Daisies (Czech: Sedmikrásky) is a 1966 Czechoslovakian Surrealist dramatic comedy written and directed by Věra Chytilová regarded as a milestone of the Czechoslovak New Wave movement.
Originally planned as a satire of bourgeois decadence, the movie targets those attached to rules and was referred to by Chytilová as “a necrologue about a negative way of life”. Daisies also inverts the stereotypical ideas of women and redraws them to the heroines’ advantage. The film is considered critical of authoritarianism, communism and patriarchy, and it was banned from theaters or export in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. [quoted from Wikipedia entry]
These film stills are the first scene; those show Marie I and Marie II sitting in bathing suits. Creaking sounds accompany their movements and their conversation is robotic. They decide that, since the whole world is spoiled (or bad), they will be spoiled as well. [quoted from wikipedia]
Sunbathing at an outdoor pool, Marie I (brunette) and Marie II (blonde) come to the conclusion that the world is spoiled. It’s a short leap to deciding they are spoiled too, but “so what?”. From that moment on, they run riot. | src Berlinale 2023
This first scene can be watched in Youtube with English subtitles
A trailer of the film can be watched at IMdB
Other sites with information or analysis on this film are listed below:
Deutsche Kinemathek (x)
The Criterion collection (1) and (2)
European East Film Bulletin : EEFB-1 and eefb-2
Desire and Eroticism in Dictatorial Times (link to pdf)
un regard oblique 