La Vie revee
(Dream Life)
Year: 1972
Language: French
Format: 35mm Colour
Runtime: 90 min
Director:
Mireille Dansereau
Producer:
Guy Bergeron
Writer:
Patrick Auzépy,
Mireille Dansereau
Cinematographer:
François Gill
Sound:
Claude Beaugrand,
Hugues Mignault,
Jean Rival
Music:
Emmanuel Charpentier
Cast:
Véronique Le Flaguais,
Marc Messier,
Guy Foucault,
Jean-François Guité,
Liliane Lemaître-Auger
Production Company:
Association Coopérative des Productions Audio-visuelles
La vie rêvée, the first fictional feature to be directed by a woman in Quebec, offers a refreshing perspective on the politics of liberation.
Two young women in their early twenties, Isabelle (Lemaître�€'Auger) and Virginie (Le Flaguais), work for a film company. Although their attitudes and behaviours seem modern and emancipated, they are obsessed with finding the ideal man.
As they become increasingly aware of their oppression and marginalization within the media and Quebec society, both women realize they must fight for respect and recognition. Though not overtly argumentative about feminism (there are lots of jokes and parodies), La vie rêvée is a thoughtful exploration of freedom, sexuality, friendship and, not least, the overwhelming power of imagery. The film cleverly mixes cinematic styles — from direct cinema to lush fantasy tableaux.
Dansereau's first feature was a considerable critical and popular success.