movie world

Six years after Varda added her name to the Manifesto of the 343 — a declaration by 343 women publicly proclaiming that they had had an abortion, despite the procedure still being illegal in France — she made this remarkable combination of social commentary and musical about a woman's right to choose.

Agnes Varda's very touching film is a bewitching tale about two French women who become friends during a period of rootlessness for each. Pauline leaves home at seventeen to try to make it on her own as a singer; Suzanne is left alone with two small children after her lover commits suicide. Even through the two women have very little in common, they feel good with each other. Theirs is a natural, effortless relationship. At one point, Pauline describes it as "like love, with no heartaches." Over the years they are forced to go in separate directions. Suzanne has to live with her parents on their farm; later she moves to Southern France and sets up a family planning center; Pauline — now calling herself Apple — forms a group of feminist troubadours who practice consciousness raising through their songs.

The two women's interests intersect and they meet ten years later at a rally for women's abortion rights. They pick up where they left off, sharing news of their loves — Apple's for Darius, an Iranian economist, Suzanne's for her lovely children — and their experiences. Through their struggles and successes, director Varda celebrates the particular joys of being a woman. Over thousands of miles (Apple live in Iran for a while) and periods of loneliness and happiness, the two keep in touch with postcards and occasional letters. Their friendship remains a holy bond.

Director: Agnes Varda
Cast: Therese Liotard, Valerie Mairesse, Robert Dadies, Ali Rafie
Country: Venezuela, France, Belgium, Soviet Union
Genre: Drama, History

BD50, DVD9 | 1080p AVC, NTSC | 02:02:00 | 44.3 Gb, 7.52 Gb + 3% rec
Language: Francais
Subtitles: English

Extras:
• Women Are Naturally Creative: Agnes Varda, a 1977 documentary directed by Katja Raganelli, featuring an interview with Varda shot during the making of the film, plus on-set interviews with actors Valerie Mairesse and Therese Liotard (47:22)
• Reponse de femmes, a 1975 short film by Varda, on the question “What is a woman?” (8:54)
• Plaisir d’amour en Iran, a 1976 short film by Varda, starring Mairesse and Ali Raffi (6:38)
• Trailer (1:50)