The first feature from Barbet Schroeder, founder of Les Films du Losange, follows graduate Stefan (Klaus Grünberg) as he hitch-hikes from Germany to Paris on the first step of a voyage of self-discovery. Once there, he meets free-spirited American Estelle (Mimsy Farmer), and follows her to Ibiza. Exploring their hedonistic lifestyles to the limit leads to heroin addiction, eventually overcome by using LSD to wean themselves off the drug, allowing the couple to return to their explorations in pleasure. Very much a film of its time, there remain strong elements to the film, particularly Farmer’s brittle performance.

Director’s Note: This labyrinthine tale – a huge hit in Europe – was one of the first features to use a soundtrack by a contemporary rock group – Pink Floyd.

Directors’ Fortnight, Cannes 1969

This film is screening as part Les Films du Losange 50th Anniversary programme. This programme consists of three parts: Part One is showing in October, Part Two concerns the work of Éric Rohmer while Part Three (which includes this screening) will run as a strand of 2012 IFI French Film Festival.