Céline Sciamma's 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' Opens in Italian Theaters

Céline Sciamma's film 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' ('Ritratto della giovane in fiamme') opened in Italian cinemas on December 19, distributed by Lucky Red. The film won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival and the European Film Awards, and was nominated for a Golden Globe in the same category. Set in 1770, the story follows Marianne, a painter from Paris hired to secretly paint Héloise, a young woman who has just left a convent and refuses to pose for her wedding portrait. The two women develop a passionate love affair during five days at a secluded castle. Sciamma emphasizes the film's feminist perspective, portraying an equal relationship free from dominance. The director notes that the film fills a void in cinema, offering a new female and feminist imaginary. The cast includes Adèle Haenel, Noémie Merlant, and Valeria Golino. The film features original music composed specifically for it, heard in only three moments, and references the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Sciamma collaborated with contemporary painter Hélène Delmaire to create the artworks seen in the film, and with cinematographer Claire Mathon. The film also includes a rare depiction of an abortion and a painting of it, highlighting historical restrictions on women artists who were denied access to nude models.