English subtitles available

What to say…

I met Lili the founder of Tchao Gunter, during the summer, at her home in Marseille.  We were introduced to each other because I was supposed to film her, and two other women who had cancer, for GHD. This edit is not the one originally ordered, I wanted to stay much longer with her and present her to you in this light.

So this week we are going to talk about these 3 women.  Because their gift of life is simply exceptional, and… their message is addressed to not only those who are fighting the illness, but also way beyond that.  Their message is universal and it’s really a huge honor for me to be able to share with you what I have learned from them.

So Lili is a sun, an immense sun and at times without showing her, I was shaking behind my camera because step by step I was realizing what she went thru, I was realizing the “enormity” of her answer while facing cancer… happiness!

Lili is my 3rd OUT OF THE BOX portrait. Here is what I’ve learnt form her. please tell me about you.

1. No matter what happens you can answer with joy

Yes it’s my first apprenticeship. We’ve talked about Joy, with Nicola GO’s book, joy as a resistance tool.  And this joy, you can use it to oppose any situation.  We were wondering with Mem, what was our freedom good for sometimes, well here’s a possible answer.  And Lili made me vibrate all over because her proposal to the world is absolutely huge.

2. No matter what happens your body is beautiful

That threw me down this “I find it beautiful.”  A mutilated or worn out body as she says, in pain, holding-in Gunter, is a body, which, despite it all is life.

3. No matter what happens remember Lili

At the Louvre, there’s this Rembrandt painting, Bethsabée at her bath.  Large callous hands, wrinkled skin, the glance of the woman in the painting showcases her more than modest status… because after his wife’s death, the painter took his own maid as a model and for a wife.  The women is not pretty as we are told, she’s not as we wished she would be.  Nonetheless the painting is a masterpiece.  At the art Déco, my color teacher would tell us that story and would say when we weren’t inspired by that which is real, the life offered to us… “Remember Bethsabée.”  And her flawed life, with her cancer, Lili created some sort of work of art that transcends it all.  Happiness doesn’t depend on life but what you do with it.  Sometimes when I am outside or in the subway, or sitting somewhere and I think about Lili, and I cry.  All alone like a grown-up.  Because she is so beautiful, that it makes you cry I think.

I hoped you’ve enjoyed meeting Lili. Well, I have no doubt about it. Wednesday and Friday, we will then find Charlotte and Marine, whom taught me other things as well.

Thank you, a huge thank you.

Djeuhdjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson – Remets l’Audio