In my humble perspective, the casting of this movie was nothing short of a masterstroke. As a film enthusiast with years of experience under my belt, I’ve seen countless instances where the wrong actor in the wrong role can ruin an otherwise brilliant piece of work. But here, it seems the director struck gold.
Guillermo del Toro, the renowned Mexican filmmaker, expressed his awe during a post-screening chat with Jacques Audiard, the French director of ‘Emilia Pérez’, saying it’s breathtaking to witness a movie that truly embodies the essence of cinema. Their conversation followed an exclusive screening of Audiard’s latest Netflix production. In front of the Directors Guild of America audience on Wednesday night at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles, Del Toro praised Audiard, stating, ‘I believe he is one of the most exceptional filmmakers active today.’
A full transcript of the conversation appears below.
DEL TORO To begin, I must clarify that I’m not an impartial observer because I’ve served on two juries – one in Cannes, one in Venice – who awarded Jacques the Palme d’Or and best director. This is my personal sentiment: In my opinion, he’s one of the most extraordinary filmmakers active today. It’s an honor to be here. (Paraphrased)
AUDIARD You’re making me blush.
In my opinion, a significant aspect in numerous of your films is an intense, deeply emotional energy which presents a tension – a struggle between our desires and reality, creating a captivating blend of romance and high drama as these elements collide.
AUDIARD Your analysis is insightful. In many of my films, there’s a common thread about dual identities or, more specifically, the decisions people make concerning their lives and the price they pay for those choices. To put it another way, I often explore the question of how many lives an individual is entitled to live and what the cost of living multiple lives might be. We understand the expense of our initial life, as we’re currently experiencing it. But what if someone desires a second life? What would that come at a greater price or higher cost? This idea recurs frequently in my work. I believe the conflicts you observe are related to this transition from the first to the second phase of life.
DEL TORO What initial idea or spark from the novel led to this film? Can you describe the seed that made you think, “This is the project I’ll pursue”?
In a casual and straightforward manner:
DEL TORO When discussing the number of lives one can experience and the price of such lives, I recall the film “Deep End“. It featured two narratives – one was a thriller and the other was about immigration – presented in distinct tones. However, in this movie, we have a gangster undergoing surgery, which could resemble either “Dark Passage” or a musical, and a blend of a thriller, melodrama, or an opera because I believe the film is very operatic. Balancing these tones seems to come naturally to you. Could you elaborate a bit on how the idea of making it a musical originated and why? I have a theory, but I’ll keep it to myself for now.
AUDIARD Let me share the story behind this concept without causing boredom or overwhelming the interpreter. The intrigue lies in the paradoxical transformation of a character who originates from extreme masculinity, patriarchy, etc., yet is evolving towards femininity. This idea has been developing for approximately four-and-a-half years, since the lockdown. In just 28 days, I penned a 28-page treatment, which was more of an opera libretto than a screenplay. The work was divided into acts and tableaus instead of scenes, with characters that were archetypal and lacked deep psychology. Instead, it was about emotions in action. This approach was peculiar to me. The musical aspect stems from opera, but the film genre needed to shift constantly, moving from telenovela to narco-thriller, for example. This change might be connected to portraying the protagonist’s transition. Additionally, I instinctively knew that the film would be shot in a studio, and we would require frequent changes to establish a rhythm within the film and avoid any potential studio stagnation.
It’s quite evident that a song can beautifully convey emotion, and as a Mexican, I have a strong affinity for melodrama, particularly in telenovelas. I believe expressing such feelings through singing makes it even more relatable. You, however, have never shied away from amplifying emotions. [Midnight Cowboy director John] Schlesinger once said, “When I went to New York, I wasn’t seeing it like an American.” For me, your portrayal of Mexico was mesmerizing and captivating in that way. Therefore, the tone allows the characters to burst into song. It creates a platform for all these intense emotions. I can’t help but wonder if you too fell in love with Mexico when you visited?
AUDIARD Four decades ago, I visited Mexico for the first time, in Jalapa, where I had a friend. From there, I journeyed north, south, and west. It was effortless. At that time, there was only a hint of corruption, a type of tropical tourist corruption. Since then, I believe significant transformations have occurred, which I find disheartening. Yet, Mexico remains dear to me. We recently visited Morelia. It was breathtaking. The music was astounding. The musicality in the streets is remarkable there. And soon, it will be time for the Day of the Dead celebration. I can’t say if Emilia Pérez truly embodies Mexican culture, as we filmed the entire project in Paris within a studio. In essence, we transported Mexico to us — Virginie Montel, the film’s art director, played a significant role in this process. Now, could you tell me what specifically you wanted me to discuss, Guillermo?
DEL TORO No, I think that to be truthful is not to be realist, not—
Apologies, Guillermo. There’s something more I intended to convey. I journeyed to Mexico on three or four occasions with my team, primarily for location scouting and casting purposes. It was during our third visit that I came to understand that working in these authentic locations might restrict me creatively. The visual ideas swirling in my mind didn’t align with the streets or interiors of Mexico. Instead, I needed a more expansive tool for stylization. In a way, this makes sense because the initial concept was for an opera. And isn’t the opera stage remarkably similar to a studio soundstage?
