Conversations with cinematographers

Manu Dacosse

Manu Dacosse, SBC, remembers the filming of "Vincent Must Die", by Stephan Castang
The deadly glare, By François Reumont

Selected out of competition at this years Cannes Critics’ Week, Stephan Castang’s first film is a fantastic story in which the protagonist suddenly finds himself confronted with inexplicable violence. To bring this fable to life, which oscillates between a paranoid film and an epidemic film, Manu Dacosse, BSC, teamed up with this highly experienced theater actor. It is Karim Leklou who lends his features to Vincent, bringing both the fragility and the strength that characterize the character with talent. (FR)
Manu Dacosse

Manu Dacosse, SBC, talks about his work on "Let the Corpses Tan", by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani

Director of photography Manu Dacosse, SBC, recently received the Magritte Award for Best Cinematography on the movie Laissez bronzer les cadavres (Let the Corpses Tan), by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani. Adapted from the novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette and Jean-Pierre Bastid the film is a crossover between a western and Giallo, shot on film featuring colorful images and a very pop staging. (FR)
Manu Dacosse
Laurent Dailland

Laurent Dailland, AFC, speaks about working alongside Maïwenn for "Jeanne du Barry"
By Brigitte Barbier, for the AFC

The 76th 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)
Gérard de Battista

A Digital Original: "A Secret", an interview with Gérard de Battista, AFC
by Wilfrid Sempé, AFC

On November 7th, 2007 at the Espace Cardin, Paris 8th, the AFC and CST organized an event entitled “From Digital to 35mm” based around Claude Miller’s film, A Secret. A discussion with the film’s director of photography, Gérard de Battista followed the screening. Wilfrid Sempé wished to continue this discussion by talking with Gérard who “went digital” once again on a Claude Miller film.
Benoît Debie

Cinematographer Benoît Debie, SBC, talks about his work on "Climax", by Gaspar Noé
Followed by an interview with Ernesto Giolitti, gaffer

Filmed in two weeks "like doing a movie among friends", the film Climax is faithful to the themes and style of Gaspar Noé (sex, drugs and a descent into hell). Mixing improvisation and extremely precise staging (like the choreography that opens the film), Benoît Debie, SBC, explains how he approached this shoot full of energy and things a little crazy ... (FR)
Benoît Debie

Cinematographer Benoît Debie, SBC, discusses his work on Gaspar Noé’s film “Love”

Belgian cinematographer Benoît Debie, SBC, recently worked with Wim Wenders on Every Thing Will Be Fine and with Ryan Gosling on Lost River. Now a fixture in Gaspar Noé’s world after having filmed Irreversible and Enter the Void, Benoît Debie is once again working with the director on Love, a film that has sparked lots of discussion on the “Croisette” at Cannes. This 3D sexual melodrama tells the story of a torrid love affair that contains all sorts of promises, games, and excesses, was selected for the 68th Cannes Film Festival in the Midnight Screening.
Benoît Debie

Cinematographer Benoît Debie, SBC, discusses his work on "Lost River", by Ryan Gosling
Detroit City Blues

A fan of the universe of Gaspar Noë, star Ryan Gosling has availed himself of the services of Benoît Debie, SBC, to create the visuals on his first, strange feature-length film that oscillates between social fable and fantasy story. "Lost River" is one of the most anticipated films in the “Un certain regard” selection this year at the 67th Cannes Film Festival. (FR)
Guillaume Deffontaines

Guillaume Deffontaines, AFC, reflects on the making of "Nos Frangins", by Rachid Bouchareb

For his tenth feature film, Rachid Bouchareb decided to immerse viewers in the student demonstrations of December 1986. At the center of Nos frangins is the free reconstruction of two tragedies: the deaths of the young Malik and Abdel who became the symbols of police brutality during the Pasqua-Pandraud years. Because it alternates between real archival footage, recreated archival footage, and more classic fiction, it was a particular challenge on this film to reproduce the texture of the video used in television reporting at the time. Guillaume Deffontaines, AFC, explains how he did it. (FR)
Guillaume Deffontaines

Cinematographer Guillaume Deffontaines, AFC, discusses his work on “Slack Bay”, a film by Bruno Dumont

