Faces Places

A legendary filmmaker, a mysterious graffiti artist, and a converted van: These are the main three ingredients of the Oscar nominated documentary Faces Places. 90 year old Agnès Varda made her debut as a film director all the way back in 1955, and got her big breakthrough with Cleo from 5 to 7 a few years later. By that time, it would still be another 21 years before her Faces Places co-director, the enigmatic JR, came into the world. In many ways, the two make for an odd pair – but their respectively unique views on humans and the places that surround them, ensures a strong bond between them. Together, they make for a truly one of a kind filmmaking duo.

This fascinating documentary takes us along on the road with the two artists, as they travel the French countryside in a converted van which now functions both as a giant camera and a photo printer. The prints they produce with the help of the van are attached to nearby buildings and structures, creating new visual experiences and expressions. At the same time, we grow ever more familiar with the two directors and watch their friendship as it evolves. It is very clear that they have an enormous respect for one another, and both are curious about everything that the other might be able to teach them. Two highly different characters, the unique chemistry they share makes both the friendship and the collaboration very believable for the audience. The resulting documentary is, at its core, about what shapes us as human beings.

«A wonderful reminder that documentaries can be both joyous and deep at the same time.» – Nonfic.com

Agnès Varda (b. 1928) is one of the world’s foremost female film makers. Her movies focus on documentary realism, feminism, and social criticism. Among her best knows films are gems such as Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962), Le Bonheur (1965) and Vagabond (1985). Faces Places was nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2018. JR is a French photographer. In 2010, he remade his art project Women Are Heroes into what would become his first documentary. It was screened at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.