Ciné Club Series: 'Les plages d'Agnès' by Agnès Varda

Friday, April 11, 2025 From 6:00 PM To 8:00 PM Add to Calendar 2025-04-11 18:00:00 2025-04-11 20:00:00 Ciné Club Series: 'Les plages d'Agnès' by Agnès Varda Join us at for a special Ciné Club screening of The Beaches of Agnès, a deeply personal documentary by Agnès Varda. Explore Varda’s life, artistry, and legacy through film, followed by a discussion with filmmaker Mariel Iezzoni and a wine reception. French Library, 53 Marlborough Street, Boston, MA, United States America/New_York

At French Library

Join us for a special evening celebrating Agnès Varda, one of the most influential figures in French cinema. Her documentary The Beaches of Agnès is a personal and creative reflection on her life and career, told through a mix of memories, film clips, and artistic recreations.

“If we opened people up, we’d find landscapes. If we opened me up, we’d find beaches.” Originally meant as her farewell to filmmaking, The Beaches of Agnès takes us to the places that shaped Varda—from the North Sea beaches of Belgium, where she spent her childhood, to the Mediterranean village where she shot her first film, and the boardwalks of Los Angeles, where she lived with her husband, Jacques Demy. Blending archival footage, staged sequences, and playful visuals, the film is a tribute to a lifetime of creativity, friendships, and artistic exploration.

Following the screening, Mariel Iezzoni, an independent filmmaker based in Cambridge, will lead a discussion on the film’s themes, Varda’s impact on cinema, and her unique storytelling style. Mariel’s love for French cinema, developed during her studies in Paris, will bring a fresh perspective to the conversation.

The evening will conclude with a wine reception, providing a chance to continue the discussion with fellow cinephiles.

Please watch Richard Brody's video critique for The New Yorker here: The Beaches of Agnès

And read Manohla Dargis' review for The New York Times here: The Beaches of Agnès Review

Movie in French with English subtitles.

The Q&A that will follow the screening will be in English.

Every attendee will receive a free Sézane tote bag with a surprise to be redeemed at their new pop-up store in Boston: 70 Pier 4 Blvd. Suite 220, Boston, MA 02210

Members

$14

Non-members

$18

Agnès Varda (1928-2019) was a pioneering French filmmaker, photographer, and artist. She was a key figure in the French New Wave, though her distinct style set her apart from her peers. Her films often blurred the lines between fiction and documentary, exploring themes of memory, feminism, social justice, and everyday life with humor and originality.

Her breakthrough film, Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962), followed a singer wandering Paris in real-time, capturing the city’s rhythm and existential weight. Later, Vagabond (1985) told the raw and moving story of a young drifter through fragmented perspectives. The Gleaners and I (2000) examined waste and survival, reflecting her fascination with forgotten stories. She remained innovative throughout her career, embracing digital filmmaking and installation art. Varda was the first woman filmmaker to receive an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement.

About Mariel Iezzoni

Mariel Iezzoni is an independent filmmaker practicing both fiction and documentary film. Her latest short, Burial, premiered at the Richmond Film Festival and was a Special Jury Nominee. She received her MFA in Film from the City College of New York where she graduated a BAFTA Scholar and winner of the Chantal Akerman Student Prize.

She is currently writing and producing her first full-length feature film, Red Hill Town, about a family who are the last remaining citizens of an abandoned coal mining town in northeast Pennsylvania. She began her love of French cinema as an undergraduate student in Paris.

Our Partner

This event is co-presented with Janus Films

Boston French Community This event is co-presented with Janus Films

and Sézane

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