paint and drew. It was like Titanic for lesbians. But I also have a thing for artists.

I speak French, not as a native speaker though, so it was nice to be able to hear the words as they were actually spoken. I’m glad this movie came out of France and from Celine. I shudder to think what a movie like this would look like had it come out of Hollywood. It simply would not be possible. And ugh the media surrounding it being a “queer” film. There’s morning “queer” about it ffs. I think it was a straightforward film in all the best ways.

[–]MyLongestJourney 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I did not enjoy the film. I prefer Sciamma's previous film Naissance des Pieuvres (2007) /Water Lilies.The movie eloquently describes the struggles of a budding lesbian teen,as she deals with her first crush. Wonderfully atmospheric and gloomy,but leaves just a little bit of hope shining at the end.

[–][deleted]  (2 children)

[deleted]

    [–]piylot[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    I'm personally also interested in your thoughts about the girl. I associate this film with a girl who recommended it to me, who I'd been texting early on in lockdown, but had cut things off with. Sort of made me romanticise the idea of her again. It inspires yearning.