It is a film that should have animated the spring discussions of the small Germanopratin milieu. Directed by Stefan Ruitenbeek, Dutch artist, Kirac 27, which is scheduled for release on March 11, is presented as an adult film, starring Michel Houellebecq. A trailer, released at the end of January on the Internet, shows the writer in bed with a young woman. But it is above all the remarks made by a voiceover that seem to have upset the author ofAnnihilate.
In this short extract, the director affirms that Michel Houellebecq contacted him after having had to cancel a sex tourism trip to Morocco organized by his wife who, according to Ruitenbeek again, “had started it a month in advance for him arrange prostitutes”. Statements that the novelist had little taste for, who decided to file a complaint at the beginning of February and asked for the withdrawal of the trailer and the non-broadcasting of the film. An error of assessment according to Ruitenbeek who is sorry: “I have the impression of seeing the old writer, the poor man, who confuses things here.”
L’Express: How did you learn that Michel Houellebecq was suing you?
Stefan Ruitenbeek: I sent him the movie trailer Kirac 27 on January 20, a few days before putting it online. For two weeks, no negative comments. Then later he sent me his objections, which he also published on its website. A few hours later, a letter from his lawyers reached me.
How did you react ?
I didn’t call him. In my eyes, this letter, clearly written in a lawyer’s office, is a declaration of hostility in response to my message of January 20 in which I simply opened a conversation. From that moment, we are no longer in what I call a normal conversation.
How do you explain this situation?
From my point of view, neither Michel, nor the media or anyone else should look at all of this the way it is currently. It doesn’t matter that there are prostitutes in the trailer because I’m doing an artwork. I do not claim any journalistic truth, I do not make a documentary.
My film must be considered as if it were a book, with the same distance, and a differentiation between the author and the character, between the real world and the art. Michel himself writes, in his letter to me, that he is an actor in my film. He has an acting career, he has played in various feature films, notably that of Guillaume Nicloux, The kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq, but in this film, he doesn’t really get kidnapped either! I kind of feel like I’m seeing the old writer, the poor guy, confusing things here. It’s my point of view.
When did you first meet him?
During the filming of the first scene. We had exchanged a lot by email before of course, but we had not yet met.
How was this first meeting?
I want to keep this story for the film. I’m in the middle of an artistic process right now. You know, frankly, I’m a very theatrical and outgoing person. So when a journalist from Vice asked me all these questions about our relationship, I played the role of the uneducated Dutch director while Michel played the role of the cultivated French writer.
All this is a kind of role-playing game. The same way he, in his mail, plays the role of “I’m so nice, I should have thrown your camera in the canal, but because I was so nice, I didn’t” . In fact, we are both very theatrical people. Michel plays the role of this introverted and silent victim of society and love. And I play the role of this happy idiot. I think it’s part of the artistic process between me and Michel.
What were you talking about together?
We talked about everything, politics, art, cinema, literature… Our conversations will be part of the film’s narration.
Does that mean the movie isn’t finished yet?
No, I’m in the middle of the creative process. I don’t make a film like a conventional director, I don’t write a script that we then follow. My experiences during filming create the film. I am currently discovering what this film is becoming. Just like you, on your side, try to understand it.
So you’re going to continue the film?
Of course, why wouldn’t I?
The complaint lodged by the main actor, for example?
Ah yes, that scares me, extremely scares me.
You don’t look like it…
I build a work of art. I mentioned earlier artistic freedom, and the need not to take everything at face value. What is valid for a book is valid for a film and precisely also for this film that I am making. Michel is an actor in my film. His name is Michel Houellebecq. And I don’t think it’s ridiculous or unreasonable that his character has sex with prostitutes for a day. He talks about it himself in his books. We shot sex scenes in Holland, prostitutes took part, so I don’t understand why it’s such a big taboo.
Do you think Michel Houellebecq’s reaction could have been influenced?
Possibly by his publisher, maybe there are commercial issues behind it, maybe he was advised to scare me, to intimidate me, I don’t know…
Did you respond through your attorney?
We signed a contract Michel Houellebecq and myself. But I don’t want to go into details. For now, I just want to limit this to an artistic discussion.
Do you think he feels persecuted, a victim?
In general, his books reflect a certain victimization, with this image of an ugly man who fails to seduce women. They read his books and think, “Well, he might not be attractive, but he’s not as ugly as he claims!” So they look for compliments to whisper to him, and maybe even some of them go beyond the simple compliment stage to help him by offering him sexual favors, and why not? Art also exists to provide artists with a better life in the real world. Besides, one of my friends told me that she saw Michel Houellebecq in an airport, she liked his books so much that she went up to him and said: “Can I give you a blowjob?” All this is at the heart of what he writes in his books.
Which of Michel or his wife spoke to you the first time about their honeymoon mentioned in the trailer for your film?
This is a translation error! It was not a question of their honeymoon but of a little romantico-erotic journey. For the rest, I do not want to talk about it for the moment, you will find out.
What did you discuss with Madame Houellebecq when you met her?
Sex, especially. A bit of the writer Thomas Bernhard, too, and then of course of Michel.
Has she tried to have a discussion with you since the beginning of this case?
No, she didn’t try to contact me.
How did you discover Houellebecq’s books?
When I was 14, I read Elementary Particles. I then read all his books except the last, Annihilate, which is not yet translated. I loved The Map and the Territory, Elementary particles, Extension of the field of struggle, The possibility of an island. I did not like Submission because it’s too problematic, too conceptual in a way.
Are you sad today?
In my way, yes. I’m not saying that sarcastically. Michel Houellebecq is a complicated person. We all know that.