Goodbye Sólveig

These are emails I wrote to the film director Sólveig Anspach a few years ago. The first email was to her website and I didn't realize she'd be reading it personally, so I wrote it thinking someone else would be receiving it. Imagine my surprise when she wrote back herself. I didn't know her beyond these few correspondences, spread out over several months, and what I saw of her personality and life in her films, but it was easy to think of her as a friend. That's how open, warm and wonderful she was. She made a young kid feel important and like I was on the right track. I tried to tell her the same thing, whatever it was worth. She died in August. 

Hello,

My name is Scout. I'm a filmmaker and student at Emerson College in Boston. I was recently elected president out of desperation of Films From The Margins, Emerson's film screening society. I graduate in May and if by then I haven't improved membership and attendance, there's a good chance it'll get cut from the budget entirely and forgotten. This would terrible news because so little is done at the school to encourage students to seek out interesting and different works of art. Anyway my strategy is to simply ask my favourite filmmakers if they'd be interested in doing interviews over the internet or phone and hope for the best. I'm a huge admirer of Solveig Anspach and would love an oppurtunity to screen Louise Michel, which I have been looking forward to for close to a year at this point. The idea of Solveig working with Sylvie Testud, the greatest living actress, is just too good not to want to see. Anyway if Solveig has any interest I would love to talk to her about her career and her latest film and about how hopeful filmmakers (of which the school has many) can attempt to break into the international scene. Any response would make my day and I wish you nothing but the best. Thanks terribly!

-Scout

Bonjour Scout,

What film of mine, have you seen, and how ( because they haven't been shown that much in the States, except in some Festivals ) ? The problem is, there isn't a version with subtitles yet... do you understand french ? If so, you can ask the production to send you a copy. Explain that you are a student in the States and so forth...
A bientôt.
Sólveig Anspach


Sólveig,

Thanks terribly for getting back to me! My experience with your films is unfortunately limited but it has been pretty hugely influential. I've seen Stormy Weather, and a few of your shortform works. I have a copy of Back Soon, but regrettably no subtitles. I was never very good at learning other languages and my French is scarce to say the least. But from these few films so much has stayed with me. The sequence in the elevator in Stormy Weather is one of my all-time favourites and I've tried to replicate elements of it in my own work. To bring about very subtle and inexplicable catharsis from shifting elements or just a drastic change of scenery. The scenes of patient and doctor walking through the park are also wonderfully shot and say so much with so little. The handheld shot that glances up the tree and lands back on the subject's face is simple in the telling but something about it has stayed with me; I've just finished two films that have a lot of Stormy Weather in them. Anyway, I'm sure you hear this kind of thing enough at press junkets. On the subject of Louise Michel I guess it wouldn't be much use until there's a version with subtitles to be had. So even if we can't screen it anytime soon I'd love it if you could keep me informed about the film's translation status and all that. Or really any of your other films being translated.

-Scout

I think it's amazing you've seen those films, but how did it start, I mean how did you hear about them? I am very touched to hear about this, really. You could send them to me, if you have dvds, and I promise I'll send them back...

I'll do that.

S*

Solveig,

I first heard about your films after I went on a Dardenne kick not too long ago. After seeing Lorna's Silence I watched all their films as writer/director that I could find and then started in on the films they produced, which brought me to Stormy Weather. 

As for my own films. I've just completed a film called I Need You, which I'm tentatively waiting on someone to reply to me about the soundtrack for. So it's not quite done, but it's nearly there. I've made all of them with a budget of about a hundred dollars but I'm proud of the work that went into each of these films. If you want DVDs of them I would be only too happy to send them your way (in fact I'd be extremely happy to do so) and you can keep them! 

And thanks so much for your interest. It means a lot that someone whose work I love and respect is even slightly interested in seeing my stuff. My goal is to one day work with Sylvie Testud, so you're definitely living the dream in my eyes. Thanks terribly!

-Scout

I understand. I love [the Dardennes] a lot, and am a big fan of their films. It was great to have them co produce the film, a lot of respect.

I'll try to watch [your film] online, and if it doesn't work, I'll ask you for a dvd.

Right now [Sylvie Testud]'s directing her first feature. You know she also writes novels, one of them has been quite successful.

Have a good day. (in french) : Bonne journée.

S.

Solveig,

That's so great to hear about Sylvie's first film. I didn't know about her novels, either, but it doesn't surprise me. I watched an untranslated movie of her as Joan of Arc a few months ago on the internet and it...it was just shattering and she managed to do everything without me understanding a word of what she was saying. 

Thanks so much for taking the time to watch my films! I really hope you enjoy them! Let me know if you have any difficulty. 

Bonne journée, à vous (?)

Scout

Ok, merci.

I really wonder what [Joan of Arc] film that is... never heard of it, do you know the title ?

Perfecto frencho.

S.

I know it's called Jeanne D'Arc au Bucher. My interest in finding it came when I stumbled across a short clip of her performance which I've sent via a file sharing website called WeTransfer, which should send you a confirmation/download email shortly which was just too much, so I tracked down the rest of it. I kept this clip though because even though it's short and the quality isn't great, it's the essence of acting as far as I'm concerned and it's nice to have such a clear definition handy. Especially because she gave such a hugely restrained performance in Lourdes. It's just amazing. 

Yes you're right...

I never heard about it. The actor Ruf is quite famous, is in la Comédie Française, National theater.

Bonne journée.

S.

Well her casting couldn't be any more perfect as she looks like she could be the daughter of Marie Falconetti and Florence Delay. That's interesting about Ruf. I only knew of him from his appearance in Place Vendôme and I didn't even remember it was him until you mentioned it. 

-Scout

Bonjour Scout, 

Thank you for sharing your film with me (I watched it yesterday).

I hope it will go to a lot of Festivals.

I like the way you filmed the girls. Sometimes I think the rhythm could be improved, but it's hard to discuss all this through emails.

Is this your last film?

Over here everything is good, I'm finishing the adaptation of a comic strip called : Lulu Femme Nue, and hope to shoot next year.

A bientôt.

S.

Thanks so much! If I get lucky and make it to a festival in France with this movie I'll let you know. Yes this is my newest film. I've started pre-production on another that I've written that I'm going to shoot in June, which I'm terribly excited about. I've heard of Lulu Femme Nue but as it's in French I'm afraid I haven't read any, but that's excellent news! I'd love to hear how that develops and I wish you nothing but good luck! Thanks again for watching, it means a lot!

-Scout

Bonjour Scout,

Good luck Scout with your new project !

I'm finishing my script, teaching in Switzerland, and have some health problems so a lot of hospital stuff (nothing serious I hope). 

I wish you good luck.

A bientôt.

Sólveig Anspach

Oh no! I'm so sorry! Please please please just feel better! The world needs you healthy!

That was the last thing I ever said to her. I wish I could have said goodbye.