10 · 08 · 07

Stephen Frears and Bernard Tavernier comment about cinema.

Clara Sánchez/Translated by Vicente Castañar

[imagen]English filmmaker Stephen Frears and French filmmaker Bernard Tavernier reflect upon the various topics that surround film creation at Biblioteca Pública de Morelia, within the 5th Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia.

The moderator, Jean Christophe Berjon, director of the Semana de la Crítica del Festival, led the interesting conference which was full of film students, filmmakers and some juries.

How would you define a good film?
SF: “I read various scripts and then I find an interesting story, and this story spins around my head and then I start to think about bringing this new world to life.”

BT: “A good movie should be an exploration, a journey that will take us to new lands. When you are at the movies and you feel like you have been there forever and actually just 15 minutes have passed, immediately one knows that is a bad movie. Good films move us; a good movie should make some of our dreams come true, that is a successful movie.”

[imagen]How do you choose the topic?
SF: “I don’t write anything at all, I respect the script writer’s work, I just have the structured lined up in my head.”
BT: “I always choose the topic and I work with the script. I think the script should be very precise; one must have a clear idea of how the movie should look like. I am open to change, to rewriting while shooting; I have change endings four different times.”

What is your opinion of the division of box office hit movies and artistic movies?
SF: “All movies, in theory, go against someone or something, but many are submissive.”
BT: “It is a division created by producers and journalists, I don’t think the differences are so interesting, some movies are just for minorities. I am interested in closing that gap. It’s also a fight between rich people and critics. Also these divisions have to do with fashionable current topics.”

Is it harder now to produce films?
SF: “When I was younger I thought I was freer. I really don’t know. The audience is now accustomed to expensive spectacular special effects; one has to continue making them more and more spectacular and expensive. Some people are shooting 150 million dollar movies, which must be frightening. It is better to have less money, sometimes poverty does help.”
BT: “Filmmakers like Rossellini grew up in complex situations where he shot a film in various languages. I have been in debt for almost 3 millions in order to make my movies. Results are unexpected, some of my movies that haven’t been as publicized, have been box office hits. The same thing happens to Iñárritu and Cuarón.”

What are your next projects?
SF: I’m unemployed. I don’t know what I’m shooting next.
BT: I’m currently finishing In the electric mist starring Tommy Lee Jones, Justina Mercado and Mary Steenburgen