Add to playlistLes Visages is a video catalogue of citizens born in Arles-sur-Tech, a small town in southern France, close to the Spanish border. The people are warm and charming, the language was Catalan. Since 1975, the population of 2,945 has been slowly but steadily dwindling. In 2015, there were 2,695 occupants. I found it fascinating that the demographic of those born and still living in the town leaned towards the elderly and very young; most of the population in between those ages tending to leave for opportunities in the wider world. There are attempts at revitalization, but at the time I was there, in the summer of 2009, the town, as lovely as it is, seemed a bit desiccated, and my intent was to celebrate and create an indelible image of the presence of its native-born citizens by making this film.
