Toubiana would organize an important special issue dedicated
to Daney[2]
that consists of 38 testimonies by fellow critics, friends and filmmakers.
These testimonies and the publication of two of his essays – one of his first,
on Rio Bravo, and the other regarding
the launch of Trafic – highlight his
singularity and value in the French cultural sphere as well as his importance
at Cahiers, which he always saw as
his maison-mère. It is only the
second time, throughout a sixty-year period, where a sole critic (excluding critics-turned-filmmakers) received a cover
of the magazine, with the first one being on one of its original founders André
Bazin (N.91).[3]
The issue, which is gorgeously illustrated, and attest to Daney’s love of
travel and friendship with a myriad of filmmakers, is described by the rédaction in its opening editorial,
“This issue is the sign of our loyal friendship, and admiration to Serge
Daney.”
The testimonies in this issue provide a good portrait of
Daney: they trace an evolving human being who conceptualized the relationship
between politics and art within a new media sphere; they address the importance
that he stressed on dialogue and work within a group; as well as his love to
travel. There is also a lot regarding what characterized his editorship of Cahiers from 1974-1981.
In Toubiana’s entry, Parce
que l’amitié!, he recalls first meeting Daney in 1972 at a point where he
wanted move away from gauchisme, and the strong political fervor that arose
from May ’68, towards something new. On their early encounter, “In reality, we
were so different… But deep down, we both shared a friendship, we were also poor
together.” On this early Seventies period and Daney’s editorship,
Serge ‘inherited’, despite
himself, the magazine. With his back against the wall, he improvised and, after
a bit of experimentation, was able to put the magazine back in place on a much
better trajectory… Serge accepted my help, more out of friendship than
necessarily my competence. We had a tight alliance, sharing for many years the
same somber office, which was already at the Bastille. At the heart of this
alliance, he brought the essentials: principals, an immense culture, a project
for the magazine founded on the desire to accompany the strongest, and craziest,
experiences of the cinema.
Toubiana highlights what Daney brought out in others and the
impact that he had on himself,
I always admired with Serge his
way to highlight the importance of things, and to oblige others, like myself,
to rise up to this level. I feel like I’m missing him already, that I won’t
have anyone to talk to, except for his memory, when I have my doubts on a film,
a book, show or other things, simply put, when I have a personal choice to
make… For Daney, who, regarding whatever the film, thought so strongly and
naturally about the frame, he might have not known how much he helped me, like
he did so many others, to help frame my life, and my relationship with the
cinema. It bothered him still recently, when he asked me what I would become, while
all the while he was telling me that my time was coming to accomplish
something…
Claudine Paquot, the general secretary of the magazine[4],
highlights how the deux Serges in
1978 would meet her, and how Daney would think that the magazine was missing quelque chose and that she would bring
to it a fabrique d’une revue, which
would include an open new layout and more pictures that would enrich the texts.
Paquot would highlight Daney’s dictionary entry on Italiques in their 30th
anniversary issue as just one example of on how they would put together an issue.
Paquot highlights Daney’s generous personality and the
personal impetus of what it meant to carry the Cahiers identiy.
And your voice never lacked
generosity to discuss Cahiers, its
history, its raison d'être, from its
largest projects to its smallest notes... First, at the Cahiers office, in a reconverted floor at the Passage de la Boule
Blanche; the pleasure of reading all of the pieces, discovering ideas, the
quality of style, the work of a critique; precise syntax, the right word,
perfect orthography, and especially the respect for each proper name, verifying
in its original language, as a sign of respect (Ouch, the day where I spelt it
‘Minelli’! – N.328, Pg. XV).
[1]
Including: Nouvelle du monde, Image(s) du mois,
Portrait, Séquence du mois, Actuelles, Chronique, Hors-Salles.
[2]
Cahiers, July-August 1992 (N.458).
[3]
These special eulogy issues, which highlight singular figures in the Cahiers history, would have an
importance in Toubiana’s editorship: As a way to look backwards and to reflect,
as well as to use these figures and their lessons as guides while moving
forward. There would be Hors Séries homage issues on Alfred Hitchcock (1981)
and Francois Truffaut (1984) after their death, as well as featured dossiers on
Orson Welles, John Cassavetes and Sergio Leone, throughout the Eighties.
[4] An important figure at the magazine in this period as
she would work closely with the new writers and help them through editing, and
refining, their reviews, before she would move on to the Cahiers book publishing department. When she died in 2011, Stéphane
Delorme, the current chief-editor at Cahiers,
would feature an homage to her, with contributions by Toubiana, Alain Bergala,
Thierry Jousse, and Hélène Frappat. On Paquot, and Clotilde Arnaud, who was in
charge of their administration, Toubiana writes, “Serge Daney and I wanted to
re-launch the magazine, to give it a redactional and economic bases. These new
recruits, ‘les filles’, were going to
help us.” (Cahiers, July-August 2011,
N.669).
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