FRED Film Radio - English Channel

“This is my 50th movie. It was a great privilege to have made it in Paris and it’s a great honor to show it in Venice”, these are the enthusiastic words of director Woody Allen about his participation, out of competition, to the 80th Venice International Film Festival with “Coup de Chance”.  The director of iconic films such as “Manhattan” and “Match Point”, confirms, through his first film in French, how “we are all very dependent on chance and luck in life, more than you think we are” as the fictional lives of Fanny (Lou de Laâge), Jean (Melvil Poupaud), Alain (Niels Schneider) and the mystery  surrounding them, shows. Woody Allen also explains how he stays true to the core of his cinema while shooting in other countries, especially European ones like France, Italy and Spain: “These countries have very pronounced personalities and if I have a good idea for that country, I would certainly make a film about it”.

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In a captivating conversation with Ariane Louis-Seize, the visionary director behind “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person“, we dived deep into the creative intricacies of this unique coming-of-age, horror, and dark comedy blend. The film, which had its world premiere at the Giornate degli Autori of the 2023 Venice Film Festival, delves into themes of loneliness, death, and belonging, all while maintaining a whimsical and sensitive touch.

Louis-Seize, celebrated for her award-winning short films like “Wild Skin” and “Shooting Star”, brought her expertise in portraying unconventional young women to her feature debut. In “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person”, she skillfully presents a narrative where Sasha, a young vampire portrayed brilliantly by Sara Montpetit, refuses to harm humans for sustenance.

Instead, she stumbles upon Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard), a lonely teenager with suicidal tendencies willing to offer his life willingly.

Our interview with Louis-Seize unveiled the film’s profound themes. She described it as “a film about death, of course, but also about life and our need for human connection and friendship”. The narrative revolves around Sasha and Paul, two outcasts in their own worlds, whose lives intersect in an unexpected way, resulting in a complex tale of self-discovery.

Louis-Seize’s fascination with vampires and supernatural worlds served as a foundation for the film’s exploration of deep human matters. She explained that the vampire figure, with its longevity and the need to take life to survive, offers a compelling lens through which to examine the human desire for love and connection.

Furthermore, the director made intriguing parallels between the vampire’s need to feed and the ethical questions surrounding our treatment of animals. She also likened Sasha’s coming-of-age journey to the awakening of her vampiric nature, creating a unique twist on the traditional coming-of-age genre.

The interview delved into the film’s memorable scenes, particularly the one where Sasha’s fangs emerge, set to Brenda Lee’s music. Louis-Seize shared that this pivotal scene was written in three parts and featured improvisation from the talented actors. The choice to shoot it as a single mesmerizing take was a collaborative decision between the director and DP Shawn Pavlin.

Louis-Seize couldn’t praise Sara Montpetit’s performance enough, calling her “a good vampire” with her enigmatic presence. The casting process confirmed that Montpetit was the ideal choice for Sasha, and her chemistry with Félix-Antoine Bénard, who played Paul, added depth to their characters’ unique connection.

The interview explored Louis-Seize’s horror inspirations and favorite movie vampires. She cited “Only Lovers Left Alive” and “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” as two standout vampire films that influenced her work. In fact, her first short film, “Wild Skin”, was indirectly inspired by the latter.

Louis-Seize’s filmography reflects a keen interest in unconventional, mysterious, or conflicted female characters. She spoke of her attraction to characters with mixed feelings and the exploration of hidden urges and desires, emphasizing the gray areas in human nature.

Louis-Seize discussed the role of music in the movie, including the playful and memorable song “Dracula Yéyé” and Pierre-Philippe Coté‘s score. She praised her collaboration with Coté, describing him as a music genius and sharing that they crafted a soundtrack that blended playfulness, depth, and nostalgia, mirroring the age-old nature of vampires.

Lastly, the interview touched on the character of JP, a unique addition to the film. Louis-Seize explained that JP was intentionally created to challenge conventional expectations. He initially appears as an annoyance but evolves into a character with unexpected depth, embodying the themes of attraction and repulsion that run throughout the film.

In conclusion, “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person” promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of life, death, and the human desire for connection, wrapped in the enigmatic world of vampires.

“Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person” won the GdA Director’s Award 2023.

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In an exclusive conversation with Lee Hong-Chi, the talented director and actor known for his work in “Thanatos, Drunk,” we had the opportunity to dive into the fascinating world of “Love Is a Gun.”

This film, directed, written, and starred in by Lee Hong-Chi, in the section Settimana Internazionale della Critica, takes us on a thrilling journey set between Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The movie follows the story of Sweet Potato, played by Lee Hong-Chi, a man trying to make an honest living after his release from prison. However, his dark past comes back to haunt him when his old “boss,” his mother, and his friend Maozi reappear suddenly. The film explores the conflict between Sweet Potato’s desire for a better life and the circumstances that force him to reckon with his criminal past.

