52 Films By Women: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
By Andrea Thompson
Watching the passionate 18th century French romance “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” is an experience, and not just because it's such a beautifully told love story. Since it also happens to be a love story between two women, it's going to be about far more than the lovers themselves, and sure enough, “Portrait” is both an indicator of how far we've come, and how far we have yet to go. However, the film not only seems aware of this, it's pretty damn intent on charting its own course, and to hell with the male gaze and all the expectations thereof, with none of their love scenes even shown on-screen.
