Uncomfortable topics in current film sector
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Hurriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 17, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - The International Istanbul Film Festival has not forgotten the film students and beginners. Romanian director Cristian Mungiu came to Istanbul to present a master’s class lecture, which brought together not only students, but also those attracted by his award-winning picture
The notion that the 28th International Istanbul Film Festival is quickly coming to an end is much mistaken. The event’s agenda is still packed with interesting film screenings and events, one of which took place in Boğaziçi University’s Mithat Alam Film Center on Wednesday.
Cinema enthusiasts and film students were able to meet renowned Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, who was explaining his work process and giving directing hints to the beginners.
Mungiu’s name became famous after his movie "4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days" was awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007. The disturbing picture, presenting the difficult topic of abortion, was his example during his lecture on directing techniques. According to Mungiu, not the idea, but the story is what "makes" the movie. "Before I started working, I didn’t think I want to make a movie about abortion," he said, adding that what he wanted to present was 24 hours in the life of a person from his own generation, which was the first generation born after abortion was banned in communist Romania. Between 1966 and 1989 the procedure was strictly forbidden by the Ceausescu regime.
True stories
"There are moments in life when you have to make a decision and that choice was what I wanted to show," Mungiu explained when asked about the story presented in 4 months. He said he came across a woman who told him about an experience in her life 15 years before. "She remembered many details, which are shown in the film, but couldn’t give any motivations to explain them," Mungiu said, adding that he decided to leave those details in the movie to make the story more realistic. "Many things happen in life but not all of them can be explained," the director said.
Mungiu said that after finding the right story, the second step he takes is imagining what kind of movie he would like to make to tell it. He prepares a list of things he wants to see in the movie and those he doesn’t. He said the list is just to make the work more organized, because the final version of a picture is always different from the first ideas. "A film’s coherence is the most important thing. You can go beyond the original plan if this is what’s good for the movie," Mungiu said.
Unlike in America
Asked about his early interests, he recalled that he always liked watching films, but "it was never like an American movie, where you are walking in slow motion and the idea suddenly hits you." Taking his words straight, as well as reading between the lines, it was easy to guess that Cristian Mungiu is not the biggest fan of American cinema. About his choice of topics he said, "It is easy to make comfortable movies and Americans are good in it, but the point is to tell a story that is not comfortable for you." According to him it is important to make movies about what’s close and most familiar to the director. "I’m not in Hollywood, but still in Romania because this is what I know," he said.
Cinema enthusiasts and film students were able to meet renowned Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, who was explaining his work process and giving directing hints to the beginners.
Mungiu’s name became famous after his movie "4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days" was awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007. The disturbing picture, presenting the difficult topic of abortion, was his example during his lecture on directing techniques. According to Mungiu, not the idea, but the story is what "makes" the movie. "Before I started working, I didn’t think I want to make a movie about abortion," he said, adding that what he wanted to present was 24 hours in the life of a person from his own generation, which was the first generation born after abortion was banned in communist Romania. Between 1966 and 1989 the procedure was strictly forbidden by the Ceausescu regime.
True stories
"There are moments in life when you have to make a decision and that choice was what I wanted to show," Mungiu explained when asked about the story presented in 4 months. He said he came across a woman who told him about an experience in her life 15 years before. "She remembered many details, which are shown in the film, but couldn’t give any motivations to explain them," Mungiu said, adding that he decided to leave those details in the movie to make the story more realistic. "Many things happen in life but not all of them can be explained," the director said.
Mungiu said that after finding the right story, the second step he takes is imagining what kind of movie he would like to make to tell it. He prepares a list of things he wants to see in the movie and those he doesn’t. He said the list is just to make the work more organized, because the final version of a picture is always different from the first ideas. "A film’s coherence is the most important thing. You can go beyond the original plan if this is what’s good for the movie," Mungiu said.
Unlike in America
Asked about his early interests, he recalled that he always liked watching films, but "it was never like an American movie, where you are walking in slow motion and the idea suddenly hits you." Taking his words straight, as well as reading between the lines, it was easy to guess that Cristian Mungiu is not the biggest fan of American cinema. About his choice of topics he said, "It is easy to make comfortable movies and Americans are good in it, but the point is to tell a story that is not comfortable for you." According to him it is important to make movies about what’s close and most familiar to the director. "I’m not in Hollywood, but still in Romania because this is what I know," he said.