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Conversation with Schroeder, Westmoreland, Frears and Cantet at FICM

By Jaime Garba, reporter (@jaimegarba)

British film critic Nick Roddick led a conversation about fiction with renowned film directors and Guests of Honor at the 13th FICM, Barbet Schroeder, Stephen Frears, Laurent Cantet and Wash Westmoreland, at the Biblioteca Pública of Morelia.

We share seven key points of the conversation:

Nick Roddick on the participants in the panel:

I’m very happy to present these important personalities, a group of great directors who have filmed all over the world and have won all kinds of awards at the most important festivals on the planet, including the Oscar, BAFTA, Palme d’Or and awards at the Berlinale, among many others.

Wash Westmoreland on fiction:

When you decide what to do, whether fiction or documentary, you have to choose which idea to develop and what is the strongest. It also depends on the circumstances, which you may or may not control, and when you have the theme I think that instinct is very clear. The documentary is a display and an attempt to follow a story or try to follow a moment. A documentary observes the world more, while fiction comes from something you have very deep in your mind and you want to find a way to get it out.

Stephen Frears on the perspective of cinema and festivals:

When I went to a festival for the first time, it changed my life. My approach to this world began when I was young. I lived in front of a theater, just across the street. I always went with my parents or my brothers. I enjoyed going and watching movies a lot. I think from that point of view I disapprove a little of festivals because I grew up appreciating cinema in an innocent and unconscious manner until consciousness suddenly arrived. I clearly remember those innocent times when I only thought about enjoying the film.

You can hear the complete conversation: here.