Table Of ContentFF FF DD F F D
rreenncchh iillmm iirreeccttoorrss rench ilm irectors
Catherine
C Catherine
FF FF DD a F F D
FF rreenncc hhFF iillmm DD iirreeccttoorrss F renc hF ilm D irectors
FFFFrreenncchh FFFFiillmm DDDDiirreeccttoorrss t FFrench FFilm DDirectors
rrrreeFFeennnncccchhhh ii lliiFFllmmmm iiDDrriirreeeeccccttttoooorrrrssss Frreenncchh Fililmm D irireeccttoorrss
Brreennrcchheiillmmilliiarreecctttoorrss h rench ilm irectors
Catherine e
Catherine
CCCaaattthhheeerrriininneee rC Catherine
Ci Catherine
CCnCa CCCaaBatttrhheheieellrarriiintnneee
a
aaeat
This is the first English-language book on controversial female director t
CatherineA BnraeBtiBBollmaBBty, wofh rHorrseelrrl efiaeelnmdees m iinoiicslltuilli dlrleelllca leRaalnoatmalya nTthctteet,t LAa smt aM siosteruers!s .( Fat Girl), ththheBrthhe
eeeer
r
Thematic groupings – female coming-of-age films, movies about ririinillriin BBrreeiillllaatt
masculinity in crisis and films dealing with a woman’s sexual odyssey nnane BBBrrreeeiiillllllaaattt
e
Th–i sp irso vthidee fi trhset oEpnpgolirsthu-nlaitnyg tuoa sgteu dbyo oBkre oilnla tc’os ntrteroavtmeresniat lo ffe smuachle idssiureecst or eete
This is the first English-language book on controversial female director B
TThhiCsi Tsaai shsti hsitfs ehe tirhmesi e natfi ehlfire esBr tvsfir tieErr iEngsltlniga nEgltiint,ls iyhgsw,h -liblhs-aolhoand-snglyeagu nifiuamgaglmuageage sgbe ibeo,n osocbiolksoutk oode korneh n oRoc nocoo ondmcnto, ratncornotovcrnoveeferv,o sreArisrami salmi ialft ayelf , emf sdemoameealseauilre lrdee !d, i rd(sieFrihraeceattcocm tGtoroe irrr, l), B
Catherine Breillat, whose films include Romance, A ma soeur! (Fat Girl), BBB
CCaathtCheaermtirnhaineese roBi cnBrhAeeri eisnBlmilarlalet ataoi,tl nlm,wa dwtyh ,s howoeoslfhfes -Hoe efi semfilelmlpl mfiaosln wsmi ndiesnc rmlicmunloudcesldenute tdRr, e eRoa comRse mownamantelncayllecn Tea,c hs,Ae eA,m m A Lam aalmesa s ta go s Meoseoneuisedurtu!err !rre( ! Fs(i adF(sF.ate a tnGt tG iGirtilyir)rl,,l) ),, rr
AAAnnnaAaatottnoomammtyoyy mo oofy ffH oHHeafeel nlHll dllae raanlolnnd gadd ynm nmmdoy oom satssno ttrd serrt eec mrecceeenacnnctelhttynlloyy tT l vyTThi hheoTee hleL eanLL aascLtessa tt.sM tMM iMsiitssirttserrteesresss.sss s.. . rrere
