Monday, December 15, 2008

Cleo from 5 to 7- Agnes Varda

Cleo from five to seven is a film shot in real time and displays the two hour period in which a popular singer named Florence finds out that she has cancer.  Florence acts very childish about her situation often pouting to others while they pretend nothing is wrong.  She does not think anyone cares about her having cancer and no one really gives the indication that they are worried about it.  I absolutely loved the scene in which she is practicing her songs at the piano with the gentlemen who also don't seem to take Florence seriously.I was very touched by the song she sang as it was about death and love and in a sad key.  These heightened her emotion as she began to tear as it heightened my emotion while I was watching.  A very effective technique    I loved how the scenery was so natural because of the real locations of the filming.  The hustle and bustle of the city is very prominent as individuals look directly at the camera, portraying the idea that many people are looking at Florence and are either admiring her or trying to figure her out.  You could see Florence and her everyday encounters as she walked through the city trying to find her meaning.
The story ends nicely with a man who is going off to war and is also tossing around the thought of death, convincing her that she should embrace life rather than ponder death.  This made me feel like Florence was acting like an adult for one of the first times in her life as she took his advice and finally admitted that she feared death no longer.  the doctor ultimately tells her she does have cancer but she will get treatment and she will be ok. 

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