"In my films I always wanted to make people see deeply. I don't want to show things, but to give people the desire to see." Oh no… Not Agnes! Not now, we need you. Her soul, her wit, her positivity, her honesty, her ingenuity. I hope she continues to inspire men and women, young and old, artists and dreamers and storytellers. A legend forever. It is with great sadness we must report that French filmmaker / storyteller / cinephile Agnès Varda has passed away at the age of 90. Varda just premiered her documentary Varda by Agnès at the Berlin Film Festival a few months ago, and was nominated for an Oscar for her wonderful film Faces Places that she made with JR. I am writing this tribute because, although I only came to learn about and discover her recently, I have quickly become a fan. And I hope to encourage others to explore her films.
The news of Varda's death has been confirmed by AFP, making many people all over the world very sad. "The director and artist Agnes Varda died at her home on the night of Thursday, March 29, of complications from cancer. She was surrounded by her family and friends." Here are a few more tributes found on Twitter:
Work and life were undeniably fused for this legend. She lived FULLY for every moment of those 90 damn years
pic.twitter.com/SHnRbGoDmr
— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) March 29, 2019
She wasn’t a cute old lady.
She was a great artist. She had the instincts, the wit and the generosity to her make art anywhere, and offer it to all of us.
For decades she didn’t get her due, because she was a woman, because she was kind. Rest in power, Agnès. pic.twitter.com/d2hzywUtHG— Cameron Bailey (@cameron_tiff) March 29, 2019
Immense sadness. For almost 65 years, Agnès Varda’s eyes and voice embodied cinema with endless inventiveness. The place she occupied is irreplaceable. Agnès loved images, words and people. She’s one of those whose youth will never fade. pic.twitter.com/cpquJXJtwK
— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) March 29, 2019
And let us never forget the time Agnes Varda sent a cardboard cutout of herself to the Oscars nominee luncheon. pic.twitter.com/3UcDwsgdNw
— Doug Jamieson (@itsdougjam) March 29, 2019
Whether you've already seen all of her films, or none of them, Varda deserves your attention. She is and will always be an inspirational icon of cinema. Agnès Varda's career in filmmaking began in the 1950s, though she gained prominence in 1962 with her film Cleo from 5 to 7 - which played at the Cannes Film Festival in-competition. She has spent the last six decades making more films, exploring art and photography, writing screenplays, acting, and speaking to crowds all over the world. Her most recent return to the spotlight came in 2017 when she premiered Faces Places with JR at the Cannes Film Festival, and ended up with an Oscar nomination and plenty of accolades. I can't recommend enough exploring her films and her work (view her filmography) - she has directed 12 features, and 11 documentaries, plus lots of shorts and other videos. She was a true master of cinema, a humanist & lover who always let her heart inspire her art throughout her life.
Between seeing her in Faces Places and Varda by Agnès, I've come to be immensely moved by her wisdom and empathy, and have grown so fond of her. Varda left an impression on me, and I am only just beginning to explore her filmography. Now it's up to all of us to help carry on her legacy, and to make sure everyone is forever inspired by her life. "This is all you need in life: a computer, a camera, and a cat." Au revoir, Agnès.
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