These Encounters of Theirs

(Quei loro incontri)

featuring

Angela Nugara, Vittorio Vigneri, Grazi Orsi, Romano Guelfi,

The musings of the gods are brought to the earthly realms of contemporary rural Italy in Straub and Huillet’s re-creation of Cesare Pavese’s 1947 book Dialogues with Leucò. The last feature-length collaboration between the duo before Huillet’s passing in 2006, These Encounters restages in a sun-dappled Tuscan countryside five of Pavese’s scenes involving the gods discussing human destiny; these immortals are here voiced not by professional actors, but rather a rope maker, a postmaster, a farmer, and more. The texts—and, miraculously, the film’s images of luxuriant nature—provide a reminder that even within our mortal realms, joys can still be found. 

Jason Sanders
FILM DETAILS 
Screenwriter
  • Jean-Marie Straub
  • Danièle Huillet
Based On
  • based on Dialogues with Leucò by Cesare Pavese

Cinematographer
  • Renato Berta
Language
  • Italian
  • with English subtitles
Print Info
  • Color
  • 35mm
  • 68 mins
Preceded By

Proposition in Four Parts
(Proposta in quattro parti)

Jean-Marie Straub, Danièle Huillet, Italy, 1985

Griffith’s A Corner in Wheat begins this political film/bomb on capital and greed, which also quotes from Straub and Huillet’s earlier works.

FILM DETAILS 
Language
  • English
  • German
  • Italian
  • with English subtitles
Print Info
  • Color
  • DCP
  • 41 mins