Last night at the ICA, MoL did the Qs for a Q&A with one of the greater living filmmakers, Pedro Costa, who showed his film on Straub-Huillet, Where Does Your Hidden Smile Lie? (2001). The couple are seen editing their film Sicilia! The camera sits in the back of the room, polite, not crossing an invisible line. Straub and Huillet address each other formally, despite being married. She cuts, with rigour, while he talks like an old music-hall turn. The film is patient and observing, charming and funny in an offbeat way, and instructive on the business of editing (and marriage). TV executives paying for the project told Costa: yours is the most boring in the series (of films about different directors), too dark, too dull, too much indoors, you need an outside shot. MoL says not dark or boring enough. Costa was asked by the audience about Brecht; he agreed with Brecht that what keeps him awake at night is not the how to of any project but minding the production and taking care of business. The hustle.
MoL has noticed that the fashion police has issued a dictat that all men must grow moustaches now and everyone must wear a parka.