Le joli mai

Historical look at Paris in May, 1962. Chris Marker questions a variety of Parisians the month the Algerian War ended on a plethora of topics ranging from racism to dancing. Images are accompanied by commentary, providing statistics ("14 people died of suicide, 10 male, 4 female"), and philosophical musings ("maybe the truth is not only the end, but also the means"). Marker also employs humor when a scene of men discussing technology and leisure is juxtaposed with pictures of cats, while obviously undermining their rambling it also offers more possibilities for interpretation. The freewheeling camera work and insistent questioning create a cachet of curiosity.