Disobedient Video: French Women's Collectives in the 1970s

In Afterall Journal 48, published on 13 May 2011, Stéphanie Jeanjean analyzes the militant video production of French feminist collectives in the 1970s, emphasizing their political activism and the use of portable technology. This work draws parallels to the Yellow Vests movement's social media efforts to record instances of police brutality. Pioneering video as a means of resistance, women in France, including Carole Roussopoulos—who acquired the nation’s first video camera in 1969—helped establish the collective Les Insoumuses. They created significant pieces such as 'Maso et Miso vont en bateau' (1976), which challenged sexism. Roussopoulos also captured the LIP watch factory strikes (1973-1976), highlighting the struggles of female workers and the intersections of class and gender. The essay highlights video’s low cost, spontaneity, and the influence of the MLF.