Jean-Luc Godard - Translator

Jean-Luc Godard loves controversy. He has always considered himself as much a critic as a director; as he sees it, the two roles are intertwined. In both fields, Godard has taken it upon himself to challenge established formulas as much as possible. He said in an interview conducted with critic Jean Yenebled in 1968, as part of a series of dialogues included in this book: "We must resist the audience." He did not mean this as any hostility towards viewers, but quite the opposite. Godard believes that we must treat cinema-goers with a level of respect that exceeds what typical Hollywood productions offer. The vigilant director's moral task is to challenge us, provoke us, and incite us to go beyond the negative viewing habits instilled by manipulative techniques of commercial studios. Only in this way can artists like Godard achieve the goal he affirmed at the end of that 1968 dialogue: "I seek to change the world. Yes." These dialogues, if read sequentially, tell us a lively, productive, diverse, and inspiring career—no less than any modern cinematic journey. They are arranged in chronological order and presented here without editing or revision, just as they were originally published in periodicals, which themselves represent an interesting sample of English-speaking platforms available for serious cultural dialogue.