Film: Potiche (2011)

Director: François Ozon

Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini, Karin Viard, Jérémie Renier, Judith Godrèche

“Instead of getting hard ourselves and trying to compete, women should try and give their best qualities to men—bring them softness, teach them how to cry.”

Joan Baez

From Earth Mother to Political Saviour, 70s-Style

There are two time-chasms to cross in this film. The first is the jump between the pre-feminist bourgeois housewife and her liberated counterpart of the 70s, when this story was set; this is crossed by lead Suzanne as she changes with the times, only to become more fully herself. The second is that between the liberated woman of the 70s and the modern viewer. It’s crossed by you when begin to assess the freedoms we gained during that period, many of which we’ve since felt ourselves compelled to abandon. (continued . . .)