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Chronicle of a Summer
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Wikipedia article
'Chronicle of a Summer' (French original title: 'Chronique d'un t') is a 1961 French documentary film shot during the summer of 1960 by sociologist Edgar Morin and anthropologist and filmmaker Jean Rouch, with the technical and aesthetic collaboration of Qubcois director-cameraman Michel Brault.
The film is widely regarded as structurally innovative and an example of 'cinma vrit' and direct cinema. The term "cinma vrit" was suggested by the film's publicist and coined by Rouch, highlighting a connection between film and its context, a fact Brault confirmed in an interview after a 2011 screening of 'Chronique d'un t' at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto.
In a 2014 'Sight & Sound' poll, film critics voted 'Chronicle of a Summer' the sixth-best documentary film of all time.
Synopsis
The film begins with Rouch and Morin discussing whether it is possible to act sincerely on camera. A cast of real-life individuals are then introduced and led by the filmmakers to discuss topics related to French society and working-class happiness. At the movie's end, the filmmakers show their subjects the footage and have them discuss the level of reality that they thought the movie achieved.
Production
'Chronicle of a Summer' was filmed in Paris and Saint-Tropez, France. Rouch used synchronized sound, using a 16 mm camera connected through pilottone with a prototype of Nagra III, a transistorized tape recorder with electronic speed control developed by Stefan Kudelski.
Cast
All cast members appear as themselves.
* Jean Rouch
* Edgar Morin
* Marceline Loridan-Ivens
* Maril Parolini (as Mary Lou)
* Angelo
* Jean-Pierre Sergent
* Jean (worker)
* Nadine Ballot (student)
* Rgis Debray (student)
* Cline (student)
* Jean-Marc (student)
* Landry (student)
* Raymond (student)
* Jacques (office workers)
* Simone (office workers)
* Henri (artist)
* Madi (artist)
* Catherine (artist)
* Sophie (One cover girl)
* Vro (young girl, uncredited)
* Maxie (Jacques' wife, uncredited)
* Jacques Rivette (cameo, scene deleted)
See also
*'Inquiring Nuns'
References
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