One of the best things about going to a film festival is the opportunity to hear directly from the Directors of the films you are seeing. This year I heard from four, all of whom were interesting with insights into what their film was about and the process of making it.
Ben Zeitlin Director of Beasts of the Southern Wild focussed on the location of his film. It was a character in the film, and also presented real challenges for the film-making process. Interestingly, after seeing the debate about film versus digital in the documentary Side By Side, he used film which he said suited the remote, watery, rough and humid place they were in. He was interesting on the young girl who played Hushpuppy, the wonderfully named Quvenzhane Wallis. She was five when he first met her and already forceful about how she should do things. Sounds amazing. Ben’s youth and modesty were quite striking. There are lots of interviews with him on YouTube that are worth a look. What the success of this film demonstrates is that, properly done, an intensely local story can resonate all around the world. A message there for Australian film-makers. Be true to yourselves.
Alison Klayman who made Ai Wei Wei: Never Say Sorry was also very engaging. She was in the right spot at the right time- Beijing just around the time that Ai Wei Wei was becoming known. Initially asked to film at a small exhibition of his art she decided to hang around and film his life! She explained that she was just there, and not the primary focus when things were happening. Interesting. Made sense. He was intent on pretty big political change so it made sense he wasn’t talking a lot of notice of her. That explains the authenticity of what she captures. No-one’s taking any notice of the camera. Given these circumstances she has done a great job on crafting a great documentary. Right time – right skills.
I had never heard of Bobcat Goldthwait, the Director of God Bless America, but now, after seeing his film amongst all his devotees, know he was in Police Academy (not seen by me), is a comedian and has a large following. Well deserved. He was funny and honest at his Q&A. Recognised he had contributed to the dumbing down of American culture – but so what, still open to him to criticise it. Wasn’t going to get all faux contrite about the cinema killing spree depicted in his film just because it had happened in real life after the film was made. He noted there had been three what he called spree killings since the film was made. Attacked the recent crop of films applauding teenage pregnance, like Juno and Woody Allen for having a relationship with has daughter. A progressive and a moral man! And funny. Worth sitting through the film to see him. But both were great.
Local duo Ben Lewin and Judi Levine, were Director and Producer of The Sessions which was a really lovely film with very strong performances. Ben spoke about writing, casting and directing it. A very human account of disability that he was attracted to in part because it reflected but was not a direct account of his own experience of disability. Timely success for him he said, as his career was; going down the toilet beforehand. He described some of the challenges of making a film with a character who is prone, lying on a ‘torture board’ as he called it. Full of praise for his performers. The film is based on a true story and I am quite keen to check out the real Mark O’Brien.
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