Agnes Varda

 During our time in Paris, I have learned that Agnes Varda was a pioneer in the filmmaking industry. She told great stories through her films while exploring feminist themes. She was born in Belgium in 1928 but spent most of her career/life in France. She was married to another filmmaker, Jacques Demy. She made many documentary-style films. I enjoyed learning about Agnes Varda and hope to be able to view some of her films. It seems that her impact on cinema extends beyond her own films. As  I learned about it, it seemed that she inspired countless filmmakers with her innovative approach to storytelling and her willingness to push the boundaries of the medium.

 She had a unique style of filmmaking that showed different perspectives and points of view. Varda was known for her blending of documentary and fiction elements in her films, creating a hybrid that challenged traditional ways that film was typically distinguished between reality and fiction. She expanded the possibilities of cinematic storytelling. She had a deep empathy in the characters and stories she was depicting in her films. For example, she explored the struggles of a homeless woman in “Vagabond” or in "Cléo from 5 to 7" where her feminist perspective is clear as she follows a woman over the course of two hours as she waits to receive potentially life-changing medical test results.

 We were able to visit her grave site at Montparnasse Cemetery where she and her husband are buried. There was a beautiful monument dedicated to her and her husband in an arch covered in flowering vines. Those who respected her and saw her contribution to society had laid flowers, trinkets and pictures on her tomb. I believe her gravesite, that she shares with her husband in the beautiful Montparnasse Cemetery, is, in a way, a celebration of her achievements and place in Paris society.