I belatedly found your letter upon returning yesterday after a brief trip to Paris and its nearby environs for completely droolish[2] reasons.
Unfortunately I was not able to see you Wednesday morning at your place, but I met Isou.[3] Thus I see what the situation is.
Immediately after arriving, I will help you release the film. Furthermore, this is work that doesn’t displease me, although it will be necessary that those poor cunts accept [it] and without making us wait. One has seen theatre managers dig their heels in over less.
In this Godforsaken town – which is generally forsaken by every creator – I have done what you asked of me before leaving.
With five comrades, I have organized a screening of the film by the young G. Albicocco:
“Absolue domine. This production by Gabriel Albicocco has the gift of provoking diverse reactions in the public. One has heard booing, protests and also thunderous applause.”
In sum, the author works from the principle that the man who is aware of his faults needs to be forgiven. He goes to church; he prays. He participates in psalmist pleas and, finally, during Mass, finds peace.”[4]
(Very weak echo.)
Fortunate consequence? For the first time in his still-brief career, this idiot hasn’t won his customary prize at the festival of black fuckery.
On the other hand, I have laid the bases (and have also thrown out the first manager) of the cine-club that you would like. It is currently acceptable, and grappling with serious difficulties in finding the 30 or 40 tickets necessary to get off the ground.
Last Thursday, after a dense five-hour-long discussion in a neighborhood bar, I had to admit that Isou is a god to my friend Hervé Falcou,[5] as you saw in Cannes.
I am quite proud of this result, almost as much as being the (1) missing from the only equation that I know by heart.
Isou has told me of a possible room for 9,000 francs in his building. If such a room exists, would you like to ask him to reserve it for me for the month of October?
Excuse me for importuning you concerning such hardly eternal necessities, and for emphasizing their urgent character.
I want to read, by waiting ABSOLUTELY I salute you (we must revolutionize the formulae of politeness).
Best wishes to Poucette[6] and of course to Isou.
Guy-Ernest[1] Marc-Gilbert Guillaumin, called Marc,O., a member of the Lettrist group.
[2] Allusion to Isidore Isou’s film Traité de bave et d’éternité, produced by Marc,O.
[3] Isidore Isou (1925-2007), founder of Lettrism.
[4] Press clipping inserted into the letter.
[5] A young Parisian whom Debord met in Cannes while in high school and with whom he corresponded until the beginning of 1953 (cf. Le Marquis de Sade a des yeux de fille, Librairie Artheme Fayard, Paris, 2004).
[6] A painter, lettrist and companion of Marc,O.
(Published in Guy Debord Correspondance, Vol "0": Septembre 1951 - Juillet 1957: Complete des "lettres retrouvees" et d l'index general des noms cites by Librairie Artheme Fayard, October 2010. Translated from the French by NOT BORED! February 2011. Footnotes by the publisher.)