Sans Toit Ni Loi (1985)

Film: Sans Toit Ni Loi

Director: Agnès Varda

Country: France

Released: September 1985

Runtime: 105 minutes

Genre: Drama

Studio: MK2 Diffusion

Influenced: Claire Denis, Mia Hansen-Løve, Lynne Ramsay, Kelly Reichardt, Céline Sciamma

Sans Toit Ni Loi (literally translated as "without roof nor law", and better translated as homeless & lawless), Agnès Varda's mid-80s masterpiece is more commonly known as Vagabond in English. The film centers around the life and death of a young female drifter named Mona Bergeron, portrayed by Sandrine Bonnaire. As the film begins, Mona's lifeless body is found frozen in a ditch in the rural landscape of Southern France. The story unfolds through a series of flashbacks and interviews with people who encountered Mona during her final days. Like many of Varda's films, Vagabond has an innovative narrative structure, blending documentary-style interviews with a fictional narrative to create an emotionally resonant film. 

The plot traces Mona's journey as a homeless vagabond, wandering aimlessly through the French countryside, relying on the kindness of strangers and odd jobs to survive. As ever with Varda, the film challenges traditional gender roles, exploring the complexity of a female protagonist who defies social norms and expectations. Through Mona's encounters, we see the complexity of her character and the contrasting reactions she evokes from different people. While some show her kindness and sympathy, others perceive her as a threat or a burden on society. As the story progresses, we get glimpses into Mona's past, her troubled childhood and her strained relationships with her family, helping to understand the root of her detachment from society.

Vagabond also portrays the harsh reality of homelessness, showcasing the daily struggles and desperation faced by those living on the fringes of society. The film starts with the shocking discovery of Mona's lifeless body, which serves as the focal point of the narrative. As the film progresses, we get a glimpse of Mona's final days and the events leading up to her tragic demise. Throughout her journey, Mona meets different characters, each interaction providing a unique insight into her state of mind and the challenges she faces as a homeless person. Varda spent a great deal of time researching the life of vagabonds, including visiting rail stations at night, as well as shelters and asylums, and she was struck by the relatively recent phenomenon of single women living life on the road and the courage it took to exist without a home or the support of others. On one level, the film is a philosophical exploration of the tension between freedom and loneliness, and how being alone can be liberating but also isolating.

Vagabond received critical acclaim and won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1985, with Varda's direction and Bonnaire's performance in particular gaining praise. The film's realistic portrayal of homelessness and social marginalisation helped to spark discussions about class struggles and the treatment of homeless people. Vagabond has a grittier and more naturalistic visual style compared to more visually striking Varda films like Cléo de 5 à 7 (1962) and Les Plages d'Agnès (2008), but it does share a common thread with the director's other work in terms of its fascination with complex characters and its feminist themes. Varda's commitment to social realism and her compassion for people who live on the margins is also evident in later films like Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse (2000) and Visages Villages (2017).