AFC-related activities

The winner of the 2023 Pierre Angénieux Tribute is a filmmaker who loves movement. He honed his skills shooting documentary films,when his passion for cinematography led him to cross paths with British director Ken Loach who offered him the opportunity to shoot Riff Raff, in 1991. He teamed up with Loach on several major films (Raining Stones, Ladybird, My Name is Joe, amongst others) until their The Wind That Shakes the Barley won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2006.
He then altered dircetion and worked with Paul Greengrass (United 93, Captain Philips) and filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow, whose films The Hurt Locker and Detroit he shot. Barry Ackroyd, BSC, reminisces with us about his exceptional career and discusses how he creates cinema. (FR)

Comedies with a fantastical or eccentric statement are rare in European cinema. But The (Ex)perience of Love (Syndrome des amours passées), an exciting couples analysis by Ann Sirot and Raphaël Balboni, is one exception. The humour, tenderness and audacity of this Belgian film will do wonders during the Semaine de la Critique. Jorge Piquer Rodriguez, the director of photography, and the two directors, talk to us about rhythm, direction, and a giant inner tube. (FR)

The 76^th Cannes Film Festival’s opening film, Jeanne du Barry, is American actor Johnny Depp’s first French-language role, alongside Maïwenn, who directs and stars as the lead character in her sixth feature film. She entrusted Laurent Dailland, AFC (French Society of Cinematographers), with the cinematographic direction of this film of an unexpected genre in her filmography. Experienced in period films, – but not only – , Laurent Dailland talks about his work using 35mm film, and the choices he made to create a sober yet modern world to accompany the story of King Louis XV’s favourite. (BB)

Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire and David Ungaro, AFC (French Society of Cinematographers), team up once again on Black Flies. A very realistic and desperate dive into the world of American paramedics. Shot mainly at night, in Brooklyn, this film brings together for the first time on screen the acting duo Sean Penn and Tye Sheridan. David talks to us about the city as its own character in the film, shooting in an emergency truck and his approach to scaling lighting on a set. (FR)

Following the series "Chernobyl", which remains to this day one of HBO’s most successful historical dramas of all time, screenwriter and director Craig Main has decided to adapt one of the most recognized video games for its originality and ambience. This is "The Last of Us", an immersion in a post-pandemic world where the protagonists’ survival is at stake. In order to surprise audiences and take distance from the average zombie flick, the director has performed many feats in terms of the screenwriting in order to portray the ambience and the characters as they were originally developed in the game. Young Russian cinematographer Ksenia Sereda was chosen to film the first two episodes, while Eben Bolter, BSC, took over on episodes 3-5. We are overjoyed to have Eben here with us to share what was at stake in this adventure. (FR)

Cinematographer Guillaume Le Grontec, recently admitted as an active member of the AFC, is here introduced by his two sponsors, Romain Lacourbas, AFC, ASC, and David Quesemand, AFC, in the same terms they used to introduce his application for membership and support it.

Cinematographer Noé Bach was recently admitted as an active member of the AFC. Here, he is introduced by his AFC sponsors, Patrick Blossier and Jeanne Lapoirie, in the words each used when they tabled and supported his application for membership.

Recently admitted as an active member of the AFC, cinematographer Victor Seguin is introduced here by his AFC sponsors, Agnès Godard and Julien Poupard in the words they used to support his application before their peers.

Cinematographer Inès Tabarin was recently admitted to the AFC as a member. Here, she is introduced by her AFC sponsors, Caroline Champetier and Benoît Delhomme, in the words they used before the Board in support of her application.

Cinematographer Vincent Gallot has just joined the AFC as an active member. Philip Lozano, AFC, one of his two sponsors (the second was Michael Abramowicz, AFC) introduces the new arrival here in the same words he used to introduce him to the Board when his application was being considered.

Cinematographer Evgenia Alexandrova has just been admitted as a member of our association. Here, she is introduced by her two AFC sponsors, Denis Lenoir, ASC, ASK, and Gordon Spooner, in the words they used to expressed their support of her candidacy to the Board Members of the AFC.

Cinematographer Élodie Tahtane has just joined the AFC as a member. Her AFC sponsors are Axel Cosnefroy and Pascale Marin, who present this newcomer whom they advocated for in front of the association’s Board when they proposed her candidacy to the existing members.

During an AFC Board Meeting in late 2022, Cinematographer Kanamé Onoyama was admitted to active membership of the association. Introduced here by Matias Boucard, AFC, and Pascale Marin, AFC, his sponsors, we wish a warm welcome to this new arrival!

Luciano Tovoli, AIC, spearheaded the creation of Imago, the European Federation of Cinematographers Societies, in 1992. Its original constituent societies were four European cinematographers’ societies: AIC (Italy), AFC (France), BSC (Great Britain), BVK (Germany). In 2023, it was renamed the International Federation and now has 54 member societies. The thirtieth anniversary celebration took place simultaneously with Imago’s Annual General Assembly (IAGA) in Rome, Imago’s birthplace. I was invited to represent the AFC at this event.

Following the Ordinary General Assembly of the AFC, which took place in the Salle Demy of La Fémis, Saturday the 19^th of March 2023, during which its Board was renewed, the Bureau was also renewed on the 3^rd of April. Claire Mathon has been re-elected as Co-President of the AFC, that she shares this year with Jean-Marie Dreujou.

Over the years, the exercise of directing and cinematography in film has evolved considerably. New tools and new media for image capture and delivery, have spurred us to redefine our profession, in order to clarify our responsibilities and commitments with respect to directors, producers, broadcasters, as well as the crews we work with.

Franco-Cambodian director Davy Chou’s second feature film, Return to Seoul, focuses dispassionately but as closely as possible on a young woman who returns to retrace her Korean origins. The visuals, by Thomas Favel, AFC, who has been working with Davy Chou since the start of his career, helps us embark on this voyage of self-discovery. He reveals to us the behind-the-scenes choices he made for Return to Seoul which has been selected in Un Certain Regard at the 75^th Cannes Film Festival. (BB)

The AFC Micro Salon will be held for the 23^rd time in the Hall de la Pinède du Parc Floral de Paris, on Thursday, 9^th February (10:00-21:00) and Friday, 10 February (10:00-18:00). Once again, this year’s Micro Salon will be combined with the AFC Postproduction Days. Registration is now open and we request that attendees if possible print their named admission badges before the event.