Synopsis: The porcelain perfection of Catherine Deneuve (Repulsion) hides a cracked interior in the actress’s most iconic role: Séverine, a chilly Paris housewife by night, a bordello prostitute by day. This surreal and erotic late-sixties daydream from provocateur for the ages Luis Buñuel (Viridiana) is an examination of desire and fetishistic pleasure (its characters’ and its viewers’), as well as a gently absurdist take on contemporary social mores and class divisions. Fantasy and reality commingle in this burst of cinematic transgression, which was one of Buñuel’s biggest hits.

Language: French

Country of Origin: France

Production Year: 1967

Reviews:

• "Perhaps the best erotic film of modern times.", Roger Ebert
• "A masterpiece... Regards Denueve as the goddess of light she really was.", Michael Atkinson, The Village Voice

Awards:

• 1967: Winner, Golden Lion, Venice Film Festival