Portrait of A Lady On Fire, By Celine Sciamma. Literature & Language.

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"Portrait of A Lady On Fire" By Celine Sciamma
Historically, mainstream media has not been accommodative to people associated with the LGBT group. Specifically, gay people are often portrayed in a manner that demeans their existence as members of society with equal human rights. Only a few films have covered the theme of lesbianism. More than often, lesbian characters in these films are depicted as hypersexualized, unnatural, or killed off. We live in a patriarchal society, where even mainstream films portray lesbians from a straight man's perspective. In such films, female characters are treated as sexual objects, whose sole purpose is to satisfy male's sexual desires and fantasies. However, Celine Sciamma's film, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, changed the narrative that guiltiness, oppression, and submission are the real definitions of homosexuality and lesbianism. The film uses the female gaze to illustrate an igniting romance between two women. It is a queer feminist cinematic masterpiece that has defied the existing negative portrayal of same-sex relationships in society.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is set on a quiet island in France in the 18th century. The film was written and directed by Celine Sciamma, a renowned lesbian filmmaker. Marianne (Noemie Merlant), a prominent female painter, is commissioned to paint an engagement portrait of Heloise (Adele Haenel). Heloise has refused to pose for artists since she does not agree with a mother's arranged marriage to a prominent Viennese man. Despite that, Marianne must find a way to paint her portrait by posing as a companion. She takes stolen glances of Heloise's form as they stroll on the scenic seashore and end up falling in love. The progression of their love is depicted through glances, touches, and romantic scenes. The scene presenting the moment when they eventually reveal their love for each other is done artfully. The scene emphasizes more on the incidents that led the women to that particular moment and what it means to them rather than on their actual sexual escapades.
The film attempts to presents a lesbian story through the eyes of a lesbian. It is like a first-hand narrative where the author tells the audience what it feels to be a lesbian. Unlike the stunted and stereotypical portrayal of female homosexuality i...