Céline Sciamma’s simmering Portrait of a Lady on Fire burns with a quiet feminine passion. In 1770, two young women confront love and lust in each other’s arms, as a professional relationship lapses into forbidden romance. Sciamma’s film is delicate but shot with undeniable fury, the evocative and stately cinematography particularly burning off the celluloid. Adèle Haenel and Noémie Merlant bring a low-broiling chemistry to their taboo union that’s impossible to deny, the handsomely-shot period piece rich in emotional texture, digging into its singular and provocative romance with great nuance and care. No moment is spared, no furtive glance wasted, nor are the emotional stakes heightened to flashy levels in Héloïse and Marianne’s sumptuous unfurling of affection. Try to watch and not feel a bit on fire yourself. (B)
