Raphaël Bassan
Encyclopedia
Raphaël Bassan is a French film critic and journalist
, who has specialized in experimental film
and the history of cinema. He has also made three short movies.
, Bulgaria
, of French nationality, in 1948. His family moved to Paris in 1949. He has been interested in all forms of cinema from childhood. He has been a poet since 1964. He was one of the founders with Hubert Haddad of the magazine, Le Point d'Être (which only published three issues). Feeling that he was locked into a post-surrealist form, he chose to write in a "more modern" style as a critic. After writing reviews in specialized magazines, his first "professional" job was for the magazine Politique Hebdo when it was founded in 1970. He co-founded the Collectif Jeune Cinéma (as a co-op) in 1971 and collaborated with a large number of magazines and various publications, notably the cinema magazines: Téléciné (1972–1976), Écran (1976–1980), Cinéma différent (1976–1980), La Revue du cinéma (1980–1992), Le Mensuel du cinéma (1992–1994), and the fine arts magazines: Canal (1978–1988), L'Art vivant (second formula: beginning of the 1980s), and the French national daily newspaper, Libération
(1985–1991).
, Jacques Rivette
, Jim Jarmusch
, Manoel de Oliveira
, Raoul Ruiz
, Roman Polanski
, or Andrei Tarkovsky
) and writing about current productions, Bassan wrote about and encouraged experimental cinema. He was able to follow the evolution this cinema genre more attentively when it enjoyed a resurgence at the end of the 1990s, and write about its young artists. He has written in Bref, a magazine dedicated to short films in which experimental cinema occupies an important part, from its first publication in 1989, His article, Experimental or simply filmmakers? An interview with Stéphane du Mesnildot, Johanna Vaude, David Matarasso and Othello Vilgard, inaugurated this series in Bref number 47 (November–December 2000). He has written the film column for Europe
since 1984, for Bref, since its founding in 1989, for the Encyclopædia Universalis
since 1995 and for Zeuxis since 2005.
In 1980, he coordinated the numbers 10-11 of the magazine CinémAction with Guy Hennebelle: Avant-garde cinema (experimental and militant). He has participated in the Dictionnaire du cinéma (Larousse, 1986 coordinated by Jean-Loup Passek), in the Dictionnaire du cinéma mondial (published by Les Éditions du Rocher, 1994 and coordinated by Alain and Odette Virmaux), in L'Art du mouvement (Cinema Collection of the National Museum of Modern Art, Centre Georges Pompidou
, 1996, coordinated by Jean-Michel Bouhours), in Jeune, dure et pure ! Une histoire du cinéma d'avant-garde et expérimental français (under the direction of Nicole Brenez and Christian Lebrat, published by Cinémathèque Française
/Mazzotta, 2001) and in Une Encyclopédie du court métrage (coordinated by Jacky Evrard and Jacques Kermabon, Yellow Now, Côté Court, Pantin, 2004). Raphaël Bassan has been published in three Cahiers de Paris expérimental: number 17, Norman McLaren
: Le Silence de Prométhée; number 20, Les 20 ans de Paris expérimental (in collaboration with Daphné Le Sergent and Marc Sautereau) and number 25: Cinéma et abstraction: des croisements (2007).
, in a study about the films of Jean-Jacques Beineix
, Luc Besson
and Leos Carax
, published by La Revue du Cinéma. These directors were said to favor style over substance, spectacle over narrative; they mixed high culture and pop culture.
He has been on numerous radio programs and held a small role in Le Prestige de la mort (2006) by Luc Moullet
.
Some of his poems were republished in the volume: Rites et rituels (Europe/Poésie 2001). He has also made three short films.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, who has specialized in experimental film
Experimental film
Experimental film or experimental cinema is a type of cinema. Experimental film is an artistic practice relieving both of visual arts and cinema. Its origins can be found in European avant-garde movements of the twenties. Experimental cinema has built its history through the texts of theoreticians...
and the history of cinema. He has also made three short movies.
