Feature: A new book by film critic Carrie Rickey chronicles acclaimed French filmmaker Agnes Varda

Having done film criticism for decades, it was around the early points of the COVID-19 pandemic that film critic and historian Carrie Rickey decided to take up the task of outlining the life of beloved director, Agnes Varda. In A Complicated Passion: The Life and Work of Agnès Varda, Rickey looks at not just Varda’s filmography, but also how she became such a public-facing individual who embodied the politics she preached in interviews and on the big screen. Writing about the work that went into making great films like Cleo from 5 to 7, how she became a notable part of France’s feminist movement, and the friendships that made her known as a beloved socialite. So for this week’s FilmWeek feature, we speak to film critic and historian Carrie Rickey about her new book, A Complicated Passion: The Life and Work of Agnès Varda.