57th THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
November 3-13, 2016
LOCARNO INDUSTRY ACADEMY INTERNATIONAL
IN THESSALONIKI
Conversation with the director Amir Naderi,
President of the International Competition Jury of the 57th TIFF
November 3-13, 2016
LOCARNO INDUSTRY ACADEMY INTERNATIONAL
IN THESSALONIKI
Conversation with the director Amir Naderi,
President of the International Competition Jury of the 57th TIFF
The chance to attend a particularly interesting conversation with the Iranian film director and President of the International Competition Jury of the 57th Thessaloniki International Film Festival Amir Naderi, was given on Thursday, November 10, 2016, to young film professionals participating in the Locarno Industry Academy International, which takes place as part of the Agora/Industry section of this year’s festival.
The Locarno Industry Academy International, collaboration between TIFF and Festival del Film Locarno, is a training program created to help young professionals of the cinema industry to extend their experience and networking in the fields of international sales, marketing, distribution, presentation and programming. The official “premiere” of the Locarno Industry Academy International in Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean is taking place in Thessaloniki, as part of TIFF’s Agora/Industry, until Friday, November 11.
In the conversation, moderated by the producer Behrooz Hashemian, Amir Naderi compared cinema to a love affair that “sometimes makes you feel wonderful, while other times hurts you”, and stressed that he is still in love with cinema after more than 40 years.
At the beginning of the conversation, Mr Naderi said he made his first film when he was 23 years old, but he was working as an assistant in movie sets since he was 17. In 1968 he traveled in London, where he got in touch with the new wave of French cinema, and then decided to make his first film, having no money at all. He even worked with someone who wanted to be an actor, and who in fact sold his wife’s jewelry to contribute, while the director himself was forced to borrow money. “It took two years for my first film to complete; during these I learnt a lot about love, ambition, life, and of course cinema. I was young and foolish at the time, in the best sense of the word. Sometimes you may not have money, but you still can take risks and go on. After making two or three films you gain experience, but you start to lose your innocence, and cinema needs them both”.
As Mr Naderi said, his next films were bigger, with professional actors and commercially-oriented, but “they weren’t coming from the heart. Now I’m at the same level as you”, he said to the young filmmakers, adding that “I struggle to find money and venues to screen my films, but I’m making the films I want and this makes me happy”.
The director was asked about his career path in cinema and his favorite film directors. As he mentioned, while in Iran he was watching mostly American films, and it was only when he managed to save some money and travel to Europe that he got to know the European cinema. He said he learnt a lot from Fellini and Kiarostami, though the thought to copy them never crossed his mind, since “the important is to be authentic”, as he noted. He also made special mention to Theo Angelopoulos, speaking about his technical competency in the use of camera, and to John Cassavetes for his sensitivity and love for humanity, as well as the way that he changed cinema.
Mr Naderi admitted that today’s conditions for young cinematographers are much harsher than a few decades ago, since back then there were just 5 or 10 film directors in every country that were looking for funds and distribution, while now there are hundreds. “Film directors dedicate 90% of their energy to looking for funding and 10% to the creative part, which for them is a source of great pressure”, the filmmaker noted. As he said, he feels the pressure himself as a jury member, since filmmakers have invested a large amount of their time and energy, while films are so many and the prizes so few.
Though he made it clear that he did not come to the Locarno Industry Academy International to hand a formula for success nor to set any rules, since as he said “art is something very abstract, it is the field of emotions”. The triptych of advice he gave was “authenticity, consistency, appetite for learning”. He also suggested filmmakers to start by making low-budget films, so that the damage is not big if the film doesn’t go well commercially.
“Stay loyal to authenticity”, repeated over and over again Mr Naderi during the conversation with young cinematographers, advising them to follow their own choices, and not copy other people’s. “Authenticity is the ultimate criterion, with no authentic story you are going to get lost, and so much money and energy will have gone to waste. The audience feels what is unoriginal and what comes from your heart and is willing to pay for anything authentic. You will find your audience, even if there is only five people in the theater. Besides technique, cinema is communication coming from the heart. If you stay loyal to authenticity, you have more chances to find an audience and a venue for screening your film. If the first film doesn’t go well, be patient and wait for the second or the third that will follow. Cinema is like a marathon, it needs patience”, said the filmmaker, adding that learning comes from one’s mistakes, and not from the right moves.
“Learn as much as you can from other directors, always learn new things about your work, this will give you confidence”, Naderi urged the young film professionals. He advised filmmakers to choose two or three of their favorite directors -preferably not from their country- and watch carefully their making of films and using of camera, sound, or silences.
Mr. Naderi insisted on the importance of cinematographers keeping in good shape, avoiding alcohol, smoking and using drugs, since such things make one feel depressed or aggressive. “You can never know when the opportunity comes for you to make the film that you want. Therefore you have to feel good, be mentally and physically ready”. Exercise every morning, at least for half an hour, and sleep enough so as to have energy, like runners. Have patience, good health and originality, keep learning and never lose hope”, he stressed.
The Locarno Industry Academy International gives the opportunity to young sales agents, distributors and new media professionals to participate in a special workshop where they have the chance to interact, share experiences and meet with key players of the international film industry, for discussions, case study presentations and group workshops. In addition, they participate in a number of activities organized by the Agora/Industry of the 57th TIFF, including meetings and seminars with representatives of the global film industry.
All sections of the 57th TIFF as well as the Agora/Industry are financed by the European Union - European Regional Development Fund under the ROP of Central Macedonia 2014-2020.
