International films now have an unintended burden upon them. After Parasite’s rousing success at the Oscars (and of course in my own awards), any foreign film coming out soon will be compared to it. Portrait Of A Lady On Fire was my first foreign cinematic endeavour since Parasite, so with a lot to be compared against, how did it do? Well, quickly put, not badly.

A French film, POALOF is sent in the eighteenth century where Marianne (Noémie Merlant) has been hired to paint Heloise (Adele Haenel) so the picture can be sent to a Milanese nobleman she is going to marry. However, Heloise previously refused to look at the last painter as she doesn’t want to be painted or married, so Marianne pretends to supervise Heloise on her walks. Soon the two start to fall for one another as their trust grows. It’s sweetly done with grace and subtlety. You can see in the way they look at each other this natural blossoming endearment they gain for one another. Their feelings soon come into conflict with the painting and the reason for it existing, being Heloise’s marriage.

The two actresses have a fantastic chemistry. The way they look at each other shows exactly how they feel about one another. Then Marianne plays on the harpsichord, the way Heloise doesn’t break her gaze is absolutely fantastic. Their show don’t tell version of acting really works in this fantastic as they slowly reach an emotional crescendo.

The acting is helped by a brilliant script. There are so many sharp and funny lines embedded within a tender script. It is a slow burner, but each scene adds another layer to their relationship and it almost feels like it has a sad countdown of inevitability within it. The moment when they first confess their love to one another is a magical scene. The way they communicate without exaggeration and shouting is almost therapeutic.

The music is minimal, allowing you to focus on their breathing. While they are covered by the beach, indoors, you hear how they feel as well as seeing it. Furthermore, the costumes are fantastic. Seeing Heloise go from a closed darker blue to a more open green dress throughout the film is an expert metaphor for what happens on the screen. The pay-offs at the end of the film are stunning.

Summary

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire is a tender love story, with wonderful dialogue and the highest level of acting. This “show don’t tell” film shows how romantic films can be made with a natural grace and subtlety. [Grade: A-]