AFC’s Conversations

Consciously very different than the traditional American hero saga, Damien Chazelle’s biopic First Man is intended to be intimate and sober and depicts the difficulties of a couple in the aftermath of the loss of their first child. Cinematographer Linus Sandgren, FSF, used a variety of different cinematographic techniques for each particular take on this film where he is again working with its young director, both of whom were Oscar winners for La La Land. Here, he discusses with us the slightly-less glamorous, but just as important, aspects of the making of this film. (FR)

In honor of the French release on 25 January 2017 of Damien Chazelle’s La La Land (cinematography by Linus Sandgren, FSF), the Swedish director of photography granted us an interview about his work on this film, which was recently given an award by the foreign press association in Hollywood.

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)

This unexpected biopic on Jean-Luc Godard’s life was a brave project by Michel Hazanavicius. The movie lover and director of hit comedies OSS 117 and The Artist decided to pay a trenchant tribute to the internationally-renowned symbol of the Nouvelle Vague.
Shooting this out-of-the-ordinary film suddenly took on a personal and emotional dimension for Guillaume Schiffman, AFC, because of the family relationship between him and the emblematic director of the Nouvelle Vague.

After the international success of The Artist (first screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011), Michel Hazanavicius has once again joined forces with Thomas Langmann, Bérénice Bejo and Guillaume Schiffman, AFC, for a movie that takes place during the war in Chechnya. The subject is somewhere between current events and history at a time when Russian pressure is once again being exerted on the former territories of the Soviet Empire... This dual interview was conducted during colour timing on the film The Search. (FR)

In a filmed interview, cinematographer Nancy Schreiber discusses her experience at Cameraimage, her concerns regarding the increased accessibility of the profession and the loss of craftsmanship that this has engendered. She ends the interview with her fears regarding the loss of control over the integrity of the image from its production to the final version.

After the international success of Blue Ruin in 2013, a great revenge movie that was self-produced, directed, and filmed by cinematographer and director Jeremy Saulnier, Cannes is about to discover the world premier of Green Room, his latest thriller. This story, which portrays a group of Punks and its involvement with a gang of Skinheads, is highly anticipated at the Directors’ Fortnight. American cinematographer Sean Porter is responsible for the film’s visuals.

Niki, a biopic about Niki de Saint Phalle, presented in the Un Certain Regard selection, is the directorial debut of actress Céline Sallette. In this interview, the film’s cinematographer, Victor Seguin, AFC, answers questions from his colleague Jean-François Hensgens, AFC, SBC.

On November 7^th, 2007 at the Espace Cardin, Paris 8^th, the AFC and CST organized an event entitled “From Digital to 35mm” based around Claude Miller’s film, A Secret. A discussion with the film’s director of photography, Gérard de Battista followed the screening. Wilfrid Sempé wished to continue this discussion by talking with Gérard who “went digital” once again on a Claude Miller film.

In a filmed interview, cinematographer Michael Seresin, BSC, discusses his philosophy and his passion for lighting, he mentions the advantages of Cameraimage’s diversity, continues with his experiences on shooting a film in digital. He misses film…, the most important thing is to tell a story.

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)

With Joker, Todd Phillips has confirmed his great talent as a director, a writer, and a producer, which was already evident on the Very Good Trip franchise (2009) or the incredible Project X (2012). This film was created in an atmosphere of mutual trust, which makes daring experimentation possible: the producer was his actor/director friend Bradley Cooper, his editor was Jeff Groth (Project X), and the cinematography was by Lawrence Sher, who has been his faithful companion since the start of his career. Joaquin Phoenix’s performance has already been acclaimed several times (likely opening the pathway to his first Oscar), and the film has enjoyed enormous success with audiences since its release, unleashing polemics and passions in an international social context which sometimes makes reality into fiction. Lawrence Sher, ASC, joins us for an in-depth interview on the creation of this classic yet unique film about insanity.

Apprentice is the second feature-length film by young Singaporean director Boo Junfeng. It deals with a subject that is taboo in the small, prosperous Southeast-Asian city-state: the death penalty.

