Portrait De La Jeune Fille En Feu (aka Portrait Of A Lady On Fire) (2019)

Set in 18th century France, a young painter (Noemie Meriant) arrives at an isolated island in Brittany where she is expected to paint a portrait of a young girl (Adele Haenel) who is soon to be wed in an arranged marriage. But she must paint the picture surreptitiously as the girl refuses to sit for a portrait. Written and directed by Celine Sciamma, this is a painstakingly meticulous (a euphemism for slow moving) historical romance that I wish I liked better. It is a very good movie but when I first saw the trailer for the film sometime ago, my movie radar said, "No!" but the reviews were glowing and it was showing up on ten best lists so against my better judgment I went. I can tell it's a well made film but I just couldn't get involved in it. It's like movie medicine, see it because it's good for you. Okay, I've taken my medicine. I don't want to dissuade anyone from not seeing the film as I trust you'll appreciate its very fine qualities (like Claire Mathon's superb lensing) more than I did. PORTRAIT was on France's short list of films to be submitted to the Oscars international film category but they wisely went with the superior LES MISERABLES instead. With Luana Bajrami and Valeria Golino.