10 · 14 · 05

Jousse Encourages Criticism

Clara Sánchez (14 de octubre del 2005)

Jousse described criticism as “a profession that is developed by what you consume, that is to say, by watching films for pleasure. Its main objective is to talk about universality and sensibility, not only abut film. A movie depends on the critic, the one who discovers it, which is criticisms’ most important role: to uncover films for the entire world. ”

Christophe-Berjon said one of the main problems with criticism today is that “it acts as an aid for directors, who use it to promote their films. In the past, the critic’s main goal was to discover new talent. This brings into consideration the discussion of taste: I promote a film because I personally like it or because I have analyzed all the elements that make up a film?”

James argued that it’s important to mark a difference between the French and the British traditions: “There are many film reviews in the UK, but not a lot of criticism. In Sight and Sound we’re trying to create a critical tradition, but it’s been really tough, it even seems like we’re trying to indoctrinate an entire country that isn’t willing to convert.”

Carré, one of the judges of the Short Film Competition at this year’s Morelia Film Fest, explained to the audience that France has an important critical tradition, which it inherited from its literary critics. Even so, it must make room for innovations: “we need to think about film as a moving image: internet videos and cell phone videos are challenging the old definition.”