The Gleaners and I

Searching for gleaners who live on discarded or stray food, Agnès Varda comes upon the most remarkable people. A bartender used to gather the grain that was left after the harvest, as nothing should be wasted. In the same spirit, people visit winegrowers to take home the scraps that weren't gathered during the grape picking. A chef with a Michelin star can often be found in the hills, gathering ripe fruit and fresh herbs that he uses in his kitchen the same day. He believes in the idea that we should treat food with respect. Nevertheless, there are many potato growers who throw away piles of spuds because they're too large or malformed. Still, they make great food, a number of dumpster divers think, who also come across a tasty drumstick in a restaurant container to complete their meal. Agnès Varda films them playfully and affectionately and doesn't mind getting sidetracked when she encounters something interesting. Like the small clock without hands that's perfect in her eyes, because it doesn't indicate the time. Sometimes, she suddenly dwells on her advanced age with self-mockery or she films her one hand with the other, turning the film into a disguised self-portrait. After all, filming is gleaning, too.