Portrait of a Lady on Fire : Final 10 Minutes Analysis

Thank you for watching!
Bibliography:
Geoffery Abbott (2024): Burning at the Stake, Britannica
www.britannica...
James Hunt & Shawn S. Lealos (2024): Portrait of a Lady on Fire Ending & Final Scene Meaning Explained, Screen Rant
screenrant.com....
Tom Knoblauch (2022): “‘This Is How You See Me?’: Collisions of Influence and Feminocentric Canon Building in Celine Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire.” Film & History 52.2: 24-34. Web.
muse-jhu-edu.a...
Madeleine Pelling (2021): “Recentring Peripheral Queerness and Marginal Art in Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019).” Humanities (Basel) 10.2 (2021): 73-. Web.
rmit.primo.exl...
Alexandra Pollard (2020): Portrait of a Lady on Fire director Céline Sciamma: ‘Ninety per cent of what we look at is the male gaze’, The Independent
www.independen...
‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ Movie Ending Explained, Awards&Shows (no author or date)
www.awardsands...
(No author) No Man’s Land: Céline Sciamma on Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2020), BFI
www2.bfi.org.u...
Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.o....
The Four Seasons (Vivaldi), Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.o...)
What is the difference between 'tu', 'vous' and 'toi' in French?, Quora
www.quora.com/....
@ZootScootinBoogie (2024): r/criterion, ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire. This film’s final scene hits so hard’, Reddit
/ portrait_of_a_lady_on_...
Music:
Bach - C Major Prelude
Wahneta Meixsell - Gymnopedie No 3
Satie - Gymnopedie No 1

[@Deepbluesky805]

Well done on your video! Bold of you to pick POALOF as it has so many layers. I love when new people find this beautiful film. I have been following Adele and Celine’s work since Water Lilies in 2007.
SPOILERS
The final shot was written first. Celine left the interpretation of the script to Adele, who compared it to a skier racing down the mountain, knowing where the curves are, plotting the run in your mind. There were two requirements from Celine; that she would close her eyes at some point and end on an inhalation. To fully understand the brilliance of Celine and the absolute mastery Adele has of her craft, here is Celine’s script for the final shot: “There is everything. There is surprise, thrill, a beating heart, anticipation, melancholy, focus, the blush in her cheeks, remembrance, sadness, and her deepening breath. All the behaviors of a woman you used to know well, whom you loved looking at, whom you loved period. But there are also things you never noticed before, maybe because they are novelties like that wrinkle in the corner of her eye, maybe because they are things you could not see before and had to discover for yourself.”
Celine has always written with the audience in mind. That is why Marianne tells you “she didn’t see me”; to free the audience during that long last shot to bring you and your past love to the theatre seat.
Setting the character on fire she has said was a primary desire for the film (BAFTA) and is intended as the acknowledgment of love and the desire to act on it. Marianne is the first to “burn” (the fireplace behind her) at the spinet because of Heloise looking at her. Celine was obsessed with Historical accuracy and each filming location was preserved from around 1570. The final shot was filmed at the Theatre at Versailles.
On a more personal note about Celine I saw an interview where the person gave her a book that talked about the man that painted Churchill. “At last, will you tell me how you will paint me?” “I will paint you as I see you.” But how do you see me?” “ I would know when I painted you.” Celine said, “That’s it”. The interviewer, Celine and the viewers know they are talking about Celine, Adele, their love story and POALOF.
You should consider Naissance des Pieuvres (Water Lilies) if you can find it. Layer upon layer that will have you thinking for years….For the French title Sciamma has said it is a reference to Proust and his depiction of jealousy as an octopus. Paraphrasing Sciamma: The first time you feel jealousy, it sits like black ink in your stomach. The film is so much more than this alone.
Subscribing now. I’m interested in seeing your next bold choice!

[@Maikoxdd]

just watch the movie today and i love it, thanks for the amazing video ❤

[@newyorkmyndd9801]

Thank you for this post, I generally check for new postings on this film a few times a month and was happy to find this. I am always interested in reactions to Portrait as it is my favorite film ❤, Celine’s work is amazing but this film is extremely special. ✌️

[@annclancy6783]

Thanks for these comments. This movie for me is the best of my lifetime IMHB
I have a passion for listening and reviewing actors talk about their roles and of course I found and watched anything about this gem
The cinematography is fabulous and as a photographer found this too be so important and recommended to my students to watch this movie if only for that reason
Regarding that last powerful scene I saw/heard the director say, there were 3 takes, one was out of focus , there was no stopping and splitting the scene, it was done without a break ;she also said they briefly discussed the scene but weren’t specific about how it should be done. I have my on theory as I am aware of the history of why and when it was written
I have a friend who saw this in PARIS when first released and she said people stood and cheered more than once. Also since it is definitely from the female gaze the male critics (not exotic enough for their male taste) didn’t like it , which of course a lot of us feel is their loss.

[@ethanS7349]

Great video