Published Feb 6, 2026, 10:00 AM EST
Hannah is a senior writer and self-publisher for the anime section at ScreenRant. There, she focuses on writing news, features, and list-style articles about all things anime and manga. She works as a freelance writer in the entertainment industry, focusing on video games, anime, and literature.
Her published works can be found on ScreenRant, FinanceBuzz, She Reads, and She Writes.
HBO Max is preparing to remove one of the most quietly powerful films of the last decade. Portrait of a Lady on Fire will leave the platform in the U.S. on February 28, 2026, giving viewers a limited window to experience, or revisit, a modern classic that continues to grow in cultural and emotional significance.
Released in 2019, the French historical romance didn’t rely on confusion or shock to make its mark. Instead, it built its reputation through being emotional and sincere with its amazing story. Years later, its reputation has only strengthened, making its departure from HBO Max feel especially mistimed for audiences still discovering its depth.
A Love Story That Refuses to Fade Leaves HBO Max
Set in late 18th-century France, the film follows a painter commissioned to secretly create a wedding portrait of a young aristocratic woman who refuses to cooperate with her arranged marriage. What begins as observation slowly transforms into intimacy, captured through lingering glances, shared silences, and moments charged with unspoken meaning.
Director Céline Sciamma tells this story with remarkable control, allowing desire to emerge naturally rather than through melodrama. The film’s careful pacing rewards patience, revealing how love can form even under intense societal pressure. That restraint is precisely why the story of Portait of a Lady on Fire continues to resonate more strongly with time.
Key to the film’s power are performances from Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel, whose chemistry feels immediate yet fragile. Haenel’s role marked her final on-screen appearance before stepping away from acting, adding an unexpected layer of poignancy to a story already steeped in loss and memory.
Why Portrait of a Lady on Fire’s Legacy Keeps Growing
Since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, Portrait of a Lady on Fire has steadily climbed critical rankings. It earned major international recognition, including screenplay honors and year-end accolades, before later being named among the greatest films ever made in prominent critics’ polls.
What sets the film apart is its refusal to frame romance as fleeting or disposable. Instead, it treats memory as something permanent, shaping identity long after love ends. Its final moments, built around music and silent observation, have become iconic for their emotional precision and restraint.
As streaming platforms rotate libraries at increasing speed, films like this are often the first to vanish. HBO Max removing Portrait of a Lady on Fire may be routine business, but it still feels like losing access to a work that grows richer with each revisit. Watching before it leaves is less about urgency, and more about appreciation.
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HBO Max is a subscription-based streaming service offering content from HBO, Warner Bros., DC, and more. In 2025, the service re-branded itself as HBO Max after having previously cut "HBO" from its name.
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