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Speakers): Natalie Deam

Punning off the phrase “belle de nuit” meaning “woman of the night,” Buñuel’s hit surrealist film Belle de Jour depicts the fantasy-driven relationship of a young wife, Séverine (Catherine Deneuve), who prostitutes herself in the afternoons while her husband, Pierre, (Jean Sorel) is at work. The film recounts Sévérine’s descent into the lifestyle of the brothel, which somehow seems to strengthen her marriage at home—at least until the boundaries between night and day and fantasy and reality become mixed. Known for its sadomasochistic themes, vivid colors, and Buñuel's classic surrealist aesthetic, Belle de Jour is Buñuel’s most popular surrealist work.