The film is in French with English subtitles.
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu is an intense and intimate film about watching and being watched. Painter Marianne is ordered to portray Héloïse, the daughter of a baroness. The portrait is meant for a wealthy gentleman in Milan, who Heloïse is supposed to marry. Héloïse sees nothing in this plan and therefore, she refuses to be painted. Because of that Marianne has to pretend to be a lady companion so she can secretly observe Héloïse and paint her from memory. With their looks, the main characters explore each other. Director Céline Sciamma creates a portrait of a budding but impossible love. She depicts a timeless theme in a scenic way, completely seen from a female perspective. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won Best Screenplay and the Queer Palm.
