I’m French, I live in Paris. I am a songwriter and performer, dancer and choreographer. Since my third album, I have been making my own music videos. “Suddenly the birds” is my new and fifth album, released on January 21, 2022, and “So many tears” is one of the music videos I made.
What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
First I was a dancer and choreographer, very interested in directing. I started to stage myself in music videos to reclaim my own music that sometimes escaped me during recording in the studio, with the director of my songs, or musicians.
Anyway I like writing stories in music as in pictures. I want it to escape from reality, or to perform reality into poerty.
“So many tears” is a surreal music video that speaks of feelings of mourning contrasted with the joys of childhood. My sister’s died in 2019, and to bear and accept the harsh reality, I wrote an album, “Suddenly the birds”, dedicated to her. This song is one of them, and the music video is a second reading of the emotions that go through me.
In surrealism I find the unconscious and dreams that I use in my lyrics and music.
I need to surprise myself and making music videos is an experience that allows me that.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
Yes of course, espacially concerning the condition of women in our society. Often when we watch a film we seek or we find answers to our own questions, not necessarily consciously. And what comes up can then influence our lives and the society we are all building together. I am particularly moved by films talking about the difference between women and men and the oppression of women in the history of our society. Talking about it, putting your finger on flaws allows you to become aware and change things, I’m sure.
-What would you change in the world?
If I could change something I would put the trees back in place, I would remove tar and plastic that invades us and suffocates us step by step. I would restore nature its rights to save the human being.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
This is a difficult question. The cinema will always exist, but will the theaters last? As with music, the industry changes with the evolution of society. The pandemic has changed people’s habits, platforms have taken the place of theaters. Even today most people stay at home and watch a movie on their screen or computer. The screen is integrated to our daily life, individualism also with social networks. Relations with society have changed and going to the theater to share a film together is increasingly rare, unfortunately. There may be fewer films, but cinema, as music, will always be a vital necessity.
My name is Mac Escalante and I am a recent graduate from the University of Georgia. I was a Film Studies and Comparative Literature major and I have always been appreciative of the arts! To describe myself may be a little challenging as I am still developing my character and identity to the world. If I had to describe who I am, I would love to describe myself as an ambitious artist. It is my dream to be a director, actor, and screenwriter and to share my work with the entire world.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
My inspirations came from many sources. It is absolutely challenging to explore how I was inspired to be a filmmaker since my inspiration has been drawn by many artists from cinema, music, paintings, etc. Ever since I was a child, I loved movies very much. I watched many movies growing up with my family and went to the theaters many times. After seeing many countless films, I then realized that I too could be up there with the movie stars and creative directors behind the pictures I saw in cinema. Movies really helped me imagine big ideas, moved me through difficult periods of my life, and encouraged my perspectives on how I view life. I wanted to be a part of that artistic movement which made me very glad to have been inspired by cinema itself in becoming my own director, actor, and writer. The directors that have really inspired me to be the filmmaker I am today are Wes Anderson, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Sam Raimi, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Christopher Nolan, and the list goes on haha.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
Having cinema change society has always been one of the most difficult questions I had to ask myself. It is a very open ended question because every artist has a personal struggle about whether or not their art is contributing to the flaws of society. In my personal experience, I at first thought that my artistic dream of wanting to be in cinema was useless. During the difficult times of the COVID19 pandemic, I felt very guilty about how I was not pursuing a medical career. I felt as if movies were not making a difference because doctors and nurses with medical knowledge were immediately needed at the front lines to combat the virus. Once lockdown came, many theaters struggled and even shut down which made me first believe that my cinematic dream was unachievable. After reminiscing about the difficulties of COVID and other tragic events, I looked back to different parts of history in which cinema reflected those difficult and confusing times. I realized that filmmakers were also immediately needed to not only comfort and entertain audiences but also encourage audiences to change their perspective on the world. This then made me reflect deeply about how movies changed society in the past and how they brought change among people’s perspectives of the world. A few films that really changed society that I could share are Dr. Strangelove (1964), Do The Right Thing (1989), Spider-Man (2002), and the list goes on. I then realized that all of those films combined really challenged society’s perspective on certain issues of the time.
