To celebrate our 1-year anniversary as an outlet since our first podcast on August 29, 2022, we review the winner of the social media bracket, Portrait of a Lady on Fire directed by Celine Sciamma in 2019. Set against the backdrop of 18th-century France, Sciamma paints a mesmerizing portrait of love, desire, and artistry as a female painter is obliged to deliver a wedding portrait for a woman set to be married. We review the delicate strokes of Claire Mathon’s visual storytelling and intimate performances of its stars, Noemie Merlant and Adele Haenel, entranced in a forbidden love that Sciamma herself has called a manifesto on the female gaze.

Chapter Timestamps:

  • 0:02:00 Non-Spoilers
  • 0:13:00 Spoilers
  • 1:19:25 Final Ratings
  • 1:30:10 A Year in Review
  • 1:42:04 Conclusion