A “Journal de France” in two voices

Journal de France follows two strands: the career of photographer-director  Raymond Depardon, and that of his photographic journey for the Mission de France. A dark-room project that produced 300 images, presented at the Bibliothèque Nationale in 2010. This double trajectory is recounted by Claudine Nougaret, co-director of the film with Raymond Depardon. A discreet coworker for 25 years, she is at once his companion, his lead sound operator and producer.

Raymond Depardon et Claudine Nougaret © DR

Origins
Claudine Nougaret: “For a long time Raymond wanted to make a film with unpublished archives and cuttings, but we didn’t know how to do it. At the same time, I felt it was important to preserve a record of his work for the Mission de France. This France of sub-prefectures that he photographed, alone in his minivan, without knowing where he was most of the time. And I had the idea of combining the two.”

Raymond Depardon as actor
Claudine Nougaret: “We set out to film him in the process of re-photographing France. He created his own role. Like all actors, he has his moods (laughter). It was difficult for him to let go. He wanted to be at once an actor and the lens.”

The selection from the archives
Raymond Depardon: “There were some inevitable events such as the way I learned to film, Biafra, Prague, Bokassa. We did not select the well-known things like  New York, NY or Ian Palach, we didn’t want to make a “best-of”.

A love story
Raymond Depardon: “It’s our story too. I had made films on my own, mounting a microphone on the camera. When we filmed Urgences together, I went back to what was more my own position. A bit distanced. It was everything I expected it to be. It’s also a love story, and I love the way Claudine appears in the film, in the chronology. Because we filmed each other, when we met twenty-five  years ago. Stolen images, but not indiscreet.”

Collaboration
Claudine Nougaret: “For twenty-five years we have worked together, and I always felt like I was making films with Raymond: the preparation, the sound, the production. But it was impossible for me to get behind the camera with him. Then I got seriously ill, and I said to myself, if I don’t do it now, I will never do it.”

The outcome
Raymond Depardon: “One thing is certain, and that is that the next film will be one we make together.”
Claudine Nougaret: “Do you think so? In any case, this film is a stepping stone. Now we can move on to other things. It is not particularly a summing up film on Raymond Depardon, as some people thought it would be. It is important to take stock of things, to know where one is coming from and know where one is going to be able to move ahead.”

Comments taken by B. de M.

The film will be screened in the Salle du Soixantième on Tuesday 22 May at 5 p.m.