FRED Film Radio - English Channel

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Jesper W. Nielsen, director of The Day Will Come, presented at the 60th BFI London Film Festival.

A foster home in the late 60’s in Denmark. This is where most of the narrative of The Day Will Come, directed by Jesper W. Nielsen and presented in the Debate section of the 60th BFI London Film Festival takes place.

The film tells the story of two young brothers, whose lives are suddenly turned upside down when they are brought to a foster home. Different times and different forms of education, as soon as they get there, they are introduced to a tough world in which they are constantly subjected to abuse. Nielsen does not shy away from the dark, indeed often very dark, aspects of the story. At the same time, while he specifies that the film is about the loss of innocence and is not really intended for a young audience, he also shows the more hopeful sides of his film, especially through the underlying theme of the moon travel. One of the central two brothers, in fact, dreams about becoming an astronaut, and his committment to this dream serves as a real inspiration for carrying on and overcoming all the challenges he is faced with in his everyday life.

In this interview, Nielsen tells us how the specific time frame affects his story, whether he always intended to use the approach of never sugarcoating his film’s situations and how he was able to work with his young cast and get the type of touching and excellent performances he did out of them in spite of the difficulty of the roles they played.

THE DAY WILL COME. It’s the late 1960s and Copenhagen is blossoming. With the Space Race at full tilt, it seems there is a world of infinite possibilities and excitement for brothers Elmer and Erik. But their lives are irreparably changed when their mother falls ill and they are entrusted into the care of the archaic Gudbjerg Home for Boys. It’s presided over by brutal headmaster Frederik Heck (Lars Mikkelsen, House of Cards, Sherlock), who sees as his vocation the transformation of ‘unruly’ boys into obedient citizens and maintains a regime of corporal punishment and dubious medical intervention. Elmer’s irrepressible spirit and the appointment of a humbled but humane teacher (Sofie Gråbøl, The Killing) might offer some hope, but fermenting any kind of revolt is dangerous under this vicious regime. Inspired by true events, Søren Sveistrup’s unflinching script addresses the subject of institutional abuse head-on. And the top-notch Scandinavian cast brings intelligence and power to this challenging tale.

The post Jesper W. Nielsen – The Day Will Come #LFF2016 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Carles Torras, director of Callback from the 60th BFI London Film Festival.

Callback is the English language debut by director Carles Torres. The film was crafted by him and the leading actor of the film, Martin Bacigalupo. The end result is a film that sits well with familiar cinematic portrayals of psychopathic men.

In this case, the leading character is Larry De Cecco, whose short description is summed up perfectly in the BFI London Film Festival’s synopsis for the film: “a struggling voice actor, part-time removals man, practicing psychopath.”

Torras talks to us about the style and construction of the film, and the various themes that are dealt with in the film, such as loneliness and feigned personalities – the latter point inspired more general observations, of which the highlight is the director jokingly remarking “maybe the film industry is full of aliens.” The film, after all, talks about the American dreams, and that is another aspect from Callback which we examine in this interview.

CALLBACK. Meet Larry de Cecco – struggling voice actor, part-time removals man, practising psychopath. Dividing his time between his thankless day job and a series of humbling auditions, Larry takes enjoyment in minor break-ins and perverse acts of vandalism. When an aspiring actress rents a room in his apartment, it looks like the reclusive Larry might have found a friend, but it is not long before his dark urges rise to the surface. With his English language debut, Spanish director Carles Torras has crafted a scathing critique of the American Dream, shot with cool precision and infused with a caustic streak of black humour. Larry’s unhinged stoicism can be traced through a dark history of screen sociopaths, from Travis Bickle to Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, but lead actor and co-writer Martin Bacigalupo’s revelatory, squirm-inducing performance makes for a truly distinctive anti-hero who will not be easily forgotten – no matter how hard you try.

The post Carles Torras – Callback #LFF2016 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Ben Wheatley, director of The Ghoul, presented at the 2016 BFI London Film Festival.

We met director Ben Wheatley to talk about his film The Ghoul, presented in the Thrill section of the 60th BFI London Film Festival.

In this interview, he reveals to us that at the origins of the film was an idea to make a movie, among other things, about depression. This fact alone introduces the fact that The Ghoul is certainly not afraid to visit some dark territories.

In fact, one of the most interesting features of the film is its structure, which takes the viewer down a tortuous path in which we are left wondering about what is real and what isn’t about what is revealed to us of the world of the film’s leading character, Chris, played by Tom Meeten. What are the challenges of constructing a film like that? We ask Wheatley this and more in our podcast interview.

