A complicated passion The life and work of Agnès Varda

Film critic Rickey delivers the definitive biography of French filmmaker Agnès Varda (1928--2019). Born in Belgium, Varda fled the country after the Nazis invaded in 1940 and settled down in Paris several years later. There, Varda took photography classes and picked up gigs shooting portraits of children with Santa Claus. At age 25, she made her first film, La Pointe Courte, as something of a lark (she had seen fewer than 25 films at the time), but its distinctive modernist ethos established Varda as a talent to watch. Discussing how the director drew creativity from practical restraints, Rickey notes that Varda's opus, Cléo from 5 to 7, was conceived as a lower-budget alternative to another project that would have required a sprawling cast and on-location shoots in Venice. In addition to budget constraints, sexism in the American and French film industries would be another constant in Varda's life. For instance, Rickey recounts how Varda pulled out of a 1967 deal with Columbia Pictures after an executive pinched her cheek during a meeting. Rickey captures Varda's tenacity and pluck (one chapter details how while making La Pointe Courte, Varda navigated the French film industry's byzantine regulations through a mixture of fibbing and waivers), serving up a portrait of an artist determined to succeed on her own terms. This is a must for cinephiles. (Aug.)

An immersive portrait of a groundbreaking filmmaker. By the time of her death, Agnès Varda (1928-2019) had finally achieved long-deserved global recognition for her six-decade career, culminating in accolades such as an honorary Oscar in 2017. Her path to renown was arduous, as she navigated the numerous challenges of being one of the few independent female directors of her era. Varda's experimental approach set her apart--from not only the mainstream but even her more recognized New Wave contemporaries Truffaut and Godard. Unlike them, she was reluctant to adapt literature or other sourced material. Film critic and historian Rickey skillfully chronicles Varda's unique career trajectory. Remarkably, she had seen fewer than 25 films when, at age 25, she filmed La Pointe Courte in 1955. "She had no knowledge of film history," writes the author, "and thus was unaware that she was one in an illustrious line of still photographers drawn to make pictures that moved." Varda would go on to develop expansive, ever-evolving ways of filming, embracing new technical advancements and producing some of her most memorable works, such as Cléo From 5 to 7 and Vagabond. She also inspired future generations, particularly other women filmmakers, with her boldness in addressing hot-button societal issues like abortion, homelessness, and immigrant rights. Rickey examines her close yet unconventional marriage to director Jacques Demy, who was bisexual, and references her many notable friendships within the arts community, including the likes of Jim Morrison, Martin Scorsese, and Susan Sontag. While providing colorful anecdotes from friends and luminaries in Varda's orbit, Rickey falls short of fully capturing the essence of her mercurial, enigmatic personality. Nevertheless, the author proves adept at depicting her subject's trailblazing influence and unique cinematic vision embracing creativity, spontaneity, and willingness to tackle provocative issues through an uncompromising body of work. A richly documented examination of this visionary filmmaker's influential career. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.