Cléo De 7 Analysis

In Cléo de 5 à 7, Varda follows more closely to the filmmaking techniques that are used by most classic Hollywood cinema. The only major difference, other than the context of the film, would be Varda’s use of temporality by having a film set in a two hour time period and of trying to keep the action of the film almost in the exact lifetime of two hours. It takes the idea of Classical Hollywood continuity to an extreme. Another difference is that Cléo takes on more French political issues such as the Algerian war going on versus commenting on American film habits. Cléo also seems to take on a much more serious tone, even though both films deal with death. Breathless seems to hide the horrors of existentialism and death behind it’s filmmaking techniques while Cléo very upon about the issues from the first twenty minutes.
Like Breathless, Cléo de 5 à 7 takes place mostly on the streets of Paris and has a main protagonist who is doing some soul searching and in search for validation. While Michel looks for his validation in Patrica, Cléo …show more content…
Both Cléo and Michel seem to have this obsession with their reflection in mirrors, especially in the peak of the insecurities about themselves, but only does Cléo seem to move past this. Their reflections are the only place where the seem to see really get to look at themselves and the audience gets to see the identity in which the characters shown or play in the world. For example, early on in the film Cléo goes to a cafe to meet her friend and she makes faces at her in the mirror as her friend describes her as child. Later on Cléo goes to a hat shop with her friend and tries on hats while narrating that about how she is beautiful and because she is beautiful she is alive! These occasions show Cléo’s reflection in the mirror allows for her to abide by this roles that society is placing on