He is not for everyone. He is not for the faint of heart. But for those of us who sit in the theater, trembling as the credits roll on Irréversible or weeping at the final freeze-frame of Love —we know something. We know that cinema can be a weapon. It can be a prayer. It can be a bad trip.
As we spoke, I found myself drawn to his passion, his conviction. He was a true artist, unafraid to challenge and provoke. And yet, as our conversation turned to his personal life, I began to sense a deeper pain, a sense of melancholy that lingered beneath the surface.