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    Writings - Daniele Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub

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    Bailey Fensom

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Jean-Marie Straub and Daniele Huillee Writings Jean-Marie Straub and Danigle Huillet Edited and trans Sally Shafto Seq New York MASS. COLL ‘Table of Contents Foreword by Miguel Abrea ix Admnouledgments xi Introduction: Flmmalers at Work by Sally Shafto 4 List of Films 32 TEXTS 1950s 1, ‘The 15thVenice Film Festival Began Brilanly with the Americans 36 Gri the Japanese and Busiuel’s Genius 41 Does Rossllinis Work Have a Christian Meaning? 48 Five New Films by Rossellini 51 CClouzot Smears the Viewer; Hitchcock Exals the Public $3, Who Is Nicholas Ray? 55 Status of the New Filmmaker 58 19605 ‘Once Upon aTime There Wasa Little Filmmaker 60 Portrait nd Character 61 10, M=M_@2 11, The Second Oberhausen Manifesto 63 12, Not*Performing” Recting 65 13, Frostration of Violence 66 14, Encounter with the New German Cinema 67 15. The Bach Fa 69 16, Questionnaire on Film and Narrative 76 17. Straub Autobiography 80 18, Presentation of Not Revoned 84 19, [Have Always Been Hornified.... 89 20, Pecer Nester, Documentarian Not Reconciled 92 21, On Ernst Lubitseh 94 22, Prove. 95 23. The Bridegroom, the Aces andthe Pimp 97 24, Introduction o Nestler 99) 25, Ferocious 102 26, Mao’ Last Judgment 105 Eliminate che System and the State 107 = 19706 28, Introduction to Othon 110 29. Dubbing Is Murder 113 30. Othon: Presentation for Tes Broadcast on German Television 117 62, 63, 64, 65 66, Fitmeritie, Eisenstein, Brecht 126 “Not Resonled” with Television Censorship 132 Filmmaking Must Reain Teamwork... 136 Filmography of Jean-Marie Straub 137 ‘On The Business Afs of Mr Jus Caesar 140 Interview on Direct Sound "156 Small Historical Excorsus 161 Leste to the Export Union of German Cinema 177 David Wark Grifth, Flower of the American Bourgeoisie 178 lille Autobiography 179 ‘To Kluge 180 19805 Letter to Jean Narboni 184 Witches (The Chimer2?) 186 Hove to "Correct" Nostalgia 188 Leer to Fred Camper 191 Reagan at Bitburg 193, Fire! Aled Edel 194 Leer to Wim Wenders 196 ‘An Attack on the Reproducibility of Work of Art 201 Helderin, That Is Uropia 204 Cézanne/Empedacles/Hlerlin/von Arnim 208 Conference: Conception of a Film 213 Filta sche Only Haian Review... 225 1990 SD. 228 Quite a Lot of Pene-Up Anger... 229 Interview on Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach 232 Debate on Images andVirtual Reality 242 Ierview on Images and Magic 247 To the Inhabitants Alive and Dead of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 251 Interview: No Appeasement 252 Autofilmogeaphy 254 20005 Lecter About La Villée se 258 Questionnaire on Globalization 259 Frans van de Staak Has Died.... 261 My Key Dates 262 Questionnaire on May 1968. 266 67, Action Directe 268 68. The Oil Spill 270 (69, ‘Three Mesages to the 63rd Venice International Film Festival 272 “Work Journal for Moses and Aaron by Gregory Woods with Annotations by Daniéle Huillet 276 ATELIER Lester to Renato Berta for Firtini/Cani 34 Tancrary for Too Early, Tio Lure 340 Letter go Willy Lubtchansky and Caroline Champetiee for “Too Early Too Late 344 Diagrams for The Death of Empedosles 352 Shooting Schedile for Cézanne 360 Lab Notes for Cézanne 366 Negative Cutting Notes for Cézanne 369 Sound Mix Notes for Cézanne 370 Homage to Louis Hochet_ 372 Shooting Notes for From Today until Tiworow 374 Letter to Willy Lubichansky and Itinerary for Sica! 376 Location Notes for Sali! 386 Leer to Willy Lubichansky About Sica! 388 Press Kit for Aigone 391 Annotated Script for Antigone 398, ress Kit for Worker, Peasants 434 Annotated Script for Wirker, Peasanis 445 ress Kit for A Visi to the Lowre 453 ‘Annotated Seript for A Visit to the Lowee 459° Letter to Julie Kola for Her Birthday | 488 Press Kit for These Encounter of Theis 491 Annotated Seript for These Encounters of Theirs 300 PORTFOLIO by Renato Berta 525 Filmography 545 ‘Compendia ofthe Wings 590 Seed Bibliography 595 Index of Names 602 Cris 608 Foreword I was introduced to the films of Daniale Huillet and Jean Marie Straub by the distinguished filmmaker and criti, Thom Andersen, while staying film and video a the California Insitute of the Ars in the eatly 1990s. I now forgot which flm he frst showed group of ws, but [distinctly remember the striking effect of estrangement the work produced in me. "In” me beeause the images and sounds of the flim in question immediately engaged every part of my sensory organization with