Jean Cocteau Signed Autograph Letter: Copyright and Bacchus, 1952

  

Jean Cocteau - Handwritten signed letter - Copyright and Bacchus - 1952. Handwritten signed letter, February 1952, 1 page in octavo. To his lawyer, Me Abelès; envelope preserved. On his break with Cimura in favor of the Union Financière Artistique and the publication by Gallimard of his play Bacchus. He is concerned about the conditions of his break with “Cimura” (Cinema-Music-Radio), an agency created by Lucienne Wattier and Paulette Doris, which had managed Cocteau’s affairs until then, in favor of the Union Financière Artistique (UFA).

The UFA would take charge of copyright matters, relations with publishers and producers, as well as with foreign publishing houses and the question of translations. Cocteau wonders about the risks involved, which could affect the management of his works, including Bacchus, soon to be published by Gallimard. Bacchus is a three-act play by Jean Cocteau, first performed in December 1951 and published by Gallimard in 1952; it would be sharply criticized by Mauriac. “I receive an incomprehensible letter from Alexandre.

How could he not know that I remain for the moment under Cimura’s control, since that is the basis of our entire current maneuver. I told him that, to avoid any trouble, he only had to take charge of reporting it to Made Wattier, until further notice. It is this further notice that matters, and that is why I persist in asking whether my break has been recorded, is valid, and whether the agency will not say, at the proper time, that it was not notified in time. I am having the duplicate of the Gallimard Bacchus contract sent to me, where he leaves me free to negotiate under certain reservations.

If problems arise, they can only concern x in the form of percentages, but never Alexandre, whom Mme Wattier knows very well I have secured as an amicable collaborator (with his approval).