THE GHOUL. Low budget Brit thriller, The Ghoul is an atmospheric slow-burn crime film more interested in psychology and the occult than in solving crimes. Tom Meeten’s detective Chris is called to investigate a mysterious, possible double murder. Discovering clues in the house of a shadowy suspect, he goes undercover as a patient to see the suspect’s psychotherapist. But our understanding of Chris is quickly turned on its head as we get inside his, with Meeten excelling in portraying his character’s complex duality. Gareth Tunley, who previously starred in Kill List and Down Terrace, turns director here and his intricate plots pay homage to the illustrious lineage of British genre-bending directors that includes Wheatley, Nic Roeg and Christopher Nolan. Gathering comedy royalty and friends (Alice Lowe, Niamh Cusack, Paul Kaye, Rufus Jones, Dan Renton Skinner and Geoffrey McGivern), Tunley proves himself adept at turning limited resources into a British indie debut of great style and invention.

The post Ben Wheatley – The Ghoul #LFF2016 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Alice Diop, director of On Call, presented at the 60th BFI London Film Festival.

On Call was filmed by director Alice Diop at a walk-in service for asylum seekers in a hospital near Paris. The service is one of only a few like it, and is run by people who are really dedicated and passionate about the cause. It’s worrying it think that it is also a service that might be lacking in various other parts of the world, not only France.

On Call, directed by Diop and presented in the Documentary Competition section of the 60th BFI London Film Festival is timely also because the refugee crisis is a subject of constant debate. One of the things Diop succeeds in doing in her focused and unflinching documentary is humanize the topic of immigration by having the camera focused with no cuts on the intertwining events and lives of the patients who walk into the hospital rooms, all carrying their own emotional baggages along with their physical ills and troubles.

Our interview focuses on a number of key aspects, such as her own words to describe the particular choice of style employed in the making of the film and how she was able to get access to the location and film the patients as well as getting so close to them.

ON CALL. For this topical documentary, Alice Diop spent a year at the walk-in service for asylum seekers in Avicenne hospital, near Paris. Arriving in a state of physical and mental exhaustion, often traumatised by their exile and the limbo they’re kept in while seeking asylum, a succession of men and women arrive to seek treatment, some medicine or solace from the outside world. Filmed in static shots in the claustraphobia of a hospital room, the film captures dozens of consultations, giving voice to each new arrival who tells their personal, often harrowing story. It immediately personalises each patient, taking them out of the chilling anonymity they experience daily. The film also highlights the restrictions the doctors face, working with few resources to alleviate the overwhelming misery they witness with each consultation. On Call is a film of profound humanity that underlines the limits of our societies.

The post Alice Diop – On Call #LFF2016 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Chiara Nicoletti interviews Damien Chazelle, director and Emma Stone, actress of La La Land, the opening film of the 73rd Venice Film Festival.

LA LA LAND tells the story of Mia, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing ones dreams.

The post La La Land, winner of the Golden Lion #Venezia73 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Filmmaker Bruce La Bruce is interviewed by participants of 28 Times Cinema at the 73rd Venice Film Festival.

Filmmaker Bruce La Bruce (Gerontophilia, Pierrot Lunaire) was the president of the jury at this year’s edition of Venice Days. He tool some time to talk about his art with some of the participants of this year’s 28 Times Cinema, the components of the jury. The interview is conducted by Cora Frisching, and she was assisted by Eva Liisa Sepp, Beth Hayden, and Kiyan Agadjani.

The post Bruce La Bruce – Venice Days #Venezia73 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Listen to a clip from Vladas Rožėnas, Lithuanian ambassador at the 2016 edition of 28 Times Cinema at Venezia 73.

To listen to the podcast, click on the ► icon on the right, just above the picture

The post Vladas Rožėnas – 28 Times Cinema #Venezia73 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Vatche Boulghourjian, director, and Cynthia Zaven, composer of the film Tramontane from the 60th BFI London Film Festival.

A Lebanese young man, a blind musician looking to go on a tour of Europe with his choir, suddenly and accidentally finds out that he may not be who he thinks he is – or who he was told he is – when he encounters problems upon requesting a new passport. This is the starting point of Tramontane, directed by Vatche Boulghourjian, which tells a story about identity and past, but also of music and family among other things.

We ask him about his decision of having a blind character as the central character of Tramontane and he reveals the ways in which he used this element but also how this blindness affected the ways in which the film was made and, revealingly, how it was shot. In his answer, he also talks about the fantastic performance of the actor playing said character, who really is blind in his life as well as a talented musician.

Speaking of music, as mentioned earlier, music is a very important element in the film, also because it comes straight from the Lebanese tradition. This is why it was priceless to be joined by the music supervisor and composer of the film’s score, Cynthia Zaven. It is she who reveals that Boulghourjian is a musician himself, though he humbly refuses to be called a musician.

