A singer waits for a cancer diagnosis in real time across ninety minutes.

Art · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In Agnès Varda’s 1962 masterpiece, a pop star named Cléo wanders Paris while awaiting biopsy results. The film unfolds in near-real time, capturing her existential dread and transformation as she encounters soldiers, artists, and the indifferent city. It is a defining work of the French New Wave that remains hauntingly relevant.

Agnès Varda’s 1962 film, Cléo from 5 to 7, tracks the life of Florence, a singer known as Cléo Victoire, during a pivotal ninety-minute window on June 21. After a tarot reading leaves her convinced she has stomach cancer, the narrative follows her through the streets of Paris as she grapples with mortality. The film is celebrated for its departure from traditional narrative conventions, opting instead to immerse the viewer in the subjective experience of a woman confronting her own end.

The film’s structure is deeply tied to the passage of time. Cléo’s journey takes her from a café to her flat, an art studio, and eventually the Parc Montsouris, where she meets Antoine, a soldier on leave from the Algerian War. Their shared conversation about the fear of death provides a turning point for Cléo, shifting her focus from vanity and superstition to a genuine connection. When her doctor finally confirms she requires two months of chemotherapy, the news is delivered with a casualness that contrasts sharply with her earlier, mounting anxiety.

Critical appreciation for the film has grown significantly over the decades. While it was entered into the 1962 Cannes Film Festival, its status as a classic has solidified through major polls. In the Sight & Sound Critics' Poll, the film climbed from 289th place in 2002 to 14th in 2022. It is now widely recognized as one of the greatest films directed by a woman, praised for its ability to capture the specific appeal of the French New Wave while maintaining a distinct, intimate perspective on the human condition.

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