Danièle Huillet

Danièle Huillet (1936-2006) and Jean-Marie Straub (1933) were a French duo of filmmakers who made about twenty films together between 1963 and 2006. Their films are known for their rigourous style and communist politics. All films by Straub and Huillet are adaptations of literary texts or musical works. They only used the direct sound of the recordings and usually worked with non-professional actors. Early on, Straub and Huillet recognized their connection with Bertolt Brecht, whose works they adapted several times. Their best-known films include Chronik der Anna Magdalena Bach (1968), Dalla nube alla resistenza (1979), Trop tot/trop tard (1982), Paul Cézanne im Gespräch mit Joachim Gasquet (1989) and Sicilia! (1999).

Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub, 1969, 1984
CORRESPONDENCE
25.10.2023
EN

All we can do is try to do our job as well as we can – but that too is so stupid, to have to fight for a film not to be ruined, considering how many other (more important?) things – people – we ought to be fighting for. And yet you must fight for a film “pour ne pas céder”. Godard claims that you don’t last long on your own, but maybe that’s all you can do: hold out as long as you can…

Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub, 1969, 1984
CORRESPONDENCE
25.10.2023
EN

All we can do is try to do our job as well as we can – but that too is so stupid, to have to fight for a film not to be ruined, considering how many other (more important?) things – people – we ought to be fighting for. And yet you must fight for a film “pour ne pas céder”. Godard claims that you don’t last long on your own, but maybe that’s all you can do: hold out as long as you can…