One of my favorites of the titles I mentioned is Dr. Strangelove by Stanley Kubrick since that film was absolutely necessary for the ’60s as it made audiences question their safety during the Cold War and Arms Race between the United States and Soviet Union. The film came out in 1964 which was 2 short years after the Cuban Missile Crisis and 1 year after the assassination of JFK and people at the time were extremely overwhelmed by the political chaos haha. Dr Strangelove was then responsible for not only satirizing the American and Soviet governments but also changed the way people viewed the two superpowers of the 20th century. Kubrick believed that the arguments among Western and Soviet leaders were very pointless and that cinema can illustrate the ridiculousness of their arguments. Dr. Strangelove then became a huge hit among audiences and was very responsible for changing 1960s society’s viewpoints on the Cold War and was even one of the first 25 films to be preserved for the National Film Registry in 1989.
If a film like Dr. Strangelove has shifted society back in the 1960s, I am really hoping that my film “Aubrey’s Understandings” can shift people’s viewpoints on mental health among young college students in the 21st century. It is a little tricky to see how more people can respond to my student film as I have only shared it with a limited number of audience members. However, I am absolutely looking forward to people’s reception of my film.
-What would you change in the world?
Changing the world is definitely a job that should not be done alone as it requires many people to help and contribute their inputs. But if I had to change the world, I would want to change people’s viewpoints on power and cooperation. I deeply wish that leaders from all over the world could be more tolerant and understanding of each other because of how working together can progress the entire world. We are unfortunately living in a very polarizing and divided world and it definitely makes me sad to see how many people focus more on superiority than cooperation. But if I had to change the world, I would wish for more people to be more tolerant so society can progress more and more in each generation.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
To see where film will go within the next 100 years is another tricky question to answer. The artform of cinema is surprisingly very young compared to other art forms that have existed for centuries. Music, paintings, and literature have existed throughout many different generations and film is only about 130 years old. However within its 130 years, it is very surprising to see how quickly advanced it has gotten in 2022 especially with today’s environment of digital filmmaking and motion capture technology. Despite the advancements of those aspects of film, my wish for the next 100 years of the film industry is to preserve as many more old films as we can. Many filmmakers need to preserve as many old celluloid films as they can since those are the blueprints to how the entire movie was made. They can also be preserved for the next generation of filmmakers and audiences that we will soon see within the next century as it is very important to maintain the appreciation for cinema.
My name is Yvonne Lucrezia Condrau, born, raised, and lived in Switzerland until 1993 and then found my way to New York City. I work in 5 languages fluently: English, Swiss German, German, French and Italian.
I’m a Drama/Romance Screenwriter that currently has an eight-time Award-winning Best Unproduced Feature Screenplay “A Scottish Gem.” At the request of Michele M. Rodger, I’ve written the Feature Screenplay and hold the copyright on “A Scottish Gem” which is based on her published novel (Carole’s Story…A Scottish Gem). This compelling, true story with a strong female lead of indomitable spirit and working her magic has all the hallmarks of a drama and great romance that will leave audiences spellbound and touched. It’s a story that people can relate to on some tangible and emotional level even though Carole isn’t the daughter of someone famous but simply “the girl next door.”
I draw inspiration from my vibrant imagination and execute my creative vision with a keen eye for detail.
Once I relocated to New York City, I worked as a Language Instructor, cross-cultural Advisor as well as a Translator for a Nickelodeon/Viacom TV Documentary. I also gained great insight into the industry as a featured Extra in numerous well-known movies/TV Shows such as “The Manchurian Candidate,” “The Interpreter,” “Stay,” “Law & Order CI,” etc.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management & Office Supervision from Lucerne, Switzerland, and New York University, NYC, and studied Advanced Screenplay Writing at New York University, NYC.
Can’t wait to see my eight-time Award-winning Best Unproduced Feature Screenplay “A Scottish Gem” being sold/produced and on the silver screen very soon!
Looking for representation.
Unique traits: – My glass is ALWAYS half full – Addicted to outdoor activities and dancing. Never afraid to speak up for the “underdog.” Volunteered at local Human Trafficking Org in various aftermath healing programs through artwork.
If I hadn’t become a Screenwriter, I definitely would have turned my other passion to professional Gourmet cooking.
-What inspired you to become a Screenwriter?
I’ve been a storyteller ever since I was a little girl and already captured my childhood audience with my compelling stories, wrote for a newspaper but never pursued a career. But then, a few years ago, my wonderful Papa’s passing inspired me to finally dare to follow my dream.
–Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
Yes, for sure! But it’s a “two-way street.” It all depends on whether it’s a positive or negative influence because especially our younger generation is much more vulnerable and targeted to be influenced by social media and movies.
What would you change in the world?
Live, let live, end every war, find peace within and in the world, and find a cure for every single disease.
–Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
Bringing the wonderful, amazing classics back! Movies that captured the audience, that had true meaning and their cinematography was true art!
On a general level I am a film critic in Los Angeles who is Rotten Tomatoes-approved. So much of my existence is spent in the darkness of screening rooms. I also do screenwriting and have written multiple shorts, pilots and a few features, some have come to life. Others are yet to be made, as tends to happen in this city where everyone has a screenplay. Aside from consuming cinema for work and pleasure, I am a great devourer of books of any kind. The written word keeps me going in good and darkening times. I am also the co-host of a podcast on film history and criticism named Breaking the 180.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I was raised in a working class home with two immigrant parents with unfulfilled artistic backgrounds. Because we could not afford the privileges of constant travel, going to the movies was our prime form of escape. Books and cinema have always provided a window to the world and to the lives, dreams, nightmares and experiences of other human beings, from any corner of the world, to me. From a very young age I always felt the compulsion to tell stories and a drive to visualize narratives. There is a movie in my memory for nearly every key phase of my childhood and adolescence. When I was a teenager and discovered directors like Luis Bunuel and Oliver Stone, I realized how storytelling and cinema could be both enlightening but also dangerous. The marriage of ideas and images can be as effective as poetry, even in a good popcorn entertainment. From a pre-teen stage in my life I wanted to learn how to do that because movies combine everything I love including images, music, literature and history. I still consider myself in a state of learning and have been lucky to find great guides and mentors like Salvador Carrasco, director of the great Mexican film The Other Conquest, who has provided the kind of education no film school can match. He also runs a groundbreaking film program at Santa Monica College which helped us with so much.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
It may sound naïve, but I do hold on to the spirit of my favorite directors like Bunuel, Costa-Gavras or Rainer Werner Fassbinder in the belief that movies can indeed provoke changes in society. The Surrealists believed cinema could be revolutionary and in our time, I see the potential is there because we now live in a world completely dominated by images. We consume moving images every day on our devices. People probably watch more YouTube than read books now. There was a time when filmmakers like Pier Paolo Pasolini were both artists and radical intellectuals. Now we have so much technologically available to share ideas. Beyond politics, I believe the most significant change or impact good movies can have is placing the viewer in someone else’s shoes. A movie can help bring change when it helps you see the world through the eyes of the other, especially in these times when social and political conflict is growing. Azizam was inspired by how most narratives about the ‘60s and ‘70s are dominated by American or European stories in film and TV. We never get a chance to see how the rest of the world was experiencing an era still impacting us today. Iran is still in the news, yet few westerners know the entire history. Or consider how many Americans know Italian history from the ‘60s. I doubt many do.
-What would you change in the world?
Since I do not wield sufficient power to change the world, I can safely be honest and say that I would wish for us as humans to dismiss the artificial borders and boundaries we are always constructing. Because I have a father from Colombia and a mother from El Salvador, who left her country as it approached civil war, and I was born in the United States, I have never felt comfortable waving around particular nationalist, ethnic pride. It is true that we have a variety of cultures, languages and other details specific to where we come from, but in the end all humans feel desire, rage, love, joy and sorrow. The beginning of real equality is by looking at someone from a different background or society and seeing more how you are similar as opposed to different. I speak from the experience of always feeling like an outsider. I am far from perfect and so is everyone else, which is also part of what makes us all beautifully human.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
It is very hard to tell because the world seems to be changing at such a quick pace. The pandemic has changed the theater system in the United States irrevocably and streaming has now created a wider panorama of options. New shows premiere by the dozens every week and the cinemas now seem to cater exclusively to spectacle. On the business side from what I see as an entertainment journalist, the theaters will become precisely spectacle houses where people will pay the ever growing ticket prices to see grand experiences worth their money. There will still be small theaters showing international and independent films, but the majority of those kinds of films will find their audiences in streaming options like the Criterion Channel. A century from now we will most likely see a complete fusion of the virtual reality experience and film-viewing. You won’t just watch Titanic. You will probably be able to feel as if you are standing there on the ship looking at Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet. Cinema will be a fully immersive experience in 100 years. That is, of course, if we have not pushed civilization into terrible cataclysms. But I remain positive at heart.
