In 1949, philosopher and novelist Simone de Beauvoir wrote the groundbreaking The Second Sex, launching a disruptive discourse on women’s oppression and second-class citizenship. This film dissects the origins and relevance of this bible of feminism, charting de Beauvoir’s fact-finding journey across the US to research her book. The timely and fascinating film honors de Beauvoir’s brilliance and limitations, connecting her revolutionary ideas to the pressing issues women face today.

Genres

Cast

Noémie Merlant

Narrator

Simone de Beauvoir

Self (archive footage)

Laure Murat

Self

Judith Butler

Self

Françoise Vergès

Self