Nostalgia for all the things of the past.

Kung-Fu master (1987) directed by Agnès Varda

I undertook a time machine type ride heavily imbued with nostalgia when I saw this film in 2005.Kung Fu master directed by the unofficial grand mother of French new wave cinema Agnes Varda is as relevant in our contemporary times as it was 20 years ago in a not so distant past of 1987.It was a time of ubiquitous video games and all the unending worries,fears and anxieties related to a mysterious disease called AIDS. In this film it was nice to see some young French actors who ever since have nicely grown up such as Lou Doillon,Charlotte Gainsbourg and Mathieu Demy.The mystical Agnes Varda touch is very much evident and she takes her viewers on a tour of two different countries where our leading lady Jane Birkin has resided :England and France.Kung Fu master also contains in itself a puppy tale of juvenile love.In the hands of a less versatile director this would have been an absolute catastrophe but due to Agnes Varda's experience in handling such a complex tale of human emotions, what we get is one of the most personal wonderful statements of 21th Century on love.This is the only plausible reason for viewers to watch this film.

Hollywood studios will never approve such a film.

Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse (2000) directed by Agnès Varda

At least a film has been made with courage,determination and above all without caring at all about what the film market would say.Who in the world had thought that someone would take the trouble of making a documentary about people who do nothing but sort out eatables from huge piles of junk.The one and the only unofficial grand mother of French new wave cinema Agnes Varda has embraced modern Digital video technology in a nice way thereby enabling us viewers to watch hitherto unknown facets of impecunious people's lives in France:a country which is always feeling proud of its state controlled socialist traditions. The film is a proof that documentary tradition is still very much alive in France and most of the established veterans like Varda do like to dabble in such uncommon ventures.The best parts of this documentary revolve around Varda as she takes a tour of France on her hunt for the gleaners.This is really France uncut,a France you have all been longing to see but never got a chance to do so.Voilà explore France with this film.