Nevertheless, his sensibilities to the dramatic nature of Lebanese music certainly influences this film as a whole, fittingly places in the BFI London Film Festival’s section named Journey, as it is indeed a journey – the journey of a man looking for his origins and making plenty of discoveries along the way.

TRAMONTANE. Things begin to unravel unexpectedly when young blind musician Rabih applies for a passport to go on tour with his choir – doubt is cast on whether his documents are real, setting into motion a quest for his true identity. Rabih’s mother is unable to give him answers, whilst his uncle, once a celebrated general, disappears as Rabih’s questions multiply. As he sets out for villages across Lebanon in search of the truth, we begin to understand the sheer magnitude of the layers of collective silence that permeate the country’s recent past. In his first acting role, real-life musician Barakat Jabbour’s portrayal of Rabih’s drive and persistence is deeply moving, and his musical performances are magnetic and defiant. Boulghourjian’s poetic and sensitive debut, which premiered in Cannes’ Critics’ Week, is also a poignant reminder of the role of culture and storytelling in relaying truths and understanding the amnesia that surrounds complex histories.

The post Vatche Boulghourjian, Cynthia Zaven – Tramontane #LFF2016 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla, director of An Insignificant Man from the 60th BFI London Film Festival.

Who is Arvind Kejriwal? In short, he was an outsider that successfully infiltrated Indian politics and went from being a whistleblower to a representative of the people in the Indian elections. Kejriwal, regarded a controversial and outspoken figure in Indian politics, is also the central subject of the documentary An Insignificant Man, directed and produced by Khushboo Ranka, Vinay Shukla, who we met with for an interview at the 60th BFI London Film Festival, where the film was screened in teh documentary competition.

They give us portrait of the man, who might be unfamiliar to international audiences, which is why we also ask them how they came to know that An Insignificant man would tell a story that could indeed be told to an international audience. We ask them about the filmmaking process, how they were able to get so close to Kejriwal and his party and whether they encountered any hostility during the filming.

AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN. This compelling documentary becomes a riveting political thriller as it delves deeper into the governmental machinations of India, the world’s largest democracy. The filmmakers were given unlimited access to the nascent political career of Arvind Kejriwal, from fiery activist calling for new anti-corruption laws to a controversial politician and the face of the latest force in Indian politics: The Common Man’s Party (AAP). Kejriwal is a charismatic but flawed hero, representing the public’s rage with the political elite as he reveals how inequality is engineered through back-door cronyism and neoliberal capitalism. It’s a classic David vs Goliath scenario, with Kejriwal’s appeal and the seemingly unstoppable trajectory of his populist bandwagon creating a power shake-up that brings him into conflict with India’s mighty political establishment. As tensions escalate and sinister elements enter the fray, the AAP become subject to increased pressure from all sides and finds itself fighting for survival.

The post Khushboo Ranka, Vinay Shukla – An Insignificant Man #LFF2016 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Dain Iskander Said, director of Interchange, from the 2016 BFI London Film Festival.

To this day, there are people and tribes who believe that a photography has the power to steal your soul. Dain Iskandar Said’s film Interchange, started from this concept – it particularly was inspired by a photography depicting an old Borneo tribe cleansing themselves in a river from the effects of having been photographed.

The story has the sense of a genre film, falling somewhere between fantasy, thriller and horror, and it takes place in the modern world. We speak with the director about the challenges of working within the horror genre, and whether he sets out to expand its limits or whether he likes to begin with a concept and see if he can adapt it to a particular genre. We also ask him about the effects, impressive also due to the fact that Malaysia and Indonesia, where the film was produced, do not have effects as advanced as other countries.

There is more to Interchange than effects, which is why we also reflect upon the various themes dealt with in the film, including that of heritage and the power of the photographic image, the latter due to the fact that the object of photography plays a key role in the narrative.

INTERCHANGE. In a drag club a man has been completely drained of blood. The killer has left two signatures – the victim’s empty veins arranged in a pretty mesh and a smashed glass negative from an old plate camera. A forensics photographer with peeping-tom tendencies and an understanding of arcane photography is brought in to investigate. But his obsession with an alluring neighbour in his apartment block is giving him all kinds of shivers. This supernatural thriller is shot with impeccable style and foreboding mood, complete with rainstorm rooftop fight scenes, a hooded man with massive finger claws and an ancient curse cast upon a tribe in Borneo a hundred years ago. Malaysian director Dain Iskandar Said studied in London, where he first encountered the anthropological images that inspired this tale. Beautiful and strange, it’s a rare species of thriller that truly captures the imagination as it spreads its wings.

The post Dain Iskander Said – Interchange #LFF2016 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.