Portrait of a Lady on Fire

"In solitude I found the liberty you spoke about, but I also felt your absence." Period... who wouldn't fall for such a bold disposal emotions. 

I am glad to have come accross this gem of a movie from a write up shared by a movie enthusiast. It is a visual feast for the eyes with each and every frame like a magnificent painting. To top it we have a heart wrenching love story which will both torment and inspire you at the same time( specially a hopeless romantic can't defy it). An absolute masterpiece, no wonder it received a 7 minutes standing ovation after being screened at Cannes. The scintillating chemistry between the lead pair will make you glued to the screen and considering the fact that we have these two ladies rule the screen space with no men appearing on screen apart from one or two literally short ones, they have done a commendable job. The screenplay and dialogues(though minimal) are a class apart.

As the director (Celen Schemma)herself points out, its a film about female gaze. You can witness everything there- curiosity, affection, love, desire, lust, hesitation, longing, regret, grief, anger, anguish- expressed and exchanged via the glances. The plot also touches up on other socio-political topics in a blatant manner.

The story set in 18th centaury spans two time periods- the current one when Mariane(played by Noemie) is a successful painter and one when she was on a mission to paint the portrait of an unrelenting young women Heloise(Adelene), who hate being objectified and gazed upon. Also the painting is a window to a uncertain future, her marriage to an unknown man. Mariane disguised as a companion for walks, observes her closely so that she could finish the painting in secrecy. During their times together they strikes a chord, initially unknown to both of them specially Mariane, who is still stuck in her world of conventions and rules. Once the portrait is finished, Mariane insists on telling Heloise about her actual intention, and showing the painting to her first. But as the scene progress, she is shown as ambivalent and annoyed- the reason of which she is not sure of. On an impulse she scans the unfinished portrait of Heloise(done by another painter ), and it catches fire, right from the heart. Fire as perceived as a symbol of passion and desire is used here as a metaphor to alert us on the whirlwind of emotions that the protagonists go through in the next one hour of screening. The next day when she opens up about her true identity, Heloise's disappointment is apparent and she disposes the portrait as one which lacks life. Intimidated Mariane destroys the painting herself. She starts a second portrait with the consent of Heloise and here is where the real collaboration starts, the collaboration between the artist and the muse, the transformation from being an object to a subject. These scenes are written, portrayed and executed so skillfully that I literally forgot the fact that am watching a movie.

I can go ahead and write volumes about each and every scene in the movie, it is so layered and deep. But as Mariane says "we stop at one point". So let me conclude by saying this- the movie is an absolute into the world of women and their lives, their feelings and emotions - a glance at world through their eyes. I have never seen a movie which showcases women' life and ideologies with so much clarity and detailing( for example topics like abortion, periods which are usually overlooked). Maybe that is why we need more women writers and directors. For years on end we were stuck in man's perception of ideal women and I have personally felt nauseated and exasperated by this lack of vision and understanding. The absence of back ground music also actually gives the artists a platform to communicate with the audience without any preconceived notions( in some movies music gives away too much and kills the game). According to me this movie is a must watch for movie lovers. I adored it and will top the list of my favorite movies.