Les Mercredis de la Chalouette

“During the winter of 1993-1994, I went every Wednesday to the old people’s nursing home,”La Chalouette”, to entertain them: I filmed the pensioners with a small camera and afterwards showed them the recording. Although the oldest among them generally showed little interest in watching television, they were strangely enough enlivened, amused and fascinated at seeing themselves on the screen. They could thus spend hours with their eyes riveted on these images of their daily life; perhaps because this everyday existence – limited as it might have been – was their last link with life and stood out vividly from their confused memories. Not being used to this kind of world, I first had to make something of an effort to prevent myself from being affected by the morose atmosphere. And then, gradually, I was moved by the sincere, kind feelings and the interest which these new friends showed me. They gave me the opportunity to film numerous short scenarios of their fears, their obsessions and the scars left by their past experiences.” (Philippe Vallois)