The Young Girls Of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -... [exclusive] -

: It positions the film not as a "light" musical, but as a complex study of human desire and urban space.

: A 1993 documentary by Agnès Varda (Demy's widow) capturing the town’s anniversary celebrations. Behind the Screen : A 1966 episode showing rare behind-the-scenes footage of the production. Archival Interviews

The Criterion release is packed with supplemental material that dives deep into the film's production and legacy: The Young Girls Turn 25

The Criterion Collection edition is the definitive way to experience the film. Key features usually included in their releases are:

No discussion of Rochefort is complete without Michel Legrand’s magnum opus. Where Cherbourg borrowed from Puccini, Rochefort swings with the brassiness of Stan Getz and the lyricism of French chanson. The songs are deceptively simple—“Chanson des Jumelles” (“Song of the Twins”) opens as a nursery rhyme before modulating into a complex round. “À Chacun Son Histoire” (“To Each His Story”) delivers existentialist philosophy in waltz time. The Young Girls of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -...

, and extensive interviews highlighting its blend of technicolor joy and wistful romantic connections. Explore the full release details at The Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more The Young Girls Turn 25 - The Criterion Channel

Fresh off West Side Story , he brings incredible choreography energy to the role of Étienne.

The between sisters Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac

Jacques Demy was a passionate admirer of American musicals, particularly those starring Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. The Young Girls of Rochefort was his chance to create an original French musical that matched the scale and ambition of Hollywood’s Golden Age. : It positions the film not as a

Demy smuggles serious themes beneath the pastel surface. The film touches upon a gruesome local murder trial, the loneliness of single motherhood, and the anxiety of artistic stagnation. By wrapping these anxieties in bright colors and joyful choreography, Demy argues that art, dance, and love are the ultimate acts of resistance against a mundane or cruel world.

: An episode from a 1966 Belgian television series documenting the making of the film, including behind-the-scenes footage of choreography and sets.

Through its definitive Criterion Collection edition, viewers can fully appreciate how Demy, alongside composer Michel Legrand, transformed a quiet French military port into a pastel-hued dreamscape of missed connections and destined love. The Plot: A Pastel Grid of Missed Connections

While Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) is famous for its tragic, rain-soaked romance, its follow-up, The Young Girls of Rochefort ( Les Demoiselles de Rochefort ), is a celebration of life, color, and boundless optimism. Released in 1967 and now preserved in stunning high-definition by the Criterion Collection, this film is widely considered one of the greatest movie musicals ever made—and arguably the quintessential "French New Wave Musical." Archival Interviews The Criterion release is packed with

The Criterion Collection edition of The Young Girls of Rochefort is an essential addition to any cinephile's shelf. It captures a fleeting moment in cinema history where Hollywood glamour perfectly synchronized with French artistic freedom. It is a celluloid antidepressant—a film that acknowledges the melancholy of life but chooses, defiantly, to dance anyway. To help you get the most out of this cinematic masterpiece,

It includes Agnès Varda’s 1993 documentary The Young Girls Turn 25 , which captures the town of Rochefort reuniting to celebrate the film's legacy, proving how deeply the production impacted the local community. Why It Matters Today

The sparkling chemistry between Deneuve and Dorléac is incredibly moving, made poignant by the knowledge that Dorléac died in a car accident shortly after the film's release.

, providing deep analysis of the film’s "musical logic" and its place in French cinema. Film Significance