Welcome to new AFC member, Crystel Fournier

Crystel Fournier by Benoit Chamaillard

I had noticed Crystel Fournier’s work on several films when, recently, she asked my sponsorship to join the AFC. I am very happy to come forth to support her application to join our association.

The AFC is enriched by the presence among its members of young directors of photography who are also working on new media, under production conditions that vary highly according to budgets, and who still manage to create quality images with all their personality.

The image of the filma lit by Crystel always seemed to me be right for the story. With different styles depending on the projects and biases affirmed, her work has a lot to do with the quality of these fil ;s films. To cite a recent example, Water Lilies by Celine Sciamma is very successful, the picture is sensitive and strong. The choice of tight framing, the light options and especially the colors serve the film brilliantly.

On another note, the films of Delphine Gleize are uniquely determined by the director, but the image remains stronly marked by the signature of their "operating" director of photography.

Crystel is undoubtedly an established DP and her sincere desire to participate in the life of the association encourages me to sponsor her candidacy.

Crystel Fournier by Charlie Van Damme

I am very pleased to be able to sponsor the candidacy of Crystel Fournier, a former brilliant student of the Femis school who is now a talented director of photography. Her resume is in itself quite impressive (11 feature films). But what I particularly note is the quality of her work.

I have not seen all her films, I will only speak of those I know. In particular, Buried Dreams, directed by Laurent Salgues, winner of the Kodak photography prize at Namur in 2006, a film shot entirely in Burkina Faso, far from any urban center in conditions that you can imagine. What mastery ! And what beauty.

The film by Fabienne Godet, Burnt Out in a more realistic, like The Man Who Dreamed of a Child, by Delphine Gleize. Water Lilies by Celine Sciamma, a first film, shows surprising mastery, invention and sensitivity on the part of Crystel as well as Celine. The agreement between cinematography and directing is exemplary, and I have no doubt that the quality of the film is due in large part to the quality of cooperation between them.

Crystel is not just a good technician, she is a sensitive filmmaker. In terms of expertise, she is as comfortable with photochemical as with digital. She knows how to choose the most appropriate medium for the film, including small cameras when they are THE solution, in particular in her documentary work.

I have only one regret : having worked only once with her, as an operator. It was a true joy : as the first spectator of the film being made, she sees her work in the context of the whole film, as attentive to the frame as to the characters, to the light, to the wishes of the director. She never compromises with quality.

I’ll stop there with my praise, I know she is too humble to accept any more.