Sapphism on Screen : Lesbian Desire in French and Francophone Cinema

This book sets out to investigate and theorise mediations of lesbian desire in a substantial corpus of films (spanning the period 1936-2002) by male and female directors working in France and also in French-speaking parts of Belgium, Canada, Switzerland and Africa. The corpus is unique in never before having been assembled, and represents a valuable tool not just for researchers but also for university teachers creating courses both on lesbianism in film and on sexuality in French cinema. A fair number of the 89 texts treated are mainstream films which have achieved high critical acclaim and/or high viewing figures: to cite just a few examples, Henri-Georges Clouzot’s __Quai des orfèvres__ (1947), Louis Malle’s __Milou en mai__ (1989), Claude Chabrol’s __La Cérémonie__ (1995), André Téchiné’s __Les Voleurs__ (1995), and François Ozon’s __Huit femmes__ (2001). As such, they have contributed to hegemonic constructions of and debate on (female) homosexuality, in a century wherein sexed/ gendered identity, including sexual orientation, has become a preeminent factor in the constitution of subjectivity. While such constructions and debate have a French-language specificity, and have been produced in distinct socio-political and cultural contexts, this study also engages in analytical comparisons with relevant anglophone films and their own distinct discursive contexts." GBS_insertPreviewButtonPopup('ISBN:9780748621651);This book sets out to investigate and theorise mediations of lesbian desire in a substantial corpus of films (spanning the period 1936-2002) by male and female directors working in France and also in French-speaking parts of Belgium, Canada, Switzerland and Africa. The corpus is unique in never before having been assembled, and represents a valuable tool not just for researchers but also for university teachers creating courses both on lesbianism in film and on sexuality in French cinema. A fair number of the 89 texts treated are mainstream films which have achieved high critical acclaim and/or high viewing figures: to cite just a few examples, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Quai des orfèvres (1947), Louis Malle's Milou en mai (1989), Claude Chabrol's La Cérémonie (1995), André Téchiné's Les Voleurs (1995), and François Ozon's Huit femmes (2001). As such, they have contributed to hegemonic constructions of and debate on (female) homosexuality, in a century wherein sexed/ gendered identity, including sexual orientation, has become a preeminent factor in the constitution of subjectivity. While such constructions and debate have a French-language specificity, and have been produced in distinct socio-political and cultural contexts, this study also engages in analytical comparisons with relevant anglophone films and their own distinct discursive contexts." This book sets out to investigate and theorise mediations of lesbian desire in a substantial corpus of films (spanning the period 1936-2002) by male and female directors working in France and also in French-speaking parts of Belgium, Canada, Switzerland and Africa. The corpus is unique in never before having been assembled, and represents a valuable tool not just for researchers but also for university teachers creating courses both on lesbianism in film and on sexuality in French cinema. A fair number of the 89 texts treated are mainstream films which have achieved high critical acclaim and/or high viewing figures: to cite just a few examples, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Quai des orf÷vres (1947), Louis Malle's Milou en mai (1989), Claude Chabrol's La CÃ♭rÃ♭monie (1995), AndrÃ♭ TÃ♭chinÃ♭'s Les Voleurs (1995), and FranÃʹois Ozon's Huit femmes (2001). As such, they have contributed to hegemonic constructions of and debate on (female) homosexuality, in a century wherein sexed/ gendered identity, including sexual orientation, has become a preeminent factor in the constitution of subjectivity. While such constructions and debate have a French-language specificity, and have been produced in distinct socio-political and cultural contexts, this study also engages in analytical comparisons with relevant anglophone films and their own distinct discursive contexts This book sets out to investigate and theorise mediations of lesbian desire in a substantial corpus of films (spanning the period 1936-2002) by male and female directors working in France and also in French-speaking parts of Belgium, Canada, Switzerland and Africa. The corpus is unique and represents a valuable tool. A fair number of the eighty-nine texts treated are mainstream films that have achieved high critical acclaim and/or high viewing figures: to cite just a few examples, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Quai des orfevres (1947), Louis Malle's Milou en mai (1989), Claude Chabrol's La Ceremonie (1995), Andre Techine's Les Voleurs (1995) and Francois Ozon's Huit femmes (2001). As such, they have contributed to hegemonic constructions of and debate on (female) homosexuality, in a century wherein sexed/ gendered identity, including sexual orientation, has become a preeminent factor in the constitution of subjectivity. While such constructions and debate have a French-language specificity, and have been produced in distinct socio-political and cultural contexts, this study also engages in analytical comparisons with relevant anglophone films and their own distinct discursive contexts Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 7 Author’s Note......Page 8 Illustrations......Page 9 CHAPTER ONE Lesbian Desire in Film: Coming to Terms......Page 10 CHAPTER TWO Bad Girls: Criminality......Page 28 CHAPTER THREE Mad Girls: Pathology......Page 61 CHAPTER FOUR Girls on the Edge: Liminality......Page 100 CHAPTER FIVE Girls on Top: Sapphology......Page 159 CHAPTER SIX Conclusion......Page 200 Annotated Filmography......Page 207 Bibliography......Page 219 Index......Page 224 This Title Sets Out To Investigate And Theorise Mediations Of Lesbian Desire In A Substantial Corpus Of Films, Spanning The Period 1936-2002, By Male And Female Directors Working In France And Also In French-speaking Parts Of Belgium, Canada Switzerland And Africa. Lucille Cairns. Filmography: P. 198-209. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 210-214) And Index.