such raw force that Twas thrown completely off balance as to how to react to these basic unite of cinematic matter, not co mention the alleged stories they were constructing and deploying in front of my eyes and cats, Although the film was supposed to be an adaptation of a ‘more of less familiar text, the actual experience of viewing the thing was awe-inspiring and deeply surprising There wis nothing spectacular about the images at hand; there were no complex and ‘mind-bending cinematic ticks overtaking the viewer. Rather, ‘what seemed to be rendered palpable, 3s i for the fist time, were the distinct layers chat comprise a shot, which in turn forms a building block of an unfolding narrative ina film. An outdoor location in Sicily, for instance, with its indigenous sounds and light, gradually and gloriously eame to life due to che camera’ placemene in a specific spot and the resulting sill fame, and to the shot’ duration. Bur then there were these rate, sumptuous 360-degree pans offering the viewer the ground upon which the tripod stands, along with what the eamera discovers and sees.The fesntant source mteial of the original text being apprehended by the actor reciting it was also to be fel 3x such, textual matter traversing a foreign bods, and s0 on, and so on. ‘Yeats later, after having walked out of several Suaub and Fillet sereenings from the sostained pressure they create, [came to realize tha, arcing withthe very choice ofthe text co be st itis the sum total of ethical, sore-handed decisions—like those of fn accomplished sculptor chiseling into shape a block of mar= bie—that account forthe potent effect thes film objects produce, as they reach the viewers’ sense perception at what could be de~ Sevibed asa pre-consciows, or pre-cllual level: The quasi-archaie Forevont real of thet work sone in which the wind seen and heard How through eaves can be siicient content fora image to {sie Her» human geste pocedes is pen Iekson na dincanwtered phnte appear aa steetion of won he re of fieson menting a body before I brings out ay intelipble sound or my hance of communication The oie ft and Foremost an inrament of eanaton and resation seking tn gate bance between the ost be spoken and on Inne yh and pylogil craters This dle da 2s precedes ad es an een keener by peychology hat ty the domain of repreentaion and cadaionl acing Thee ae ste ofthe nal rate veltons tobe reckoned wa ir wos and ean ll order fo be open fo receving this sor of combine of sustained afecve cane that comer th tach fl one that moat people might keep aby been ofthe ‘ik of eng mtormed by iT ist cacounc with» Sau 4nd Hole fil can elke confontaon wih an intimin wel ht Keeps pushing you bck id for me. Bue you decide 1 look ga and hes aga, Because ha wall appear so well td cathy bull so magnificent that inp te and respect, dnd in he proces becomes este enough fo wat to menue Upto then unfresesle human evars night este, ons at tl ay with you ever They did or me, Let me concinde by ating the obvious, that thatthe nering intention behind the aking of ts bok hs ben to offer the reader alznced and elable gateway vo Hilt and Strub sete dead uncomproming poston, oes Red by their aly serge + mning pesctaionetsoperting 3 the cater edges af ommercil cine. The gal wat al to Bring to light thelr exemplary aod uowarpaued camanship, which ta hen firmly rote ina group ork ethic sunning overs decades of wring and procion atiiy Thee collected ets presented chronological and somctines frou intone, com fie pethpe mot rucaly fetal reminder tha rt ca be put tothe eric of ightng for acer cane and beter wo. Th (dios sm shoud emai enbanced bythe ibersting whisper [jean Mare Seb’ workin oo en"Cephig don Eno swine Gar mean Miguel Abreu March 2016 Acknowledgments “Thisbook isthe tangible proof thatthe Seaubian International is alive and welll Many individuals from around the wold have aided in its gestation, Fitst and foremost, Barbara Ulrich, Jean- Marie Straub closest collaborator and producer since the death ‘of Danile Huet, whore complete cooperation and unwavering tenthusiasm has made this volume porsible. Thanks to Barbara, ‘we alo had the generous help of Manuel Asin and Cyril Neyrat both of whoin shared with ws their respective manuscripts, the Spanish and French versions of the writings Their documents provided the basis of this current edition. In addition, we are Aelighted to be able to reproduce here Renato Bert’ wonderfal portfolio of photographs, reprised from the French eultion ofthe ‘ritngs: Thanks too to Eugenio Renai and Antoine Thirion fom Independencia for their imely asstance ‘We would aso like to