During the interview, Lee Hong-Chi shared his inspirations behind the film, his experience as a first-time director, and the challenge of playing the lead role. He also discussed the complexity of the characters and the emotions involved in telling the story of “Love Is a Gun.”

Lee Hong-Chi is known for his versatility as an actor and has received significant recognition for his talent. “Love Is a Gun” marks a significant milestone in his career with his directorial debut. If you’re a fan of thrilling and engaging cinema, “Love Is a Gun” is a must-watch. Join us as we explore Lee Hong-Chi’s world and his remarkable contribution to this captivating cinematic work.

Much like how the pandemic has made it impossible for people to make decisions freely, in this story, Sweet Potato is incapable of reclaiming his life. He is simply crushed by something greater than himself.

“Love is a gun” is an unrelenting tale of powerlessness. Through a skewed Pygmalion effect, the prophecy becomes self-fulfilling, and everything Sweet Potato wants to escape reappears. Lee Hong-Chi crafts and portrays a decadent character who succumbs to a misery reminiscent of Leopardi’s melancholy and Baudelaire’s spleen. But there’s nothing poetic about it, even though the cinematography desperately attempts to captivate the audience with the Taiwanese countryside and black volcanic sand beaches.

The fortune teller once said the boy was missing an essential element – water. And indeed, it’s fire that prevails, igniting in all forms: fireworks, a gun, a blaze. Lee Hong-Chi, both in and out of the role, orchestrates a scorching operation where flames rise in his presence, ultimately consuming what little life remained in his Taiwanese gangster.

Presented in 4:3 format, “Love Is a Gun” by Lee Hong-Chi delights us with meticulously crafted sequences, particularly those involving the escape of Sweet Potato and Seven (Lin Ying Wei). She is so perfect that the frames seem like finished photographs.

We talked about the first part of the film that compels the audience to oscillate between distant and muffled sounds. Instead of being accessible, the characters evade the lens. Dialogues are distorted, sometimes even inaudible. Consequently, viewers strain to find even the smallest detail that might enrich the narrative. Sweet Potato’s struggle to reintegrate into society, and society itself snubbing him, is vividly portrayed.

However, this intensity becomes almost a hiccup in the second part, making it challenging to grasp the continuous and unexpected appearances of characters. The scene resembles a stage, with characters entering and exiting suddenly with poorly motivated ellipses. In an intriguing closing scene, a long circular panorama pays homage to the element that eluded Sweet Potato, the element to which he surrenders in the end.

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Interview during the 80th edition of Venice International Film Festival with Robert Lorenz, director of the film “In the land of saints and sinners”, and actor Colm Meaney. The movie, premiered in Orizzonti Extra, takes us to Ireland during the 1970s, and tells the story of a hit man that decides to quit killing… until one last crime threatens to reveal his identity.

The film is the third installment in Lorenz’s directorial career, and during his conversation with FRED he reveals that with this particular script he wanted to immerse in a culture different than his. Meaney explains that he has travelled to the Mostra only after the movie was assigned a waiver from SAG-Aftra, in the middle of a strike.

“In the land of saints and sinners” tells the story of a hit man -portrayed by Liam Neeson– who has been killing for years: his victims were also killers and assassins. After one last hit, a girl in his town reveals that she’s being mistreated by his uncle, and despite his initial intentions of quitting his “job”, Neeson’s character decides to help her.

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Every day from the Venice Lido, Rita Di Santo hosts in the studios of FRED Film Radio several film critics who will comment on the films in Competition and Out of Competition, the actors and actresses attending the festival, as well as take you into the magical atmosphere of the Venice Film Festival.

In this first episode of Global Critics Venice Voice Rita Di Santo hosts David Sanchez (film critic from Spain, RST Radio Barcelona), Ben Croll (Variety) and Ieva Sukyté (film critic from Lithuania), and they discuss together about the films screened in these days, “Zielona granica (The Green Border)”, “Enea” , VR at the Venice Immersive Island and “Tatami”.

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Director Federick Wiseman is back to Venice with a new immersive documentary, “Menus Plaisirs – Les Troisgros”  screening in Venice Out of Competition.

“Menus Plaisirs” is a film about the Troisgros family and their three restaurants: Troisgros, Le Central and La Colline, located in three neighboring locations in central France. Troisgros, a restaurant founded 93 years ago, has had three Michelin stars for 55 years and in 2020 was awarded a Michelin Green star for exemplary sustainable practices.