m–mm ––ap Taaasppmr–TpTThscomss–rr fh ahhueaccoopv feTapituueemlesvviTrsmrihsdrcommllnm ihiiciioavaueddeinnviuenaaotvtramlee iiimciliytiidttttllicn sdhuheniiyy att emccaiieahhg me intt vttii ilyggtee ,rnni y cti eoohccp r rrah i oorpooggiuccenonegenirrpppuusi rpxr d riin oocionoppsscopppis ripnuiirepouoo triilissiannopsgyxtppsgp rrui,aaniraggottsiosri senuunnnnb dma ssr r–saagtnng ptddio ––tiufiunntsfsiinh dy tthefifin n ddlffeyyy y––meemetiill ,s ttmm fifio mmfftti eysydameteool l n ss hmsmiaaldmmtt r eatgessolloddeesusee agttaa cc eea duusd ldsgeltdocceaalteitddoyie,ioofuem llnu n fyycr iiascammdBnne’gdgoi isollynsBBirrgg y miiinmeetcwin nngrr nBegoneeiwwBiggg-iln irr mnociiltrd --ewhllagiieewhoollgftteipaato-s-ilhhi ff-t’ollatila ttsoo--alat ebh’’afaag aa sshdtifxt-we ltgg ’e -ara es, tt’wwtaae sree g rro wdcfietg w eea eoootmr wfifilleeaataera ommmnmefille nttaaotmmmfifmmainlsaantamoeomlmt, sslann’meen rnBmsy,,amsnm’’e nn t sssr,snsmmt’e en i ttso,eooismss’n it tsoo veelxooms fy o ltro eovviasxxu,ff esef oveox fiituuad ulssees ’hiivuxfsaalsuuege css ei auauhllssose iccfi roaabla cuihhoo sd larihbbnooilm c esddyn baii h dooous,ssiyysatsob suy uussdtis sssniusmoa uuseeshttyssudtsnu seeseeyaas ee u dtsssyy ttmsy oe ee sey , eillateillatillateillatkeeseillat
aaas ssf effasmeemcsemm aafnesaaleeomllsee cv a hbvvilrieeiisgrr tmvggiwniii rnneiagteiinyittnn,yyd i,,b tm sbbyoe,eood lbnfddy-o yy eaid mmniiymmdap i aagmwoggewaoee, gme,,s erissesm,ii tnssseett.i seernKhtrrteehho,r eooohasoodsoe dd,oyw ,,c d aoecc,l oolnsclonn ofao ffndsoorf imorrmsmmcriamutiiylsttei,yyst e,,dyg ,sdde e deestnheissrdsiieerrei ee,rlr ei,,s t ,ihess dshharehaaamnatmmutmeiree,tee y,,,, , y
mafimslomacshso,i csphmaisi namtni ndang sdse alsfne-eldfm -pephmoopwtooewsr temhrmaetne thn,a tav, sea swi nwefllelu lael sna csme mda laBele rge gielelnandtd’eser w ri diodereknn,t tiatitnyy,d,
mmaasosochchisimsm a anndd s eselfl-fe-aemnmpdporoowwgeyernmryme aennnt,dt ,a mas swa wceheloll la vasi osm lmeanalecle eg .geennddeer ri dideenntittiyt,y ,
extends this taon sadhnroodwgroy ghnyoynw ay n Badrne dmil lmaacta’hsc ohfi olvm ivosilo ehlneancvece.e i.nfluenced other k
aannddroroggyynnyy a anndd m maachchoo v vioiolelenncece.. kk
This volume explorefis ltmhem dakireercst oanr’ds caortmisptsle ixn rteulrant.ion to religion and to kke
ThiTs hvios lvuomluem eex pexloprleosr etsh eth dei rdeicretoctro’sr ’cso cmomplpelxe xr erlealtaitoionn t oto r erelilgigioionn a anndd ttoo ee
TfTheffhAiseempi smmflaviif envtvoeiimrnneiomlisulaiiilmyssnuimrnmm cima,is ehsn,,am e amdaane l,nn ex d, a paxpdda coenpnl coeexrdeldnorxxa s eeoraamesesxixmmgb isaatrnl iihmaemtnnehe peesiiie nnhn ssdt te eyhdittr,rssohh eie erdttee ecndhhu tcddgieoectf iiao tfrffddie’gffrsoiieer’f isfnecnfrrf eo,eenceg rotmnncr eheiemccnnpineessc pl css deebble eexsbbeos tx eet borabw tteekriwwelelt eeawtwleeewdatieeniet oleailnne o nBenan nBB rnap teB rr olpteeiByrol eeiilsrrlla aeeiillrslaatliell ’liattstollg’’oati ssfgifi’ts o sififi’h lsonmfitlle un mmfilrasmd l anssimeasn ndnaan tsad tnndi tnsm aodd t dnao a nd tde eeeeeseses
