4 by Agnes Varda (1954)

Description:

Agnes Varda used the skills she honed early in her career as a photographer to create some of the most nuanced, thought-provoking films of the past fifty years. She is widely believed to have presaged the French new wave with her first film, La Pointe Courte, long before creating one of the movement's benchmarks, Cleo from 5 to 7. Later, with Le bonheur and Vagabond, Varda further shook up art-house audiences, challenging bourgeois codes with her inscrutable characters and effortlessly beautiful compositions and editing. Now working largely as a documentarian, Varda remains one of the essential cinematic poets of our time and a true visionary.

Special Features:

• New, restored digital transfers, supervised and approved by Agnes Varda
• Three short films by Varda
• On La Pointe Courte: new video interview with Varda
• Also on La Pointe Courte: archival episode from Cineastes de notre temps
• On Cleo From 5 to 7: 2005 doc on the making of the film
• Also on Cleo: short film (2005) in which Varda retraces Cleo's steps thru Paris
• Also on Cleo: Varda speaking with Madonna about the film in 1993
• On Le bonheur: new interviews with the 3 actors from the film
• Also: 2006 discussion w/ 4 scholars about the film; footage of Varda on set
• Also: 1998 inteview with Varda; 2003 interviews on the concept of happiness
• On Vagabond: 2003 doc on making of film; 2003 interview w/ Joanna Bruzdowicz
• Also: 1986 radio interview w/ writer Nathalie Sarraute
• Also: 2003 interview with actress Marthe Jarnias
• Theatrical trailers
• New and improved English subtitles
• PLUS: New essays by Chris Darke, Adrian Martin, Amy Taubin, Ginette Vincendeau
• As well as a foreword on each film by Varda herself