Women and Hollywood is partnering with Rooftop Films, NEON, and more for a special screening of Céline Sciamma’s Cannes winner “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” in New York City, with 100 percent of the net proceeds to be donated to the National Network of Abortion Funds.
The benefit screening is taking place Wednesday, August 10, at The Old American Factory, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. Purchase tickets or find out more here.
Further event details, as well as a synopsis and trailer for the film, are below.
Synopsis: France, 1760. Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), a young woman who has just left the convent. Because she is a reluctant bride-to-be, Marianne arrives under the guise of companionship, observing Héloïse by day and secretly painting her by firelight at night. As the two women orbit one another, intimacy and attraction grow as they share Héloïse’s first moments of freedom. Héloïse’s portrait soon becomes a collaborative act of and testament to their love.
Winner of a coveted Cannes prize, “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” solidifies Céline Sciamma as one of the most exciting filmmakers working in the world today. Merlant and Haenel turn the subtle act of looking into a dangerous, engrossing thrill, crafting breathtaking and elegant performances. To watch Marianne and Héloïse fall in love is to see love itself invented onscreen. With contemporary themes in period dress, “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” is one of the greatest love stories ever told.
