Speak Up
Speak Up

Movie spotlight

Speak Up

2017
Movie
122 min
French

The movie focuses on our common identities : “woman” and “black”, whilst highlighting the diversity of Afropean diasporas. This documentary explores the intersections of discrimination, art and blackness.

Insights

IMDb7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes95%
Metacritic85/100
Google Users92%
Director: Agnès VardaGenres: Documentary

Plot Summary

In this reflective documentary, acclaimed filmmaker Agnès Varda revisits her earlier work and explores themes of memory, time, and the passage of life. Through a mix of archival footage, personal anecdotes, and interviews, Varda engages with artists and friends, including Alain Resnais and Sandrine Bonnaire, to contemplate the nature of creation and legacy. The film is a poignant meditation on filmmaking itself and the enduring power of images.

Critical Reception

Speak Up received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for Varda's distinctive voice and her ability to blend personal reflection with broader artistic commentary. Reviewers lauded its intimate tone, intellectual depth, and Varda's characteristic curiosity and warmth. It was celebrated as a fitting late-career masterpiece from a legendary filmmaker.

What Reviewers Say

  • A deeply personal and insightful exploration of filmmaking and memory.

  • Agnès Varda's signature blend of wit, wisdom, and visual poetry is on full display.

  • An essential watch for fans of Varda and documentary cinema.

Google audience: Audiences consistently praised the film's profound insights into the filmmaking process and the nature of memory, often highlighting Agnès Varda's unique and engaging perspective.

Fun Fact

Agnès Varda was already a highly influential filmmaker for decades before 'Speak Up' was released, often referred to as the 'grandmother of the French New Wave'.

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