PART1
Thе sound revolutіon in cinemа in interwаr era
A. Introduction (avant-garde time, the sound revolution, social and economic context
B. Literature review
C. Methodology
D. Film-makers and script writers: the development of a new art using sound
1. Benjamin Fondane and his connections with Sestov, Victoria Ocampo, writers, , painters, sculptors, politicians, poets) + analyzing in parallel with Fondane, the film theories (including sound) of:
2. Grigori Aleksandrov and Lyubov Orlova
3. Germaine Dulac 4. Charlie Chaplin
5. Alfred Hitchcock 6. Hans Otto Löwenstein 7. Carmine Gallone 8. Heinosuke Gosho
9. Benjamin Fondane and Mario Peixto (similarities: They were both poets – Fondane as well as Peixto wrote the cinepoems), writers, scriptwriters, film directors. Both directed the first film with lots of passion, although their movie was not so well received back to 1930s (Fondane directed ‘Tararira’ in 1936) and both were very well criticized postum as one of the best film-makers of their era.
E. Conclusion

PART 2
Avant-garde film theories and the experimental cinematic practices between the war (in the view of Benjamin Fondane)
A. Introduction
B. Literature review
C. Conclusion
Benjamin Fondane’s cinematic career (to be included inside the chapters):
1. Cinepoems and Un Chien Andalou of Dali (the film was inspired from cinepoems)
2. The similarities between Fondane and Mario Peixto
3. Fondane and Tararira – the lost film
4. Fondane and Rapt (his implication as a scriptwriter, the fact that his name was mentioned more than Kirsanof’s (the director), Fondane’s view about Rapt (sound, music, theme, actors, mise-en-scene).
5. Fondane and other films at Paramount Pictures
6. ‘The Discreet Charm of The Bourgeoisie’ – film inspired from Tararira, or an improved version of Tararira (reasons: 1. Bunuel directed the movie in French – why French, and why France when he could use actoes from SUA? 2. Both films are satires of the burgeoise. 3. The film is produced in 1972, long time after Fondane’s death and long after the Jewish persecution, like he waited his career to grow, to get enough experience and direct a mature film in Fondane’s memory).
7. Fondane: the Nostradamus of cinema (he talked about color cinema, 3D cinema, the fact that visuals can be a mediocrity tool, etc.)

Comments to be included:
1st theory
In 1929, when Fondane was invited to talk about the ‘Films pure’ in Buenos Aires, he also organised a Cine Club and screened a number of fresh French Films such as:
Un chien andalou of Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí (1929, 16 minutes)
L’étoile de mer of Man Ray, after a poem of Robert Desnoes (1928, 21 minutes).
Entr’acte de René Clair (1924, 22 minutes)
Fragments of : La Coquille et le Clergyman by Germaine Dulac as director and Antonin Artaud as scriptwritter (1928), Le Cabaret epileptique by H. Gad, and La Perle of Henri d’Ursel as director and Georges Hugnet scriptwriter (1929).
‘Un chien andalou’ was screened in Buenos Aires through Fondane’s initiative, only two months after its release in Paris, which is really impressive (In Paris was released in June 1929 and in Buenos Aires in August 1929).
Thinking that if he could take these films to Buenos Aires I assume 1. he was very close with these directors, maybe close friends even and 2. he could take back Tararira upon his return to France (because he knew the procedure of transporting a film, it was his ever first film as director and he must have wanted to share it in France).
Another thing that I have found out is that he mentioned in letters that he would like to move to Buenos Aires but when the Aguilar brothers invited him to actually come there, he refused (probably because he could not live his sister alone in Paris) and ended up gazed in Auschwitz.

Second theory
1929. Fondane starts writing cine-poemes and shares them in his inner circle. Bunuel takes a look and draws inspiration for his iconic production “Un Chien Andalou”, in association with Dali. When the movie receives the best critical acknowledgement, Fondane has a breakdown. He somehow manages to overcome his frustration and anger and ironically offers praises to Bunuel in various publications.

1933. On set for “Les Nuits de Port Said” (for which Fondane is a screenwriter), he meets a young and promising cinematographer John Alton an Estonian director, Dimitri Kirsanoff, considered to be the rising star of the hour. Kirsanoff is hard to please, with many flaws and a huge ego. However, Benjamin manages to get under his skin.
The reels of “Les Nuits de Port Said” are mysteriously lost, somewhere between editing and sound processing. Both Fondane and Kirsanoff are devastated. The first falls into depression and the other, enraged, destroys a whole set with his bare hands. Kirsanoff pulls Fondane out of his misery by assigning him an important commission: the script for his next production, “RAPT”, an adaptation after F.C Ramuz’s book “The Separation of Races”.
1934. Rapt (The Abduction) is shot in the Swiss Alps and Fondane gets totally involved in the production: he helps Kirsanoff as an assistant director, he decorates the set, he again plays various extras and even prepares meals for the cast and crew.
The production enjoys some success in Paris and Fondane is far more acclaimed than Kirsanoff. Bemused by the laurels of minute glory, Benjamin gives an uninspired press interview, in which he takes more credit for his actions. This will put an end to his collaboration with Kirsanoff.
1936. In Buenos Aires, Fondane assembles his crew. John Alton is the first to arrive. The Aguilar Quartet – Paco, Pepe, Ezequiel and Eliza, are the stars of the production. They love the script and seem willing to do whatever it takes to shine in such a bold production.
His producer, Miguel Machinadiarena is a shady, cutthroat business man, who squeezes lots of cash from Paramount, giving Fondane only a third, while lying that they are cutting the budget. Also, he has another hidden interest to sabotage the production: his German Nazi investors are not very happy that he is financing the production of a Jew.
Machinadiarena slashes his final cut and the movie turns into a huge failure. “Tararira” will never see Paris.
Back in Paris, Fondane hands the script of “Tararira” to Bunuel, a day before he embarks for the United States. He urges his rival to do something about the movie, whatever he sees fit. Then he vanishes into the night, leaving Bunuel in shock.
Later on, years after, in 1972, Bunuel directs ‘The Discreet Charm of The Bourgeoisie’, an absurd, mature film which reaches success and which I do believe it may be inspired from ‘Tararira’ of Fondane. It is just a speculation of course – a good topic for a movie perhaps.

On the other side, I read about León Moussinac, Emile Vuillermoz and Marcelle Auclair – they were film critics (and poets, writers, novelists), they never worked in a film production and their critics are far different than Marcel L’Herbier for instance, who, like Fondane and Dulac, were filmmakers too.