Chris Marker Remembered With a Secret Photo, From Telluride Film Festival’s Tom Luddy

In recognizance of Chris Marker’s passing today at 91, writer Steven Rosen contacted Telluride Film Festival co-director Tom Luddy for a remembrance of the notoriously press-shy filmmaker. What he got was something more. — Indiewire Staff

Dear Steven,

As you probably know Chris did not make public appearances as a rule, and tried  to prevent anyone taking a picture of him too. We were friends and I had also assisted him on three films: “San Soleil,” “The Owl’s Legacy” and “Junktopia.”

I persuaded him to come to Telluride… this was l987. We showed “La Jetee” and “San Soleil.” He would not appear before or after the film inside the theatre — The Sheridan Opera House — but I was allowed to tell the audience that he would be outside on the grass after the film and people could speak to him informally and this happened then, and throughout the weekend with people walking up to him for a chat. Even though he said NO  PICTURES, someone did take this picture surreptitiously.

TOM