International House Philadelphia: Program Guide Fall 2013 | Page 9

P A RT N ER P R O G R A MS Directors in Focus: Jean Rouch Program will be introduced by Sam DiOrio, professor at Hunter College, NYC Jean Rouch’s (1917 - 2004) breakthrough work in cinéma vérité in the 1960s helped inspire the direct cinema movement in the United States and the nouvelle vague (New Wave) in France where he was a key figure in the Cinémathèque Française and the founding director of the Comité du film ethnographique at the Musée de l’Homme. Far in advance of contemporary rethinking of both anthropology and filmmaking, Rouch was developing an entirely new kind of documentary film practice that blurred the boundaries between producer and subject, as well as fiction and reality. His African work, characterized by innovations such as “shared anthropology” and “ethno-fiction,” is noted for its embrace of both the daily life and imagination of a new generation of Africans. His works capture the emergence of Africa in transformation, and the worlds of displaced migrants in Accra, Ghana (Jaguar) and in Treichville and Abidjan, Ivory Coast (Moi, Un Noir, La Pyramide Humaine); the adventures of three friends in the Niger bush (Cocorico, Monsieur Poulet); and the sensibilities and observations of Africans migrating to Paris and back, what some have called reverse ethnography (Petit a Petit, Madame L’Eau). He also played an active role in helping to launch African cinema. According to stories widely reported, Rouch adopted the hand-held style after losing his tripod in a river in Niger. In the landmark Chronicle of a Summer (1961), Rouch and his co-director Edgar Morin asked Parisians the simple question, “Are you happy?” The answers created a stunning document of contemporary life in the city. “Rejecting both the idealism of Robert Flaherty and the didacticism of Joris Ivens and John Grierson, Rouch aimed for the immediacy of television, without its superficiality,” wrote Ronald Be ??[?[?H?X\?X[?[??H?HX[?H?]X\?Y\?X??]H?[Z?\??8?'H?[Y]?Y]H?[Y\?x?&\?[?\??[?[??[][]Y[?H??X]\???[?Z]K^?\??[?[??]?]?]\??[??[K\?[?H[Y\?X?[?\?X??[?[XK?X?\??Y?H?[Y\?H?\???\?K??'H??[?Z[???]H][?H]?X?]Y?H\?X??H\\?YY 8?'H?[Y\?H^YH\?[?H\??X?X?[?\?[?[?HX??\?]H[?H[X[?^YK8?'HH?ZY ?8?'H?[Y\?H^YH\?[?[??[X?HY[[?K[?H?[Z?\??&\?^YH\?]?YY ??'B?\??^K??[X?\? ?] ?BH??Y^K??[X?\?] ?HH[?[?\?? ?\?Xp???\???\?H[?K[???\? ?X[[^H?]\??]\?^K??[X?\?H] \BH?Y?X\?H?]\?^K??[X?\?H]H]H?H]H ]]0?]] B???U?H[??XY?H??][???R8?&\?[??XY?H???[H[??U?H[??XY?H??][???\?[??H?\?Y\??[?\??][?[[??XY?H?[\?^H?[??H???H?[XH???[Y[?\?Y\?H?\?Y]H???ZY?[??XY?\???Y?[??XY?K[?\?H???Y?????[??[?[?\?Z[?[??X\??[?HX??]H??\??[?[?H??Y?\?H?X?[?\??[\??Z[????Y[?Y??Y??]HYX\???H\?H[Y?Y???\?\?H?[\???YH??\??H?HX?X??Y\?^K???\? H] ?BHH?\???]\[?H??Y]HY\?^KX?[X?\? ?] ?H?YZ\?B??VSQQ?ST????YY[? NNM?^[YY?[\??\??X]Y???YHHX]?X?[?[?YH??H]X??[?Y\???H]Y[?]\?\X\?Y[?H NNL?[?\?[??\?\?X?[?H[?HX\?H ?\??[?\?N?H?[???[?YK???]\?^K???\? ??] L?BH ??\????U?\? ?BH??Y^KX?[X?\? L?] ??H?X?H?X]\?B????X?H?Y[??[?\???X?\???&H??[B??H??X?\???&H??[H[?\\?????Y[?[???\?Y\?\?HX?\?H\??\??[????[K][?????X?H?[??]H[\?[??][?[H[?[?\??][?[H?X???^?YYYXHXZ?\???[Y[XH??\?HZ\????[?[?X??]Z\????\????X][???Y\?^K???\?] ?BH??p?\??X??\???YBHY\?^KX?[X?\? M?] ?HH?X[??]Z[[XY[HY\?^K??[X?\? ??] ?H??YH[??[H[?[?]X?[?\??\???[?\????Y [R??Y[?[???\?H??YHYZ\??[???RY[X?\??? ??Y[?? ??[?[??? H?[?\?[YZ\??[??????