“I saw how the combination of imagination, hard work, sensitivity, intelligence, and tradition combined to produce the multiple works of transitory and ephemeral art that each combination of ingredients represented on every plate served,” said Frederick Wiseman.

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Venice, September 3rd 2023, at the Terrace of the Lemons, Hotel Excelsior, Fred Film Radio attended “Cappuccino with the Italians”, an initiative organized by IFC Italian Film Commissions, in collaboration with VPB Venice Production Bridge, with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and ENIT, National Tourist Board.

An occasion for meetings between international audiovisual producers, European regional funds, and representatives of the Italian Film Commissions. The guest of this edition was a delegation of producers from Quebec, in collaboration with QUEBECreates (SODEC).

Shruti Rajkumar, Head of VP, Invest India, explains to Fred Film Radio the role of the Indian Film Commission in Venice and the opportunities provided by it.

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Interview during the 80th edition of Venice International Film Festival with Agnieszka Holland, director of the film in competition “Green Border”. It depicts the difficult and painful situation lived by Syrian and Afghan refugees at the Polish-Bielorrusian border while trying to reach European Union soil.

The director explains to FRED her reasons to make this film and the political commitment behind it, since she wants to make her point against the Polish Government encouraging the abuse and violence inflicted on these refugees. Holland remembers that this is her first entry in Venice competition in decades (last and first was ‘Olivier Olivier’ in 1992).

“Green Border” explains the humanitarian crisis of the Syrian and Afghan refugees from four different perspectives: the own refugees, the guards in the Border Patrol, the volunteers that try to help the victims and the civilian population, divided by the actions taken by the Government.

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Every day from the Venice Lido, Rita Di Santo hosts in the studios of FRED Film Radio several film critics who will comment on the films in Competition and Out of Competition, the actors and actresses attending the festival, as well as take you into the magical atmosphere of the Venice Film Festival.

In this first episode of Global Critics Venice Voice Rita Di Santo hosts Andrew Mohsen (film critic from Egypt), Ben Croll (film critic from Canada, Variety) and Géza Csákvári (film critic from Hungary), and they discuss together about the films screened in these days, “Coup de Chance”, “Priscilla” and “Hit Man”.

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Mohamed Ben Attia, known for his previous films “Hedi” and “Dear Son”, brings a new perspective to cinema with his latest work, “Behind the Mountains”, premiering at the Venice Film Festival’s Orizzonti section. The film challenges the traditional boundaries of reality and fantasy, making the audience question what’s possible.

The story revolves around Rafik, the protagonist, who abandons his entire life and ends up in jail in pursuit of an impossible dream. Rafik’s journey is marked by a desire to give his son a chance to experience a place where dreams come true. Director Mohamed Ben Attia explains, “I didn’t want him to be like a superhero or fly like Superman. He is floating, struggling with gravity.”

Initially hesitant to incorporate supernatural elements, Ben Attia found inspiration in Rafik’s radical departure from his community. He describes the moment of inspiration, saying, “I kept seeing an image of someone running towards the edge. He jumps, and then starts to fly.” This unique approach challenged traditional filmmaking norms and sparked discussions within the team.

Ben Attia’s film touches on themes of rage and rebellion, mirroring the challenges many people face in today’s world. He explains, “Recently, we have all been going through very difficult times. But many people who read the script found it hard to empathize with him. He really behaves like a crazy person.” Rafik’s actions, driven by his inner turmoil, include destroying his office, kidnapping his child, and terrorizing another family while on the run.

To bring depth and ambiguity to Rafik’s character, Ben Attia relied on the talent of actor Majd Mastoura, with whom he had previously collaborated on “Hedi.” He emphasizes the importance of embracing complexity and avoiding a strict adherence to political correctness in storytelling.

“Behind the Mountains” explores the Northwest mountains of Tunisia as Rafik embarks on a journey with his son, accompanied by a shepherd. The film takes a mysterious turn as it blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. Ben Attia deliberately leaves some aspects unexplained, acknowledging that it might challenge some viewers. He draws inspiration from films like “Take Shelter”, where the border between the known and the unknown is fragile, inviting audiences to explore the extraordinary.

The film also introduces a woman who, like Rafik, seeks to escape her restrictive environment. Ben Attia notes the parallel between them, saying, “They are not comfortable in a place society has chosen for them.” However, when faced with the unknown, she clings to the familiar, protecting the illusion of her life.

As for his future projects, Ben Attia hints at a departure from conventional reality. He aims to make things “strange” again and explore the boundaries of imagination. He believes that embracing the bizarre and unknown can lead to new perspectives and limitless possibilities.

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