DEL TORO I believe Gene Kelly wasn’t physically in Paris during An American in Paris, but don’t worry, you’re correct! In my opinion, what makes the tone work is the movie itself existing within a cinematic reality, and it does just that. Initially, the choreography is more traditional, but gradually, the entire film, its pacing, lighting, and camera work all transform into something rhythmic, even though they aren’t actual musical sequences. The scenes such as loading weapons or a child cycling through the city streets become musical not just in form, but also in essence. It’s incredibly intelligent, how the use of light and other elements are employed. It’s truly a joy to witness such a film – it’s simply beautiful cinema. And there’s no better way to express that than in French – it sounds so melodious.
AUDIARD Although this was my first film entirely produced in a studio, you’re well-versed in such productions, particularly musicals. However, in France, we don’t have a rich tradition of musicals compared to Hollywood. Our cinematic approach is more realistic. As we embarked on this project, we were learning as we went along, guided by our choreographer, Damien Jalet. I discovered a lot of new things during the process, such as finding creative solutions for lighting and cost issues in studio settings. For example, when dealing with the first market scene [“El Alegato”], my initial concern was about the cost of lighting such a vast area and how to effectively illuminate it. However, I realized that I could compensate for this by utilizing the dancers and their choreography. In French, we have a play on words, “décor,” which refers both to the set and the human body. So, instead of focusing on lighting distant areas, I could fill the depth with moving people, creating a dynamic scene that didn’t require extensive lighting.
DEL TOROThe way the scenes grow more personal, dimming the lights and isolating the two characters in a restaurant, shrouded in darkness; the ending, where they’re guided by machine guns and speed into the night – these are both dramatic and cinematic choices. They aren’t confined to a stage setting. Moreover, the entire world assumes a musical quality.
AUDIARD I’m starting to think maybe I made the film, Emilia Pérez, for this specific reason: I wanted to explore more opera since that’s what I truly love. So, I’ll step away from the musical and return to opera now. You see, there’s not much contemporary opera around these days, and I believe with Emilia Pérez, I aimed to fill in this gap. As for your suggestions? There are plenty of them. And to be honest, “solutions” is quite an unattractive term. However, the essence of opera lies in its stylization; stylization is what defines opera at its core.
DEL TORO In terms of opera, we have four characters, each confined by unique circumstances that allow for an escape, only to collide with reality again. These characters are portrayed by distinct actors and actresses. The selection of these performers was remarkably insightful, and I’d like to discuss it briefly.
AUDIARD Previously, I shared insights about the script’s development and its initial draft. To be honest, I often write multiple versions, and it wasn’t until the third or fourth version that I realized I had misjudged the ages of the female characters. I struggled to find suitable actors for these roles. I scouted numerous actresses in Mexico, met transgender actresses, but it just didn’t click. Then, quite unexpectedly, within a short span, I encountered Karla Sofía Gascón, who, under unusual circumstances, happened to be in Mexico at the time. Later, I met Zoe [Saldaña] over Zoom, and it became clear to me. These actresses guided me towards the right ages for their characters. They helped me understand that I had made a mistake because a 25-year-old woman has no life story or history; she’s still figuring things out. However, a 40-year-old woman with mixed heritage and facing similar struggles might have more complex issues. So it was the actresses who enlightened me about their characters’ ages and corrected my error. The same is true for the character of Epifania, played by Adriana Paz.
In our movie viewing experience, it wasn’t the point where music played that made us realize it was an opera; rather, it was the pivotal balcony scene when someone asked, “Do you truly have a knife in your bag?” What captivated me was how you, as a director, let the narrative guide you and paid attention — since directors not only speak but also listen — leading you to cast a mezzo-soprano, a coloratura, and a soprano. Their personas, rather than their vocal abilities, offered unique instruments that added depth. I can’t help but ponder if this influenced the composition of the songs later on.
AUDIARD Lately, I stumbled upon some musical pieces reminiscent of the Paleolithic era, which promptly answers your query. The transformation between the initial demos, middle demos, and post-casting demos? It’s like day and night; a massive shift occurs. Although the underlying rhythm may persist, and the melody might remain consistent, the overall tone transformed drastically through the casting process. I won’t indulge in the conventional praise of saying, “It’s so fantastic.” “They are so gifted.” However, I was incredibly fortunate to collaborate with actresses who possess such unique talents. Describing their differences is challenging, but Karla Sofia bears no resemblance to Zoe, nor does Zoe resemble Adriana, and neither Adriana resembles Selena [Gomez]. The process of understanding their distinct nuances was a constant challenge, yet it was captivating. I may not share your language, and my linguistic abilities are limited, but every day at work, I had to decipher how to communicate with Karla Sofia, Selena, Zoe, and so forth – their local dialects. It’s truly a remarkable experience when you encounter a scene that is both sung and danced. Normally, one pays to witness such a performance; now, I was being compensated for watching it.
DEL TORO I’ve received the go-ahead. Just letting you know that more often than not, we visit places like this, theaters, with the expectation of watching a movie. Tonight, I believe we were incredibly lucky to have witnessed just that. So, thank you very much.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-26 22:55