Agnes Varda death: Legendary French director dies aged 90 | London Evening Standard

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Agnes Varda death: Legendary French director dies aged 90Varda was a pioneer of the French New WaveLegendary: Director Agnes VardaAFP/Getty Images

Influential film director Agnes Varda has died at the age of 90.

Her family confirmed she passed away on Thursday as a result of complications from cancer.

They told AFP in a statement: “The director and artist Agnes Varda died at her home on the night of Thursday, March 29, of complications from cancer. She was surrounded by her family and friends.”

Born in Belgium in 1928, Varda became a pioneer of the French New Wave and made her directorial debut with La Pointe Courte in 1954.

Emotional: Agnes Varda accepting her honorary Oscar in 2017Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

She went on to enjoy a decades-spanning career with films including Cleo From 5 to 7 and Vagabond, which won the Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival.

She was nominated for an Oscar in 2018 for Faces Places, a documentary which follows Varda as she embarks on a road trip through France with photographer JR.

She famously sent a life-size cardboard cut out of herself to the nominees lunch, with stars including Meryl Streep and Greta Gerwig posing alongside her replica.

Double act: Agnes Varda famously sent a cardboard cut out of herself to the 2018 Oscar nominees luncheonGetty Images

Varda is survived by her children Rosalie Varda and Mathieu Demy.