The Dryden will screen Le Bonheur (Agnès Varda, France 1965, 79 min., 35mm, French w/subtitles).

Inspired by Jean Renoir's Picnic in the Grass and, like it, by the pastoral paintings of French Impressionists, Le Bonheur is a wry social satire that subtly questions the ideal of the modern, happy family. In a deceptively cheery color palette, Varda depicts a handsome young carpenter (Jean-Claude Drouot) living contentedly with his wife and children (portrayed by Drouot's actual family), until he meets a pretty young clerk and the two begin an equally satisfying affair. But can these arrangements fulfill all involved? One of Varda's most provocative works, the film examines contemporary notions of happiness (le bonheur) and the politics of private life, anticipating the second wave of feminism.

[source: George Eastman Museum website, 2016-Feb-1]