If I may be allowed a moment of self-promotion...

...I'd like to say that I'm incredibly honored and excited to have participated in this. I am actually happier with the essay I wrote than I am with, well, pretty much anything else I've ever written, for which I credit the encouragement and belief of my friend Kent Jones, who edited. I can't wait to see the soon-coming finished product, which, as you can see from the table of contents, promises to be exceptional, and exceptionally varied. 

Comments

[preston]

Congrats Glenn! This looks great, I look fwd to checking it out. (Congrats to Mr. Jones as well.)

[BobSolo]

Wow. I love this series. This is number one with a bullet on my Amazon queue. Good on you, Glenn.

[warren oates]

The other books in this series that I have already -- on James Benning and Apichatpong Weerasethakul -- are excellent. Can't wait to read this one. Also looks like they are publishing Assayas' memoir in English along with this.

[David Ehrenstein]

Fabulous. Olivier is quite a character.

[Chris L.]

Is his new film not quite finished in time for Cannes? Either way, great timimg on this release and no doubt it will be an eye-opening read.
Since I happen to treasure Kent Jones' insights beyond reason, I've often wondered why he abruptly stopped chiming in here. I'm sure being an international ambassador of film is hectic, but it didn't stop him before and I miss those wry exchanges.

[Peter Nellhaus]

Cool beans!

[Glenn Kenny]

@ Chris L.: Kent had his reasons for dropping out of this and other online forums, and most of them did have to do with the time-suck factor, but there were others, and I respect them. He IS really busy; as you see from his bio on the online description of the book, he hopes to complete a feature film this year. Can't wait!

[bill]

Congratulations, good sir. Your championing of Assayas over the years is what led me to him, and I am a genuine, full-blown fan of the guy now, so, in addition, thank you.

[Scott]

This is fantastic, Glenn. I also have the Apichatpong book, and it's terrific. I'm sure this will be as well, and I'll definitely get a copy.

Chris L, according to the Twitter feed of a "Cannes insider" that I came across, the festival passed on the new Assayas. Bummer if true, but apparently there's a quota on the number of French films allowed to be in competition, which was filled by Leos Carax, Jacques Audiard and Alain Resnais this year. The new Cronenberg and the "On the Road" adaptation also have a lot of French financing, I believe, so maybe that had something to do with it?

I also miss the commentary of Kent Jones, but he appears to be making very good use of his time. A feature, how exciting! Congratulations to him!

[Petey]

I must say, you hang with the proper company, Glenn. Assayas and Soderbergh are both rare gems.

And as long as this thread is about you, did you catch the recent Jonathan Lethem short story in The New Yorker, The Porn Critic? I've got mixed feelings about Lethem, but I liked this story. And I thought it should have enough overlap with you that you might enjoy it.

http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2012/04/09/120409fi_fiction_lethem?currentPage=all

[Ryland Walker Knight]

This looks fantastic. And the news about a feature from KJ? Yikes, that's awesome. Plus, Gina on my fave OA joint? Consider this one jazzed.

[Cheap Supra]

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