In “Summertime,” Catherine Corsini gives us a love story about two women in Paris and the French countryside at the dawn of the feminist movement in the early 1970s. These women are forging a relationship with each other as well as the world around them with newfound attitudes and beliefs about how women should be treated.

Women and Hollywood spoke with Corsini, who both directed and co-wrote the film, about her beautiful homage to early lesbian feminists. She shared some of her inspirations for “Summertime,” obstacles she overcame to make the project, and detailed her experience as a woman director in France.

“Summertime” opens in NY and LA on July 22.

W&H: What made you decide to create a film about the early days of feminism in the 1970s?

CC: Feminists and feminism are sometimes viewed negatively, or as having a bad character. What I wanted to do in this film was to pay tribute and to show solidarity with these feminist pioneers. I think it is very important to remember what and how much they did for the liberation of women — and of men, too.

W&H: How were you able to make the story feel so relevant to today?

CC: I wanted to show how much we really owe to the feminist movement: the right to have an abortion, and to take contraception, [for example.] We are the heirs of these early feminists and their actions made it possible for us to have the kind of lives we have now. It is important that we thank them and that men thank them, too. Because of feminism, men are able to make love to women without worrying about getting them pregnant.

W&H: Did you always know you wanted to tell a love story?

CC: Yes, and I wanted it to be a universal love story. There are many great films that show love between men and women. I wanted my film to be like them, only in this case to show that this kind of love can exist between two women. I hope it will be included in the pantheon of movies that are great love stories.

W&H: You said in the press notes that you wanted to acknowledge the lesbians who were central to feminism. Why was that important for you?

CC: I wanted to show that these women were free. They were free to reflect, to think. They were the first to dare to really consider the condition of women, the condition of the couple, and to examine machismo in society. French society at the time was very closed. This film is a tribute to those women who tried to open it.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge of making the film?

CC: I wanted to make a film full of grace and to share emotions with the viewer. I wanted viewers to be moved, to laugh, to not be bored — to be happy or melancholic. I like having the viewer experience these emotions along with the characters, to accompany them in their emotional journey.

W&H: You really are wonderful at telling stories of women’s lives. Regular women who are dealing with moments in time. What interests you most in telling these stories?

CC: I am most interested in showing how the ordinary can become extraordinary, taking an average person or a small detail of their everyday life and magnifying it. I want to show how such people live their lives and experience desire and emotion, without criticism, either overt or implied. I simply wanted to view them gently, to listen to them, and to accompany them on their path towards liberation.

W&H: France has more women directors who are able to have careers like yourself. In the U.S. women still struggle for opportunities. Talk about what it means to be able to have carved out a career as a working director.

CC: I have been very lucky in my career. It can be hard to continue working as a filmmaker. Many filmmakers are able to make one or two films, and then they stop, either because their films were unsuccessful, or because they no longer have financing available. [Other issues that affect women directors specifically include being] pulled away by family demands and other obligations.

I am lucky to have made so many films, although not all of them were successful. However, I have to say that it is still difficult for women filmmakers to have careers in France.

W&H: Talk about why you titled the film “Summertime.”

CC: This is the English-language title for the film chosen by the distributor. I don’t particularly like it. I think it’s too vague and a bit hackneyed, and it would not have been my choice.

In Sweden, it was called “Summer 1971,” which I think is a much better title since it provides the chronological setting of the film. The French title, which is “La Belle Saison,” or, “The Beautiful Season,” is more general.

W&H: The cinematography in the film is so wonderful. You saw the passion of their love and the beauty of the countryside. You captured the excitement of Paris. What was your favorite shot of the movie?

CC: My favorite scene occurs rather early in the film, when Delphine has recently moved to Paris and is in the auditorium attending her first feminist meeting. There she discovers women who are doing and saying things that seem amazing to her — you can see all the emotions she is experiencing on her face. This scene culminates in what I think is the best moment when, after very animated discussion, they suddenly begin to sing.

W&H: What are your feelings about feminism today?

CC: I think there are many kinds of feminism today, and there are often divisions between them based on their position on various issues such as prostitution and the wearing of the head scarf. Some are gentle, and some are far more militant. It is a movement that is very rich but, unfortunately, is not given the recognition it used to receive. In some ways, we have turned our backs on it.

Yet it is important to remember how much feminism has contributed to the lives of both women and men. Men in particular should thank women and the women’s movement, particularly for their role in promoting the legalization and use of contraception, which certainly changed the dynamic of the sexual relationship. There are also areas in which feminism played a role in identifying and highlighting inequity — particularly with regard to salaries — but in which work still remains to be done.

I think that our current society has regressed in certain areas, so feminism still has an important role to play.

W&H: What — if anything — do you want people to think about when they leave the theater?

CC: I would like them to leave understanding that it is not always easy for a homosexual to live a life that is open and honest. It can often be painful, difficult, and complicated. I hope that viewers will leave realizing the importance of acceptance and of openness, and the need to be open to differences.