L'Hymne du MLF

L'Hymne du MLF

English: Anthem of the MLF
Movement anthem of the Women's Liberation Movement of France
Also known as	Debout les femmes (English: Stand up women)
Lyrics	collective, March 1971

"L'Hymne du MLF" (English: "Anthem of the MLF"), also known as "Debout les femmes", was written as the anthem of the Women's Liberation Movement (MLF) in France. It was created collectively in March 1971, during the second wave of French feminism, by militant feminist activists in Paris, during a meeting in preparation for a gathering on March 28, 1971, in the Square of Issy-les-Moulineaux, in memory and in honor of the women of the Paris Commune, marking its centennial.[1]

The anthem has been featured in:

• It is sung in the 2015 film La Belle Saison (English title: Summertime), which relates the beginnings of the MLF and the romantic relationship of two female characters who are inspired by two emblematic figures of the MLF, Delphine Seyrig and Carole Roussopoulos.[2]

• In November 2018, on the eve of marches across France observing International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, at the call of the #NousToutes Collective, the anthem was recorded by 39 female artists led by the duo Brigitte; among the performers are Olivia Ruiz, La Grande Sophie, Jennifer Ayache, Élodie Frégé, Agnès Jaoui and Barbara Carlotti.[3][4]

• The anthem was performed by a group of 600 women before the start of the match between Sweden and Chile at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, on June 11, 2019, at Roazhon Park in Rennes.[5][6]

• The 2021 French documentary Debout les femmes! (English title: Those Who Care) uses the anthem in its French title and the song is performed collectively in the last scene by the women whose lives are documented in the film.[7]

• The 2018 recording of the anthem is played during the closing credits of the 2021 French feminist film Flashback, where the credits identify it as "Debout les femmes".

References

1. "40 ans de MLF en chansons". Le Hall de la chanson (in French). Retrieved 19 May 2022.
2. Franck Nouchi (13 January 2016). "" La Belle Saison " : un fervent désir de libération". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 19 May 2022.
3. "L'hymne féministe du MLF, "Debout les femmes", repris par 39 musiciennes". L'Obs (in French). 23 November 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
4. Juliette Hochberg. "Brigitte et 37 chanteuses reprennent l'hymne du Mouvement de Libération des Femmes". Marie Claire (in French). Retrieved 19 May 2022.
5. "Rennes. L'hymne des femmes en 600 voix au Roazhon Park". Ouest-France (in French). 1 June 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
6. "Mondial 2019 : comment un hymne féministe a résonné dans le stade de Rennes". Le Parisien (in French). 12 June 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
7. Hortense de Montalivet (13 October 2021). ""Debout les femmes!", l'ode au féminisme de François Ruffin sur les métiers du lien". HuffPost (French edition). Retrieved 19 May 2022.