In the 1920s, French cinema was divided. While the kings of the mainstream like Raymond Bernard and Abel Hans staged sweeping historical paintings (The Miracle of Wolves, Napoleon), avant-garde directors explored new possibilities of cinema and showed their low-budget experimental films in small salons. Among them were Rene Claire (Intermission), Alberto Cavalcanti (Only Time), Henri Chaumette (Five Minutes of Pure Cinema), as well as artists Man Ray (Return to Reason), Marcel Duchamp (Anemic Cinema) and Fernand Leger (Mechanical Ballet). Germaine Dulac became one of the pioneers of the movement - with her film Smiling Madame Bede (1923), the French avant-garde begian it's countdown.
Germaine Dulac began her career as a journalist: she wrote articles for the feminist magazines 'La Fronde' and 'La Française', and then also led a journalistic chronicle. Over time, she became interested in cinematography, in 1915, together with her husband, she founded the Delia Film film company and shot several uncomplicated films for it, designed for a wide audience. Dulac gained her first recognition thanks to the serial drama Souls of Madmen (1918), but her artistic achievements began in earnest with a film based on a script by Louis Delluc Spanish Holiday (1920) and the painting Smiling Madame Bede (1923). The last one brought her international fame. And although this film was already considered an avant-garde, it still contains elements of a narrative that the avant-gardists tried to reject - Dulac took the play as the basis for the plot. For some time after Madame Bede, Dulac continued to make audience films, but her work in the field of commerce caused her more and more resistance, so at some point the director completely went into experiments.
In 1927, she filmed three lines from a poem by Baudelaire in 'Invitation to Travel', a year later she staged her most famous experimental film The Seashell and the Clergyman based on the script of the French play-writer Antonin Artaud, and then shot several films in which she turned the cinema image into a visual analogue of music - so Disc 927 based on Chopin's works, Cinematographic etude on the theme of Arabesque and Theme and Variations based on Debussy's works appeared on the screen.
In the early 1930s, when films became sound, there was a strong focus on the plot in cinema. This meant that the time of the French avant-garde, which was built on the denial of narrative, had passed. At the same time, Germaine Dulac's directorial career ended. She stopped filming on her own and spent the rest of her life producing newsreels for the French studios Pathé and Gaumont.
Key Contributions of Germaine Dulac:
Pioneering Avant-Garde Filmmaker: Dulac emerged in the 1920s, a time when the avant-garde movement was exploring new narrative forms, visual aesthetics, and experimental techniques. She is often associated with the surrealist and impressionist strands of avant-garde cinema.
Innovative Techniques: Dulac was known for her use of unconventional techniques, such as nonlinear storytelling, superimposition, and visual metaphor. Her films often blurred the lines between reality and fantasy, focusing on perception and emotional experience rather than traditional plot structures.
Notable Works: La Souriante Madame Beudet (1923): One of her key works, this film is a psychological drama that explores the life of a woman trapped in a stifling marriage. The film uses dreamlike sequences and innovative editing techniques to convey the protagonist's inner turmoil, marking a departure from traditional narratives.
The Seashell and the Clergyman (1928): This film is considered one of the first surrealist films. It is notable for its dreamlike imagery and fragmented structure, exploring themes of desire and repression. The film, which was co-written by surrealist poet Antonin Artaud, embodies the avant-garde movement's interest in the unconscious.
Feminist Perspective: Dulac's work often highlighted the struggles and experiences of women, providing a feminist perspective in a predominantly male-centric film industry. Her films challenged traditional gender roles and addressed themes of female autonomy and desires.
Role in the French Avant-Garde Movement: Germaine Dulac was part of a broader cultural and artistic context that included artists, writers, and filmmakers who sought to challenge societal norms and explore new forms of expression. She collaborated with other avant-garde figures, contributing to the development of a unique cinematic language.
Legacy: Although Dulac's work was sometimes overshadowed by her male contemporaries, her contributions to avant-garde cinema are increasingly recognized today. Film scholars and historians have acknowledged her as a crucial figure in early cinema, and her films continue to be studied for their innovative approaches to narrative and form.
Influence on Future Generations: Dulac's exploration of visual poetry, psychological depth, and women's experiences paved the way for future filmmakers, particularly women in cinema. Her legacy is seen in the works of later filmmakers who continue to experiment with narrative and visual style.
Germaine Dulac played a vital role in the French avant-garde movement, using her films to explore complex emotional landscapes, challenge societal norms, and innovate cinematic techniques. Today, her work is celebrated for its artistic merit and pioneering spirit, making her a significant figure in the history of cinema and a source of inspiration for future generations of filmmakers.
