Ô saisons ô chateaux

This magnificent short film was made for the French Tourism Bureau, covering the castles of the Loire Valley. While it succeeds as a travelogue, it ends up as so much more.

Agnes Varda (the director) pays special attention to emphasize the beauty of the regions of her film with a very deep reverence. With the use of colourful panoramas, music and poetry, a special admiration is shown for artists and writers of earlier centuries including those outside France.

It is also special to see people out and about in an era of a time past. While they may have lived with less liberties than what we have today, they were also less burdened with modern plagues such as too much busyness including those that are self-imposed like smartphone obsessions. Travelogues of France will always be treasures. But for the modern viewer to experience an era of simpler enjoyments, it is a nostalgic pleasure that is almost indescribable. - dbamateurcritic

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: Directing by Agnès Varda