warmly chank the translators, who were often working under tight deadlines: Barton Byg, Ted Fendt, ind Gregory Woodk, as well 3s Daniel Heller-Roazen, who ada- ‘ionaly offered us precious advice on overall ranslation issues and subdetes, Also thanks to Robin Mackay for lending his tansla- tion expertise, To Ted Fendt, we are indebted for his many frend Jy contributions over the course of production of ths volume. ‘Thanks to Jonathan Rosenbaum and Tag Gallagher who kindly gave us use of their previously translated texts. Benoit Turquery five us permission to adapt is detailed filmography from his ‘book on the filmmakers. To Barton Byg and Bernard Fisenschitz, wwe owe an extended note of gratitude because time and time in, they answered numerous probing queries and asisted in ascertaining otherwise difficule to find sources. The introductory tssay to this volume greatly benefited from chet close readings. ‘Theie collaboration was quite simply invaluable. ‘Our correspondence, in particular with Adriano Apri and ako with Edoardo Bruno, Gregory Woods, Helmut Frber, and ‘Misha Donat proved illuminating. Frangois Allbera assisted in tracking down several citations; he and Dominique Paini gr- ciously shared rare documents. special thanks to Daniel Talbot ‘who opened up his home and gave us access to his personal Acknowladgnens correspondence with the filmmakers, and to the archives of New Yorker Films, now housed in che Rate Book & Manuscript Library of Columbia University “This new edition involved extensive archival esearch. Dudley ‘Andrew confirmed a citation in the André Bazin archive at Yale ‘University Grazia Paganeli provided research for usin the Library ‘of dhe Museo Nazionale del Cinema in Turin. At the Library of the Cinémathéque fancaise, Jacques Ayrolles made avaiable co us the press kt for Antigone and Vildo Kneububler helped in locating several citations. Thanks to Robert Haller, we had aceess to the filmmakers’ file in che library of Anthology Film Archives, while Ashley Swinnerton made available documents and stills in the Department of Film at the Museum of Modern Ave, ‘Research on this volume was facilitated by several instita- sions, bu in particular by Willams College. Our warmest thanks to Katarzyna Piepreak, Chair of the Department of Romance [Languages and co the Dean of Facultys office. Several bbrarians at Williams College greatly abetted our research, especially Alison ‘O'Grady, who enabled us to locate innumerable texts, in par ticular a copy of Jacques Déniels otherwise hard-to-find edited ‘monograph on Der Tod des Empedokles from the University of Haifa! Flora Katz, luan Gayean, Leah Pires, Stephen Faught, and Gabriel Pericis at Miguel Abreu Gallery contributed research as- sistance a crucial moments Fora did several transcriptions, a well {scouted out original documents in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France; Ivan dia painstaking verification ofthe filmography ‘redis in addition to gathering key citations; Leah asisted with bibliographic research at Columbia University. Thank you to ‘Manic Scarciglis and Christophe Boutin for the use of theit ‘office and equipment in Pats, Ellen Tatlin and Rachel Valisky provided their editorial acumen in reviewing the manuscrip, and a special thanks to Dan [Berchenko for hs troubleshooting and guidance inthe occasion- ally thorny iswes of copy eting this volume. This lise of thanks of international supporters wouldn't bbe complete without the name of Nour-Fadine Sail, former Director of the Moroccan National Film Office and ardent fan of Jean-Marie Staub and Danie Hille. FILMMAKERS AT WORK: A CRITICAL EDITION OF JEAN-MARIE STRAUB AND DANIELE HUILLET'S WRITINGS eS deuil,but...chere are no details ‘Danie Huilet! We have at least a great a need to understand the past a 10 analyze the present. No one has the right to imprison people in the present. Thinking about what has happened allows us to open up the prison ofthe present Jean-Marie Strub? I gather these text to prove to myself that I'm not alone:That others, seeing my game, will become alles. For them, I put ty earde on the tale. Because Iam agninst secret diplomacy Louis Argon’ MODUS OPERANDI In preparing this introduction to the writings of Jean-Marie Staub and Danicle Huillet, it seemed only natural ¢o highlight the very idea of work, Work and labor, implicidy o explicitly, are certainly one key t0 this Marxist-inspired couple. On the eve ‘of being filmed in the documentary Oi git votre sourteenjoul? (Where Does Your Hidden Smile Lie?, 2001), Staub confided 0 Pedro Costa, "You won't see any artistic secrets, I’ just