Ranking

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019): A manifesto of the queer gaze, "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," directed by Céline Sciamma, is one of the most important milestones in contemporary LGBTQ cinema. Set in 18th-century Brittany, this melodrama forgoes the male perspective in favor of a radically tender female gaze. Tracing the relationship between the painter Marianne and her rebellious muse Héloïse, the film celebrates partnership, intellectual understanding, and desire that transcends the frame of the image. This is a work in which queer love is defined not by tragedy but by the freedom of shared moments and the power of memory. Winner of the Queer Palme d'Or at Cannes, it proved that lesbian cinema can be both an intimate manifesto and a world-class visual masterpiece.

Why these films matter

Adela's Life (2013)
Holding the man (2015)
Tár (2022)
Rocketman (2019)
Dream Loves (2010)

Ranking Overview

The ranking

#1

🎬 Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Portrait de la jeune fille en feu)

2019 Film

🎬 Set in late 18th-century Brittany, the film follows Marianne (Noémie Merlant), a painter commissioned to secretly paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), a young noblewoman who has just left a convent and refuses to be married. Because Héloïse will not pose, Marianne must observe her…

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#2

A Perfect Ending

2013 Film

A Perfect Ending is an intimate, moving story about a woman who, on the verge of the end of her life, discovers the truth about herself, her desires, and her feelings. The film is delicate, at times painful, but also liberating—it shows that even in the most difficult moments, authenticity, closenes…

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#3

Am I OK?

2024 Film

A gentle, honest story about self-discovery and the courage to change, even later in life. Lucy begins to question her identity and realizes she may have been hiding her true self for years. With the support—and sometimes distance—of her best friend, she slowly learns that it’s never too late to …

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#4

🎬 Vic + Flo Saw a Bear

2013 Film

🎭 Main cast: Pierrette Robitaille Romy Schneider Marie Brassard Vic + Flo Saw a Bear (2013) is a dark and unconventional drama about love, isolation, and the lingering weight of the past. The story follows two women trying to rebuild their lives in a remote countryside after time away, seeki…

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Editorial notes

Dream Loves (2010)