Mother of the French New Wave

WRITTEN BY ALANA LOINAZ

ILLUSTRATION BY DANIELLA MARTIN

Agnès Varda was a pioneering filmmaker who left a mark on film history. With a career spanning over six decades, Varda continuously redefined cinematic expression, blending documentary and fiction, exploring feminist themes, and embracing new technologies. Her influence extends beyond her own films, shaping contemporary cinema and inspiring generations of filmmakers worldwide.

Varda played a crucial role in the French New Wave, a cinematic movement that emerged in the late 1950s and early 1960s, characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favor of a more experimental and personal approach. While her male contemporaries, such as François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, gained widespread recognition, Varda was one of the few women at the forefront of this movement. Her debut film, La Pointe Courte (1955), is often cited as a precursor to the French New Wave, featuring an elliptical narrative structure and blending neorealist elements with avant-garde aesthetics. Unlike traditional films that relied on linear storytelling, La Pointe Courte juxtaposes two parallel narratives, demonstrating Varda’s willingness to challenge cinematic norms.

Her 1962 film Cléo from 5 to 7 further exemplifies her narrative experimentation. The film unfolds in near real-time, following a young singer as she anxiously awaits medical test results, and presents a meditation on existentialism, mortality, and female subjectivity. Varda employs mirrors, reflections, and shifting perspectives to immerse the viewer in Cléo’s psychological state. This innovative storytelling technique not only cemented Varda’s status as a New Wave auteur but also set a precedent for filmmakers interested in exploring temporality and character psychology in novel ways.

Varda’s films frequently centered on female protagonists, offering nuanced and complex portrayals that challenged mainstream cinematic representations of women. At a time when female characters in cinema were often defined by their relationships with men, Varda created multidimensional women with agency, desires, and contradictions. Her feminist perspective is particularly evident in One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (1977), a film that directly addresses women’s reproductive rights, sisterhood, and self-determination. Through its musical sequences and documentary-style realism, the film encapsulates the feminist movement of the 1970s while remaining deeply personal and poetic.

Another striking example is Vagabond (1985), a film that chronicles the life and death of a homeless young woman named Mona. Told through fragmented vignettes and multiple perspectives, the film resists sentimentality, instead presenting an unsentimental yet deeply moving portrait of a woman who refuses societal expectations. Varda’s feminist ethos extended beyond her narrative choices; she was an advocate for women in the film industry, supporting female filmmakers and actively participating in feminist movements, including the “50/50 by 2020” initiative for gender equality in cinema.

One of Varda’s most significant contributions to cinema was her ability to seamlessly blend documentary and fiction, often blurring the line between reality and imagination. This hybridity is evident in Jacquot de Nantes (1991), a biographical film about her husband, filmmaker Jacques Demy, which combines dramatized scenes with documentary footage to create an intimate portrait of his life and career. Similarly, The Gleaners and I (2000) showcases Varda’s documentary prowess, capturing individuals who collect discarded food and objects while reflecting on her own role as a filmmaker and gleaner of images. The film’s use of digital video technology was groundbreaking, demonstrating Varda’s adaptability and willingness to embrace new media.

Her final film, Varda by Agnès (2019), serves as a meta-commentary on her own career, offering insights into her creative process and artistic philosophy. Throughout her career, she consistently challenged the conventions of documentary filmmaking, incorporating personal reflections, playful reenactments, and direct audience engagement, influencing later filmmakers who sought to push the boundaries of nonfiction storytelling.

Varda was not only a master of film but also an artist unafraid of experimentation. In the 2000s, she embraced digital filmmaking, using lightweight cameras to create intimate, observational works. Her openness to technology is exemplified in Faces Places (2017), a collaboration with the street artist JR. The film combines documentary road trip elements with conceptual art as the duo travels across rural France, pasting large-scale portraits of everyday people onto buildings and structures. The film exemplifies Varda’s lifelong curiosity and belief in cinema as a medium for human connection.

Beyond film, Varda also explored installation art, bringing her cinematic sensibilities into gallery spaces. Her multimedia exhibitions, such as those showcased at the Venice Biennale, reimagined film as an interactive experience, further demonstrating her commitment to pushing artistic boundaries.

Agnès Varda’s impact on film history is immeasurable. Her fearless approach to storytelling, advocacy for women in film, and innovative blending of documentary and fiction have inspired countless filmmakers, from Chantal Akerman to Céline Sciamma. Even outside of the arthouse circuit, contemporary directors such as Richard Linklater and Greta Gerwig have cited her as an influence, particularly in their approach to realism, character development, and non-linear narratives.

Moreover, Varda’s legacy extends beyond her films. As an educator and mentor, she nurtured emerging talent and championed independent cinema. Her commitment to inclusivity and artistic freedom continues to resonate in contemporary discussions about diversity and representation in the film industry.

Agnès Varda was more than just a filmmaker; she was a visionary artist who redefined the possibilities of cinema. Through her pioneering narrative techniques, feminist storytelling, documentary innovation, and embrace of new media, she reshaped the film landscape and left an enduring legacy. Her work continues to inspire, challenge, and move audiences, ensuring that her influence on film history will remain profound for generations to come. Thank you, Agnès!