2011 An history of production: Nord-Ouest - Les Films du Tambour de Soie An history of production: Nord-Ouest - Les Films du Tambour de Soie
Dear Sylvie,
For years, we have been moving forward often in parallel directions, paying attention to each other's evolution, new work, difficulties as well as successes.
You have chosen to produce alone, even though you are part of a large company, Nord-Ouest, whose mainstay is fiction whereas you remain committed to documentary. You have chosen to produce few films and that always impresses me because I don't know how to do that (for a series of good and bad reasons that we will no doubt be discussing). You produce singular films... which totally astound me like when, for example, during the same year you produced Stéphane Sinde's Barney Wilen, the Rest of Your Life and Premier Noël dans les tranchées by Michaël Gaumnitz, two magnificent but highly idiosyncratic films... Each year our lifelines cross, at Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron or Lavilledieu. We take advantage of the nooks and crannies of time left by the management of the "August Encounters" to update on our projects, practices, desires...
I look forward, dear Sylvie, to picking up the thread of our discussions in the heart of the village, I mean downtown Lussas...
Dear Alexandre,
Yes, it is true that in the great family of producers, there are different schools, elective affinities, more or less contradictory ways to perceive our profession. I believe indeed that we share a similar conception of our role, simultaneously remaining close to authors, their works, diversity and quality while ensuring that their films find funding in the reality of our audiovisual scene. I have neither your experience nor your tenacity when it comes to defending projects in all the forums of the planet. In that field, you impress me, by the ambition of your production strategies, never hesitating to jump on a plane nor to pitch a project convincingly in seven minutes flat before a panel of disabused and cynical broadcasters. In its twenty year history, Les Films du Tambour de Soie has built a fine catalogue particularly in that highly demanding form of documentary film on art. In spite of passing time which could tempt any normal person to seek an easier way out, you continue regularly to produce first films, those complex undertakings that require enormous doses of time, patience and abnegation. I also envy you because you have not chosen facility by moving to Marseille, taking on the new challenge of trying to exist in the provinces in a profession that remains highly Parisian. Thousands of kilometers of TGV under your belt, but whoever said that a producer just sat behind a desk?
Let's meet in August at Lussas for an afternoon debate in the village on the perilous profession of producer.
See you very soon.
Friday, 26 at 2:45 pm, Room 5.
Debate in the presence of Alexandre Cornu and Sylvie Randonneix.