On Screen

Produced for the new Paramount+ platform launched in December 2022, the series "The Offer" is a recreation of a mythical moment in cinema history: the adaptation and production of Mario Puzo’s bestseller "The Godfather". The writer, the main character of the series – who is eventually promoted to co-writer-, is surrounded by an array of protagonists who make up the amazing success of the project. Top of the list, the incredible Matthew Goode, who plays Bob Evans, head of the Paramount studio. He seems to come straight out of the legendary documentary "The Kid Stays in the Picture", originally devoted to him.
For the first time in his long career, Italian-American cinematographer Salvatore Totino (Davinci Code, Everest...) was in charge of this series, and photographed the first six episodes. Three directors follow one another around him (Dexter Fletcher, Adam Arkin and Collin Bucksey). "The Offer" is competing for the Golden Frog for Best Series at Camerimage 2023. (FR)

Dance First is Antonio Paladino’s first venture into feature films. This Berlin-based cinematographer had been, until now, accustomed to shooting commercials. He was fortunate to have been chosen by British director James Marsh, Oscar winner in the Documentary category in 2009 for "Man on a Wire". The film, competing for Best First Cinematography, portrays the life of Samuel Beckett, the renowned Irish playwright who spent most of his life in France. The black and white biopic’s cast features Gabriel Byrne, Sandrine Bonnaire and the excellent Irish actor Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger in "Game of Thrones"). (FR)

Smoke Sauna Sisterhood is a surprising film. Winner of several prizes at international festivals such as Sundance, filmmaker Anna Hints’ invitation to share the intimate confessions of Estonian women is a real success. Set in an extremely simple decor -traditional saunas heated by wood fires-, the documentary is a dance between of words, bodies, steam and light. Cinematographer Ants Tammik spent twenty days with the women of his country, in the heart of this magical place, a Unesco World Heritage Site. The humidity levels were close to 100%, with a temperature fluctuating between 60 and 80°. Welcome to the Smoke Sauna! (FR)

Among the films selected in the "Directors’ Debuts Competition" category at Camerimage 2023, The Song of the Auricanturi (El canto del Auricanturi), by Colombian director Camila Rodriguez Triana, tells the story of a silent mother and her daughter. This contemporary artist, a graduate of the Fresnoy School (2019), directed her first feature film alongside argentinian cinematographer Constanza Sandoval, ADF. She talks to us about this film, whose directorial choices and screenplay are quite radical, inspired by the work of Alexander Sokourov and Bela Tarr... (FR)

American cinematographer Curren Sheldon brings to Camerimage his latest documentary film, "King Coal." Rooted in both reality and fable, this work presents the Appalachian region, exploring the economic and societal upheaval caused by the rise and fall of coal mines. Curren shares insights into how this project slowly developed and was crafted in collaboration with his wife, Elaine, who directed the film. (FR)

The superstar Metal band Metallica asked director Tim Saccenti and American cinematographer Joshua Zucker Pluda to create a visually intricate yet classically structured music video, featuring various black and white blurs and textures. With slow-motion, image overlays, and sweeping flares, "Screaming Suicide" is competing for the Golden Frog for Best Music Video Cinematography at Camerimage 2023. (FR)

When I proposed this seminar to the AFC, I realized it was very ambitious. The idea was to give a two-and-a-half-hour overview of the anamorphic format, with a dozen clips ranging from 1959 to 2022. I was first joined by Thomas Favel, AFC, and we worked and discussed the themes and “playlist” in meetings over the course of six weeks. We were then joined two weeks ago by Pascale Marin, AFC, and Steeven Petitteville, AFC, who helped us finetune the presentation, adding a couple of other clips. Our meetings were the occasion for spirited discussions about anamorphic, cinematography, cinema … (BB)