work™ Filmmaking isa notoriously laborious proces, particularly for in- dependent filmmakers. Known for making as many 3s forty-ight takes per shot, Staub and Huillet, in cheir writings, emphasize physical a well as mental toil, the vale of artisinal work, and the vires of workers This volume was originally conceived to accompany Staub and Huillet’sretospectve, scheduled to open at the Museum of Modern Are in May 2016 and to tour in North America there- after, Is our fervent hope that this edition will introduce these filmmakers to a new generation, far beyond what Serge Daney fonce called the “Staubian International,” and will stimulate fiuitul and novel ways of thinking abou their films, Ionofsction AAs a genre; filmmakers’ writings fll broadly under the ue- bella of artists’ writings, which includes, for example, Gerhard Richter’ Irtings 1961-2007 or Robert Morris’ Continued Projet Altered Daly The Writings of Robert Morris, Such collections and the subset of directors writings, notably those ofthe French New Wave, with whom Jean-Marie Straub of course came of age, have become increasingly popular in recent years. In 1991, Roger Conover initiated the Writing Art series at MIT Press. Jean-Luc Godard’ eviticism first appeared in French in 1968; then in English in Godard on Godard: Citi Writings in 1972. That volume, long with Erie Rohmer’ The Taste for Beauty (French ed, 1984; English ed. 1989), and Francois Truffaut's The Films in My Life (French ed,, 1975; English ed., 1978) and The Early Fin Coci of FeanoisTrfaut (English ed, 1993) comprise the ‘writings of those crities-curned-cirectos, 'A few yeats younger than Godard and Teuffaut, Staub pub- lished his fist review in 1954, atthe tender age of twenty-one. In that decade, however, he published only a handfal of eritical tex, ‘between 1954 and 1955; his critical output is considerably less substantial chan thar of his New Wave comrades-in-atms, When Seraub roemerges, he is writing asa flmmaker. His writings r= sume with a concise and seminal manifesto 7: "Status ofthe New Filmmaker" from 1959, but first published in 1966, In 1963, the first crccal review of a Staub and Huillr film, MackorksMulf, appeared in the German weekly Der Spiegel, in advance of its sereening (out of competition) atthe Invernationale Kuraflmtage ‘Oberhausen.’ Thereafter, Straub and Huillet were steadily focused ‘on developing their own film projec ‘Their writings are of interest precisely insofar as they shed. light on the ideas and practices of this filmmaking couple, This ‘current tome thus borrows its template from the sx earlier edi- tions of their writings. In these compilations, Ialian critics and Scholars initially took che lead, beginning with Riccardo Roset, who in 1984 collected theie screenplays, elated ineerviews, and several articles and combined them with crticim on thei films previously published in the Ialian film journal Filmer, in his Straub-Hluillet Film. In 1992, Adviano Apra edited a more complete version, with additional screenplays and texts, con- ‘centrating on the Fist five films (Machorka- Muto Orhon, in his 2 Ineodction Test ciara (Flm tex). In 2001, Piero Spila published an additional contribution ¢o Straub and Hoillet studies with bis 1 cinema di Jean-Marie Suaub e Danidle Huilet: “Quando il verde della tera druovo brent” (.. When the Green of the Ear Will, Glisten forYou Anew). This volume comprises critical literature, a critical flmogeapy with several of thee texts a4 well x numerous in-depth and otherwise hard-co-find interviews, and ends with a ‘chronological bibliography that Spila compiled with the asivtance ‘of Danigle HuilletTen years later, in 2011, Manoel Asin renewed this tradicion by publishing their writings in Spanish trnation, EzaitosA Portugese translation, StaubHuile, edited by Ernesto Gougain and Fernanda Tadde, and the more extensive French Err, edited by Philippe Lafosse and Cyeil Neyrat both followed in January 2012. Several ofthese versions combine the director” published texts with notable examples of their work documens. Scholarship, like Romi, ie not bul in day, and we here warmly acknowledge the contributions of these antecedents and incorpo- rate some oftheir notes, occasionally augmented. Included in an appendix, readers will find a compendium of all the tex in the ‘book, with citations to ther publication in these previous versions In the preface to the Evy, Manuel Asin useflly observes ‘hat Staub and Fillets texts may be divided into three categories ‘writings about others, writings on their vin fils, and montage tests that ate appropriations from other sources. This