The Beaches of Agnes - Review
Review by Michael Edwards
THERE are some filmmakers who you know work for the sheer joy of the art. One person who has consistently proven to be a part of this invaluable group is Agnes Varda.
One of the lucky few to number among those visionaries of the French New Wave, and best known for her biggest contribution to the movement, Cleo from 9 to 5, Varda has been consistently innovating and intriguing for half a century.
Thus it is fair to say that, unlike the clutter of minor celebrity airheads who clog bookshelves with bilge nowadays, Agnes Varda has earnt an autobiography. Naturally, for someone so talented in the visual arts it must take filmic or, more correctly in this instance, digital video form.
Also true to her own innovative roots, Varda refuses to be confined to the traditional themes of an autobiography. Chronology is broadly acknowledged as we meander through key events that made her who she is, but there are enormous gaps left at various junctures in her life.
Similarly, certain periods or moments which she remembers vividly or deems particularly interesting are expanded and, in some cases, even re-enacted… on a beach… built on a street… with phone operators. There is certainly more to this film than the mere recounting of a personal history.
In addition to the various visual curveballs Varda throws at her own story, she chooses to split the subject of the film between her own life and film itself.
Combining her filmic flair with the subject she knows so well makes for some surreal scenes, such as the shed she makes of film stock, or the mirror set-up on the beach that she builds with the help of a group of devoted students and friends.
Her understanding of the medium is infused and conveyed in a way which is at once unique and refreshing, which is something it’s always a pleasure to see.
Added to her own voice within the film are a number of recognisable names she became close to during her prolific career… most famous and, perhaps, most bizarre among them is Chris Marker.
He turns up personified in his usual cartoon cat and with his voice distorted by a vocoder, but providing reflections and ruminations that are unmistakably his own.
Amidst all of this praise, I feel like it would be negligent of me not to point out that this is a film for film buffs, and fans of Agnes Varda. It’s the story of cinema through one woman’s love of and life with cinema, and the story of her coming to terms with the concluding phase of that life.
Touching on themes as vague as the essence of being, and as real as a youthful crush, it’s rarely concise and never simple.
If you’re looking for easy answers or a potted history of one of the most significant periods in film history then you’re looking in the wrong place. But if you enter in with a lot of curiosity and an open mind then this is one of the most fulfilling biographies to appear on film.
In French, with subtitles
Certificate: 18
Running time: 113mins
UK Release Date: October 2, 2009