What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Gleaners and I
Agnès Varda · Film · 2000
If you loved The Gleaners and I, start with Planet Earth (2006) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Gleaners and I across media.
You appreciate how The Gleaners and I finds profound, human meaning in the overlooked margins and discarded systems of our modern world.
Books on the same thread
Weimar Cinema and After
Thomas Elsaesser · Book · 2000
Explores: National Identity, Modernity, Social Change.
Just as The Gleaners and I examines the scraps of French life, this book unearths the forgotten cultural remnants and visual histories that shaped the identity of German cinema.
The Man who Planted Trees
Jean Giono · Book · 1989
Explores: Environmentalism, Hope, Solitude.
This allegorical tale mirrors the quiet, resilient spirit found in The Gleaners and I, focusing on an individual whose solitary actions foster renewal within the neglected natural landscape.
The Predicament of Culture
James Clifford · Book · 1988
Explores: Cultural Appropriation, Identity Politics, Representation.
This analysis of ethnographic practices shares the investigative curiosity of The Gleaners and I, challenging how we observe and categorize the cultural practices of those living on the fringes.
The Omnivore's Dilemma
Michael Pollan · Book · 2007
Explores: Food Production, Sustainability, Consumerism.
This work explores the ethics of consumption similarly to The Gleaners and I, forcing a confrontation between our personal choices and the systemic waste inherent in modern food production.
Series on the same thread
Planet Earth
Series · 2006
Explores: Biodiversity, Conservation, Natural Wonders.
While broader in scope than The Gleaners and I, this series captures the same observational wonder, inviting you to witness the intricate processes of the world around us.
The Century of the Self
Adam Curtis · Series · 2002
Explores: Psychoanalysis, Consumerism, Political Manipulation.
This documentary echoes the critical eye of The Gleaners and I by deconstructing the hidden forces of consumerism and social manipulation that dictate our everyday human desires.
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Series · 2013
Explores: Cultural Immersion, Culinary Exploration, Global Travel.
Like the director of The Gleaners and I, Bourdain ventures off the beaten path to find authenticity, celebrating the diverse rituals and communities that exist outside mainstream tourist experiences.
The Power of Nightmares
Adam Curtis · Series · 2004
Explores: political manipulation, fear mongering, social control.
This film shares the investigative rigor of The Gleaners and I, peeling back layers of societal artifice to expose how fear and control shape our collective modern reality.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
This drama provides the same immersive look into rural community life that defines The Gleaners and I, grounding its narrative in the realities of farming and human relationships.
Ologies with Alie Ward
Alie Ward · Podcast · 2026
Explores: intellectual curiosity, scientific wonder, human obsession.
The infectious curiosity found in The Gleaners and I carries over here, as these experts find beauty and intellectual depth in the small, often ignored details of our world.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Gleaners and I a documentary about French agriculture?
The Gleaners and I is a documentary that explores the lives of people who gather leftover crops from fields and markets. It examines the motivations of these individuals, ranging from economic necessity to personal activism, as they find utility in items that society has discarded.
What does the title The Gleaners and I refer to?
The title The Gleaners and I refers to the subjects of the film, who are people that scour reaped fields for remaining produce, and the filmmaker, Agnès Varda. The film documents her perspective as she observes these individuals across both the French countryside and Parisian green markets.
Does The Gleaners and I focus only on rural gleaning?
The Gleaners and I does not focus solely on rural areas. While the film investigates forgotten corners of the French countryside, it also follows the activities of gleaners in urban environments, specifically during the off-hours at the green markets located in Paris.
What is the central theme of The Gleaners and I?
The central theme of The Gleaners and I is the act of finding use for that which society has cast off. The film explores the lives of those who gather what is left behind, highlighting how these individuals operate out of either necessity or a sense of activism.