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{{Infobox film
| name           = Masculin Féminin
| image          = Masculinféminin.jpg
| caption        =
| director       = [[Jean-Luc Godard]]
| writer         = Jean-Luc Godard
| starring       = [[Jean-Pierre Léaud]]<br>[[Chantal Goya]]<br>[[Marlène Jobert]]<br>[[Michel Debord]]
| producer       = [[Anatole Dauman]]
| music          = [[Jean-Jacques Debout]]
| cinematography = Willy Kurant
| editing        = Agnès Guillemot
| studio         = Anouchka Films-Argos Films<br>Sandrews-Svenskfilmindustri
| distributor    = [[Columbia Films S.A.]]
| released       = {{Film date|1966|3|22|df=y}}
| runtime        = 103 minutes
| country        = France
| language       = [[French language|French]]
|gross = 427,430 admissions (France)<ref>[http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com.au&sl=fr&u=http://www.boxofficestory.com/box-office-brigitte-bardot-c22691591/31&usg=ALkJrhh6OvdBnvnjd5kOeVOnkgfxhma43w Box office information for film] at Box Office Story</ref>
}}
'''''Masculin Féminin''''' ({{lang-fr|Masculin féminin: 15 faits précis}}, {{IPA-fr|maskylɛ̃ feminɛ̃ kɛ̃z fe pʁesi|pron}}, "[[Masculine]] [[Feminine]]: 15 Specific Events") is a 1966 French film directed by [[Jean-Luc Godard]]. It stars [[Jean-Pierre Léaud]], [[Chantal Goya]], [[Marlène Jobert]], [[Catherine-Isabelle Duport]] and [[Michel Debord]].<ref>Deborah Cartmell - A Companion to Literature, Film and Adaptation 2012 "Avantgarde filmmaker JeanLuc Godard uses leaders in films like Masculin Féminin: 15 Faits Précis (1966) and Le ..."</ref>

''Masculin Féminin'' is a notable film within Godard's 1960s period of filmmaking, and is considered by critics as representative of 1960s France and Paris.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62995-2005Mar24.html |title=Eternally 'Masculine, Feminine'|author = Desson Thomson  |publisher=  [[Washington Post]] |date=March 25, 2005}}</ref> The film contains references to various pop culture icons and political figures around that time, such as [[Charles de Gaulle]] and [[André Malraux]] to [[James Bond]] and [[Bob Dylan]], and follows Godard's non-linear filmmaking techniques and narratives. The main story is, at times, interrupted by various sequences and sub-plots, including a scene paraphrased from [[Amiri Baraka|LeRoi Jones]]’ ''[[Dutchman (play)|Dutchman]]''. Arguably the most famous quotation from the film is "This film could be called The Children of [[Karl Marx|Marx]] and [[Coca-Cola]]", which is actually an intertitle between chapters.{{Citation needed|date=December 2015}}

==Plot==
The film stars [[Jean-Pierre Léaud]] as Paul, a romantic young idealist and literary lion-wannabe who chases budding pop star, Madeleine ([[Chantal Goya]], a real life [[Yé-yé]] girl). Despite markedly different musical tastes and political leanings, the two soon become romantically involved and begin a ''ménage à quatre'' with Madeleine's two roommates, Catherine ([[Catherine-Isabelle Duport]]) and Elisabeth ([[Marlène Jobert]]). The camera probes the young actors in a series of [[Cinéma vérité|vérité-style]] interviews about love, love-making, and politics.<ref>[[Pierre Billard|Billard, Pierre]]. ''Masculine Feminine: a film by Jean-Luc Godard''. New York: Grove Press, Inc.. 1969. SBN 68.22022. pp. 9-184.</ref>

==Cast==
* [[Jean-Pierre Léaud]] as Paul, a young idealist 
* [[Chantal Goya]] as Madeleine Zimmer, a young singer
* [[Marlène Jobert]] as Elisabeth Choquet, Madeleine's roommate
* [[Michel Debord]] as Robert Packard, a journalist
* [[Catherine-Isabelle Duport]] as Catherine-Isabelle
* [[Brigitte Bardot]] as herself (cameo)
* [[Antoine Bourseiller]] as himself (cameo)

