Chris Marker (1921-2012)

There is a folder on my laptop called 'Favourite Films' where I keep a DVD rip copy of a few films that are, well, my favourites. I've seen each of these films more than ten, maybe fifteen times. They're with me wherever I take my laptop and I've gone back to them repeatedly over time, sometimes watching a scene or two, sometimes re-watching the whole thing.

Sadly, the man behind one of these films, La Jetée, passed away earlier today. I watched his half-hour masterpiece in his memory again and it remains as unique and powerful as ever. It is cinema taken back to its roots, distilled to its most basic elements and at its most ferocious. I don't have enough words to express how sad I feel and how essential his work has been to my affection for the art form. But if you've never crossed paths with his films, I encourage you to do it as quickly as you can. You will see films in a new light.

"Nothing tells memories from ordinary moments. Only afterwards do they claim remembrance on account of their scars."