Be Pretty and Shut Up!

Delphine Seyrig's documentary consists of interviews with some twenty-three women working as actresses in the film industry. All are asked the same questions: what roles are offered, how they are treated on set, how far they can take part in decisions. The strength lies in repetition. Women from different countries, generations and positions describe almost the same things, and that repetition turns individually recounted incidents from bad luck into a structure. The film was shot in 1976 and only shown in 1981. Seyrig was known as an actress and made this work with Carole Roussopoulos and Ioana Wieder. The title is taken from a film of the fifties and is a direct mockery. The documentary was long unavailable and was later restored. Who it's for: those interested in feminist film history and the film industry. Who it's not for: viewers expecting formal variety; the film consists of talking heads throughout.