psppacaatesrttspcinrraceiiaeeaarrntscenrrre hccsibeasehhase raaal bct brllphwec eppoahttewoolrew enprrrenesnnooe,e oo grmnannggrs aFeomrrm raawpngeeppeh rneananhhylcnp l ,yyh a adha,,e nn fisyeenwdd ,nnlga m eowgglwaln m aagaotgoggihnemnamiiodngnngese .igg cne nniKo n .gii.w ennn K Kdiet ienddteeeseh meeteeds attsyaeepaaie nltyoaiieyall lreedia isnaalddl oerstal dsy eoaando r nncaaeid sidnaalsnicystillauescyys limucisyssnsusiiss assesosgi s.essooef e s onffth s hftdhh e hteheeerhe r errl ie i rnlstiii ttnnetliuineirtttmrdtaiiemmaiitrmaetuaaatusatrett,reut ee e e,r , e , seseeyeyey
scsecfienlmnfiefieslsml s,mb spbes,aet , pwitpnwaaetiinieennenttgini nnms g gmaessne n aadn nan padndhn d ppod hwht woooottsomoo tmsshe tentahhnt. a a.Kh ttK ea hheevaaesevevs eieyen y iflain naluflsflleuosunoe edcn dniecsicdecsedu cBdu sBr sseBreseiresleil slatil lahttl’athes’ts e w’l s iwlt oiwetorerrokark,rat ,kua ta,urn nearde,dn , d yy
fifilmlms,s e,p xpataieninntidtnisng gsth sa isan ndtod p sphhhoootwotos hst hothawat tBh hraeavivelle ai nti’nfls flufiuelmenncsec hedad Bv Breer eiilnillafllatu’tse’ swn wcoeordkr k,o ,at hannedrd
exteexntdesn dtDhs oitsuh tgiosl a tsosh Koshewoe swheo yhw ois w BP rrBeorifleeliaslltsa’ost r’fis o lfimf lmFsi lshm ah vaaevn edi n iLnflifltueuereanntcuceerded o otthheerr
eexxtetenndds st hthisi st oto s hshoowfiw lhm homowwa kB eBrerrseil ilalalnat’dts’ sfia firlmtlimsst ssh hainav vetue i rninnfl.fluueenncecedd o oththeer r
at Cfialmlfiiflmomramnkiaaek rPeso raslyn atden cdah rantriisctti sSst tsian ti net utUrunnrin.v.ersity
fifilmlmmmaakkeersr sa anndd a artritsitsst si nin t uturnrn..
A AliAv l eilvilvyee laylyn adan naddc acaecccsceseissbssliiebb llieen tiinrnottdrroouddcuuticcottinioo,n nt,h, ttihsh iibss o bboookoo kwk w iwlli liall lpa appppepeaeal alt olt ot so st utsfutdrduoeendnntet tnscs ot asavn enarddn— d
AA l ilvivereelAyslrny reeane saaneser nedcPaadh ararcr ecacihlrhclcseaeec,ur esrsadsss, s,i sa ba ainwblssed l ew e wRil nloeie ntaxllrlltas o rna aoadessldu lMaa uctllteclhl i tsottoiqhhonsuooen,i sds ,tew aeht hiwiiwnsti h sibSit t heboahx ono a aIo knsin kn Cwi tniowneimtlrteileeel rlasder apetys ps pti( nt2pei n 0ieagn0 alge2 ltge)n o ten©do nds e Ctdesruat rensu drstad etulsu+entd/dnutiPseitdhe ssaios e,an,t s on d,f d e s t
rereseseaarcrhcheersr,s ,a as sw weFFelrrleel lann ascc shha alfifill ltll mmhtho aaosnensde dw cwciootinhtnht tae eanmmn pip nionotretraerarerryesy tcs citini nnien emg mgeaena.nd.deer rs tsutuddieies,s ,
French film and contemporary cinema.
