Passion: Simone Weil/Michelle Raymond

Abstract

In the old days, when going to the movies was still most people’s idea of a night out, there was a strict ritual that took place after we took our seats: The red velvet curtains would slowly pull apart to reveal the huge silver screen, and then the lights would slowly dim and a hushed, expectant silence settle on the auditorium. For me, as a youngster, it was like being in a waking dream. I learned to appreciate cinema with my mother, who had a prodigious memory for names and an impressive ability to remember story lines and key scenes.