Academic essay exploring the themes in Agnès Varda’s 1988 documentary on the film icon, Jane Birkin.
Jane B. par Agnés V. can be thought of as an avant-garde film that makes use of the initial form of a documentary by framing the film around the observed subject, Jane Birkin. This film has an acute awareness of the camera throughout that ensures the film a consistent self-reflexive style. One could compare this method to a woman looking at herself in a mirror and seeing her own reflection as expected. Though this film is primarily about Birkin, Agnés Varda’s presence as the filmmaker/creator throughout also structured the film as more of a flowing conversation between Birkin and Varda, than a coherent narrative with a beginning, middle and end. By presenting Birkin and Varda as themselves, using their own real identities in their own respective roles as the actress and film’s director, the film’s duration explores these two individuals in a collaborative process that examines female representation and the ideas that both women have about films. This also allowed both women to approach the film simplistically, taking advantage of the audience’s own familiarity with these two women without having to fabricate fictional characters which would divert the film’s exploration of identity.
As a quirky collaboration, one could say that this film is an example of Franco-British relations in cinema. Until actresses like Birkin, Charlotte Rampling and Kristen Scott Thomas had appeared in French movies, British culture and British women were not known to have any particular desirability or appeal to French audiences. What was it that made these British actresses with visibly middle-class backgrounds have such a prominence and popularity in French films? Yes, they can speak French. But one can argue that it was all due to how the Swingin’ ’60s made British youth culture exciting. With the craze over The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, subculture groups the Mods and Rockers… and Twiggy too. This shaped how the French, and the world, viewed the British culture to be. Those who emerged from this moment of new positive spin on Britishness were products of this.
Varda’s background in art history is emphasised at its best in this film. Every shot is beautiful and interesting. Varda flirts with surrealism and once again, the audience’s familiarity. Several scenes reference stereotypical roles which women play. Birkin’s exceptionally interesting characters she portrays and interacts with also do this. However, a fascinating character depicted in this film is Jane Birkin as herself as she recalls a story of her life in French. As we travel through this timeline of Birkin’s life within the longevity of the film, we reach her 40th birthday. This birthday has most significance. It marks another decade to a woman’s life. Another ten years of something more. These figures can stack up against someone and all of a sudden you are old. But in a positive light, 40 is not old. 40 is no different to the 39 yesterday. All these stereotyped female characters in discussion with the possible characters Birkin could have played or would never get the chance to. The interview scenes about Birkin and her life, her past loves, her children, and her childhood. These are all evaluations and analyses of Birkin’s life. Who is she? What does she look like? Where did she come from? What is so darn special about her? As I have already mentioned, the film’s self-reflexivity becomes the backbone of the entire film. Without the film’s awareness of the camera, the motives of this film would perhaps feel incomplete. As much of it is an experimental biopic of Birkin playing Birkin, this film celebrates Birkin whilst simultaneously contemplating life and ageing with no clear-cut answer.
All in all, Jane B. Par Agnès V. is an experiment of many topics of discussion blended into the world of language via visual art. Birkin is immortalised as an eccentric yet enchanting cult celebrity icon in a very indie film.
Nadia Cheung 