Swiss SonntagsZeitung points out (side note) that Jean Luc Godard will start shooting his new film SOCIALISME in 2008. I think somebody over at imdb allready said that but i didn't noticed it untill i read this article:

(…)Das ist natürlich Spekulation. Denn mit einer Selektion in den Wettbewerb des wichtigsten Festivals der Welt kann niemand rechnen - ausser vielleicht Jean-Luc Godard, der 2008 seinen «Socialisme» dreht. Fraglich ist auch, ob «Home» mit seiner aufwändigen Nachproduktion überhaupt rechtzeitig fertig wird.(…)

Is this going to be a feature-length film I wonder? Here's to hoping!

Don't know. But they are talking about swiss films that might be selected for Cannes and that a swiss film by Godard would be the only one having a real chance (for a selection). However, this says nothing about the film itself ...

Godard will receive a lifetime award next week in Berlin by the European Film Academy - maybe there will be some further press notes around this event also talking about any new projects/this one in particular! High hopes here too!

Binoche is suppose to be in the cast as mentioned at the bottom of the link's page.

Aye, that was me on IMDB... I learned it by way of the Godard e-mail list.

What I'm wondering is, is there anyone out there in the English-speaking world doing decent coverage of Godard's recent output? The Pompidou show got reasonable coverage, but since then it's been almost nothing, from what I can tell. I've read only the vaguest descriptions (from Pompidou summaries) of what Vrai faux passeport is like, and hardly a peep at all on his two short films on the Refuseniks in Israel. Now word comes of a new (presumably, though not definitely) feature-length project but only because some Swiss paper is speculating about possible Cannes entries! I realize Godard isn't exactly blowing up multiplexes these days, but the dearth of coverage for one of our greatest living filmmakers (fuck it, he is the greatest) is infuriating.

But hey, this makes it even more interesting

The "research machine" will hopefully get started with this thread and everybody will add a piece to the puzzle, right? (and hopefully there is a picture in the end…) This is something new i just found out: Ruth Waldburger will probably produce this film through VEGA FILM AG. Those familiar whith Godards recent works will know her.

Wow, she's really choosing some interesting projects to act in these days.

It doesn't list this new film on IMDB, unfortunately, because I was hoping there'd be info about it in the message boards. Does anyone know anything further about this film?

Well, she practically made her debut in Hail Mary! Interesting to see a reteaming here, which to me suggests something a little more narrative-driven than the last few JLG features. I suppose having Binoche onboard can't hurt with the funding situation, either.


I don't think there's much else to report so far. With Godard in particular everything is subject to change, as nothing is fixed in place prior to (or during) shooting and editing. Even if there was some kind of synopsis available, chances are the final film wouldn't have much in common with it.

It's been my understanding that in recent years, since his budgets are so low, Godard hasn't really had any trouble getting funding as much as he just hasn't attempted as much, which is depressing.

It was reported on the Godard List that Avventura Films & Peripheria (France) are co-producers. The production recently received Swiss federal funding (490'000 Swiss Franks). Having Binoche on board ideally should encourage more investors in the project and secure wider distribution.

Like Dan in Real Life?

As expected - there is an interview in the weekly magazine DIE ZEIT with Godard - i missed buying a copy this morning, so i can just comment on quotes from the internet - will post a link to the interview as soon as it is available online! In the interview he says (i am quoting from an internet press note referring to the interview) that he is working on something new and the best way/place to work is dozing in an armchair with half-open eyes because with open eyes you see things differently…

I haven't read any updates for this film and thinking possibly the film is on hiatus but I clicked on the Vega Film link from Accatone's earlier post and the film is listed as in production.

I hope this happens.

I could die for new information on this!

Well, he is in his late seventies, and film-making is a labour-intensive profession, so it's not that surprising.

I found an hour-long interviewwith Godard that took place in December. Its in french, so anyone that can understand french old-man speak will profit from it. The only snippit of interest to this thread I was able to cull was in the first part, where he is rambling a bit and evokes an episode from his "next film" and of course this is where my understanding of his particular brand of old-man speak fades away...so if anyone else can pin down what he's talking about, please do!
He was talking about what European cinema is today...

"...and here the quote from Bernaneau (sp??? never heard of this person) "Europe, corrupted by regained liberty".........and in my next film there is an episode dealing with the american disembarkement at at naples (or annapolis??) where there are (something incomprehensible)...called by (something) the plague....but thats all metaphorical, but at the end, its not very......" and thats it. and of course at that point I would expect the interviewer to say "New film? What now?" but no. sigh. I've also read on french message boards that the film involves a lot of stock footage (??)

and thats all I could find, after an hour of combing through french sites. sigh. I'm going crazy over the lack of information on this.

If true, that's not surprising, given a lot of his recent work. If anyone can mould stock footage into a beautiful and personal work it's Godard (for example, his L'Origine du XXIème siècle).

"Europe, corrupted by regained liberty." He was probably referring to the French author Georges Bernanos. According to Richard Brody's book Godard had Bernanos on the brain before making Alphaville. In an interview at the time Godard said he had recently re-read France Against the Robots and even called Bernanos a prophet.

thank you very much for that information

You should know Bernanos - if only for the better understanding of Bresson. Regarding Godards and Bressons mythological catholizism and aversion to modernism - reading some Bernanos can be quite enlightening! Le nouveau histoire de Mouchettee is a recommandation from my side and a pretty short and easy read. (Something i can not say about Journal d'un curé de campagne which i found quite arduous…).

The Arte interview is old news - but as far as this network is German/French there is a dubbed/translated version available too. To my knowledge they shot the interview in regards to Godards dismissal of the European Film Award, e.g. lifetime achievemnt award. Memorable (and fun) quote of the interview is when he talks about lifetime/career awards, saying that he never had a career and that in french "carrière" means quarry - something he could at least relate to…. There is another odd passage where he says that he is (feels like) a disowned jew who now had to face his enemys in Berlin (a Berlin, a Berlin) for receiving the latter price…that the enemys (the European Film Academy) has to give/pay some kind of reperation. Please note that i am translating from a translation here so there is of course dubiousity! However i had a pretty ruff (almost violent) discussion with a relative about this analogy and to this day i am not 100% clear about Godards intentions on this quote. His main concern is of course comprehensible and that is the fact that the people handing out this award do probably not know his films or only his 60s work, e.g. a lifetime award is absurd! Again, and Godard pointed that out in several interviews before - the Legend is much bigger than the work. Another interesting passage is about aspect ratio and that in Europe this is/was called Format - a not just technical term (as the term aspect ratio)but also a term of quality. In germany one can say "Ein Mann von Format" which says nothing about a mans weight or height but about his presence/quality of appearance.

So the Vega Produktion link says the film is in production...Does that mean it's filming right now?

Well, I have some reading to do now In the translation of the interview that you saw, was that bit that I was referring to, about his "next film", any clearer?

From memory I think he is talking about the invasion of the allied troops / WW II and that he will show something of this in his upcoming movie. However i would not expect this to be kind of a plot line but rather a kind of montage maybe only existing in 2 images juxtaposed (just think of the now famous PLACE IN THE SUN / AUSCHWITZ montage in the HISTOIRE(S) e.g. a historical montage!). The "champ et contrechamp" comes to my mind es well as a way to make historical montage...

gotcha. thanks again