The Gleaners and I

This film, which Agnès Varda described as a “wandering-road documentary,” brings to light the long-standing tradition of gleaning in France, where individuals follow a seasonal harvest, gathering the fruit that has been left behind. Legalized in the sixteenth century by King Henry IV, gleaning has been documented in literature and art, perhaps most famously by Impressionist painters in the nineteenth century. The Gleaners and I sketches a sensitive, contemporary portrait of this ancient practice, with Varda journeying across France to follow an eclectic array of gleaners in their shadow harvests. From heart-shaped potatoes to sandy oysters to broken televisions abandoned in the street, Varda’s gleaners find sustenance in discarded or rejected items. Shot for the most part by Varda with her then-new digital video camera, The Gleaners and I engages intimately with the stories of the gleaners of France, and in doing so, tells a broader story about our society and ourselves.

Film Details

Film Details

Director: Agnès Varda

Year: 2000

Running time: 82 minutes

Country: France

Format: Digital Cinema Package

Source: Janus Films

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