Feminism is addressed and actively promoted in modern films, and this was the case in movies in the 20th century. For example, Cleo from 5 to 7 is an effective film that describes a woman who awaits her biopsy results and reconsiders her role in society over a short period of time (Varda, 1962). Many specific examples from the selected movie allow for stipulating that feminism is a central aspect of it.
Firstly, the film is feminist because it reveals that women can suffer from objectification. The protagonist, Cleo (Corinne Marchand), is a beautiful and sexy woman, which makes her attractive to others. Furthermore, she is a celebrity, and her pop songs are rather successful. Even though these features are considered positive, Cleo suffers from them because she cannot freely deviate from the developed image. This description demonstrates that the main character is forced to satisfy expectations even if she does not want to do it.
Secondly, the film discloses another feminist problem that is associated with Cleo’s illness. In particular, Cleo’s maid, Angela (Dominique Davray), states that Cleo should not disclose her potential diagnosis to her lover because men typically do not like it. That is why the film demonstrates that women are forced to stay reserved to be loved, but one should acknowledge that this strategy is not productive because it leads to intense inner emotion.
Thirdly, it is worth stating that Cleo has experienced a pivotal change in the film. In the beginning, she was a victim of popular feminist clichés because she claimed to be more vivid than others because she was beautiful. Cleo overemphasized her external beauty and insisted that ugliness was a kind of death. However, as the film progresses, the character understands that physical beauty is a fragile concept and that nobody loves her. It seems that the given moment was depicted to demonstrate that women cannot only be judged according to their appearance. Every woman has a rich internal world with many emotions and concerns, and the film helps the audience understand it.
Thus, numerous examples from the film reveal that Cleo from 5 to 7 focuses on feminist issues. Agnès Varda shows that even if a woman has physical beauty, it does not guarantee that she lives a happy and careless life. Objectification of women is a harmful phenomenon that diminishes females’ personalities, feelings, and intentions. Simultaneously, it is not a good choice to stay concerned with satisfying the expectations of others because this approach can lead to negative consequences. Cleo from 5 to 7 promotes these concepts and is deservedly considered a feminist film.
References
Varda, A. (1962). Cleo from 5 to 7. Athos Films & Ciné-Tamaris.