FILM IN FOCUS: Vagabond

Agnès Varda’s Vagabond (1985) might be considered a contemporary road movie that follows its female protagonist as she hitchhikes around the French countryside—with no apparent direction.

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NOTE: The dialogue in this video is in French and is not relevant to the discussion questions, therefore no transcript is available for download.

Discussion Questions

After watching this clip from Vagabond, consider the questions below. Then submit your response.

Question 1.

In this clip, how does Mona’s movement and attitude suggest that she is both part of a tradition and a variation on the road movie protagonists?

Question 2.

Unlike more traditional road movies, here the main character is a woman and a hitchhiker. How do these two facts seem to confront and subvert some of the common expectations and themes of the road movie genre? In this regard, how and why is her encounter with a truck driver and his truck both thematically and visually important?

FILM IN FOCUS: Vagabond

Instructions

Video

Discussion Questions

Question 1.

Question 2.