Biography
Bassan was born in BurgasBurgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, of French nationality, in 1948. His family moved to Paris in 1949. He has been interested in all forms of cinema from childhood. He has been a poet since 1964. He was one of the founders with Hubert Haddad of the magazine, Le Point d'Être (which only published three issues). Feeling that he was locked into a post-surrealist form, he chose to write in a "more modern" style as a critic. After writing reviews in specialized magazines, his first "professional" job was for the magazine Politique Hebdo when it was founded in 1970. He co-founded the Collectif Jeune Cinéma (as a co-op) in 1971 and collaborated with a large number of magazines and various publications, notably the cinema magazines: Téléciné (1972–1976), Écran (1976–1980), Cinéma différent (1976–1980), La Revue du cinéma (1980–1992), Le Mensuel du cinéma (1992–1994), and the fine arts magazines: Canal (1978–1988), L'Art vivant (second formula: beginning of the 1980s), and the French national daily newspaper, Libération
Libération
Libération is a French daily newspaper founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Originally a leftist newspaper, it has undergone a number of shifts during the 1980s and 1990s...
(1985–1991).
About Experimental films
As well as supporting cinema d’auteurs (Jean-Luc GodardJean-Luc Godard
Jean-Luc Godard is a French-Swiss film director, screenwriter and film critic. He is often identified with the 1960s French film movement, French Nouvelle Vague, or "New Wave"....
, Jacques Rivette
Jacques Rivette
Jacques Rivette is a French film director. His most well known films include Celine and Julie Go Boating, La Belle Noiseuse and the cult film Out 1....
, Jim Jarmusch
Jim Jarmusch
James R. "Jim" Jarmusch is an American independent film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, editor and composer. Jarmusch has been a major proponent of independent cinema, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:...
, Manoel de Oliveira
Manoel de Oliveira
Manoel Cândido Pinto de Oliveira, GCSE is a Portuguese film director born in Cedofeita, Porto. He began working on films in the late 1920s, but did not receive international recognition until the early 1970s. Since the late 1980s he has been one of the most prolific working film directors and...
, Raoul Ruiz
Raoul Ruiz
Raúl Ernesto Ruiz Pino was a Chilean filmmaker.Ruiz spent some years at the Catholic University of Santa Fe, Argentina's cinema school. Back in Chile, he directed his first feature film Tres tristes tigres in the late 1960s, winning the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival...
, Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski
Roman Polanski is a French-Polish film director, producer, writer and actor. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few "truly international filmmakers."...
, or Andrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky was a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, writer, film editor, film theorist, theatre and opera director, widely regarded as one of the finest filmmakers of the 20th century....
) and writing about current productions, Bassan wrote about and encouraged experimental cinema. He was able to follow the evolution this cinema genre more attentively when it enjoyed a resurgence at the end of the 1990s, and write about its young artists. He has written in Bref, a magazine dedicated to short films in which experimental cinema occupies an important part, from its first publication in 1989, His article, Experimental or simply filmmakers? An interview with Stéphane du Mesnildot, Johanna Vaude, David Matarasso and Othello Vilgard, inaugurated this series in Bref number 47 (November–December 2000). He has written the film column for Europe
Europe (magazine)
- History :Created by Romain Rolland and a group of French writers, the literary magazine Europe began on 15 February 1923. It is still published by Éditions Rieder....
since 1984, for Bref, since its founding in 1989, for the Encyclopædia Universalis
Encyclopædia Universalis
The Encyclopædia Universalis is a French-language general encyclopedia published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., a privately held company. The articles of the Encyclopædia Universalis are aimed at educated adult readers, and written by a staff of full-time editors and expert contributors...
since 1995 and for Zeuxis since 2005.
In 1980, he coordinated the numbers 10-11 of the magazine CinémAction with Guy Hennebelle: Avant-garde cinema (experimental and militant). He has participated in the Dictionnaire du cinéma (Larousse, 1986 coordinated by Jean-Loup Passek), in the Dictionnaire du cinéma mondial (published by Les Éditions du Rocher, 1994 and coordinated by Alain and Odette Virmaux), in L'Art du mouvement (Cinema Collection of the National Museum of Modern Art, Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil and the Marais...
, 1996, coordinated by Jean-Michel Bouhours), in Jeune, dure et pure ! Une histoire du cinéma d'avant-garde et expérimental français (under the direction of Nicole Brenez and Christian Lebrat, published by Cinémathèque Française
Cinémathèque Française
The Cinémathèque Française holds one of the largest archives of films, movie documents and film-related objects in the world. Located in Paris, the Cinémathèque holds daily screenings of films from around the world.-History:...
