Belle de Jour

Plot

Beautiful young housewife Séverine Serizy cannot reconcile her masochistic fantasies with her everyday life alongside dutiful husband Pierre. When her lovestruck friend Henri mentions a secretive high-class brothel run by Madame Anais, Séverine begins to work there during the day under the name Belle de Jour. But when one of her clients grows possessive, she must try to go back to her normal life.

Why watch

Séverine Serizy, a beautiful young housewife, finds herself torn between her mundane domestic life and her hidden masochistic fantasies. As she explores her desires in a high-class brothel under the alias Belle de Jour, the boundaries of her reality begin to blur. Watching this film is like stepping into a dream where the familiar becomes unsettling, and the exploration of identity and desire unfolds in a hauntingly beautiful manner.

Talking points

• the nature of desire
• the intersection of fantasy and reality
• societal norms surrounding sexuality
• the role of women in 1960s cinema

Cultural context

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