Cannes Film Festival is paying tribute to the late, great Agnès Varda. The fest released the official poster for its 2019 edition and it features a photograph of Varda shooting her first movie, “La Pointe Courte,” in 1954. The petite filmmaker, then 26, perches on the back of technician so she can reach her camera.
Cannes named Varda “the inspirational guiding light” of its 72nd edition, taking place May 14-25.
“La Pointe Courte” centers on a couple grappling with both a personal tragedy and life’s mundane, everyday annoyances. The film premiered at Cannes in 1955.
Varda screened 13 films at Cannes, including “Cleo from 5 to 7” and her last film, documentary “Faces Places.” She served as a Cannes Jury member in 2005, was president of the Caméra d’Or jury in 2013, and received an honorary Palme d’Or in 2015. She dedicated the prize “to all the brave and inventive filmmakers, those who create original cinema, whether it’s fiction or documentary, who are not in the limelight, but who carry on.”
At Cannes 2018, Varda was one of the 82 women who walked the steps of the Palais de Festival in protest of the fest’s historic exclusion of female directors. Only 82 women have had films screen in competition, as compared to 1,688 men. The fest signed the 5050×2020 pledge, committing to gather stats according to the filmmakers’ gender, identify the fest members who select films to screen, and develop a schedule to achieve equality on the festival board.
Varda made narrative and nonfiction projects and worked in film and TV throughout her 65-year career. She won an honorary Oscar last year and nabbed a nomination for “Faces Places.” Cannes’ Golden Eye, Berlinale’s Silver Bear, three César Awards, and a Independent Spirit Award are among her many other honors.
Varda died March 29 at the age of 90. Her final project, docuseries “Varda by Agnès,” saw her analyzing her own filmography.
The Cannes 2019 lineup will be announced Thursday, April 18. The official poster is below.
