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December 13, 2019

At the Movies: Forbidden passion smolders in vivid ‘Lady on Fire'

By JOCELYN NOVECK
AP National Writer

“Do all lovers feel they're inventing something?” asks Heloise, a young woman experiencing romantic passion for the first time. It's a beautiful line, but it's also emblematic of the spirit of “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” a film in which everything feels stunningly fresh, raw and new.

And it's all happening in the 18th century, to boot. French director Celine Sciamma, known for far more gritty and contemporary films, has found a way to make a period film that feels so vital, at moments it seems it could spontaneously combust. Which is exactly what happens to Heloise's dress at one point, a captivating and disturbing image that explains the title of this film.


 
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