The Public Woman
An inexperienced young actress is invited to play a role in a film based on Dostoyevsky's 'The Possessed'. The film director, a Czech immigrant in Paris, takes over her life, and in a short time she is unable to draw the line between acting and reality. She winds up playing a real-life role posing as the dead wife of another Czech immigrant, who is manipulated by the filmmaker into commiting a political assassination.
Where to watch The Public Woman in United States
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Click a service to open The Public Woman there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is The Public Woman streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | — | Amazon Video |
| France | Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | Canal VOD, Amazon Video |
| Japan | — | Amazon Video |
About The Public Woman
The Public Woman is a 1984 French-language drama film directed by Andrzej Żuławski. The cast is led by Valérie Kaprisky, Francis Huster, Lambert Wilson. It has a runtime of 1h 53m. Viewers rate it 5.9/10 across 100 ratings.
The Public Woman was produced by Hachette-Fox Productions and made in France. It was released on June 16, 1984.
- Director
- Andrzej Żuławski
- Writers
- Dominique Garnier, Andrzej Żuławski
- Release date
- June 16, 1984
- Original language
- French
- Status
- Released
- Country
- France
- Production
- Hachette-Fox Productions
The Public Woman cast & crew
The Public Woman was directed by Andrzej Żuławski and written by Dominique Garnier and Andrzej Żuławski.
The cast features Valérie Kaprisky as Ethel, Francis Huster as Lucas Kessling, Lambert Wilson as Milan Mliska, Patrick Bauchau as Ethel's Father, Gisèle Pascal as Gertrude, and Roger Dumas as André.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Alain Wisniak, cinematography is by Sacha Vierny, and it was produced by René Cleitman.
Is The Public Woman worth watching?
The Public Woman holds an audience score of 5.9/10 from 58 ratings, a more divisive drama films.
At 1h 53m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama, The Public Woman is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Public Woman
The Public Woman isn't currently available on major streaming services in United States. We track availability continuously — add it to your watchlist and we'll keep an eye out.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of The Public Woman
Valérie Kaprisky
Ethel
Francis Huster
Lucas Kessling
Lambert Wilson
Milan Mliska
Patrick Bauchau
Ethel's Father
Gisèle Pascal
Gertrude
Roger Dumas
André
Diane Delor
Elena Mliska
Jean-Paul Farré
Pierre
Olivier Achard
1st Assistant Director
Yveline Ailhaud
Rachel
Michel Albertini
Maurice
Marianne Basler
Young Anarchist
The Public Woman — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Public Woman in United States?
The Public Woman is not currently available on major streaming services in United States. Availability changes often — check back soon.
▸What language is The Public Woman in?
The Public Woman is originally in French. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Public Woman?
The Public Woman runs 1 hours 53 minutes (113 minutes).
▸What is The Public Woman rated?
It holds a 5.9/10 audience score from 58 ratings.
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