| Native Name: | |
| Director: | Patrick Bokanowski |
| Producer: | Patrick Bokanowski |
| Cinematography: | Daniel Bard |
| Music: | Michèle Bokanowski |
| Studio: | Kira B.M. Films |
| Runtime: | 18 minutes |
| Country: | France |
| Language: | French |
The Woman Who Powders Herself (French: La Femme qui se poudre) is a 1972 French black-and-white experimental horror short film written, produced, and directed by Patrick Bokanowski. The short film, which contains no dialogue, follows a cast of masked figures (similar to those of Bokanowski's later 1982 feature film L'Ange) engaging in a series of outlandish acts.[1]
A group of uncanny figures wearing crude, disfigured masks are portrayed occupying themselves with a variety of unconnected tasks, set to an unsettling film score. One of the figures is seen removing pieces of cloth from a well whilst a scarecrow mocks them. Another—the titular character—applies makeup to her "face" as she prepares to go out with an accompanying figure. A figure exits their house and wanders a vast wasteland as an arabesque song plays, encountering an ancient Egyptian style sphinx statue. Two figures accompany each other, one lying on their deathbed. A physical altercation occurs between a gathering of figures at a dinner table.
The short film's original 35 mm print was purchased by the Centre Pompidou in 1993, and is currently stored in Level 4 of its Musée National d'Art Moderne.[2]