FrFerennchch fi filmlm a anndd c oconntetemmppoorararyry c icnineemmIaSa.BN.-978-0-7190-7530-8
douglas keesey
DDoouuggllaass KKeeeesseeyy iiss PPrrooffeessssoorr ooff FFilimlm a anndd L Litieteraratuturer e
Douglas Keesey is Professor of Film and Literature
DDoouugglalasa asKt tK e CCeeaaeslleisiffeyooy rri snni siiPaa Pr oPProfooefllyesyststeoescorch hron nofi icfcF SiFSltimtlamat tae ean U ndUnd nLi viiLvteieetrersraisrtatiytutyurere
at California Polytechnic State University
aat tC Caalilfiofornrniaia P Poolylytetechchnnici cS Statatete U Unniviveersristiyty
frfornotn tc ocvoevre—r—
front cover—
AnAnAnenn Pneae rP Pialalrariulillladau uaddn adan nRddo RxRoaonxxaeann Mee eMMsqeesusqqiduuaiidd iaan iiSnne SxSe exIxs ICsIs oC Cmoomemdeeydwd yw(y2 w( 02(.m02020a0n)02c )2©h e)© sC©t eCar fuaCnrnfnaaoirvanlneo+lra+tns/il /Ptt+cyP hp/ohcProvoeohtsevtsoo.roecft—ofreo.e—usfsktetst
AAnnnen eP aPrairllialluadu da nadn dR oRxoaxnaen eM Meseqsuqiudiad ain i nS eSxe xIs I sC oCmomedeyd y( 2(020020)2 )© © C aCnaanla+l/+P/hPohtootfoefsetst
IISSBNB-N9-7987-80--07-179109-07-573503-08-8
ISIIBSSNBB-NN9--799877-880---007--177911099-007--577355033-008--88 ddoouuglgalsa sk ekeeseesyey
douglas keesey
ddoouuggllaass kkeeeesseeyy
www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk
www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk
www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk
wwwww.wm.manacnhcehsetestreurnuinveivresirtsyitpyrperses.scso.c.ou.kuk
Catherine Breillat
Keesey_00_Prelims.indd 1 4/11/08 10:04:44
French Film Directors
diana holmes and robert ingram series editors
dudley andrew series consultant
Auterism from Assayas to Ozon: five directors kate ince
Jean-Jacques Beineix phil powrie
Luc Besson susan hayward
Bertrand Blier sue harris
Robert Bresson keith reader
Leos Carax garin dowd and fergus daley
Claude Chabrol guy austin
Henri-Georges Clouzot christopher lloyd
Jean Cocteau james williams
Claire Denis martine beugnet
Marguerite Duras renate günther
Georges Franju kate ince
Jean-Luc Godard douglas morrey
Mathieu Kassovitz will higbee
Diane Kurys carrie tarr
Patrice Leconte lisa downing
Louis Malle hugo frey
Georges Méliès elizabeth ezra
François Ozon andrew asibong
Maurice Pialat marja warehime
Jean Renoir martin o’shaughnessy
Alain Resnais emma wilson
Eric Rohmer derek schilling
Coline Serreau brigitte rollet
André Téchiné bill marshall
François Truffaut diana holmes and robert ingram
Agnès Varda alison smith
Jean Vigo michael temple
Keesey_00_Prelims.indd 2 4/11/08 10:04:44
French Film Directors
French Film Directors
Catherine Breillat
Catherine Breillat
Douglas Keesey
Douglas Keesey
Manchester University Press
manchester and new york
dMisatnribchuteesdt eexrc Ulunsiivveelyrs init tyh eP ruessas by Palgrave Macmillan
manchester and new york
distributed exclusively in the usa by Palgrave Macmillan
Keesey_00_Prelims.indd 3 4/11/08 10:04:44
Keesey_00_Prelims.indd 3 4/11/08 10:04:44
Copyright © Douglas Keesey 2009
The right of Douglas Keesey to be identified as the author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Published by Manchester University Press
Altrincham Street, Manchester M1 7JA, UK
www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data is available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available
ISBN 978 0 7190 8562 8 paperback
First published by Manchester University Press in hardback 2009
This paperback edition first published 2014
The publisher has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for any external or
third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guarantee that any content
on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.