Glynn Speeckaert shares his time between feature-length French-language and English-language films, but he also shoots many advertisements all over the world. Amongst his best-known films are his collaboration with Xavier Giannoli (A l’origine and soon-to-be-released, Marguerite), Koen Mortier (Ex drummer) and Guillaume Galienne on the comedy that won the 2014 César award for best film (Me, Myself, and Mum). His name will soon be on the film posters of Fred Grivois’ Through the Air, starring Reda Kateb and Ludivine Sagnier, as well as Moonwalkers, the first feature-length film of advertisement director Antoine Bardou Jacquet. (FR)

After having worked his way up as a lighting technician, Glynn Speeckaert divided his career as a DoP on feature films and numerous international commercials. Based for some time now in the US , he has a filmography of English, German or French films. After having replaced Yorick Le Saux to shoot A l’origine for Xavier Giannoli, it is Radu Mihaileanu who calls upon his talents this time to shoot La Source des femmes (The Source), his second film in the official competition at Cannes.

The great Italian cinematographer discusses examples of films from throughout his extremely prestigious and varied career from the perspective of his relationship with their production designers. Amongst the films discussed: Michael Apted’s Nell, Sam Raimi’s The Quick and the Dead, and Michael Mann’s Insider and Manhunter.

Having worked for over 20 years as a gaffer to the greatest American cinematographers of the 1970s (Bruce Surtees, Owen Roiszman, Haskell Wexler, Conrad Hall…), then 46-year-old Tom Stern started a new career as a cinematographer on Clint Eastwood’s Blood Work. His faithful collaborator since 1981 Honkytonk Man, he has photographed all of the star’s films since 2002 and subsequently won several international awards.
Four years after Mystic River, Tom Stern returns to Cannes as foreman of the CST jury.

Belgian Cinematographer Virginie Surdej, SBC, won the Magritte for Best Image for Insyriated, by Philippe Van Leeuw, AFC. Amine Messadi, TSC, Tunisian cinematographer, signed the pictures of Sortilège, the feature film by Tunisian Alaeddine Slim, presented at the Directors’ Fortnight in 2019. After working together on Razzia and Much Loved, it is for a third collaboration with Nabil Ayouch that the two cinematographers meet again to film Casablanca Beats (Haut et fort), presented in the Official Competition at the 74^th Cannes festival. (BB)

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…

Peter Suschitzky, ASC, was awarded this year’s Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens in Cinematography Prize at Cannes. This was the opportunity for us to meet with David Cronenberg’s faithful fellow traveller for a filmed interview in English. His high-profile filmography also contains a few cult classics like The Empire Strikes Back, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Mars Attacks.

Three exciting events have just happened concerning British (and francophone) cinematographer Peter Suschitzky, ASC, who attended the Cannes Film Festival to present Matteo Garrone’s new film Tale of Tales, to serve as a member of the jury of the Critics’ Week, and to teach a Master Class under the aegis of Sony available on the Internet on 21 May. David Cronenberg’s loyal partner discusses the creation of this fantasy film inspired by traditional Italian folk tales. (FR)

Born in Brazil in 1979, and a citizen of the world, having lived in the USA, England, Portugal and France, Andre Szankowski, AFC, AIP, also has Polish roots (his father). For his first invitation to attend Camerimage, he will present Cosmos, the new film by Franco-Polish director Andrzej Żuławski. Get to know this trilingual cinematographer with an international career.

A unique blend of Buster Keaton-style silent comedy and vampire film invoking Expressionism, "Sister Midnight" by Karan Kandhari is above all an original female portrait set in the slums of Bombay. Although the director is of Indian origin, he lives and works in England, and his directing style and use of music reveal his distinctly British sense of humor. Here are the secrets behind the making of this strange comedy, whose style alternates between the frenetic and the very calm, reminiscent of the rhythm of a Pixies song. The cinematography is by British-Norwegian director of photography Sverre Sørdal, and the film was shot on Kodak and Panavision.