After working on Camille Claudel 1915 and Le P’tit Quiquin, cinematographer Guillaume Deffontaines, AFC, once again teams up with Bruno Dumont on Slack Bay, in Official Compeition at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. Guillaume Deffontaines has worked with the Larrieu brothers and Michel Leclerc a number of times, and recently filmed David Oeloffen’s movie Far From Men.
Pierre Dejon

Director of photography Pierre Dejon discusses his work on Just Philippot’s "Acide"
Death from above, by François Reumont, for the AFC

What if rain suddenly became deadly? In the context of global warming, and worries increasing about this upcoming’s summer water reserves, this initial idea holds a meaning of its own.
This is Acide’s take, Just Philippot’s second feature film, screened during the Official Selection, at the Midnight showing, this year, at the Cannes Film Festival. Guillaume Canet plays a divorced father, living under probation with an electronic tagging device, trying to protect his daughter in the midst of a sudden eco-climatic disaster. Pierre Dejon, the film’s director of photography, talks to us about the challenges of such a project, and in particular the difficulty of filming in the rain... when it’s sunny. (FR)
Bruno Delbonnel

Interview with cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, AFC, ASC, about his work on Joe Wright’s film “Darkest Hour”
“Smoke, Cognac, and Latex” by François Reumont on behalf of the AFC

Joe Wright’s film is a portrayal of Winston Churchill’s first, turbulent weeks as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (in May 1940), and provides an emotional portrait of an eloquent and superior man who was nonetheless riven with doubt. Gary Oldman’s imperial performance will certainly earn him a nomination in the 2018 Oscars. Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, AFC, ASC, discusses the shooting of this ode to the English language with us. (FR)
Bruno Delbonnel
Benoît Delhomme
Benoît Delhomme

Cinematographer Benoît Delhomme, AFC, discusses his work on Jon Hillcoat’s "Lawless"

After working on Wilde Salome directed by Al Pacino, which was screened at the last Venice Film Festival, Benoît Delhomme, AFC, continues his career in the USA by filming Lawless. Following The Proposition in 2005, this is his second collaboration with Australian director John Hillcoat and his fellow countryman Nick Cave, singer and screenwriter.
This film has one of the most prestigious casts of any presented at the 65th Cannes Film Festival (Guy Pearce, Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska et Gary Oldman). (F. R.)
Frankie DeMarco

Cinematographer Frankie DeMarco discusses his work on "How to Talk to Girls at Parties", by John Cameron Mitchell
By Madelyn Most, for the AFC

New York based cinematographer Frankie DeMarco began his career on commercials, documentaries and independent films and worked his way up through the grades in the industry to became director of photography on documentaries, feature films, commercials, and television. He received three Independent Spirit Award nominations for his work. How to Talk to Girls at Parties is his fourth film with John Cameron Mitchell.
Peter Deming

Peter Deming, ASC, speaks about the shooting of "The Good Lord Bird", by Albert Hughes
Gunfights, Bible and Daguerreotypes

Produced and starring actor Ethan Hawke in a state of grace, The Good Lord Bird is a Showtime set just before the Civil War.
Albert Hughes (who directed Menace II Society, with his twin brother Allen) directed the pilot, while Peter Deming, ASC (Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive...) shot the seven episodes. He spoke with us about this film shot in Virginia, and which proposes a simultaneously modern and classic vision of a Western.(FR)
Josée Deshaies

Cinematographer Josée Deshaies talks about her work on "Saint Laurent", directed by Bertrand Bonello

Josée Deshaies, who we have already met to discuss Before I Forget, by Jacques Nolot, Heartbeat Detector, by Nicolas Klotz, Rebecca H., by Lodge Kerrigan, and House of Tolerance, by Bertrand Bonello, discusses Saint Laurent, which is in the official competition at Cannes this year. This is Bertrand Bonello’s sixth feature film; she has contributed to every single one. (BB)
Josée Deshaies

Cinematographer Josée Deshaies talks about his work on "Avant que j’oublie" ("Before I Forget") and "La Question humaine" ("The Human Question")
Interview by François Reumont

