Response VI- Cleo from 5 to 7

The most interesting aspect of "Cleo From 5 to 7" is most certainly the fact that it was directed the only female French New Wave director: Agnes Varda. The day we watched this film, I arrived a few minutes late and was unaware that this film was directed by a female. As the film progressed, it became evident to me that " Cleo From 5 to 7" was made by a woman. After watching this film, it becomes very clear that the gender dynamics are very different when compared to those in other French New Wave films. The other French New wave films that I have seen so far are not necessarily misogynistic, but they also are not particularly friendly in their portrayal of women. Two things really captured my attention in this film: the fact that the main character is a woman, and woman are shown doing things they did not normally do during that time period.


This film is centered around Cleo, a French singer who is diagnosed with cancer. In every French New Wave film that I have watched up until this point, men have been the main characters. Don't get me wrong, women have been main characters as well, but it is very rare that one would see just one woman as the main character.


In New Wave French films, one would not normally see women driving. Many scenes in this film take place in a car, and if I can recall correctly, only one man was ever shown driving. Women were usually the ones doing the driving in " Cleo From 5 to 7." One of Cleo's friends makes reference to women driving in this film. After Cleo's friend finishes posing nude for sculptors, she and Cleo go to her car and she beings talking about getting her driver's licence. Although the gender dynamics in this film are clearly different, I don't think I would necessarily say that this film empowers women. The only reason why I say this is because the female main character is portrayed as a stereotypical women: selfish, oblivious, naive, and helpless. Anyone who knows women would agree that women are generally not like Cleo. Therefore, one could also argue that this film also portrays women negatively.


This film greatly emphasizes the French crises in Algeria that took place during the 1950's. In the film, radios and televisions give news about it and people constantly talk about. There is one scene that takes place in a local bar and Cleo selects one of her owns songs from the jukebox. She does this to see what the people think of her. She is disappointed when she notices nobody paying attention to her song; however, she fails to notice herself that people are concerned with more important matters such as the crises in Algeria. Cleo proves to be oblivious to what is going on beyond her own life and exhibits a great deal of selfishness by caring about only herself and her own image. With that in mind, one can say that Varda may be portraying women stereotypically as oppose to the way they really are.

The fact that women are contradictively portrayed negatively and positively in this film may be Varda's way of commenting on the image of women at this time. The 20th century was a century of growth for women's rights. Of course, back in the 1950's women did not have the same rights that they do today; however, although they were not yet totally equal to men, by the 50's women were well on their way to equality. The fifties were are sort of in between point for the women's movement; therefore, it is appropriate that Varda did not portray too negatively, nor too positive. One can say that she stayed "in between" with her portrayal of women.

I really enjoyed this film. In addition to being entertaining, I feel that this film provides a great deal of material for discussion.