Happening / L’événement

An adaptation of Annie Ernaux’s novel of the same name, looking back on her experience with abortion when it was still illegal in France in the 1960s.

This is the story of Anne, a young woman who decides to abort to finish her studies and escape the social constraints of a working-class family. France in 1963: a society that censures women’s desires. And sex in general. This simple but cruel story follows the itinerary of a woman who decides to go against the law. Anne has only a little time before her. Her exams are just around the corner, and her baby bump is growing fast.

Audrey Diwan’s Happening (2021) won the Golden Lion at the 2021 Venice Film Festival and the César Award for Most Promising Actress for Anamaria Vartolomei.

Part of Women Shaping the World, The Institut français addresses the issues and perspectives on women’s rights through a series of events, film screenings and discussions with and about women shaping the world.