Faces Places Page #6

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- This isn't a village.

He tried to convince me

the docks are like a village.

- True, right?

- True.

True,

and we're well outside of town.

When I told her

there were only men,

she warmed to the idea.

I asked where the women were.

He said

I'd have to find them myself.

That's when I asked your wives,

since you have wives,

to meet me somewhere.

Here we have three women.

Three blonds,

dressed in black.

Do you know why I called you here?

All three of you

are wives of dockworkers.

Much is made

of the dockworkers' powerful union.

Dockworkers, dockworkers...

Their wives are rarely mentioned.

I thought this time,

I'd give you the floor.

Morgane?

I'm a schedule planner

for a transportation company.

My husband is fleet manager

at the Terminal de France.

Nathalie?

I'm a hairdressing instructor,

and my husband organizes

training courses for dockworkers.

And Sophie?

I'm a port truck driver.

A truck driver!

- Licensed to drive big rigs?

- You bet.

How many women drive big rigs?

In my company, I'm the only one.

Out of 80 drivers.

That sounds about right.

What size trucks do you drive?

45-ton trucks, the biggest ones.

So,

when we met

Christophe, Denis and David,

they told us about their jobs,

the strikes...

What's your position?

I actually get pretty angry

when they get criticized.

I love their esprit de corps,

I love...

I love their solidarity.

I support...

I support the dockworkers,

always.

It's true,

I always stand behind Christophe.

I stand behind him.

It's a wonderful profession.

Why do you say behind

and not beside?

No, I always stand beside him.

Beside him.

- Sophie?

- They must defend their positions.

Fight to maintain rights

obtained by their parents,

by their fathers,

who went on strike in the past.

So I support them.

Is dockworker

a job that runs in families?

Yes.

For all of you?

Our project is to take portraits

of you three...

And paste them on containers.

It'll be our pleasure, Agns.

Faces are beautiful.

But it's good to see

a woman standing tall.

We're ready now.

You can take off your little vests.

Our cloakroom boys

will take them for you.

Hang on!

Head a tad lower... That's it.

Look this way, eyes open...

Keep the scarf, it's pretty.

Hold it, let me see.

That's right,

the legs are perfect.

Look at me...

I like your laughing eyes.

Smile, just with your eyes.

We want you to be like

three big statues, three totems,

up there,

entering this world of men,

finding your place.

A place of honor, for once.

Up we go.

Remember the last time

we took an elevator?

We were at the Louvre.

Rising to a challenge.

We wanted to poke

a little fun at Godard.

He'd had three of his characters

run at top speed

down the Louvre's Grand Gallery

to break a record

for crossing the museum.

I saw that film.

Bande Part, in black and white.

You're lucky to know Godard.

I no longer run, but I had you.

How beautiful!

Bellini...

Del Sarto...

How beautiful!

Lorenzo Costa...

Ghirlandaio...

Botticelli...

Raphael...

There!

Arcimboldo...

Summer,

Spring.

Totem women, yes.

But brave, too.

Prepared to sit

right inside their own hearts.

How good it feels to be here!

Such a feeling of freedom!

I'm so happy to be up here.

It's calm.

It's big.

I don't like being alone.

I don't like heights,

I don't like being alone.

This is both at once.

I'm pretty scared.

I feel like I dominate everything.

It feels good, I like it.

I feel...

I feel tall, I feel strong.

This'll draw curious onlookers.

Dockworkers are talking about it.

Wondering who these women are.

We said they're our wives

and told them about the project.

I think pride alone doesn't describe it.

Everyone got so involved.

You know, it's...

onward and upward.

We're moving forward,

beyond all the clichs.

They're boxed in.

But not for long.

I can't see them well,

they're far away.

But I can see they're birdwomen.

We'll photograph up close

her eyes that can't see far away.

Now then, where were we?

I think it was fine.

Let me take one.

Look...

Superb.

The wrinkles are beautiful.

You've got muscles in your wrinkles!

- What? You do!

- I agreed to this.

I'll play along.

We've done your eyes,

your hands...

Might as well do your feet.

- They're beautiful.

- Get my soles.

I want your soles.

How do they look? I can't see.

I've never fallen into a rabbit trap,

but this is quite similar.

Raise this one.

Bring this one out,

closer to me.

Good.

Bring this one down a little.

Good.

The idea of you directing my toes

delights me.

Now curl them for me...

Looks like a wrinkly heart.

Like the potatoes I filmed,

young, then old.

Guess what I'm going to do

with these pieces of you.

They're yours?

Very pretty.

- Who's idea was it?

- His! Not mine.

I'm not proud of my feet,

they're too small.

They do seem small.

That's true, they do.

But that's ok.

I'm curious.

Why put toes on trains?

Is there a point? Or is it...

The point is

the power of imagination.

We've given ourselves the freedom,

JR and I,

to imagine things,

and ask people if we can

express our imaginations

on their turf.

But our idea has always been

to be with people, at work.

Hence the group photos.

So we want

to have an exchange with you,

and also try out

our own quirky ideas.

We enjoy it,

and we hope you do, too.

I was surprised by the originality.

It's an experience.

Your feet and your eyes

tell a story.

This train will go places

you've never been.

Thank you, JR,

for the beautiful trip.

I've got another one for you.

Close your eyes.

- I've got something for you.

- What is it?

Wait.

We have to close the blinds.

Look.

- How does it work?

- Like this.

Standing up.

What's your password?

2-3-4-5.

Great security!

Go on, hit play.

There.

- Why are you showing me Godard?

- You know why.

- Is that where we're going?

- Yes.

- Not excited?

- Sure I am.

I made this short film

with Jean-Luc Godard and Anna Karina

in 1961.

It'll put you in the mood

for our visit.

That's all I'll say.

Ever been to his place?

Not to his new house.

I haven't seen him in a long time.

I don't know, maybe five years.

What'll happen?

We'll see, we'll see.

He's unpredictable,

so you never know.

Why is he like that?

He's very solitary.

A solitary philosopher.

He created a cinema,

he changed the cinema.

His films are beautiful.

He's an inventor, a researcher.

The cinema needs people like him.

He's your old friend?

Don't say old friend!

He's a long-time friend.

It's nicer for old people.

And yes, he is.

I haven't actually seen him much

since we used to hang out.

I still care about him,

but we've lost touch.

Where would you like to sit?

What'll it be?

Madam?

- What'll you have?

- Perrier-grenadine.

I'd like still water, please.

No, herbal tea, please.

Herbal tea.

We're meeting him at 9:30.

So, what time is it?

Think he'll be on time?

He's at home, he'll be on time.

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