Can you guess the movie from its first and last shot?
For this one let's try just the first shot. The last, after the jump will surely give it away...
Oui, that's the fan favourite lesbian romantic drama Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) by the incredible Celine Sciamma. If her name is attached to a film, whether as screenwriter or director, you know it's worth your time. See Petite Maman, Water Lilies, Girlhood, Being 17, My Life as a Zucchini, and more for proof. We figured it was an excellent choice to close out Pride month though our current "Queering the Oscars" series will continue a bit into July since we wear the rainbow flag all year.
How much do you love Portrait of a Lady on Fire? It really was a shame that it got one of those awkward two-different-year straddling releases because by the time the public (or the arthouse crowd at least) was in love with it, it's awards chances had slipped on by. Still despite France not choosing it as their Oscar submission (its home country went with crime drama Les Miserables instead) it did manage BAFTA, Bodil, Critics Choice, Globe, Goya, and Spirit nominations in their respective 'foreign-film' style categories.
Weirdly it lost all but one of its 10 nominations at home at the César Awards, picking up only a justly deserved Best Cinematography trophy.