Sem Eira Nem Beira (1985)

A young woman's body is found frozen in a ditch. Through flashbacks and interviews, we see the events that led to her inevitable death.

Director:

Agnès Varda

Writer:

Agnès Varda

Stars:

Sandrine Bonnaire, Macha Méril, Stéphane Freiss

8 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sandrine Bonnaire	...	Mona Bergeron, sans toit ni loi
Setti Ramdane	...	Le marocain qui la trouve
Francis Balchère	...	Un gendarme
Jean-Louis Perletti	...	Un autre
Urbain Causse	...	Un paysan interrogé
Christophe Alcazar	...	Un autre, brûleur de fossé
Dominique Durand	...	Le premier motard
Joël Fosse	...	L'autre, Paulo, amant de Yolande
Patrick Schmit	...	Le camionneur
Daniel Bos	...	Le démolisseur
Katy Champaud	...	La jeune fille à la pompe
Raymond Roulle	...	Le vieux aux allumettes
Henri Fridlani	...	Le fossoyeur
Patrick Sokol	...	Le jeune homme au sandwich
Pierre Imbert	...	Le garagiste

Storyline

In winter in the south of France, a young woman is found frozen in a ditch. She's unkempt, a vagabond. Through flashbacks and brief interviews, we trace her final weeks as she camps alone or falls in with various men and women, many of whom project their needs onto her or try to give her life direction. She squats in an old house smoking hash with a man, falls for a Tunisian laborer and works beside him pruning grape vines, stays with a couple shepherding goats, meets an agronomist trying to save plane trees, gets tipsy with an old woman, and has an offer to appear in porn films.

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Plot Keywords:

feminist film | 1980s | south of france | goat cheese | goat farm | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

M/16

Details

Official Sites:

Ciné Tamaris [France]

Country:

France

Language:

French Arabic English

Release Date:

22 January 1988 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

Sem Eira Nem Beira

Filming Locations:

Vendargues, Hérault, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ciné Tamaris, Films A2, Ministère de la Culture

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

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Goofs

In the opening segment, Mona (Sandrine Bonnaire) is lying in a ditch in the vineyard. The character Mona is supposed to be dead, but if you look at the actress's neck you can clearly see a neck artery visibly pulsing.

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Quotes

les Bergers: She blew in like the wind. No plans, no goals... No wishes, no wants... We suggested things to her. She didn't want to do a thing. Wandering? That's withering. By proving she's useless, she helps a system she rejects. It's not wandering, it's withering.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: The Best Films of 1986 (1987)

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Soundtracks

Sur la mer toujours recommencée calmée
Written by Giacomo Puccini and Slim Batteux
Performed by Marina Albert

User Reviews

Moving, sharply observed drama.

What I admired the most about "Vagabond" is the objective, evenhanded approach of the director towards her "heroine". She neither praises nor condemns her chosen "lifestyle", she simply observes it - and she observes it so well that this feels like the work of someone who's had first-hand experiences with similar people and surroundings. To be perfectly honest, the film doesn't have much psychological (or sociological) depth, and it can get boring at times while you're watching it, but right after it's over, you know that you've seen a good movie. (***)