Portrait of a Lady on Fire Lights Up the Screen for Queer Women 

Period pieces that involve queer female love stories have abounded on the big screen in recent years, with films including Colette, The Favourite, and Vita & Virginia. Now acclaimed director Celine Sciamma (Tomboy, Girlhood) has delivered a film that's garnered critical kudos at festivals in Cannes, Telluride, and Toronto. This spring, the movie was awarded the Queer Palm award at Cannes. Now the trailer is out and telegraphs just what a stunning piece of art it appears to be.

The synopsis for the French film from Neon reads:

"In 18th century France a young painter, Marianne (Noemie Merlant), is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Heloise (Adele Haenel) without her knowing. Therefore, Marianne must observe her model by day to paint her portrait at night. Day by day, the two women become closer as they share Heloise's last moments of freedom before the impending wedding."

Previous films about forbidden same-gender love have used stolen glances and long-held looks to great advantage to build tension, as was the case with Carol. But the plot of Sciamma's film, in which one woman must study the face of another in order to replicate her likeness, is a next-level kind of gaze.

The film has so much built-up buzz that Indiewire has already named it one of the best films of the decade.

Trending stories

Where to stay in LGBTQ+ Ireland: Castles, domes and luxury retreats

France becomes world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in constitution

From rock legends to Pride flags: Discover the vibrant LGBTQ+ scene in Asbury Park

'Drag Race's Plastique Tiara gets fairytale engagement—and a giant ring (exclusive pics)

Kelly Clarkson reveals secret of her sapphic wink, says she'd go for an 'older woman'

All 6 rogue Mississippi cops got long prison sentences in 'Goon Squad' torture of 2 Black men

Season 4 of The Switch on resilience & radical self-love returns this spring

Not a drill! 'Warfare's Kit Connor & Charles Melton kiss and go viral

Joe Biden has tied the record for most LGBTQ+ judges confirmed in federal courts

Peaches Christ says she's been 'retraumatized' by police investigating drag icon Heklina's death

How climate disasters hurt mental health in young people

SFAF's Dr. Tyler TerMeer says he'll continue to fight for health care for all

Discover the power of Wellness in your life

Cowboys & Queens U.S. tour by Jane Hilton: A modern American dream

Paulie Calafiore opens up on his steamy thirst traps: 'Everybody wants to see [me] half naked'

Gerald Garth is keeping people of color happy and healthy through trying times

Dylan Efron dishes on his sexy back arch & Speedo pics: 'That's what I'm good at!'

Olympic runner Yared Nuguse hard launches boyfriend in casual coming out post

Trump's orders prompt CDC to erase HIV resources

Discover why chic Costa Navarino is Europe's luxury getaway

'Mid-Century Modern's Richard Kind: Never turn down sailor sex

Ranking NWSL teams by how gay the name is

The Charles is Pacific Grove's new LGBTQ+ hotel

Pedro Pascal is aging like a fine wine — as proven by these 32 pics

Elon Musk uses burner accounts on X, doesn’t fact-check: report

• 0
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8

"Celine Sciamma's most perfect and powerful film to date came as something of a curveball when it premiered at Cannes earlier this year," Indiewire senior film critic David Ehrlich wrote. "Austere where Tomboy was anxious, and hesitant where Girlhood was rash, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is the first of Sciamma's movies that could be described as 'classical' in any sense of the word. While all of her earlier offerings have told profound and tender stories of self-discovery and the images that women project, this film is more concerned with the ones they leave behind, and how stunning they can be when they aren't forced through male filters."

Portrait of a Lady on Fire is in theaters December 6.