What better way to warm yourself up on a mid-November Wednesday eve than with Céline Sciamma’s blazing masterwork of intellectual eroticism, Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Widely considered one of the great queer films of the 21st century, it was recently voted the 30th best film of all time by Sight and Sound magazine —- this despite just being released in 2019 (it was one of only a handful of films this century to make the top 100).

Set in 1770s France, Portrait of a Lady on Fire follows Marianne (Noémie Merlant), a painter commissioned to create a portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) that her mother can use to elicit marriage proposals. Except Héloïse doesn't want to get married, and has so far refused to even sit for any painter. So her mother has requested Marianne pose as a new maid to gain Héloïse's trust — but she gains much more than that. And as the women begin to fall in love, Portrait of a Lady on Fire evolves into a stirring and glorious entry into the all-too-small canon of outstanding filmmaking both by and about queer women.

Formally adventurous and emotionally devastating, do not miss Portrait of a Lady on Fire when we screen it as our 20th (!!) Queer Cinema Club at the Paradise Theatre this November 15th. And speaking of fire, the film will be proceeded by a performance by one of Toronto’s holiest drag performers (and one of our all around favourite people), Gay Jesus themself. You can also buy a printed copy of the screening’s absolutely ravishing poster (by the extraordinary Keight MacLean) before or after the movie. Get your tickets!