Valérie

Valérie is a 1969 black-and-white Canadian film directed by Denis Héroux. It was the first Quebec film to show nudity. It turned an unprecedented gross of $1.68 million, making it the highest-grossing Canadian film of its time.[1]

Danielle Ouimet upon leaving a convent with the leader of a motorcycle gang, discovers the hippie culture of Montreal and turns to prostitution. This improbable storyline, made famous by the frank display of nudity and sexuality, came from a culture that was still labouring under a strong sense of Catholic guilt. It was the first of a group of films known as maple-syrup porn.[1]

Valérie was filmed in August and September 1968, with a budget of $99,000 (equivalent to $745,660 in 2021).[2]

The film was released in Montreal on 2 May 1969, by Cinépix, the producer and distributor.[2] It was the highest-grossing of all-time in Canada with a gross of $1,684,000[3] and earned $2 million (equivalent to $14,375,635 in 2021) after being shown in forty countries.[4] It was the most attended Quebec film since Little Aurore's Tragedy.[4] The film was seen by 153,734 people in France.[5]