10 Essential Movies You Need To Tick Off Your Bucket List
8. Portrait Of A Lady On Fire
The forbidden affair is a well worn story in fiction, but it has rarely been done better than in Céline Sciamma’s magnificent 2019 film. Starring Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel as, respectively, Marianne, a painter, and Heloise, a noblewoman set for a lucrative marriage, this is a powerfully acted, beautifully restrained historical drama, as well as one of the most visually striking films in recent memory.
The plot unfolds slowly - Marianne is hired by a wealthy family to paint Heloise so that her Milanese fiance can take a look before their arranged marriage. Heloise has no interest in matrimony and has refused to be painted, so Marianne is instructed to befriend her, completing the portrait in secret.
It’s a melancholic film wherein we know no happy ending is forthcoming; but it serves as a tribute to the worth of fleeting moments. Just because the outcome is, ultimately, not going to be a positive one, doesn’t make the journey any less worthwhile.
The leads’ chemistry is exceptional, and the approach brings such fresh life to a tried and tested narrative.