I am an award-winning British writer/director specialising in low-budget short films.
In 2020, during my graduate year in Film Production at the University of Portsmouth, I wrote and directed ‘The Village’, a horror film collaboration with the amazing Prop Box Youth Theatre, which went on to win Best Horror Short in London, Ottawa and Campania, Italy and Best Male Director in Berlin. ‘The Village’ has since gone on to become a trilogy.
My day job is editing and assisting in the production of TV shows for Ustreme, a small streaming site started by comedian Jim Davidson, specialising in comedy programmes and military Veteran chat shows. I also run Prop Box’s weekly filmmaking academy with regular cameraman and sound recordist on my films, Charlie Lubbock.
Other ventures of mine outside the horror genre include comedy, drama and experimental films, all of which can be viewed for free on my YouTube channel: Isaac Lawrence Films or website: isaaclawrencefilms.co.uk.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
As cliché as it may be, I’ve wanted to make my own movies since I was a child. I was really into model trains and would use a home camcorder to make my own Thomas & Friends-style films, so it’s something I’ve been destined to do as far back as I can remember really. Then, in the early teenage years, myself and Hayden Davey, who now works with me on many projects in the sound and music departments, made our own comedy web series we both starred in way before we knew what we were doing, but that’s how I learned to edit. My dad was a great sport at that time – we’d always rope him into giving some over-the-top performance the minute he’d get in from work when all he’d want to do is nap.
As I grew from a boy into a man, I began to watch a larger variety of films spanning numerous genres. I always knew I was going to make films, but it was the art of constructing a powerful narrative, atmosphere and often message in so many different ways that made me realise what it was I was going to put on the screen. There were serious hard-hitting films that really made me think about things we take for granted – the last line in Ruggero Deodato’s ‘Cannibal Holocaust’ has and always will stick with me. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s Edgar Wright’s ‘Shaun of the Dead’, which I remember made me belly laugh for hours, but also brought up some great points about horror tropes – why do we never use the term zombie? Those two films are very different, but they both get messages across and both tell a good story with very emotional moments – it’s this craft that inspired me to put my own imagination and thoughts on screen.
I am also hugely grateful to my parents and late grandparents for contiually giving me the inspiration to pursue my dream as a filmmaker and to never quit in times of uncertainty. Also to Prop Box’s Caroline, Sarah and their phenomenal young actors and actresses who if they hadn’t trusted me with some of the crazy ideas I bring to them, we never would have been able to pull off the award-winning films we created together – they inspire me everyday.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in society?
Absolutely, one hundred percent cinema can bring changes in society. With technology at our fingertips our attention spans are diminishing and cinema’s a unique and entertaining form of delivering and hearing out issues and ideas of how we can improve upon society, let one know they aren’t alone or just allow one to get the healthy dosage of escapism we all need.
It’s also really interesting to see the reactions of an audience – we can understand what makes certain people excited, scared, tense, sad and compare that to real world situations. The invention of cinema really is extremely powerful.
-What would you change in the world?
As a night owl, I wouldn’t mind coffee shops staying open later. I get caught up writing late into the night and they’d probably make the budget of a short film out of me in just one evening.
On a more serious note, I think the rise of social media has made it a little too easy for people to take sides on various issues without much room for debate. We’re long past the days of only a few channels on television where everyone saw everything, everyone saw the political debate on the six o’clock news and everyone came to their own conclusion based on that information. I don’t think it’s unfair to say that people are rather militant with their views these days and, as a young filmmaker, it can be difficult to suggest an alternative viewpoint without a lot of backlash, but I don’t blame the people themselves. Nowadays, people might see another’s one-sided ideal online, agree with it and pay little to no mind about alternative ideas and solutions or whether or not there are downsides. There’s a great documentary on Netflix called ‘The Social Dilemma’ that demonstrates the issues really well. So I think if I could change one thing about the world, it’d be that people would be less idealistic and more open to debate. Perhaps I’d close down social media sites for a day a week or something – it’s a difficult solution.
One of my upcoming projects will be delving deep into topics like these such as cancel culture and free speech in a rather unconventional way, so it will be interesting to see how those who watch it react when it’s eventually out.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
There was a little panic during the pandemic when it looked like people were never going to return to the cinema. Thankfully, we’ve seen recently that cinema is still in demand with major hits like ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, which has grossed over a billion dollars at the box office so far or the latest ‘Scream’ film, which had a much lower budget but made a profit of over one hundred million dollars. So, luckily I don’t think the big screen is going away anytime soon, but it certainly has given way to more home entertainment releases, which may be really good for indie filmmakers since streaming services are much more likely to pay attention to projects that are fantastic and unique, but their low budget may show a bit too much to go onto a cinema screen.
