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Ulysse
Ulysse tells the story of a photograph that Varda took as a young woman, which is also presented here. The film acts as an inquiry into the image: its significance in her life, and the lives of the models.
Taken on a beach in Calais, France in 1954, the photograph shows three subjects—a man, a boy, and a dead goat. Through the film, we learn that the young boy, Ulysse, is the son of political refugees—then neighbours of Varda—from the Spanish Civil War. Revisiting this image almost thirty years later, Varda interrogates her memories of the moment the photograph was taken, revealing some discomfort. Alongside, she explores the wider context of that day in 1954: her own life, and her transition from filmmaking to photography; her experience before and after becoming a mother; and the wider context of current affairs, from France’s V-Day (leading to eventual US involvement in Vietnam), to the introduction of television in France. Touching upon her own life and the political situations of the time, the film raises questions about the impact of images on our collective and individual memory.
Varda began her career as a photographer before moving into cinema and coining the term ‘cinécriture’ to describe her unique method of storytelling; at once playful, curious, and political. Ulysse typifies this style perfectly, the intertwining narrative combining Varda’s self-reflexive memories and emotions with the historical details and personal circumstances of the subjects on the beach.
Bio Agnès Varda
Agnès Varda (1928-2019) was a Belgian-born French film director. She studied Art History at the École du Louvre and photography at the École des Beaux-Arts but also held a Bachelor’s in Literature and Psychology from the Sorbonne. While working as a photographer, Varda became interested in making a film, even though she knew little about the industry. Varda’s feature film debut was La Pointe Courte (1955), but her film Cléo de 5 à 7 (1961) established her name and became a landmark of the French New Wave. Varda wanted to make films in line with her time, rather than focusing on traditions or classical standards.
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- This film was #44 in the “Greatest” Short Films of All Time 2025