English edi- ‘ion comprises the published film criticism, autobiographical nots, published articles, responses to questionnaires, letters, marginals, hhotable work documents, and several oral exchanges. Together, these collected writings—-many appearing for the first me in English transltion-—give fesh insight into the working methods ‘of two of the most important and rigorous filmmakers whose collaboration, spanning half century, produced a major eve TRANSLATING TRANSLINGUALS Jean-Marie Straub and Danigle Hoillet are not just French nationals, but transnationals and transinguals who resided in France, Germany, and Il In this context, tanslingualsm means ‘both having the same meaning in several guages and operating ‘between several languages. The idiom of Straub and Haller’ 3 Ineodction ‘writings—like that of thei films—extends beyond their mother ‘ongue to embrace both German and Iakan. As children or young adults in World War I, the New Wave directors demonstrated 2 particular fascination with German. Claude Chabrol, for instance, Incorporates German dialogue (which, 2 a certain point, is not subtitle) in his L'CE de malin (The Thin! Lover, 1962) ikewise, the Germanophone Eric Rohmer once flmed in that language an adaptation of Heineich von Kleists Die Mouse von O (The ‘Manuise of O, 1976). Godard’s relationship to language, on the ‘other hand, is immediately more complex, with his casting of foreign actrees, ike Jean Sebeng and Anna Karina. In theit film (Othon, Straub and Hiaillee would similarly draw inspiration from foreigners speaking French, But an even closer model for them ‘wil be the character of the translator, Francesca, in Godard’ Le Mépris (Contempt, 1963). Going beyond mere bilingualism to ‘perform translingualism, Francesca seamlessly negotiates berween four languages (Ialian, French, German, and English), while Godard’s Nouvelle Vaque (New Wave, 1990) is legendary for its virtuosic eanslingualty (French, Iaan, English)” ‘Sail, noewithstnding isolated instances ike these, the very scope of Strub and Hluille’s ambitions remains unique in flm history They belong to the category of anslingual authors—as defined by Steven G. Kellman, the editor of Siching Languages Tiaslinguol Writers Reflect ow Their Crgfi—wrters, like Vladimir [Nabokov or Samael Becket, who “flaunt their freedom from the constraint of the culture into which they happen to be bora” i) In a recently rediscovered trouille entitled 50:"Hélderin, That [s Utopia” Straub excoriates his compatrios who are damned t0 read Marin Heidegger in French translation: The people who have read him in French tation would Be beter off not saying anything about i That Soul be in hee own es inte and in he interest of Heidegger We should accept ou linguistic imitations 54 gem afer all we accep or la imieations, go ‘apical borders physi ioc, onl bores Why cat we ab accep or nguinic imitation? ‘Thisisa point shar Dandle Huillt herself reiterates in an exchange ‘with Bernard Mezzadri (se 60:"Ineerview: No Appeasement”) “The idea of translinguality and what linguists call code- switching, where language use is disretely eurned on and off for specific context, and code-meshing, where different languages ae blended within the sime rhetorieal context, will prove wsefal in the following consideration of Staub and Huillets work. Because, the fact is that Seraub and Healt translinguality underpins all of theie work, and provides the key to understanding thei particule approach to translation and their insistence on live sync sound. ‘Together, they asisced Herbert Linder with the first German ttanslation of Pierre Corelle’ Othon later, they translated Arnold Schoenberg’ Moses and Aaron and Katka’ “fackals and Arabs" neo French, Subsequently Huillet alone translaed their adaptations of| the German poet, Friedrich Holdedin,” and the German play ‘wright, Bertole Brecht Severl oftheir collaborators offer insights into theie/her method. Adriano Ape, for instance, describes them as “meticulous in their choice of words; their principle was 2 Iieral adhesion to the original text" Thus, when Straub quotes Hilderlins phrase “Jeder sei Wie alle” (66:"“Questionnaire on ‘May 1968”), I have preferred here to rely on the more concise translation (“Each be asall’) by Barton Byg, close collaborator of te filmmakers, instead of Michael Hamburgers esteemed but in this context overly lerary translation (“Each will be the equal of the others"). ‘Uimately, Staub and Hiller’ ideas on liceal translation are best understood in terms of tanslingualsm, where a word has the sime meaning in several nguages. Hete i just one example: jour in French/Sogioo in Kealian/sojourn in English, where the ‘correspondences, based on linguistic archacology ae cleat,even i the English word is of dstincly higher register. Sul, the principle of literal tanslation does noc always work, ‘even when the word exists in the parallel language Such is the cae with the German word Komdiantn (comedian) from the file of their fourth fm, Der Biutigon, die Komodiantn, und der Zaher. In Kalan, this film i occasionally tansated as fudanzat, ls on tmeiinte il nfan, but Adriano Apra observes tat atic (actress) is preferable here, because of the negative connotations ofthe word commedint.