Josée Deshaies is a Quebecker. Having studied Art History in Italy, she started training in Montreal as a second assistant cameraman, before photographing documentaries and short films. Through her encounter with Bertrand Bonello, she switched to full length with Quelque chose d’organique (Something Organic) in 1998. Since then, she has photographed such films as Royal Bonbon by Charles Najman, Cache cache by Yves Caumon, Les Invisibles by Thierry Jousse as well as Bertrand Bonello’s Tiresia and Le Pornographe (The Pornographer). Two of the films selected for this year’s edition of the Director’s fortnight were photographed by Deshaies: Avant que j’oublie (Before I Forget) by Jacques Nolot and La Question humaine (The Human Question) by Nicolas Klotz. (FR)
Xavier Dolléans

Interview with Xavier Dolléans, AFC, about his work on two episodes of the series "Mrs. Davis"
By Jonathan Bensimhon, for the AFC

Created by Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof, "Mrs. Davis" is an eight-episode series produced by Warner Bros TV released on its own streaming service Peacock in late April. Xavier Dolléans, AFC, was the cinematographer for episodes 3 and 4, directed by Alethea Jones and shot in Spain. Interviewed here by screenwriter and director Jonathan Bensimhon, he discusses the technical challenges he had to overcome and the artistic, organizational and human particularities of such a production.
Xavier Dolléans

Xavier Dolléans, AFC, discusses the shoot of six episodes of David Hourrègue’s "Germinal"
Sooty blacks

Cinematographer Xavier Dolléans, AFC, partnership with director David Hourrègue is long-standing, and the two have worked together on several series, such as "Cut" (France Ô) and "Skam" (France TV Slash). The duo has built a certain reputation on the back of the success of these programmes, and they attacked their first big-budget project with the same production crew. This project is a new, six-episode adaptation of Zola’s novel Germinal, shot with a 12-million-Euro budget. This series will be broadcast on public television by France Télévisions and is expected to be one of the public service broadcaster’s main attractions of October 2021. This is also a major event for Xavier, who has been selected in competition at Toruń for Best Television Series Image. (FR)
Jean-Marie Dreujou
Jean-Marie Dreujou

Director of photography Jean-Marie Dreujou, AFC, discusses his work on “The Dance of Reality”, by Alejandro Jodorowsky

Jean-Marie Dreujou, AFC, has been a faithful partner to Jean-Jacques Annaud since they worked together on Two Brothers. He is responsible for the cinematography of eight films by Patrice Leconte (including Girl on the Bridge, which was nominated for the César Award for best Cinematography in 2000). Today, writer, director and poet Alejandro Jodorowski has entrusted him with the camera on his latest movie, The Dance of Reality, an autobiographical film he directed on the eve of his eighty-third spring.
Andrew Droz Palermo

Andrew Droz Palermo discusses his work about "The Green Knight" directed by David Lowery
Filmed by François Reumont for the AFC

From the family of films about the Knights of the Round Table, I choose… The Green Knight! A new variation on the quest theme, that sheds light on the lesser-known character of Sir Gawain (played by Dev Patel, the British actor of Indian descent, who had his breakout role with Slumdog Millionaire). Andrew Droz Palermo, Californian cinematographer, seconds his faithful collaborator, David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, A Ghost Story), in filming this mysterious story that draws as much from the universe of chivalry as from fantasy.
Éric Dumont

Eric Dumont, AFC, discusses his work on "Suprêmes", by Audrey Estrougo

Eric Dumont, AFC, began his career working on documentary films, and then he lit several of Stéphane Brizé’s films: La Loi du marché, En guerre, Un autre monde. He continues his eclectic career as cinematographer of Audrey Estrougo’s last film, Suprêmes, presented in the Official Selection (Midnight Session) at the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival. (BB)
Michał Dymek

Michał Dymek, PSC, speaks about the shooting of "EO", by Jerzy Skolimowski
"Cinema and chance", by François Reumont

A tribute to Robert Bresson’s Au hasard Balthazar, EO, by Jerzy Skolimowski, took everyone by surprise on the first day of competition at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. At the end of the Fortnight, he won a deserved award from the jury and gave a hilarious speech in which the 84-year-old director thanked his equine actors. To mark the occasion of the screening of this film at Camerimage this year, the film’s cinematographer, Michał Dymek, aged 32, sat down with us to discuss this extraordinary collaboration situated between a road movie, a visual poem and an animal fable. (FR)