/Mazzotta, 2001) and in Une Encyclopédie du court métrage (coordinated by Jacky Evrard and Jacques Kermabon, Yellow Now, Côté Court, Pantin, 2004). Raphaël Bassan has been published in three Cahiers de Paris expérimental: number 17, Norman McLaren
Norman McLaren
Norman McLaren, CC, CQ was a Scottish-born Canadian animator and film director known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada...
: Le Silence de Prométhée; number 20, Les 20 ans de Paris expérimental (in collaboration with Daphné Le Sergent and Marc Sautereau) and number 25: Cinéma et abstraction: des croisements (2007).
Other activities
He coined, in 1989, the theory of cinema du lookCinema du look
Cinéma du look was a French film movement of the 1980s, analysed, for the first time, by French critic Raphaël Bassan in La Revue du Cinéma issue n° 448, May 1989, in which Luc Besson was lumped with two other directors who shared "le look." These directors were said to favor style over substance,...
, in a study about the films of Jean-Jacques Beineix
Jean-Jacques Beineix
-Biography:In 1964, Jean-Jacques Beineix started his career as Jean Becker's assistant director on the famous French TV series, Les saintes chéries until the end of 1967. Then, in 1970 he worked for Claude Berri and in 1971 for Claude Zidi. In 1977, he directed his first short movie Le Chien de M....
, Luc Besson
Luc Besson
Luc Besson is a French film director, writer, and producer. He is the creator of EuropaCorp film company. He has been involved with over 50 films, spanning 26 years, as writer, director, and/or producer.-Early life:...
and Leos Carax
Leos Carax
Leos Carax is a French-born film director, critic, and writer. Carax is noted for his poetic style and his tortured depictions of love. His first major work was Boy Meets Girl , and his notable works include Lovers on the Bridge and the controversial Pola X...
, published by La Revue du Cinéma. These directors were said to favor style over substance, spectacle over narrative; they mixed high culture and pop culture.
He has been on numerous radio programs and held a small role in Le Prestige de la mort (2006) by Luc Moullet
Luc Moullet
Luc Moullet is a French film critic and filmmaker, and a member of the Nouvelle Vague or French New Wave. Moullet's films are known for their humor, anti-authoritarian leanings and rigorously primitive aesthetic, which is heavily influenced by his love of American B-movies.Though such influential...
.
Some of his poems were republished in the volume: Rites et rituels (Europe/Poésie 2001). He has also made three short films.
Publications
- Cinémas d'avant-garde (expérimental et militant), dir. Raphaël Bassan and Guy Hennebelle, CinémAction n° 10-11, Spring-Summer, 1980
- Rites et rituels, book of poetry (1966–1972), EuropeEurope (magazine)- History :Created by Romain Rolland and a group of French writers, the literary magazine Europe began on 15 February 1923. It is still published by Éditions Rieder....
/Poésie, 2001 - Norman McLaren. Le Silence de Prométhée, Les Cahiers de Paris expérimental", n° 17, 2004
- Cinéma et abstraction : des croisements, Les Cahiers de Paris expérimental, n° 25, 2007
Filmography
- 1969 - Le Départ d’Eurydice (16 mm, black and white, sound, 11 minutes), with Michèle Samama (Michele Worth), Anton PerichAnton PerichAnton Perich is an American Filmmaker, photographer and video artist, born in Dubrovnik in 1945. He lives and works in New York since 1970.-Biography:...
. Deposit : Cinémathèque FrançaiseCinémathèque FrançaiseThe Cinémathèque Française holds one of the largest archives of films, movie documents and film-related objects in the world. Located in Paris, the Cinémathèque holds daily screenings of films from around the world.-History:...
. This film belongs to the Musée National d'Art Moderne (MNAM – Centre Pompidou) Film's Collections. - 1971 - Prétextes (16mm, black and white, sound, 13 minutes), with Michèle Samama (Michele Worth), Michel Maingois. Deposit : Cinémathèque FrançaiseCinémathèque FrançaiseThe Cinémathèque Française holds one of the largest archives of films, movie documents and film-related objects in the world. Located in Paris, the Cinémathèque holds daily screenings of films from around the world.-History:...
. - 2004 — Lucy en miroir (16 mm, color and black and white, 45 mn), with Anne-Sophie Brabant and Élodie Imbeau. Distributed by Le Collectif Jeune Cinéma.