* Flere Danie Hua explaining thee transition 5 neocon approach for this particular film in a ete she wrote,in English co Daniel Talbot, the film’ US. diseibutor, in December 1968: “Tate tide: wor for word rast fom he) German tle, Dr Brian, ie Kodo Ser Zahir, would be The Bridegroom, te Comedian, sd the Pp Taian? Zuber very had word i Geran, we had embed eymelogcy in French would ve gen: Zale Sue Je Mate chow magunea boca tw mote 005 The ean people ymin. And for Brian the bal word, um but ao so—vbich doesn [Now ih pt yu to decid: eo te to change, ce you think bert have re “conten” ie ave But later that month, she herself rejected the word “comedian.” Although the ultra-rarefied word “comedienne” does exist in English, the more straightforward translation of “actress” seems ‘more sensible here in part co avoid confusion with its homo- phone “comedian ata traeagyi) Sw ti took! gon na 4." arb Ft (Seto Introduction Bernard Eisenschitz, a close friend who fist met the film- ‘makers in 1967 and has Subtitled several oftheir fils, provides, another apr into Hille’ translation echos [Her sails, by thie Hera, push French syntax and vocab t thers, wile ao prof ‘expecting the French linguage. In doing the bis fe Maus and Aso she woul tlhe endo sk Sf the wont imple aml or uneeesen- Ate deigsing God, which pronounced at the very began) had ay Known occurences ithe reach Lanpigel (nce den thas come back ine we, bt she wat only sified sehen she fd iin 4 sven teea-cery diionary Ths needs intended fo ‘hore who chink tt she abuses the Peach ngage (Sousieage mon best sou) Straub and Huille’s transation work has “but few equiv- alents" theie approach nevertheless could be stid to be akin to that of André Chouragui whose translations of the Bible into French adhere so closely to the original Hebrew that the French language itself is rendered strange and unusual in kind ‘of Brechtian Veyfemuungffk. French isa more refined language than Hebrew and ultimately Chouragui succeeds in “hebrafying the French langvage. Another, much earlier prototype for their translation practice can be found in che Septuagint, a Hellenic version of the Bible, where, 2ecording to philosopher Elisabeth de Fontenay, “the marks of the Hebraic text make of ita decal translation, even though this archetype of subsequent biblical sransations formed a veritable literary cretion” (45). Thies clear Iy the school of tamlation to which Straub and Hualle belong. ‘As tansingual authors moving between French, German, and Italian thei style of writing i largely performative in nature: ic affirms a viewpoint with the greatest simplicity In eransating Straub and Hoillet here, che goal was intelligibility rather than 2 slavish following of what is perceived as their principles ofa lier translation. There is no doubt that Danile Hillet held definite ideas, but she was abo often wonderflly pragmatic, ORDERING OFTHE TEXTS This volume is divided into three sections, the Texts section 's devoted to Straub and Hiuille’ published writings organized chronologically with each text numbered for ease of referencing ‘while the selected work documents, another distinct kind of ‘writing of no less importance, inthe Ali section, are organized thematically The book closes with a Polio of photographs with commentary by noted cinematographer Renato Berta, who, ‘taring with their ist film shot in Italy, Otho,” regularly worked with Staub and Hull. Although filmed in the summer of 1969, Othon is purpose- filly placed here at the start of the 1970s. A decennial approach has the Benefit of accentuating their trajectory from France in the 1950s to Germany throughout the 1960s with their move, at the close ofthat decade, to laly where they remained for over thirty-five yeas. In 2001, participating in Cahier di cinéma’ incer- national survey of filmmakers and globalization (see no.63), they proudly selidentiy a6 Teaan directors, The date of authorship generally determines an article’ placement, even when the inital