Kristoffer Engholm Aabo is a cinematographer based in Copenhagen. He divides his time between Denmark and Norway, where he studied cinematography. He has worked on the visuals of over 80 music videos and has also worked on a number of advertising films (Porsche, Redbull, Carlsberg, etc.) as well as short fiction films. Selected for the first time in competition at Camerimage for the music video "Crooks - Heart of Vengeance" by the band Farveblind, we meet to talk about this strange fake trailer, created for a revenge film that could almost be real... (FR)

After the highly acclaimed The Favorite (Audience Award at Camerimage 2018), Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos has teamed up once again with Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan, ISC, BSC, on Poor Things. This project was largely shared in its making with actress Emma Stone - Oscar winner for Best Actress in 2017 -. Stone was the centrepiece of this project, giving her a probable chance of receiving a second statuette in 2024. This resolutely feminist fable tells the story of the journey and liberation of a dead young woman, brought back to life by a mad scientist, who implants in her a little girl’s brain... (FR)

Visit us at 31^st edition of EnergaCamerimage at our stand in the Market in CKK Jordanki, and, for the second year running, in a historic Hotel 1231, where we will showcase the versatility of our cutting-edge lenses by bridging the gap between virtual and physical spaces.

On Sunday 12 November at 4pm, FilmLight is hosting the 2023 Colour Awards Ceremony in Toruń, Poland. Join us to hear from the talent behind the looks before this year’s winners are revealed by the jury president, DoP Lawrence Sher, ASC.

As usual, Zeiss will be welcoming festival-goers to its booth in the CKK Jordanki. While the latest Zeiss optics will be on show, it will also be possible to discover the new Zeiss CinCraft Scenario camera tracking system mounted on an Alexa 35 and with a live compositing preview via Unreal Engine.

Jury selects 22 nominees across five categories; winners to be announced at EnergaCAMERIMAGE in November.

Simeon Moni Damevski was appointed director of the Manaki Brothers festival three years ago. Overflowing with enthusiasm and kindness towards his guest, he explains why this festival dedicated to cinematography, organized in a small town in Northern Macedonia, is so special to him. (FR)

Doubly honored in 2023 (at the Manaki Brothers Festival and soon at Camerimage), British cinematographer Peter Biziou, BSC, shares with us some memories from his long and prestigious career on commercial and fiction sets. Although Mississippi Burning (Oscar for Best Cinematography in 1989) was undoubtedly his highest distinction, his name has appeared in the credits of films such as Monty Python’s The Life of Brian, Richard Loncraine’s Richard III, or Peter Weir’s The Truman Show. (FR)

Seamus McGarvey, BSC, ISC, ASC, was one of the guests of honor at the 44^th annual Manaki Brothers Festival. He recently received the Camera 300 career award. Cinematographer of over 50 feature films, some of the most remarkable are Stephen Frears’ High Fidelity, Stephen Daldry’s The Hours, Gareth Edward’s Godzilla, and Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina and Atonement. He recently finished work with the same director on the Italian series “M” dedicated to the life of dictator Benito Mussolini. He discusses this 130-day marathon shoot, how to manage the unexpected on set, and artificial intelligence. (FR)

A gem from Estonia, this film was given a special screening at the Manaki Brothers Festival this year. The Sleeping Beast is a rather implacable study of human nature, remarkably well-acted by a group of five children aged around 12 and a little girl younger than them. Elen Lotman, ESC, Estonian cinematographer, discussed her very sensitive cinematographic choices for filming this captivating story which threads its way between the reality of the adult world and the fantasy world of children left to their own devices. (FR)

Following her short film Comment on freine dans une descente? (Golden Lion at Venise in 2006), Angèle et Tony (Cesar for actors Clothilde Hesme and Gregory Gadebois in 2012) and Le Dernier coup de marteau (in selection in 2014), director Alix Delaporte offers the Mostra this year a film based on her own experience as a reporter at the Capa agency. Alice Isaaz plays Gabrielle, a young intern through whose experience viewers discover the life of a television newsroom. Inès Tabarin, AFC, served as the cinematographer on this film in which location plays a primary role. (FR)