‘Faces Places’ (2018) is a documentary about everyday people and the places in which they reside. It follows co- directors, contemporary artist JR and the iconic Agnes Varda as they explore places in and around France. At its heart ‘Faces Places’ investigates the ever-changing nature of people and place, through the powerful utilisation of history and the humbling celebration of the present. It is in this way I am inspired by this film, especially in relation to our film ‘Repurpose, Not Replace’. As a group we collectively agree that appreciation of the past is important yet that on the other hand, change can be beautiful and should be celebrated. It is the hopeful spirit and tone of ‘Faces Places’ that I aim to emulate in our film, as it connects to the audience and tugs at heart strings in a way that is undeniable.
There was a particular sequence that caught my eye, beginning at 28:00 minutes and ending at 30:40, that takes place at a Salt Factory. Master shots contextualised the meeting and greeting, introducing the groups of workers to the audience. They greet one another in a friendly manner with an open display of fondness. In this particular scene JR and Agnes narrate. They direct the workers on how they should all pose; advising them to raise their arms, one group to the left and the other to the right. As they pose for the photos there are mid shots of the uniformed workers, interspersed with individual close up shots of the workers faces, smiling or listening. It culminates to brief wide shots of each group posing for their photo, allowing the audience to see every worker giving it a personal feeling. Following this, there are a variety of over the shoulder and close up shots of Agnes and JR deciding on which photos to choose, making the audience feel apart of the moment. A low angle shot of JR on the crane allows us to see him from Agnes’ perspective full of life as a “spirited young man”. Finally, a wide scanning shots displays the final product in full effect, with both portraits glued on the wall, their arms reaching out to one another. The music is delicate and harmonious, matching the overall tone of the scene as light and happy. The music plays in timely places, creating a delightful tone to the scene. It is complimented by moments of quiet as we listen to Agnes and JR discussing which photos to choose or the insightful commentary on the art by the factory workers.
What I admire about this scene are the personal aspects of it. It highlights the special in the mundane and creates a connection between the subjects and the audience. Due to the natural atmosphere they create, Agnes and Jr make the subjects feel comfortable and indifferent to the peculiar aspects of being filmed allowing their personalities to shine, creating an irrefutable desire to care about these people.
