Anna-Célia Kendall-Yatzkan

The cinema of Jean-Marie Straub and his companion Danièle Huillet was a radical and demanding body of work. Since their Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1967), which was a rigorous portrait of the Leipzig cantor’s wife, the filmmaking couple never stopped exploring literature, theater, music and poetry. Renato Berta, AFC, was one of their longest-standing collaborators, and he filmed over a dozen of their movies. He reflects with us upon this unique cinema experience. (FR)

Le cinéma de Jean-Marie Straub et de sa compagne Danièle Huillet était une œuvre radicale et exigeante. Depuis Les Chroniques d’Anna Magdalena Bach, en 1967, un portrait rigoureux de la femme du cantor de Leipzig, le couple de cinéastes n’a eu de cesse d’explorer la littérature, le théâtre, la musique et la poésie. Renato Berta, AFC, a été l’un de leur plus fidèle compagnon de route, signant l’image de plus d’une dizaine de leurs films. Il revient avec nous sur cette expérience de cinéma unique. (FR)

For his first TV series in 20 years, British director Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride & Prejudice, Anna Karenina) has chosen a kind of first-person narrative to depict the rise of fascist power. Taking distances from the pure historical reconstitution seen in Darkest Hour, his previous biopic about Winston Churchill, Wright’s series "M" plays out almost like a hypnotic and relentless show, with Luca Marinelli, now bald headed, regularly addressing the camera (Best actor Prize in Lille 2025). Once again is cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, BSC, ISC, ASC, behind camera. A longtime friend and collaborator of the British filmmaker, for this series. (FR)

Seamus McGarvey, BSC, ISC, ASC, was one of the guests of honor at the 44th annual Manaki Brothers Festival. He recently received the Camera 300 career award. Cinematographer of over 50 feature films, some of the most remarkable are Stephen Frears’ High Fidelity, Stephen Daldry’s The Hours, Gareth Edward’s Godzilla, and Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina and Atonement. He recently finished work with the same director on the Italian series “M” dedicated to the life of dictator Benito Mussolini. He discusses this 130-day marathon shoot, how to manage the unexpected on set, and artificial intelligence. (FR)

Eric Gautier, AFC, answers a question regarding the potential paradox of filming a movie about a hypothetical apparition by the Virgin Mary with a smile and a recollection about the beginning of his adventure with Xavier Giannoli : “It’s a bit of a challenge to film the mystery of faith. The love of God is like any sort of love : there is no tangible proof, just the gift of oneself. Sincerity (and lies, like in other of Giannoli’s films) is at the heart of the story. The loneliness of the two characters, Jacques (Vincent Landon) and Anna (Galatea Bellugi) is the spark that sets the story in motion.”

Mikhail Krichman, RGC, is a Russian cinematographer who was “discovered” via his work with his fellow Russian, director Andrei Zvyagintsev. Since their first project, The Return, in 2003, they have also filmed The Banishment (2008) and Elena (2012) together. With Leviathan, which was chosen for the Official Competition in Cannes, they have created a social and political drama filmed in the furthest northwestern reaches of Russia, in a little village on the banks of the Barents Sea. A man whose government wants to deprive him of his lands decides to fight back… (FR)

A cette question sur le potentiel paradoxe de mettre en image un film autour d’une apparition supposée de la Vierge Marie, Eric Gautier, AFC, sourit et se remémore le début de son aventure au côté de Xavier Giannoli : « C’est un peu un défi de filmer le mystère de la foi. L’amour de Dieu, c’est comme l’amour tout court : il n’y a aucune preuve tangible, seulement du don de soi. La sincérité (et le mensonge, comme dans d’autres films du cinéaste) est la question centrale de l’intrigue. Avec, comme catalyseur scénaristique, la solitude de ces deux personnages, Jacques (Vincent Lindon) et Anna (Galatea Bellugi) ».