Analysis of Female Gaze in Lesbian Films from the Perspective of Camera Language —Taking Portrait of a Lady on Fire as an Example

Abstract

Western feminist film theory was formed in the 1960s and 1970s and it has been widely discussed since then. With the help of Freud’s psychoanalysis, Laura Mulvey analyzes the interweaving of erotic pleasure in film, its meaning, and the central place of the image of the woman. At the same time, the improvement of film technology and photography methods provide more chances for female spectators to seek pleasure as counterparts in films. The lesbian film is a category that crosses many film genres and highlights female subjectivity. Both female characters and spectators can be the subject of different kinds of gaze, looking at others while experiencing the story about a woman’s affection. Based on Freud’s psychoanalysis and Laura Mulvey’s theory, this paper analyzes how camera language embodies the female gaze in Céline Sciamma’s esbian film Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019). The study of interaction among the camera, the character, and the spectator is of great significance in the realization of the female gaze, which can be inspired for future films, especially feminist films, to stress the value of female roles and pay attention to female spectators’ emotions.