Tonight at Claire de Rouen Books will see Chris Darke – writer, film critic, and co-curator of Chris Marker: A Grin Without A Cat (currently showing at the Whitechapel Gallery) talk on the significance of the book format for the French filmmaker’s methodology.

Chris Marker was a true enigma, often declining to be interviewed and channeling a right mysterious aura through his surreal films. His approach to the print medium was equally intriguing, perhaps most so in his treatment of the travel book format – set to feature in Darke’s discussion tonight. How Marker even got to touch on print is a good story in itself: in 1954 the 33 year old filmmaker had been hired as an editor by Parisian publishing house Editions de Seuil, known for its radical titles, including Chairman Mao’s ‘Little Red Book’ and Frantz Fanon’s doctoral thesis ‘Black Skin, White Masks’.

From the collection, ‘Petite Planete’, realised under the direction of Chris Marker 1954-1963. Images courtesy of Richard Bevan and Tamsin Clark

Marker was given free rein at Seuil, going on to devise and direct the 31 book ‘Petite Planète’ series across the 1950s and 60s. Opening up a whole new approach to travel for the reader he skipped the propaganda familiar to the guidebook genre, imagining instead the intimacy of his film script style, or a “conversation with an individual who is well informed about the country in question”. Cue photojournalism-style imagery, taking a leaning towards the street life and characters encountered in Marker’s own travels and applying them with a narrative edge.

The event tonight will feature projections of Marker’s filmic and printed works, alongside wine – a mega drawcard, in our book.

Cliquez ici – an illustrated journey through the pages of Chris Marker kicks off at 6pm tonight (doors close at 7.15pm for the talk’s 7.30pm start) at Claire de Rouen Books, 125 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0EW