DOLORÈS... Through the Eyes of Christine Delory-Momberger

            Everything in Thomas Goupille's film dedicated to Dolores Marat is a surface of softness and delicacy. But how else could one approach and capture this photographer of the subtle, the elusive, the delicate—of all these little things that make up our inner geography and open us to the beauty of the world? Dolores Marat's images touch us, move us, and sometimes transport us far into an inner world we never suspected, revealing hidden folds of ourselves. They are more than what they depict; they slip into our intimacy, stir emotions, awaken dormant feelings, and make us better people.

            Thomas Goupille knows all this, and he wanted to share it with us through this film. One can feel that he took his time; nothing is rushed. The camera settles attentively in Dolores Marat's Avignon home, capturing the small gestures of her life. It follows her through the city streets, camera in hand, accompanies her to her favorite restaurant, and is present at Villa Pérochon in Niort during the setup and opening of her exhibition, as well as at Mont Ventoux. The filmed sequences unfold in great calm; the images breathe and invite us into the photographer's universe.

            Dolores Marat stands before the camera, imbued with the strength of her fragilities, hesitations, fumblings, questions, and fears. Yet, she also exudes endurance, resilience, and the ability to navigate hardship. She says, "Life has been a great pain." A few letters from an alphabet, chosen randomly by Dolores Marat, form the framework of Thomas Goupille's film: A for Analog, F for Focus, E for Early Years, C for Culture, B for Blue, J for Joy. The photographer leans on these letters to discuss her personal journey and artistic work in small strokes. She talks about her awakening to photography, her love for color and slide film, her joy in slides that capture what she saw and wanted to seize, her discovery of Fresson prints without which she couldn't conceive her images, her solitude, and her cautious relationships with personalities in the photography world. Long silent, Dolores Marat built herself alone, knew what she wanted, even if it took her a long time to achieve it, and had periods where she stopped photographing. Her cat Zoom comes and goes during the home sequences; she calls him wild and willful—is he not her double?

            Thomas Goupille's film is full of grace, and credit must be given to this director who found the form to encapsulate the personality and work of this photographer. After so many years of artistic practice and professional recognition, she has seriously and humbly asked herself whether she will "still have the eye" when she gets old. The answer comes with the closing sound of a camera shutter click. This film is ultimately a story of eyes—those of Dolores Marat, which retain all their acuity as time passes, and those of Thomas Goupille, who filmed her with respect, tenderness, and infinite humanity.

Christine Delory-Momberger
May 2021