The Gleaners and I

The Gleaners and I explores a lovely comparison between a woman coping with her age, and a French society that gleans unwanted food. The film introduces this theme of accepting the “unwanted potatoes” by exploring historical paintings of gleaners. These paintings show beautiful subjects gleaning wheat. The golden hues, and sunlit subjects reflect a golden age of gleaning. The filmmaker, Agnes Varda, then asks herself, “What is the modern form of gleaning?” The film abruptly transitions to French rap music, and rapid cuts of people digging through garbage and unwanted food. From then on, the film explores the “unwanted” food that is gleaned by the community. Varda appears on camera multiple times, and looks into the lens to determine whether she is an unwanted.

This film is similar to Bright Leaves because the filmmaker makes the film sort of autobiographical (or more like a diary). The Gleaners and I explores the modern forms of gleaning. Varda arrives at a potato farm, and interviews the owners as well as the gleaners. She observes the huge pile of good potatoes that are left to rot in the fields. According to the owners, their buyers only accept a specific size and shape. Thus, large potatoes and irregular shaped potatoes are unwanted, and left to waste. Varda appears on camera, and examines her hands. Her wrinkles, and leather-like skin expose her age. The juxtaposition alludes to her struggles coping with her age. Is she just as unwanted?

As Varda observes people and communities gleaning, she discovers different perspectives. Some gleaners are timid, and perhaps, ashamed to glean. In the potato fields, one man quietly sneaks around the pile to avoid being notice. On the other hand, a professor in the flea market takes his time picking and eating the leftovers. As she interviews and explores the lifestyle of many French individuals, she also provides insight into the poverty, and community. The individuals glean alone, which is significantly different from the gleaners in the painting who glean as a community.

It is challenging for me to understand Varda completely. She is intrigued with unwanted things: the heart potato, her hands, her ceiling, and her old house. I believe she considers herself as a gleaner. She evens gleans with individuals in the potato field. Varda is ultimately a gleaner herself. At the conclusion, Varda takes the gleaners painting out of the room for display.