Entertaining as true crime documentaries are, sometimes the drama can be a bit much. Maybe it’s time to put the murder and cults aside for something more charming and — dare we say it — inventive.
Faces Places (or Visages, Villages as it was originally titled in French) is the fascinating 2017 collaboration between acclaimed director Agnès Varda and photographer/street artist JR.
Photo courtesy of Cohen Media GroupThe film follows the duo as they travel across rural France, capturing images of the people they meet, which are then turned into large-scale public artworks. All the while, Varda (who passed away last year) reflects on her storied career, and the pseudonymous JR lets his guard down a little bit.
They are an unlikely pair, but the result is a beautiful celebration of identity and art. It’s no surprise that Faces Places is a critic fave — it was even nominated for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards in 2018.
Faces Places is streaming now through the Cohen Media Channel on Amazon Prime.
