Synopsis
Each portrait of this series consists of an interview between Alain Cavalier and a woman working in a rare or disappearing profession. At their place of work, they talk about their craft and the techniques they use, their training and their history, their tastes and their daily lives. These intimate documentary portraits reveal astonishing personalities and surprising work environments. Here, in her clinic in Boulogne-sur-Seine, Mrs Sarfati, an optician by training, shares her passion for optometry with us.
A word from Tënk
Portraits represent a pivotal work in Alain Cavalier's filmography, signaling the autobiographical transformation of his cinema. The filmmaker is a craftsman, much like the women he captures on film. As he focuses on filming their work, their hands, and their tools, he consistently lays bare his staging, his approach, his obsessions—revealing what drives him. More than just portraits, these films are encounters: the movie becomes a shared space between the filmmaker and the subject, with us as privileged witnesses. These films, characterized by the generosity of spirit, are matched only by the beautiful modesty of each protagonist.
Sylvain Bich
Film projectionist
