Intro to Film 2025 • Professor Gregory Zinman • Emory University

The Use of Color and Framing in Portrait of a Lady on Fire

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Lindsay Taylor

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We looked at two examples in class where red was used as a motif of passion, and this film utilized a similar system to convey the characters’ desires. Marianne was always clothed in red, characterizing not only her passion but her defiance and freedom. Unlike Héloïse, she has has the autonomy to pursue her interests and travel the world, as well as choose whether or not to marry. Conversely, Héloïse wears blue, which mirrors the sea. This reflects her desire for freedom from her social constraints, as well as a parallel to her sister and their sadness. However, when she wears the green dress, it reflects her submitting to her social role.

Either way, the two characters wear opposing colors of clothing; Héloïse wears cool colors while Marianne wears warm colors. This suggests their inability to be together due to society’s standards. Additionally, it serves as foreshadowing for their separation at the end of the film.

Sciamma utilizes many long and extreme long shots throughout the film, most of the time with the characters being the center focus of the frame, which emphasizes the film’s nostalgic nature as it is through the memory of Marianne; this is reminiscent of The Grand Budapest Hotel. This film is about observation, which is very prevalent through this framing. As a painter, Marianne is constantly observing, and we are observing with her through her point of view. This is first because she is painting Héloïse and later because she falls in love with her. However, the emptiness of the background in many of the scenes invokes a feeling of solitude and longing as Marianne is melancholy when she looks back at these memories.

Questions:

  1. What is the significance of the low contrast in many scenes between Héloïse and Marianne? What does this say about scenes of high contrast?
  2. What are the functions of the framing in this film, especially when considering we are viewing this story through Marianne’s point of view?
  3. What is the significance of the scene when Marianne literally turns Héloïse’s heart on fire (when she lights the old painting)?
  4. What is the significance of the story of Sophie in relation to the romance plot of the film?

Comments

4 responses to “The Use of Color and Framing in Portrait of a Lady on Fire”

  1. Yuen Lin Avatar
    Yuen Lin

    1. I believe that the low contast scenes in many interactions between Heloise and Marianne conveys the soft and intimate relationship between the two women, while much of the high contast scenes convey a more passionate / urgent tone.

    2. I noticed that much of the framing in this movie have similar compositions in what you would see in an art piece, as I had some background in art. This may relate to Marianne’s role as an artist and observer, as she is viewing Heloise as the subject in her pieces as well as her muse.

    3. The scene where Marianne lights the old painting on fire, starting with the heart, may symbolize her growing affection for Heloise. Additionally, it should be noted that the old painting was done by an incompetent male artist who failed to capture Heloise’s essence. The destruction of this painting may signify the two women’s frustration at the patriarchy, as Heloise must be married off and leave Marianne.

    4. I believe the Sophie’s subplot functioned to emphasize the bond between women and sorority, but also the impact of men on women. Sophie’s life was heavily impacted by a man in her life, but we never get to know anything about him at all. At the same time, Heloise is set to have her life given to a man that we will also never know anything about. The abortion story shows the “inside” life of women that they keep hidden from men, but also shows the lasting and devastating effect of the patriarchy.

    Reply
  2. Jooeun Choi Avatar
    Jooeun Choi

    I enjoyed reading your analysis of how Marianne’s red connects to the passion and desire, where Héloïse’s blue connects to her social constraints and desire for freedom. I could also connect Héloïse’s blue to the sea, but moreover, I connected Marianne’s red to fire. Marianne was always around fire from the start of the film. As you mentioned, the contrast of their colors foreshadows the separation. At the same time, I could also anticipate their separation from the fact that water and fire cannot coexist. Either the flame will die out or the water will evaporate. One of them will be burnt or drowned. I could also see the progression in their relationship as Héloïse spends more time by the fire with Marianne. Marianne turning Héloïse’s heart on fire also shows the desire for Marianne to be with her. However, Héloïse eventually returns to the sea, a reminder of how society’s constraints inevitably pull her back.

