AFC-related activities

For its second incursion into science-fiction after “Trepalium,” a television series it produced in the past, Arte France decided to hire Patrick Benedek and Claude Scasso to write a six-episode season on the theme of immortality and on transferring from one body to another. The series will be broadcast as of 16 November and the cinematography of the first season was directed by Pascal Lagriffoul, AFC. The first episode was selected at Camerimage in the Television Series’ Pilots competition. (FR)

Joe Wright’s film is a portrayal of Winston Churchill’s first, turbulent weeks as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (in May 1940), and provides an emotional portrait of an eloquent and superior man who was nonetheless riven with doubt. Gary Oldman’s imperial performance will certainly earn him a nomination in the 2018 Oscars. Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, AFC, ASC, discusses the shooting of this ode to the English language with us. (FR)

In his new company named “Les Tontons Truqueurs”, Christian Guillon has partnered with two other veteran film professionals, Maurice Prost and Jean-François Gouteix, the founders of Mikro Image. He’s still actively working as a producer and VFX supervisor, and consultant.

Sunday, November 26^th. Back to Paris. Cold but sunny weather. Through the window I see trees loosing their leaves. Still fresh from Camerimage, I will get on the writing of the editorial of the monthly AFC Letter. The phone is ringing. A call from Rémy Chevrin. It’s a terrible and inconceivable news: our friend Matthieu Poirot-Delpech left us, taken from us brutally. I cannot believe it.

Every year, the Cinematographers’ Debuts selection holds a few good surprises in store. Last year, it was Juliette Van Doermael; this year, young Copenhagen DoP Maria von Hausswolff tore open the screen with (Vinterbrodre), a strange and pale film that portrays a group of lovelorn workers in a Danish limestone mine. The impressionistic screenplay was well-served by the graininess of the Super16 and an extremely impressive sound design. Director Hlynur Palmason and his cinematographer met during their studies and both work in the field of contemporary art (sculpture and installations).

On Body and Soul, a Hungarian film directed by Ildiko Enyedi, is also the third this year in the official selection to be set in an abattoir. Máté Herbai, HSC, shares his approach to working on this congenial and unusual love story between two wounded souls.

Jonathan Ricquebourg is the only French cinematographer officially competing in the feature-length fiction section of Camerimage 2017. Still Life, a first feature which was released a year ago in France, takes place in an abattoir. Animals and humans live side-by-side in a strange fable with infrequent dialogue. An original choice for this international selection that sometimes pits outsiders against internationally-recognized stars in the profession. (FR)

American director Alexander Payne chose a futuristic science-fiction universe for his latest film in which humans are able to shrink themselves to conserve the planet’s resources. Downsizing narrates the experience of an average American (Matt Damon) who gets caught up despite himself in this social and physiological process that completely changes his life. Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC, shares with us the secrets behind the “making of” of this bittersweet and highly-awaited comedy.

When he is asked about his best memory from Three Billboards Outside Ebbings, Missouri, British cinematographer Ben Davis tells us about his first meeting with Frances McDormand who very seriously said to him: “You know, Ben, I want you to film me like John Wayne in this film.” This film is therefore an authentic Western, with a sheriff, a small town, and an avenger, all of whom are seeking redemption. He discusses the film of Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, 7 Psychopaths), which was a great audience success at Camerimage.

Director Roland Joffé shot his latest film, dedicated to the life of Reverend Desmond Tutu (played by Forest Whitaker), in a working South African prison. American cinematographer William Wages, ASC, explains the reasons he chose the new Panasonic VariCam LT in a filmed interview.

Director Xavier Legrand, winner of many awards, including the Grand Prix of the Clermont-Ferrand Festival and of the César for Best Short Film in 2014, is back with his first feature-length film, Jusqu’à la garde. After winning the Silver Lion and the award for best first film at the Venice Film Festival, this restrained film continues the story from his short film. Xavier Legrand and his producer Alexandre Gavras did something uncommon by deciding to work with the exact same team from the short film. While we await the film’s release in France on 7 February 2018, the film continues to meet with enthusiasm as it makes the rounds of film festivals, and will be screened at Camerimage. Nathalie Durand, AFC, takes this opportunity to discuss shooting the film with us. (FR)

Land of Souls, the François Girard’s film, is a lyrical celebration of Quebec’s history through three vignettes into three of the province’s historical epochs during an archaeological dig on a football pitch. The images filmed by Nicolas Bolduc, CSC, create continuity in a film whose many plot twists and characters might leave the viewer a bit perplexed… (FR)

I just ended reading the balance sheet of the CNC (National Administration Center of Cinema) for 2016. The news is pretty good. French cinema reached an all-time record of 213 million admissions. It is also a world-wide industry with a production level of 283 films in 2016.

I have a very precise memory of my state of mind when I finished my first read-through of the screenplay of Insyriated: I was overwhelmed and even physically worn out. I felt as though I had personally lived through that day of war. Not war as one imagines it: adventurous, heroic, on the front…masculine…

I have just heard of the death of Jeanne Moreau. I encountered her, when I was A.C on the set of Joseph Losey’s Mr Klein. I had great admiration for her, she the heroine of the French New Wave that has so much influenced my generation.

After pioneering stereocopic filmmaking in France, Céline Tricart decided to continue her career as an expatriate in the United States. She participated in a number of productions in Los Angeles, and has added another feather to her cap two years ago by launching her own production company specialized in virtual reality. She recently shot an ambitious short documentary film in VR set in the heart of the Amazonian rainforest (presented at Sundance). Here, she discusses the current state of the coming revolution in cinematography. (FR)

In the dog days of parisian summer, as it is in the current situation, we can hide in a movie theater, it is a privileged place where, with other "film buffs", we can share a good (or less-good) movie and little freshness. This is a moment of pleasure, we can even sometimes enrich with a chocolate ice cream, and repeat over and over all day long, as I have used to do it since my earliest childhood.

The career of cinematographer Jeanne Lapoirie, AFC, has been shaped by her relations with very different directors, from Téchiné to Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Ozon to des Pallières, and Israeli directors Ronit and Sholmi Elkabetz. She designed the lighting on the first two films by Robin Campillo, Laurent Cantet’s set designer and editor. Her first feature-length film, The Returned, was made into an eponymous television series that has become a legend in both France and the United States. After directing Eastern Boy, Robin Campillo made his début at Cannes in the official competition with 120 Beats per Minute. (BB)