Contents
list of plates page vii
series editors’ foreword ix
acknowledgements xi
Introduction 1
1 Female virgins and the shaming gaze 11
2 sisters as one soul in two bodies 42
3 Masculine tenderness and macho violence 77
4 staging masochism, facing shame 105
Conclusion 150
filmography 162
select bibliography 167
index 173
Keesey_00_Prelims.indd 5 4/11/08 10:04:44
Keesey_00_Prelims.indd 6 4/11/08 10:04:44
List of plates
1 Une vraie jeune fille (1976) Charlotte Alexandra (Alice)
©Photofest page 72
2 Tapage nocturne (1979) Dominique Laffin (Solange),
Daniel Langlet (Bruel) ©Photofest 72
3 36 fillette (1987) Delphine Zentout (Lili) ©Circle Films/
Photofest 73
4 Romance (1999) Caroline Ducey (Marie), Sagamore Stévenin
(Paul) ©Trimark/Photofest 73
5 Romance (1999) François Berléand (Robert), Caroline Ducey
(Marie) ©Trimark/Photofest 74
6 A ma sœur! (Fat Girl) (2001) Anaïs Reboux (Anaïs) ©Canal+/
Photofest 74
7 A ma sœur! (Fat Girl) (2001) Anaïs Reboux (Anaïs), Roxane
Mesquida (Elena) ©Canal+/Photofest 75
8 Sex Is Comedy (2002) Grégoire Colin (l’acteur), Roxane
Mesquida (l’actrice) ©Canal+/Photofest 75
9 Une vieille maîtresse (2007) Asia Argento (Vellini) ©IFC Films/
Photofest 76
10 Catherine Breillat ©Photofest 76
Keesey_00_Prelims.indd 7 4/11/08 10:04:44
Keesey_00_Prelims.indd 8 4/11/08 10:04:44
Series editors’ foreword
To an anglophone audience, the combination of the words ‘French’ and
‘cinema’ evokes a particular kind of film: elegant and wordy, sexy but
serious – an image as dependent upon national stereotypes as is that of
the crudely commercial Hollywood blockbuster, which is not to say that
either image is without foundation. Over the past two decades, this gen-
eralised sense of a significant relationship between French identity and
film has been explored in scholarly books and articles, and has entered the
curriculum at university level and, in Britain, at A-level. The study of film
as art-form and (to a lesser extent) as industry, has become a popular and
widespread element of French Studies, and French cinema has acquired
an important place within Film Studies. Meanwhile, the growth in multi-
screen and ‘art-house’ cinemas, together with the development of the
video industry, has led to the greater availability of foreign-language films
to an English-speaking audience. Responding to these developments,
this series is designed for students and teachers seeking information and
accessible but rigorous critical study of French cinema, and for the enthu-
siastic filmgoer who wants to know more.
The adoption of a director-based approach raises questions about
auteurism. A series that categorises films not according to period or to
genre (for example), but to the person who directed them, runs the risk of
espousing a romantic view of film as the product of solitary inspiration.
On this model, the critic’s role might seem to be that of discovering con-
tinuities, revealing a necessarily coherent set of themes and motifs which
correspond to the particular genius of the individual. This is not our aim:
the auteur perspective on film, itself most clearly articulated in France in
the early 1950s, will be interrogated in certain volumes of the series, and,
throughout, the director will be treated as one highly significant element
in a complex process of film production and reception which includes
socio-economic and political determinants, the work of a large and highly
Keesey_00_Prelims.indd 9 4/11/08 10:04:44
