301. The Beaches of Agnès (Les plages d'Agnès); movie review

THE BEACHES OF AGNES - LES PLAGES D'AGNES
Cert 18
110 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong sexualised nudity

The French new wave was one of the most acclaimed eras in cinema history but only now have I understood how it came about.
Agnès Varda's autobiographical film offers not only a rich insight into her background and life but, as a consequence, an enlightening take on 60s cinema.
This is largely because Varda was married to Jacques Demy, father of one of her two children, and another star of the New Wave.
She recounts how their friend Jean-Luc Godard was the first of the young directors to agree a studio deal through his movie Breathless.
Demy followed shortly afterwards and was asked to recommend other movie-making friends and offered the name of Varda.
She narrates this picture about her and their lives, highlighting their famous works but also alighting upon tight times when some of the scenes of her movies were filmed in their back yard.
There are clips of big screen and home movies to support the chronology but this being Varda, there are also slices of surrealism with a cartoon cat and an office scene on a makeshift beach in a town centre.
But in the main, these are Varda's refections on a life well spent, delving into her work in the film industry, family life and her political motivations.
The latter are reinforced by footage of protests in which she played a significant part.
In addition, she clearly likes to see herself on screen - be it taking the lead or as a by-stander. Indeed, we see so much of her I thought she could be a frustrated actress.
Regardless, this is a revealing self-portrait of one of the biggest names in the world cinema since its inception.
She is now 90, so it seems an opportune time to revisit it.

Reasons to watch: Film fans will bathe in this exploration of French cinema
Reasons to avoid: Typical Varda surrealism

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 8/10

Director quote - Agnès Varda: "I would call The Beaches of Agnès an autobiographical documentary, even though it's about more than just me. It shows the people who have surrounded me, who have helped me exist, who have inspired me, who love me and whom I love. "

The big question - Why are the French less prudish than the Brits?

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