A period drama that viewers have called “incredible”, “mesmerising” and “the best ever made” is now streaming on ITV, and many people may not have heard of it yet. It has one of the highest Rotten Tomatoes scores of any modern drama, and fans say it stands out for its “beauty and flawless storytelling”.

The film has built up a huge reputation since its release and is often described as one of the greatest of the 21st century. Reviewers say it is so gripping that it holds your attention from the very first scene right through to the final shot. It has also been praised for its writing, direction and performances, with some calling it nothing short of a masterpiece.

The film in question is Portrait of a Lady on Fire, which holds a 97% Tomatometer score and a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Viewers have been full of praise since its release. One person said: “One of the great films of the 21st century and simply incredible. This is a revolutionary and passionate film on many levels, and I believe those who have seen it can only attest to that.”

Another added: “I cannot recall the last time I watched a film that had me utterly mesmerised from the very start to the very end without a single interruption. It’s achingly beautiful and I would go as far as to say it’s the best period drama ever made.”

A third wrote: “It’s a masterpiece. I wasn’t expecting it to be that good. Everything from the start to the end is just perfect, too perfect, magnificent.”

Someone else said: “What a wonderful, wonderful movie. The more you watch this film, the more engrossed you get in it. It left me speechless. It’s stunning, beautiful and incomparable.”

Released in 2019, the French historical drama is set in the late 18th century and follows the brief but intense relationship between a young aristocrat and the artist commissioned to paint her portrait.

It stars Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel, in what would become Haenel’s final film role before retiring from the industry in protest.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire premiered at Cannes, winning both the Queer Palm and Best Screenplay, making history as the first woman-directed film to receive the Queer Palm.

Since then, it has been recognised worldwide as one of the best films of its time. It was included in numerous end-of-year lists and became one of the top foreign-language films of 2019.

The film has since achieved even greater acclaim, ranking 30th all-time in the Sight and Sound critics’ poll and appearing on lists by The New York Times and Rolling Stone as one of the best films of the 21st century.

It was filmed in Brittany and Seine-et-Marne, with all artwork in the film created by artist Hélène Delmaire, who painted for up to 16 hours a day during production.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire is available to stream on ITVx.