Here are the variants for the new cinematographic contract, on the model of the old one.[1] It's a question of a short film in 35mm of a minimum duration of 20 minutes entitled Refutation of all Judgments, Full of Praise or Hostile, that have until now been made of the Film "The Society of the Spectacle."
I intend to direct it with a maximum budget of 150,000 francs (this corresponds to the expenses that were fixed at 800,000 in the preceding contract, that is to say, excluding "administrative costs"); my salary, included in this budget, being 40,000 francs, payable half now and the remainder upon the completion of the film.
Considering, moreover, that the salability of most historical short films is always a much harder enterprise than in the case of feature-length films, I will be content this time with 5% of the profits when this fortunate time arrives.
If Martine[2] is free at the beginning of July, we will be finished at the beginning of October: any other delay at the beginning of this period will have repercussions on its end.
The book on Portugal[3] is fortunately finished. And the marvelous amplitude of the electoral failure of the Stalinists[4] perhaps will leave us time to distribute it before the next act.
See you soon. Best wishes,[1] Translator's note: see Debord's letter to Lebovici dated January 1973.
[2] Martine Barraque, editor of the film The Society of the Spectacle.
[3] The Social War in Portugal, by Jaime Semprun.
[4] Who only obtained 12.5% of the votes in the election of 25 April 1975.
(Published in Guy Debord Correspondance, Vol 5: Janvier 1973-Decembre 1978 by Librairie Artheme Fayard, 2005. Translated from the French by NOT BORED! March 2007. All footnotes by Alice Debord, except where noted.)