One Sings, the Other Doesn't

"You are not born a woman… you become one."

1977 2h 2m FR

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 125

DramaMusic

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The intertwined lives of two women in 1970s France, set against the progress of the women's movement in which Agnes Varda was involved. Pomme and Suzanne meet when Pomme helps Suzanne obtain an abortion after a third pregnancy which she cannot afford. They lose contact but meet again ten years later. Pomme has become an unconventional singer, Suzanne a serious community worker - despite the contrast they remain friends and share in the various dramas of each others' lives, in the process affirming their different female identities.

“You are not born a woman… you become one.”

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Cast

Thérèse Liotard
Suzanne
Valérie Mairesse
Pauline aka Pomme
Robert Dadiès
Jérôme
Mona Mairesse
Pomme's Mother
Francis Lemaire
Pomme's Father
François Courbin
Mathieu (9 months)
Salomé Wimille
Marie (3 years)
Nicole Clément
Philosophy Teacher

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Agnès Varda
Writers: Agnès Varda
Languages: French, English, Dutch, Persian
Countries: France, Belgium, Netherlands Antilles

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

49 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: French, English, Dutch, Persian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: France, Belgium, Netherlands Antilles.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Agnès Varda, shot by Charles Van Damme. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by François Wertheimer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Joële Van Effenterre shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Thérèse Liotard and Valérie Mairesse and Robert Dadiès carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "You are not born a woman… you become one.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Agnès Varda directs. Charles Van Damme behind the camera. François Wertheimer scores. Joële Van Effenterre cuts. Produced in France, Belgium, Netherlands Antilles. Dialogue in French, English, Dutch, Persian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

149 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 4 languages: French, English, Dutch, Persian.
3International production across 3 countries: France, Belgium, Netherlands Antilles.
4Directed by Agnès Varda, shot by Charles Van Damme. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by François Wertheimer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Joële Van Effenterre shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Thérèse Liotard and Valérie Mairesse and Robert Dadiès carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "You are not born a woman… you become one.".
9IMDB entry: tt0076855 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.