Onsite
FRA | 1951 | 88 mins | dir. Jacqueline Audry, with Edwige Feuillère, Simone Simon and Marie-Claire Olivia | cert. tbc | in French with EN subs | 4K restoration
Based on a novel by Dorothy Bussy, Olivia is a fascinating study of love and repression by Jacqueline Audry, a director who has long been hiding in plain sight. Set in late-19th century France, Olivia depicts an all-girls boarding school run by two competitive headmistresses Miss Julie (Edwige Feuillère) and Miss Cara (Simone Simon). Tensions unravel when new student Olivia arrives... A powerfully complex film that resonates even today.
Both screenings will be preceded by a pre-recorded introduction by Professor Ginette Vincendeau (King’s College London).
See also the screening of Olivia on 23 May