Visualizing Bodies: Abortion and Embodiment in the Works of Varda, Sciamma, and Diwan
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McGrail, Elayne
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Abstract
This thesis explores the unique portrayal of abortion in French-language cinema, specifically focusing on three films: L'une chante, l'autre pas (1977) by Agnès Varda, Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019) by Céline Sciamma, and L'événement (2021) by Audrey Diwan. The thesis investigates how these films depict the embodied female experience, emphasizing the physicality and emotional complexity of abortion as well as the sense of isolation that accompanies the possession of a female body. Varda's hybrid documentary/narrative film is noted for its revolutionary portrayal of women’s resilience and agency, Sciamma’s work challenges traditional gender dynamics through the emphasis of a mutual gaze and of artistic expression, and Diwan’s film provides a raw and intimate look at the desperation and isolation associated with illegal abortion in 1960s France. Through an in-depth analysis of each of these films I argue that the collective choice to discuss and/or depict abortion on screen challenges traditional representations of women in cinema and nominates these films as advocates for greater visibility and understanding of women’s bodily autonomy.
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2024-07-28
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