A psycho-sexual fable where childhood trauma meets surreal revenge by Niki de Saint Phalle.
DADDY
Childhood fairytales combines BDSM role-play, and sexploitation tropes to create a surreal, symbolic "rape-revenge" fantasy that aims to dismantle the patriarchy. Saint Phalle herself narrates, providing a psycho-analytical explanation for the bizarre and often disturbing imagery.
Quick Answer
Daddy is a 1973 France/United Kingdom drama film directed by Peter Whitehead and Niki de Saint Phalle about a woman's attempt to exorcise the influence of her sexually domineering father.
Programmer's Pick
Niki de Saint Phalle doesn’t just break the fourth wall—she shatters it, narrating and starring in her own psycho-sexual fairytale. This is no ordinary drama: it’s a fever dream of revenge, symbolism, and unapologetic female agency, all wrapped in a surreal, art-house package.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Details & Specs
- Directors
- Peter Whitehead, Niki de Saint Phalle
- Writer
- Niki de Saint Phalle
- Release
- 1973
- Runtime
- 1h 50m
- Country
- France, United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Genres
- Drama
- Also Known As
- Daddy: A Bedtime Story
Cast & Crew
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Why Cult
Saint Phalle draws from her own life, mixing memory with imagination to create a deeply personal narrative.
Saint Phalle’s narration dissects the film’s disturbing imagery, offering a unique psychological perspective.
Combining fairytale motifs with BDSM and sexploitation, the film crafts a symbolic and provocative atmosphere.
The narrative flips traditional power dynamics, turning a rape-revenge fantasy into a statement on dismantling patriarchy.
Scene Gallery
Questions from the Vault
When was Daddy released? +
Daddy was released in 1973.
Who directed Daddy? +
Daddy was directed by Peter Whitehead and Niki de Saint Phalle.
How long is Daddy? +
Daddy has a runtime of 110 minutes.
What genre is Daddy? +
Daddy is a drama film.
Trailers & Clips
