A Complicated Passion: The Life and Work of Agnès Varda

The first major biography of the French New Wave filmmaker hailed as “one of the Gods of Cinema” by Martin Scorsese. French filmmaker Agnes Varda (1928–2019) revolutionized the world of film with her distinctive style, giving rise to the French New Wave and transforming American indie cinema. In A Complicated Passion , film critic Carrie Rickey delves into Varda’s charmed life and indelible work. Rickey reveals the “complicated passions” that informed Varda’s beloved filmography, from the renowned Cleo from 5 to 7 at the birth of the French New Wave to the celebrated The Gleaners and I four decades later. She chronicles relationships and creative escapades with such figures as Jacques Demy, Jean-Luc Godard, Jim Morrison, and Andy Warhol. And she traces Varda’s vast legacy, capturing her lasting achievement not only as an extraordinary filmmaker but also as an inventive photographer and installation artist. A Complicated Passion is the vibrant biography that Varda, regarded by many as the greatest female filmmaker of all time, has long deserved. 8 pages of full-color illustrations