Valérie


Valérie is a 1969 black-and-white Canadian film starring Danielle Ouimet, who plays Valérie, and Guy Godin. It was the first Quebec film to show nudity. It turned an unprecedented gross of $1.68 million, making it the highest-grossing Canadian film of its time.

Plot summary

Valérie is the story of a comely young woman, Danielle Ouimet, who, upon leaving a convent with the leader of a motorcycle gang, discovers the hippie culture of Montreal and turns to prostitution. This improbable storyline, made famous by the frank display of nudity and sexuality, came from a culture that was still labouring under a strong sense of Catholic guilt. It was the first of a group of films known as maple-syrup porn.

Reception

The film was the highest-grossing of all-time in Canada with a gross of $1,684,000. It was followed by L'Initiation in 1970.