The "British Cinematographer" speaks to Jean-Marc Selva AFC about Victor Mukherjee’s "Lakadbaggha"

The universal language of film transcends any linguistic or cultural barriers on set, as Jean-Marc Selva AFC has discovered during a career behind the camera that has taken him around the world. Thanks to a lifelong love of travel, the French cinematographer has largely been shooting projects outside of the Hexagone for the past 15 years – including his sixth Indian film, Lakadbaggha.

“I’ve always been enthusiastic about discovering new places, new lifestyles and customs,” he muses. “If I weren’t a cinematographer, I would have probably found something else to do that involves travelling too. If ‘traveller’ was a profession in itself, that’s probably what I’d do !”

Cinematographer Jean-Marc Selva, AFC, combines his love of filmmaking and travel by working around the world on international features.
Growing up in the south of France, Selva didn’t find his calling for cinematography until he was older. "I realised that filmmaking allowed me to put in practice many of the things I like to do : photography, storytelling, speaking foreign languages, travelling, and experiencing other cultures."
Highlights of his 30 years in filmmaking include French features like Ce que mes yeux ont vu (dir. Laurent de Bartillat), complemented by international projects including Indian coming-of-age drama No Fathers in Kashmir (dir. Ashvin Kumar) and Morocco-France-Belgium co-production Un été à Boujad (dir. Omar Mouldouira). Ever since he joined the industry, it wasn’t uncommon for him to be sent on shoots around the world ; nowadays, he spends half the year away from his home in Paris.

"I love to find the universal elements in the stories I shoot," he notes. "This one aspect of the story any person from any country can identify with. That’s what I like to build on in my work. Human emotions have no nationality. Wherever we come from, we have an awful lot in common."

• Read the full article on the British Cinematographer’s website.