BEAUTY OF THE DAY - lecture by Prof. Marek Hendrykowski before the film

“Beauty of the Day” (Belle de jour) Directed by Luis Buñuel France, Italy, 1967, 101 minutes

Adapting a novel by a famous French writer, Buñuel attempted to transfer the action to modern times — in the late 1960s, Severine, the young and beautiful wife of a retired doctor, is haunted by nightmares and sadomasochistic dreams. He accidentally finds out about a female escort visiting a brothel. From this moment, not without initial hesitations, the heroine as “Beauty of the Day” begins a double life. She becomes embroiled in a strange romance leading to a tragic finale. Buñuel is looking for an answer to the question about the authenticity and freedom of the individual and the reaction to the taboos imposed on him. Scenes of nightmares and erotic dreams are among the most expressive in the work of the Spanish master. Deneuve brilliantly portrays the character of a perverse, unsettling woman who exudes outwardly shy charm and fascinating beauty.