Histoire infâme

“Mata Hari / Striptease Paris / Women's history / Scandal, scandal.” Based on a song by Louise Portal, this musical short film illustrates some aspects of women's history by combining fiction, archival footage, and visual effects. Founded in Quebec City in 1973 by Helen Doyle, Nicole Giguère and Hélène Roy, Vidéo Femmes was a pioneering collective in feminist filmmaking and video production in Canada. Through documentaries, fiction and experimental works, it amplified women's voices and explored their experiences, struggles and aspirations. For more than forty years, the collective helped launch the careers of numerous Quebec women filmmakers and played a major role in producing and promoting bold, independent and socially engaged cinema.