Watch trailer for Olivia
Watch trailer
Olivia
Director: Jacqueline Audry Run Time: 94 min. Format: DCP Rating: NR Release Year: 1951 Language: French with English subtitles
Starring: Edwige Feuillère, Simone Simon, Yvonne de Bray, Suzanne Dehelly, Marie-Claire Olivia, Marina de Berg
Neglected for almost 70 years, Olivia is a remarkable work by one of France’s groundbreaking female filmmakers, Jacqueline Audry. It is set in a 19th century boarding school for girls, a space somewhat reminiscent of Hitchcock’s Rebecca. While not addressing lesbianism directly, it is the story of the two mistresses of the house, their competition for the affections of their students, and the students’ discovery of the dangerous game of love and attraction.