In reponse to the almost universal drubbing the critics gave The Fifth Element at Cannes, the film's star, Bruce Willis, pronounced: 'Nobody up here pays attentions to reviews . . . most of the written word has gone the way of the dinosaur'. This issue of Projections takes up the gauntlet laid down by Willis and looks at the position of critics in society today. We ask major critics, here and abroad, what they think about the current state of film criticism; what they think their relationship - and responsibility - is to film and film-makers; what do critics dream about? We also ask film-makers about how they regard the critics. This issue also contains articles and interviews with practioners of film, including a diary for the set of the Coen brothers film, The Big Lebowski, as well as a diary of the making of Wong Kar-wai's award-winning film, Happy Together, by the cameraman Chris Doyle.