I think we’re going to start seeing more independent films and shows on on demand services, especially since almost everyone can make a movie with a six inch mobile phone they carry around everywhere in their pocket. Perhaps that will make it more difficult to stand out from the crowd, but on the plus side it wouldn’t surprise me if it created more jobs and therefore more opportunities for up-and-coming filmmakers in this very competitive industry.
It wouldn’t shock me to see virtual reality films becoming more common too, which would be great considering how easy it is to be distracted by a phone or other such item; removing the option to get distracted and actually in the film’s world will bring back the immersion it’s too easy to break out of nowadays.
Whatever the case, cinema isn’t going anywhere and people will always be starving for more.
Sometimes he is a Japanese film maker, sometimes a university employee, sometimes a common husband celebrating anniversaries, and sometimes a kind father of two young children. In short, he is one man everywhere.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
When I was a student, I saw Federico Fellini’s “La Strada”. It was a wonderful cinematic experience. It was my first exposure to the magic of cinema. It was the moment I first became aware of filmmakers.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
I think that today’s films have become content and their influence has diminished. However, I believe that films can be a “place” for people.
Films can empower you by being there for you. Then we may be able to create a healthy world.
-What would you change in the world?
I want a world without war. Japan is the only nation to have been hit by nuclear bombs.
Japanese people must always show their strong will to oppose war.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I am particularly concerned about Japanese films. The current situation in the Japanese film industry is very bad. Poor working environment, power harassment, sexual harassment…
Film actors are an endangered species, major films are not being made, there is a continuing labor shortage because people cannot make money from films, and the number of mini-theaters with artistic programming is decreasing.
Unfortunately, the film industry in Japan is no longer in the shape it once was. It is no longer possible to produce directors like Ozu, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, and Naruse.
Numerous films are still being made, but most of them are low-budget. To begin with, the government lacks understanding of the arts. There is little environment for young people to grow up. If this situation continues, 100 years from now, Japanese cinema may perish. We must prevent that from happening.
That’s a very interesting question. I guess people are all the sum of many things, our perception of ourselves and how others see us. You could say we’re all shaped by our environment and childhood, and perhaps also by our destiny and purpose to name a few. I’d like to think I’m thoughtful , honest, with the strong sense of humour and super curious.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker ?
I’ve always enjoyed telling stories. My mum is a writer and I grew up in a very artistic, although academic environment. I was obsessed with observing and telling the truth about human conditions and our own psyche, what makes people who they are . Film and theatre had a huge influence, saw it as a rather cathartic experience . But I was mainly a dreamer. All the characters from the literature were very visual to me. So I guess being focused on the story telling and bringing something from my head to the screen answers your question.
I’ve collaborated on many artistic projetcs , from co-writing to producing and acting.
To name one was” The Power of love “ , directed by Ilmar Taska and eventually put on by The courtyard theatre. It was very exciting coming up with the concept and plot and then being lucky premiere it in the theatre. I felt super blessed Ilmar came on board as a director and a co-producer.
To become a filmaker never came natural to me, until I co-wrote “The red painted shoes”. Since everything was so live in my imagination, from the interior to the atmosphere , to the lines being delivered, I’ve decided to direct it.
-Do you think a cinema can bring a change in the society?
Cinema has the power to inspire people and people have the power to change themselves, they’re society so yes.
-What would you change in the world ?
I would like the film industry to make timeless films and stop trying to be trendy.
To tell beautiful and moving stories.
-Where do you see the industry going in the next 100 years ?
I think 3D and VR will make more immersive experiences and they will add to cinema, but hopefully add to it, not replace it.
Josh McCausland is a multiple award-winning filmmaker and composer based in San Diego, California. He started his journey into art at a very young age through painting and drawing. But, after he picked up a camera he knew he wanted to pursue filmmaking as a career.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I grew up around photography. My mother was always taking photos and I loved the idea of capturing real life into a frame. I became really interested in film as a medium pretty young when watching movies. I never wanted them to end. So, I started drawing and learning composition. I started making small videos in high school and then the rest was history.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
Definitely. I think getting people together in a room to listen to something that ties them together can open the conversation up to talk. There’s a lot that separates us these days, and I believe cinema is something we can all agree is something that is necessary.
