BuktaCinesession Laetitia Yalon (17/5/2023)
The archival session was sparsely visited, due mainly to a glitch in Bukta's mailing system but also the short notice – quite a few people messaged that they couldn't come – so also our fault for cutting it close... but it was a cold cosy affair (did not light the stove because of good weather, but still chilly) – and a handful of people held out for the full marathon:
The uncut interview sessions that Inbal did with Laetitia at her home in Saint Gilles around 2016, summertime... They are static head & shoulders, sometime close-up, but always fascinating – Laetitia's face always very expressive, her gestures and mannerisms all to familiar and her somewhat mischievous eyes adding spice to the stories she told of her childhood, her mother, the adventurous nomad-ism during the war, the care-free travels as a young woman getting into no end of trouble and situations, accompanied by her soul-brother companion Philippe and strings of well-known artistic protagonists she met along the way...
A story in which one finds oneself falling into one incredulity after the other, with ups and downs and all-arounds so that one does not need any additional images or references – in fact, it is all so dense one has to keep a notepad on one's knee to follow... sometimes jumping, but keeping on the chronological path thanks to the occasional comment by Inbal, but on the whole Laetitia needs no prompting – in fact here thoughtful silences are just as intriguing as her teetering tales...
The marathon continued the whole afternoon, with short picnic breaks, and the addition and subtraction of various viewers... as mentioned only a few saw the whole series – even daughters Natalie and Inbal could not stay til the end, and early viewers had to leave while later comers had to jump in mid-story, but I think that everyone got a good glimpse of Laetitia's life a times. I also had the feeling that she was more specific, serious and detailed than when being interviewed by outsiders... and certainly towards the end, when talking about her son Nimrud, the heavy trials of his fate weighing quite obviously – a kind of intimacy she didn't much allow herself or others... which makes these sessions so valuable: they are real, unpretentious, unflattering, non-flippant and down to earth... while everyone who knew Laetitia knows her more flamboyant and care-free side, this is a rare opportunity to see her really – or as close as one can on film – which was a privilege not often accorded in her lifetime...
Quite a session – the other fragments prepared did not have much of a chance, (delegation form Ostend came up empty) but we did after all, to lighten the atmosphere a bit, show the film 'Mariage d L'art et Entreprise' form 'Lille 2004' a live-installation-performance-film-piece by Straatman, Bendy Glue (who were both present during the afternoon) In with Laetitia, Isi, Inbal and a slew of friends participated in an PTTL-production which is not so easy to find any more – so a nice blast from the past!
As for the further steps – we were able to get some extra information of film and video pieces in which Laetitia figures, so along with what we already had, a list is starting to emerge, and can be added on to as we go along. As for the interview itself – everyone agreed that it was not really possible to cut anywhere, aside from some clean-up at beginning and end of tape... and the separation of the outside takes as separate film – so most probably we will make the sections available on the LY-archive site (via vimeo) in the near future... and perhaps also still a more prepared screening – this was more of an impromptu working session... but a very nice one (and fruitful) at that!
