Cinema and Counter-Power / 1

Film critic, writer and teacher Jean-Michel Frodon was editor of Les Cahiers du Cinéma and runs “Projection publique,” the cinema blog of Slate. Philosopher, emeritus director of research at the CNRS, Marie-José Mondzain’s interests include images and their power, which is the theme of several of her books.

In what sense can images embody an alternative power source?
Images were long despised or even condemned by those who controlled thought. They can manifest their contestatory, contradictory turbulence in relation to all forms of power. This threat is inseparable from what it is that can make any image a figure of desire and an offer of resistance and liberty. The power of images is bound to interest any dominant agency, which will seek to confiscate this energy for its own advantage.

Why the particular interest in cinema?
Because its particular way of articulating the real and fiction places it in a strategic position when it comes to questioning the possibilities of transforming our world. We want to provide viewers with critical resources to deal with what is overwhelmingly presented to them in terms of pleasure, sensation or highly dubious compassion.

What themes will be discussed in the seminar?
We have identified four modalities capable of activating counter-power – not an exhaustive selection, obviously: laughter, childhood and minorities, and public space and the environment. To these four angles of approach can be added a session with Avi Mograbi, an artist who has been invited to Jeu de Paume at the same time, and whose work mobilises numerous forms of counter-power. Each meeting will be preceded by the screening of a film directly related to the theme of the day.
Marie-José Mondzain et Jean-Michel Frodon

LAUGHTER
Friday 27 February

At 4pm, screening of
— Horse Feathers by Norman McLeod with the Marx Brothers (United States, 1932, 68’)
Groucho is the director of a college where Zeppo takes on two players for the American football team who are involved in the illicit alcohol trade, and whom Harpo and Chico are awkwardly trying to thwart.
— Blagues à part by Vanessa Rousselot (France, 2010, 54’)
Can laughter withstand any kind of tragedy? If yes, then how? Young French director Vanessa Rousselot has long known that laughter has no frontiers. In 2005 she travelled round Palestine sampling the local humour. Her approach was simple: whenever she met someone, she asked, “Do you know a Palestinian joke?”

At 6:30 pm: general presentation of the seminar by Marie-José Mondzain and Jean-Michel Frodon, followed by a discussion with film critic Enrico Ghezzi.

Admission: 3 euros, or free to members or holders of a ticket for the day. Information: infoauditorium@jeudepaume.org