"Most of us at Reverse Shot are enamored of Claire Denis, so it was only a matter of time before we devoted a symposium to her, for we believe to be entranced with the cinema of Claire Denis is to be entranced with cinema itself," write editors Michael Koresky and Jeff Reichert, introducing Issue 25. It's a timely symposium, too, given that White Material will see its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in a couple of weeks. "Those who don't like Claire Denis... well there are six other arts, aren't there?"
Featured here are Adam Nayman's interview with the French filmmaker, Leo Goldsmith on her early career as an assistant director, Damon Smith on her music videos and, of course, contributors' takes on her feature-length films: Elbert Ventura on Chocolat, Nicolas Rapold on No Fear No Die, Michael Koresky on I Can't Sleep, Ryland Walker Knight on US Go Home, Matt Connolly on Nénette et Boni, Andrew Chan and Jeff Reichert on Beau travail, Kristi Mitsuda on Trouble Every Day, Eric Hynes on Friday Night, Genevieve Yue on L'Intrus (see also Kevin Lee's video essay, Robert Davis's 2004 interview (and outtakes) for Paste and Damon Smith's 2005 interview for Senses of Cinema), Sarah Silver on Vers Mathilde and Adam Nayman on 35 Shots of Rum.
Naturally, we'll want to mention some of the Denis appreciation that's been going on here at The Auteurs in the relatively recent past. Kevin Lee interviewed her in April; Daniel Kasman wrote an early review of 35 Shots of Rum when it screened in Toronto last year; and Ryland Walker Knight offered his take in March.
Back in July, Tobias Grey met Denis for a brief interview for the Financial Times; and at Shadow And Act, Tambay has a bit on White Material, for which Denis has returned to Cameroon - a plot synopsis, the cast (headed by Isabelle Huppert), that sort of thing.
Image: Chocolat.