-What would you change in the world?
I think it’s easier to say what I wouldn’t change in the world, since the world we live in is an absolute dumpster fire. (Sorry that’s not at all helpful, but it’s unfortunately true.) If I had to choose one thing, it would be empathy. I wish more people had empathy in all seats of power. If we had basic respect and decency towards people of all walks of life, things might be a bit better.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I feel like it will only become more sought after as a medium. People will continue to share their personal stories as a way to open the conversation for people to connect.
I am a world citizen born in Iran & residing in Los Angeles for the biggest portion of my life – pursuing my dreams & passion for acting and story telling which by default has lead me to become a musician & a filmmaker.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I’ve made two short films so far and both were sprung about by a sense of urgency and a need to speak about my humanity. To say something I felt deeply about at the time & had to share with others. And it had to be made through an abstract medium like film.
-Do you think that cinema can bring change to society?
Absolutely. Cinema throughout its history and from its inception has been a political and social platform to effectively share real opinions or fictional magical type of story tellings that spark genius and movement in others.
It is one of the most important tools in bringing change to society and connecting us as people.
-What would you change in the world?
Inequality and injustice which comes from all kinds of ism’s such as sexism, racism, classism, ageism etc etc..
The most dangerous thing is when good intended people are divided because of their sex, race, age and even political views.
We now more than ever as a world need to unite.
The past two and half years has proven that on a global scale.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I think with technological advances and visual capabilities like 3D screenings and such that there will be films you could partake in as in feel you are physically in each scene and stuff like that ..
Wild animations & who knows even actual aliens starring in movies!
But I also think there will always be an art house movement to preserve the classic movie theater experience. The deep character driven stories and films & film makers like “John Cassavetes” addressing an intimate honest look into peoples lives.
A world where there will still be 35MM films and projectors with packed theaters..
As I mentioned I am a dreamer and like John Lennon said I know “I’m not the only one”.
I have been making films and telling stories since I was a young teen. Over the years I have gained experience in many different aspects of filmmaking. Much of my career was spent working as a writer-director, most notably on entertainment films for Disney Theme Parks, such as Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland. My first big project for Disney was the Circle-Vision production of “Wonders of China” for EPCOT, the first of many. I have also directed a feature film and worked in episodic television as a director. The last few years I have mainly worked in computer animation and visual effects.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
There is no question that I was influenced by the 16mm home movies my father took of our family on vacation. I desperately wanted my own camera so that I could tell stories of my own and I worked hard to earn enough money to purchase a very simple 8mm camera. While this camera couldn’t focus or zoom, by my second camera I knew exactly what I wanted and needed. The lesson was to make the best of what you have, to experiment, to find other ways to accomplish what you wish to create. Growing up in the 1960s and 70s, I was very much influenced by European films much more so than American movies and it was a real thrill to eventually have an opportunity to meet and work with some of the directors and stars I’d long admired. These days I find inspiration everywhere. There is so much good work going on in cinema right now, despite the limits of the pandemic, that I feel this era will be looked upon in history as a very special time.
Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
Generally I think cinema is a reflection of society and its changes, not necessarily bringing about change by itself. The real strength of cinema is in holding up a mirror to who we are. The recognition and realization that perhaps we are not who we think we are is what fosters real change.
-What would you change in the world?
Unlike the 1960s, one feels powerless to effect change by oneself these days. It’s not a despair that change cannot happen, but a sadness that society has broken down along tribal lines, making meaningless the previous divisions and boundaries. Change is coming and it isn’t necessarily for the better, but my small part in it is the same as it has always been: to entertain and create a little pleasure for audiences in my storytelling.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I have worked with a lot of modern and sophisticated camera and projection systems over the years but I have never felt that technology itself is an answer to anything. At the end of the day, or the end of the century, audiences crave the darkness of a communal room where we tell human stories that reflect our world and which inspire and entertain us. It doesn’t matter if the story is about robots – projected as flickering images on a bed sheet or inside an augmented reality headset – we recognize ourselves in their desires and dilemmas. Humans are at our best at problem-solving and most storytelling throughout the ages has been about that very subject. When we see others, human or human-like, struggling to find solutions, it gives us hope for resolving our own problems.
