Despite directing only 13 feature-length films, Jacques Demy achieved iconic status with hits like The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), and Donkey Skin (1970). Demy's ability to enchant audiences was rooted in his personal struggles and doubts as a showman, establishing him as one of French cinema's greatest artists.
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If asked to name a documentary about director Jacques Demy, one might think of Jacquot de Nantes, a biographical adaptation of his life directed in 1991 by his widow, Agnès Varda. While Jacquot de Nantes focuses mainly on Demy's childhood and early works, this new work filmed 33 years later may be described as a "first-person documentary" that journeys through the director's body of work. Also notable is the abundant use of archival footage of the family, which was provided by the work's co-producers, Demy's daughter Rosalie Varda and son Mathieu Demy. It includes interview footage filmed by Agnès Varda, personal scenes captured on Super 8 film, and behind-the-scenes images from filming. It offers an in-depth exploration of the intention and production difficulties of his various works, together with stories from the set—starting with Lola (1961) and continuing to his musical works The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort, his move to the US with Model Shop (1969), and his later works Donkey Skin and The Pied Piper (1972). (CHUN Jinsu)
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