On Screen

As part of the “Toute la mémoire du monde” Festival, held on 13-17 March 2019, the Cinémathèque française has celebrated the hundredth anniversary of the ASC. François Thomas, who has spoken as part of this event, sheds light on some of the facets of this highly-historic association for the AFC.

Philippe Rousselot, AFC, ASC, took advantage of his stay in Poland to participate in a number of events and seminars concerning cinematography. The former assistant to Nestor Almendros has become one of the legends of cinematography in France and abroad (John Boorman’s The Emerald Forest, Stephen Frears’ Dangerous Liaisons, and Patrice Chéreau’s La Reine Margot). The most relaxed and informal of these events was definitely the free-flowing discussion he had with the many attendees who came to listen to his vision of the profession.

During a seminar, a group of cinematographers joined together to “engage” a dialogue with managers of the American content distribution platform.

As every year for four years, the AFC gave, this Wednesday, November 14, a Master Class as part of the Festival Camerimage. As in previous years, the format of three cinematographers / speakers was preserved (each ½ hour) and in this year 2018, Céline Bozon, Gilles Porte and David Ungaro defended the colors of the AFC in front of a a large audience of young people, and under the leadership of Maestro Benjamin Bergery, Benjamin B, who, as usual, had studied and prepared his score well.

In the middle of Camerimage’s closing ceremony, Marek Zydowicz, the director of the festival, suddenly announced that Camerimage 2018 would be the last Camerimage festival to be held in the Bydgoszcz. As a result of the mayor’s decision to cut the city’s funding of the festival from 2.5 million zlotys to 500,000 zlotys, Mr. Zydowicz has launched an international appeal to other cities that would welcome Camerimage 2019.

In a deluge of wide-angle shots, Greek director Yórgos Lánthimos features a lesbian and Rock ‘n’ Roll version of Dangerous Liaisons at this year’s Camerimage Festival. A game of chess, of seduction, and of power between three women at the uppermost echelons of 1710 England. Natural lighting, fish-eye, and panoramic panning shots are on offer in this unusual historical picture, which is evocative of Barry Lindon for its use of natural lighting, the world of the theatre for its behind-closed-doors setting in a palace, and the world of music videos for its choice of lenses. The very Rock ‘n’ Roll cinematographer Robbie Ryan (a Rolling Stones pin affixed to his distressed blue jumper) participated in the traditional question-and-answer session following the end of the screening, just before midnight.

Consciously very different than the traditional American hero saga, Damien Chazelle’s biopic First Man is intended to be intimate and sober and depicts the difficulties of a couple in the aftermath of the loss of their first child. Cinematographer Linus Sandgren, FSF, used a variety of different cinematographic techniques for each particular take on this film where he is again working with its young director, both of whom were Oscar winners for La La Land. Here, he discusses with us the slightly-less glamorous, but just as important, aspects of the making of this film. (FR)

“The Terror” is a television series that lies somewhere between a historical study and a fantastic tale. It is an adaptation of Dan Simmons’ bestseller, which narrates the 1848 British expedition to the Arctic intended to locate the Northwest Passage. Both ships (the HMS Terror and Erebus) disappeared without a trace, providing the opportunity for Ridley Scott to explore a new variation on the theme he has been exploring since the first Alien movie, forty years ago. Florian Hoffmeister, BSC, was responsible for the cinematography on the series’ first episodes and therefore set the tone for the rest of the story, which is set in isolation between sea and ice. (FR)

At this year’s Camerimage Festival, Angénieux will feature its two latest long-focal-distance lenses, the Optimo Ultra 12x Multi Format and the Optimo 42-420 A2S Anamorphic.

Once again this year, Arri will be a Camerimage Partner and will be in attendance with a stand showing off its products and latest innovations. A majority of its product managers will be in attendance, as well, along with Arri Munich’s management team and representatives from Arri Rental. Screenings, conferences, and workshops will round out their presence at the festival.

Canon Poland and Canon Europe will be in attendance at Camerimage from 10-17 November 2018. As in previous years, Canon will host a stand and will organize two seminars with cinematographers during the week, two screenings, and a reception on Monday evening.

FilmLight will present two conferences at Camerimage this year: the first will be on Postproduction for Cinematographers, from the Camera to the Monitor; the second, on the natural rendering of colours and textures in painting.

Fujifilm/Fujinon will participate in Camerimage once again this year with a stand on the 1^st floor of the Opera Nova. Its team will present the latest range of Fujinon zoom lenses.

For the entire duration of the Festival, Leitz Cine will be showing off its lenses and showing clips from films shot with Leitz lenses at its stand, on the 1^st floor of the Opera Nova.

Panasonic will be in attendance at Camerimage with a stand and during an event co-hosted with Vantage on the film Crazy Rich Asians, by John Chu, and cinematographer Vanja Černjul, ASC.

Panavision will once again be present at Camerimage as an Official Sponsor of the Festival and with its team at a stand at the Opera Nova. Two Panavision workshops will take place at Cinema Orzeł on Tuesday, 13 November.

A regular partner of the Camerimage Festival, Vantage has not planned a seminar this year, but will support Panasonic’s seminar with DoP Vanja Černjul and Imago’s panel discussion entitled “Focus on Diversity”. Vantage’s team will be in full attendance.

Zeiss will be at Camerimage this year and will, as usual, have its stand on the 1^st floor of the Opera Nova and will host two presentations led by Maher Maleh, BVK.