==Background==
In 1965 Anatole Dauman, the head of Argos Films, wanted to re-edit and re-release [[Alexandre Astruc]]'s 1952 44 minute film ''[[The Crimson Curtain (1953 film)|The Crimson Curtain]]''. He decided that he also wanted another medium length film to accompany Astruc's film and offered the project to Godard, suggesting that Godard adapt [[Guy de Maupassant]]'s short story ''The Signal''. Godard had been interested in filming ''The Signal'' for several years and agreed to the project. Eventually Dauman suggested that Godard also adapt Maupassant's short story ''Paul's Mistress'' and secured the rights to both short stories. When filming began, Godard discarded both Maupassant short stories and Maupassant's publishers later agreed that the film was in no way an adaptation of the author's work. The only parts of either short stories that appear in the film is the fact that the main characters name is Paul and the "film within the film" that the main characters go to see at a movie theater was initially inspired by "The Signal".<ref>Billard. pp. 187.</ref>

Godard did not have a shooting script and instead relied on a hand written spiral notebook filled with ideas, sketches and dialogue written the night before.<ref>Billard. pp. 224.</ref> Godard was interested in working with singer Chantal Goya because she was neither a film or stage actress and was introduced to her by Daniel Filipacchi on November 7, 1965.<ref>Billard. pp. 229</ref><ref>Billard. pp. 234</ref> Shooting began on November 22, 1965. Godard used natural lighting and a minimal crew throughout the production.<ref>Billard. pp. 235.</ref>

==Reception==
Due to the portrayal of youth and sex, the film was prohibited to persons under 18 in France—"the very audience it was meant for," griped Godard.<ref name="Godard on Masculine Feminine">[http://www.rialtopictures.com/FTP/ZIP_masculine/GodardonMF.pdf Godard on "Masculine Feminine"]</ref>

Reviews were mixed in both France and in the U.S. [[Georges Sadoul]] praised the film's ability to speak to young people,<ref>Billard. pp. 250.</ref> while H. Chapier criticized the film but praised Leaud's performance.<ref>Billard. pp. 255.</ref> [[Tom Milne]] called it Godard's "most complex film to date."<ref>Billard. pp. 267.</ref> [[Pauline Kael]] said that it was "that rare achievement: a work of grace and beauty in a contemporary setting."<ref>Billard. pp. 280.</ref> [[Andrew Sarris]] called it "the film of the season."<ref>Billard. pp. 275.</ref> [[Judith Crist]] said that it had "flashes of original wit and contemporary perceptions."<ref>Billard. pp. 273.</ref> [[Bosley Crowther]] disliked the film and called it "entertainment of only the most loose and spotty sort."<ref>Billard. pp. 272.</ref> [[Gene Moskowitz]] called it "naive and knowing, irratating and engaging."<ref>Billard. pp. 270.</ref>

The film was selected for screening as part of the Cannes Classics section at the [[2016 Cannes Film Festival]].<ref name="Classics">{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/article/62136.html |title=Cannes Classics 2016 |accessdate=21 April 2016 |date=20 April 2016 |work=Cannes Film Festival}}</ref>

==Awards==
Jean-Pierre Léaud won the [[Silver Bear for Best Actor]] at the [[16th Berlin International Film Festival]].<ref name="berlinale 1966">{{cite web |url=http://www.berlinale.de/en/archiv/jahresarchive/1966/03_preistr_ger_1966/03_Preistraeger_1966.html |title=Berlinale 1966: Prize Winners |accessdate=2010-02-24 |work=berlinale.de}}</ref>

At the [[14th Berlin International Film Festival|Berlin Film Festival]] the film won an award for the year's best film for young people.<ref name="Godard on Masculine Feminine"/>

== See also ==
*[[List of French language films]]
*[[Yé-yé]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0060675|Masculin Féminin}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|masculine_feminine|Masculin Féminin}}
* {{Metacritic film|masculine-feminine-re-release|Masculin Féminin}}
* {{Amg movie|31670|Masculin Féminin}}
*{{cite web|last=Martin|first=Adrian|title=Masculin féminin: The Young Man for All Times|url=http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/384-masculin-feminin-the-young-man-for-all-times|publisher=Criterion Collection|accessdate=17 April 2012}}

{{Jean-Luc Godard}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masculin, feminin}}
[[Category:1966 films]]
[[Category:1960s drama films]]
[[Category:French black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Guy de Maupassant]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jean-Luc Godard]]
[[Category:French films]]
[[Category:Films produced by Anatole Dauman]]