Pblieation date comes many years later. For example, Staub’. short text 9:"Portzait and Character"”—written in 1962—but ‘not appearing until thirty years later when Adciano Apra included icin his Tit cnemagrafi is filed under 1962. Again, our intent fs to encourage an organic and transparent reading ofthese co filmmakers a€ work. Its perhaps useful hereto note what will be ‘obvious in looking at the facsimiles of their texts in this volume: ‘most of these writings were written using a typewriter, or by hnand, Straub and Hoiller never owned a personal computes” Ifthe idea of labor provides one point of entry into the Seaub and Huille euvre then the unique, multilingual approach fof these transnational filmmakers who wrote and made flms in French, German, and Italian provides sill another point of acces "To emphasize tis aspect, each tex is followed by its bibliographic provenance, including versions in other languages. From the outset, one of the goals in wanslating these texts, ‘was, whenever possible to consult the originals, what Elisabeth de Fontenay calls che texte prineps. Building this archive was like doing research on different copies of a fm print held in 8 Ineodacion archives aound the wold In 2008, the rediscovery of long lst footage of Meropls (1927) ate eighty ye, in the Buenos Aies ‘Museo del Cine provided ew invghe mo Fritz Langs Weimar masterpiece. Occasional. in reach on fil cops we kaon 2 original version of text once existed, often in French, but ‘thas long since diappeared In this contest, we ate parc grstefl to Barbara Urich and Adriano Ape for ving respec- Sey reureced scans ofthe fllowing psc» ter fom Waldemar Kuri (quoted in 17:"Steaub Autobiography), 17 "Staub Autobiography? 29*Dubbing ls Mander and 37"Sinal Historical Excure’s9: "Porat and Character? 10:"M= 12)"Not Performing? Recting” and 18:-Presenation of Nor Resaled"In our incision of reproductions infil, we have limsted our choice to thre test tha play the makers we of lil langage Retsrching the vritions of hese ext and tempting co locate at orignal ws ike having lost an original imprint and ‘working solely from ew interngatives, ey 3 eanlton nto Tetian or German, often retarted back into French! Such is the case ith Hise santa aril, 37:"Smal Historic Excursus? which Bernard Evenschite rightly comer one of their mont early composed writing" A preparatory docu tmenttion t teir Movs and Aww, hilt composed this text based om her close reading of the Old Testament and recent arehacologicalingircy in order to substantiate their point of siewrin fling Although Hull inl wot tin French, was fist publhed in Gabriele Theurings German ransaton in Fimkrik Eisenschitetanlated the article back into French forthe Eris Our English tansation orginally based on his French back eanslation, which was then reviewed by Barton Bye in comparing it to Theuring’ German trnsation. Shordy before soing to press, Babara Ulrich uncovered a photocopy of Hiller’ French original, which was then used for verification. Her orig- inal is considerably longer than is initial German translation and these excisions ae indicated, Every attempt has been made to corroborate and sometimes correct existing bibliographic references. Occasional erata that were noted in the filmmaker’ texts, minor typographical errors, have usually been quietly emended, For convenience film tes by 9 CSL EI lateduction Seraub and Hille are consistently referred to herein their English teansation; alist of their film tiles fllows thie introduetion WHAT THE WRITINGS ENCOMPASS ‘As Benoit Turquety observes in his review of the Bovis, filmmakers writings comprise a vat field and in no seme con this volume be considered the complete writings of Jean-Marie Seaub and Daniéle Huillet. But every attempt has been trade to encompass the majority oftheir published writings in thete Principal languages: French, German, Ktatian, and Engle = ‘We also consciously include a handfil oftheir oa exchang- «sin an expanded notion of writings. Our focus remains on che published writings and work documents of the flmmakers bee ‘withthe judicious addition of afew key orl texs, most of whack were not previously anthologized in the earlier versions of the ‘writings. Mose ofthese oral texts are from the 1990s a point when the filmmakers published fever writings, instead devoting their energy to cheir work documents and verbal exchenge ‘These include excerpts from thei important interview on sol (00.36), which vas fest published in the Kalan review Gong. interview on Chronic of Anna Magdalene Bach fron Caen de

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