CINÉ AU THÉÂTRE : Visages, villages

‘Where is France heading?’ ask the Entretiens d’Auxerre. There’s no ready-made answer in this film-meets-theatre production, but plenty of freeze-frames throughout a one-of-a-kind road trip. With JR at the wheel of his photo-lab van and Agnès Varda by his side, we criss-cross the roads of France, far from the big cities. She is an icon of the New Wave; he is known for his monumental open-air collages. Fifty-five years separate them; yet the power of imagination, a love of meeting people and a passion for images bring them together. With *Faces, Places*, they take the time to listen to and film the unique stories of villagers, workers and farmers. These stories inspire JR to create immense collages on a silo, old miners’ cottages or even a bunker that has tumbled down a cliff. As filming progresses, a vivid portrait of workers and ordinary people emerges, whilst a close friendship between the two artists blossoms.