Skip to main content
Celluloid
RomanceDrama Cannes 2019 · Best Screenplay

Portrait of a Lady on Fire Review (2019) — 90% Celluloid Score

Directed by Céline Sciamma · 2019 ·

Short answer

Is Portrait of a Lady on Fire worth watching?

Yes. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) earns a 90% Celluloid Score. That makes it a Celluloid Pick, our highest tier. Critics (98%) were notably more enthusiastic than audiences (86%). See the 4 inputs.

90%
Celluloid Score Celluloid Pick

4-input transparent breakdown

98% Editorial Rating
86% Audience snapshot · excluded
95 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4.3
8.1 IMDb /10
0
Watch Trailer
Released
Runtime
2h 2m
Age rating
R (US) · 15 (UK) · M (Australia) · R21 (Singapore) · 15 (South Korea)
Cast
Noémie Merlant , Adèle Haenel , Luàna Bajrami
Streaming
HBO Max
Country
France
Language
French

Also known as Portrait de la jeune fille en feu Retrato de una mujer en llamas Porträt einer jungen Frau in Flammen Retrato de uma Jovem em Chamas 燃ゆる女の肖像 타오르는 여인의 초상 燃烧女子的肖像 燃燒女子的畫像

🏆 1 award win · 2 nominations — Won Best Cinematography, César Awards 2020

Where to watch

  • HBO Max

Rent: Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Buy: Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Where to watch Portrait of a Lady on Fire by country

Country Streaming on
India Prime Video, MUBI
Pakistan MUBI
South Korea Netflix, TVING
Thailand Netflix
Turkey TV+, HBO Max
United Kingdom MUBI, BFI Player, ITVX
United States HBO Max

Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.

Why this score?

  • Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (98/100).
  • General viewers mostly liked it (86%).
  • Metascore signals universal acclaim (95/100).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.3/5).
  • IMDb users score it 8.1/10.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded romance, drama pick
  • Critics' darlings — stronger with reviewers than general viewers

Not ideal for

    Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

    Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

    Is Portrait of a Lady on Fire worth watching?

    Yes — Portrait of a Lady on Fire earns a 90% Celluloid Score. That makes it a Celluloid Pick, our highest tier. It suits viewers who want a well-regarded romance, drama pick. Read our full review (4.5/5).

    Celluloid verdict

    Sciamma's feminist romance burns slowly with formal rigor and devastating final glances.

    , Founder & Editor

    Critics (98%) were notably more enthusiastic than audiences (86%).

    What is Portrait of a Lady on Fire about?

    On an isolated island, a painter commissioned to create a wedding portrait falls in love with her reluctant aristocratic subject in secret.

    Watch the Trailer

    Critic Reviews

    Short review 4 min read English Portrait of a Lady on Fire

    Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) Review: The Art of Looking

    Portrait of a Lady on Fire is Céline Sciamma's 18th-century French love story between a painter and her reluctant subject, a romance built on precise, intense looking.

    Yes. It is one of the great modern romances, ideal for viewers who love slow-burning period drama and are happy to let glances do the work of dialogue.

    Kaiser Khan Founder & Editor

    Portrait of a Lady on Fire stills

    Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.

    Portrait of a Lady on Fire production still 1
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire production still 2
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire production still 3
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire production still 4
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire production still 5
    Portrait of a Lady on Fire production still 6

    Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.

    Reader takes

    No reader takes published yet. Send yours and we may publish it after editing.

    Portrait of a Lady on Fire: frequently asked questions

    Is Portrait of a Lady on Fire worth watching?

    Yes. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) has a Celluloid Score of 90%, averaged from the available Celluloid editorial, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb ratings. That is a Celluloid Pick, our highest tier. Audience sentiment is shown separately and does not change the score.

    Where can I watch Portrait of a Lady on Fire?

    In the United States, Portrait of a Lady on Fire streams on HBO Max with a subscription, and you can rent it from Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home or buy it from Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home. Elsewhere: Prime Video, MUBI in India; MUBI in Pakistan; Netflix, TVING in South Korea; Netflix in Thailand. Availability changes; the where-to-watch table on this page is refreshed from TMDB.

    How long is Portrait of a Lady on Fire?

    Portrait of a Lady on Fire runs 2 hours 2 minutes (122 minutes).

    What is Portrait of a Lady on Fire rated?

    Portrait of a Lady on Fire is rated R in the United States, 15 in the UK, M in Australia, R21 in Singapore and 15 in South Korea. These are the official classifications as recorded on TMDB; check your local classification board for content advice.

    Who stars in Portrait of a Lady on Fire?

    Portrait of a Lady on Fire is directed by Céline Sciamma and stars Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami.

    What is the Metascore for Portrait of a Lady on Fire?

    Metacritic's Metascore for Portrait of a Lady on Fire is 95 out of 100. It is one of the inputs to the Celluloid Score.

    More Like This

    Ranked by genre overlap and Celluloid Score. More movies like Portrait of a Lady on Fire →