    Low contrast scenes were where Héloïse and Marianne had to face their reality. Héloïse is getting married, and Marianne is drawing Héloïse’s portrait. However, when Héloïse’s mother was gone, many scenes had high contrast, which seemed like Héloïse and Marianne were in a dream. They spent time together, but it cannot last forever.
    Many scenes use long takes, which allow the camera to follow the characters’ movements. This reflected Marianne’s gaze and how she sees Héloïse.
    When Marianne burns the old painting, it feels like Marianne is saving Héloïse from society’s view. It was a painting created by a male artist, who reduced Héloïse to just a bride. Marianne symbolically frees Héloïse from that role given by society.
    The story of Sophie highlights how this film focuses on women’s experiences, not men’s. When she became pregnant, no one asked her about the father. Marianne, Héloïse, and other women help Sophie and respect her choice.

    Reply
  3. Jooeun Choi Avatar
    Jooeun Choi

    I enjoyed reading your analysis of how Marianne’s red connects to the passion and desire, where Héloïse’s blue connects to her social constraints and desire for freedom. I could also connect Héloïse’s blue to the sea, but moreover, I connected Marianne’s red to fire. Marianne was always around fire from the start of the film. As you mentioned, the contrast of their colors foreshadows the separation. At the same time, I could also anticipate their separation from the fact that water and fire cannot coexist. Either the flame will die out or the water will evaporate. One of them will be burnt or drowned. I could also see the progression in their relationship as Héloïse spends more time by the fire with Marianne. Marianne turning Héloïse’s heart on fire also shows the desire for Marianne to be with her. However, Héloïse eventually returns to the sea, a reminder of how society’s constraints inevitably pull her back.

    1) Low contrast scenes were where Héloïse and Marianne had to face their reality. Héloïse is getting married, and Marianne is drawing Héloïse’s portrait. However, when Héloïse’s mother was gone, many scenes had high contrast, which seemed like Héloïse and Marianne were in a dream. They spent time together, but it cannot last forever.
    2) Many scenes use long takes, which allow the camera to follow the characters’ movements. This reflected Marianne’s gaze and how she sees Héloïse.
    3) When Marianne burns the old painting, it feels like Marianne is saving Héloïse from society’s view. It was a painting created by a male artist, who reduced Héloïse to just a bride. Marianne symbolically frees Héloïse from that role given by society.
    4) The story of Sophie highlights how this film focuses on women’s experiences, not men’s. When she became pregnant, no one asked her about the father. Marianne, Héloïse, and other women help Sophie and respect her choice.

    Reply
  4. Kaitlin Keil Avatar
    Kaitlin Keil

    I enjoyed reading your thoughtful analysis about Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and specifically the part about the colors that Marianne and Héloïse frequently wear throughout the film. I immediately thought of our class discussion from today when I saw Marianne wearing red, and I noticed the stark contrast between the red Marianne wears and Héloïse’s green, however I hadn’t thought about the blue that Héloïse wears like that before. Comparing it to the freedom of the ocean and the walks throughout the film is a very insightful way to think about it.

    I also agree with what you wrote about the film being reminiscent of the Grand Budapest Hotel in terms of being centered around nostalgia and memory. The film is about observation, but also observation through the lens of sentimentality, which can always affect the viewer’s understanding of what actually happened vs. how it is remembered/understood by the storyteller. In class we spoke about how Sciamma attempted to make each scene in the movie look like it was an 18th century painting. I wonder what the significance of this is in terms of how Marianne views this period of her life. It definitely has a melancholy feel, but nonetheless every scene is beautifully staged.

    I also really like the insightful questions you posed to the class. I thought of the low contrast as, first of all, representing the dream-like quality of the time in Marianne’s mind as the whole thing is a memory, but I also thought it represented the equality felt between the two women; the mutual love and adoration they have for each other. In terms of framing, I believe that the empty space surrounding them highlights absence and longing. The balance of fullness and emptiness in the frame mirrors the duality of love and loss at the heart of the film. The scene where Marianne sets the portrait on fire also resonates with the idea that cinematography can guide emotional response by manipulating graphic qualities of the image. The bright light and color doesn’t just dramatize Marianne’s passion, it transforms Héloïse into a memory, frozen in fire, also resonating with the film title “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”.

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