‘Charlie Hebdo, Before the Massacre’

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/09/opinion/charlie-hebdo-before-the-massacre.html

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In February 2006 the editors of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo met to discuss a matter of what turned out to be deadly consequence: Would they publish a satirical image of Muhammad on their cover? We were making a documentary about Jean Cabut, known as Cabu, one of the most famous cartoonists in France. So we were there, filming his conversation with his colleagues as they chose the cover. The issue that came out of this meeting — with a Cabu cartoon on the cover and the images they discussed here — turned out to be one of the most popular in the magazine’s history. Almost nine years later, gunmen stormed this very meeting and killed 10 editors and cartoonists, including three of the people in this film: Cabu, Bernard Verlhac (known as Tignous) and Georges Wolinski.

Beyond his talent as an artist, our friend Cabu was a formidable character — his Joan of Arc haircut and John Lennon-style round glasses were inimitable. A former children’s television host, he was goofy, kind, sweet. We loved him. But what Cabu loved was provocation and bad taste: a very French — political and vulgar, yet sharp — type of irony. He was right at home at Charlie Hebdo, where he could take uncompromising stands on institutions and leaders of all stripes: politicians, bankers, cops … and men of God.

In this case, Cabu was supporting cartoonists in Denmark who had just grappled with the same issue in September 2005. The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten had published 12 cartoons considered blasphemous by many followers of Islam. Arab governments protested officially; there were clashes at protests and demonstrations around the world, leading to more than 200 deaths. Charlie Hebdo had decided to reproduce the complete set of cartoons for its Feb. 8 issue.

In filming Cabu’s now historic meeting with his editor in chief and fellow cartoonists and editorialists, we could not know that we were capturing on camera such an important moment. We were just amazed by the collaborative, creative, joyful process that led to the cover and caption, Cabu’s drawing of the Prophet Muhammad, cleverly hiding his face with his hands to avoid breaking outright prohibitions on showing the prophet’s likeness, but still provocative. Provocative enough to apparently serve as the root of this week’s attack.

As the cartoon was published, police officers were assigned for Cabu’s protection. As the death threats against him soon poured in, his humor and high spirits remained intact. Our friend Cabu was murdered. Today, we miss him.