The Festival International du Film indépendant de Bordeaux – FIFIB edition 2015, which was held from 8 to 14 October, celebrating this year the heroes, and even heroines. The women were in the spotlight as well in this selection, that the side members of the jury competition of Feature films, with the Chairperson Valéria Golino, Céline Sciamma, and Clemence Poesy.
We have had the chance to interview long – Céline Sciamma, director of Birth of the octopus, Tomboy and, more recently, Bands of girls or co-writer of Bird People by Pascale Ferran. She has spoken to us with sincerity of his commitment and his passion for cinema, the sense of its participation in the FIFIB, that represents the price for it and its projects.
What does it mean to you to be a member of a festival jury ?
– Céline Sciamma : I selected the place and the time of my participation in juries, I’ve already done to the Critics ‘ Week in Cannes or La Roche-sur-Yon and I appreciate the youth of the FIFIB. The festival, which is happening on a very short time, allows to depart from the world, to engage his gaze. This is not a break, on the contrary it is in motion while reflecting on the film, regardless of the quality and the vocation of films.
My idea of being sworn-in, it is to show kindness to the work of the filmmakers, to respect it, even if I don’t agree with the film. I am conscious of the time that one spends to make a movie, and paradoxically, to me that puts the bar very high for my own films, I am more lenient with the other. In general, I am engaged in the work of others, through the commissions to the TNC in particular. ( Editor’s NOTE : she is the president for 2014 of the Commission’s New Media Centre National du Cinema et de l’image animée )
What do you hope to find at Fifib, which claims to be both strange, funny, committed and romantic ?
– C. S : The festival offers a nice program, resistant, and political ; in fact, there is an urgency to be vigilant, to question. I don’t expect anything in particular, I want to be thrilled by the world of a filmmaker. The cinema, for me is to open spaces for dialogue. I have a requirement of thought that invoice. But the FIFIB, it is also the animation of places, and I find it pleasant to be able to meet filmmakers, even if I am subject to my right to reserve !
What do you think of the idea of independence in Cinema ?
– C. S : Is often associated with independence of the concept of freedom. This is a big issue : independence is the freedom? It should still be money to be free ! Today, it operates in a system in transition, which should reinvent a balance between independence and of the cultural exception, in France as in Europe. This is the same question of a prototype of the film : freedom is the right to invent its rules within constraints : the film is really a place of resistance.
![[FIFIB 2015] INTERVIEW de Céline Sciamma](http://penelopethemovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/fifib-2015-interview-de-c-line-sciamma-2.jpg)
Your film Strip filles (Girlhood) has been selected this year in the category Spotlight at Sundance, which celebrates the independence. What conclusions can you draw from the american experience ?
– C. S : there’s some spooky absolute to confront the u.s. territory ! The question of the independence of thought by Robert Redford, that I had the chance to meet, is clearly political and on the side of the safety of the filmmakers and I felt a real solidarity between all of us. The experiences on this continent are powerful, there really is a dynamic new media, new possible narration. They are really pioneers at Sundance.
It was also important for me to participate in this festival worship because the story of my film had a strong resonance with the representation of the black population in the United States. The film has received a very good reception at Sundance and then to New York , even if I almost did not be able to arrive on time because of a snow storm !
It represents what for you to have a price in a festival ?
– C. S : It matters of course, it’s been a pleasure, and it gives you courage. But this is at a time T, this is not a fulfilment in the absolute. In my first competition, I was hectic to be judged, I was afraid of a penalty. Today, I am not disappointed not to have a price, it is already good to be part of a selection of films. What matters to me, it is an ideal balance between the recognition of professionals, the public criticism and the outside. And until now, I acknowledge that I have been lucky, I’ve always met the public, I have not had to deal with an industrial accident and so I haven’t had the need to put in place dynamics comforter.
“The film is opening spaces for dialogue and there is an urgency to be vigilant, to question.”
What is your relationship to film critics ?
– C. S : The critics look at and think about the movies, this is not a sanction for opinion. The criticism is sometimes prescriptrice. But today, it is an object mutation, with a micro criticism via Twitter. I did just tweet myself, but I’m going to see what was said.
You go often to the cinema ?
– C. S : I have a lot of appetite for the movies, but I do not go there often, I work by period. The last film that I was delighted it is Vice Versa !
What are your plans ?
– C. S : I do not work with projects of films to be thought out in advance, as I have not finished to go until the end of my movies, like Band of girls that I presented in a quarantine rooms, followed by discussions.
I am also a screenwriter, this is another place that allows me to confront the world of other filmmakers. It is a lot of work, but I love to write and I love the idea of a craft of the writing. I co-wrote When it was 17 years of André Téchiné (a theatrical release on march 30, 2016). I’m also working on the screenplay for the first film of Jean-Baptiste de Laubier (aka Para One), who has composed music for my films.
+ The selection of the FIFIB 2015.
+ Read our track record and balance sheet of the FIFIB 2015.
+ Read our interview with Valéria Golino, president of the Jury Competition of Feature Films of the FIFIB 2015.
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