A Powerful Woman: 'About Susan Sontag'

The 17th Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival in Greece is hosting a remarkable film by Nancy Kates titled 'About Susan Sontag'; a powerful and influential woman who had a profound impact on American intellectual life as a critic, theorist, filmmaker, and novelist over several decades. Much has been written about Sontag (1933-2004) and her theories, but in this documentary, the filmmaker aims to portray a complex and successful woman through the words of Sontag's close ones, from her sister to her son and several partners throughout different periods of her life. As a result, for perhaps the first time, viewers encounter aspects of the personal life of one of the icons of the 20th century in America that have remained untold. The film's strength lies in its candor and frankness: it does not create a myth around Sontag but attempts to present an image of a woman who, while powerful and influential, also has her specific weaknesses. In this journey, her close ones express thoughts that are not particularly pleasant; including her behavior with her lovers, which at times involved harshness, bad treatment, and indifference in social settings. One of them mentions that Sontag never introduced her to others at gatherings and quickly distanced herself from her in unavoidable situations. Another recalls Sontag's outbursts and calling her 'stupid,' while yet another describes Sontag's first novel as 'nonsense.' Meanwhile, the film presents a woman who is not afraid of relationships and has connections with various women and men throughout her life. On the other hand, it emphasizes the powerful aspect of her character, which she herself refers to: 'I am powerful because I am in love and I always have to work.' Perhaps it is this power that allows Sontag to overcome the first cancer of her life in her youth—when doctors had summarized her remaining life to just six months—and survive. She also writes a book about her illness and emphasizes that the notion of illness as a punishment is a mistaken idea and 'illness is not a metaphor.' Sontag's political aspect is discussed less than the artistic and personal aspects of her life in the film; and perhaps that is for the best. After all, any political theory or action can be time-bound and may seem outdated after a while. Although Sontag was very controversial in politics, ultimately her decades of political activity amounted to nothing more than the usual intellectual opposition to war and capitalism. Accordingly, some of her actions and statements may seem exaggerated (including those regarding the September 11 incident and her trip to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War). However, where her interest in politics and her role as a social/political activist intersects with her impressive expertise and knowledge about art, the result is beloved and lasting actions: such as when she travels to Bosnia during the war and—naturally—performs a theater piece in Sarajevo instead of fighting: Waiting for Godot, which is rehearsed in secrecy and often without light amid the slaughter, and is performed in a way that metaphorically relates to the plight of desperate people. Sontag was passionate about photography and eventually published a theoretical book on photography that still seems fresh and readable. On the other hand, the film mentions that she is one of the few 20th-century figures who stood in front of cameras the most; including in front of Andy Warhol's camera, of which a short documentary clip exists in the film. One analyst notes during the film that she believed in the impact of photography and had discovered its magical power, which is why she used it and appeared countless times in front of the camera. The film makes good use of this treasure trove of photographs, showcasing a vast number of images of Sontag in various situations; some taken by some of the best photographers of the 20th century and are sometimes brilliant. Her interest in imagery naturally led her towards cinema as well, and she made films. Sontag did not receive much attention as a director, and her bizarre first feature film (Duet for Cannibals - 1969) faced negative reviews from critics, perhaps for this reason, Sontag's filmography is not very extensive. However, as a film critic (and theorist and art critic), Sontag is brilliant and unparalleled. The book that made her famous was not her first novel, but a readable theoretical book titled 'Against Interpretation' (1966—which is also the title of one of the essays in this book; a readable revelation about the concept of analysis and the relationship between the critic and the work of art) which remains one of the reference books on theoretical art concepts nearly five decades later. Sontag also has several top-tier film critiques; including her critique of Persona, which unfortunately is not mentioned in the film.