BRUNO DUMON: ARMENIA SEEMS VERY INTERESTING AND FAMILIAR TO ME
Noyan Tapan
Jul 16 2007
YEREVAN, JULY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. French producer Bruno Dumon, who is a
philosopher by profession and education, took part in the competitive
program of feature films of the fourth international festival "Golden
Apricot" with the "Flandria" film. The famous producer shot this
film in 2005 and thus introduced the life of modern young farmers
in the Flandria settlement, which is in the north of France, where
everything turns inside out on account of an unexpected war.
"This film, however, is not about war: when I was shooting this film,
I was interested not in the historical exactness of facts but in the
perception of what is a war as a feeling, love, passion, brutality,"
the author of the film said during the meeting with journalists,
which was held on July 13.
In Bruno Dumon’s perception, every act of brutality is brought forth
by a desire to struggle. It should also be mentioned that the film
"Flandria" was awarded with the main prize of the judges in the Cannes
film festival last year.
The producer spoke about the achievements of the world and French
films and mentioned that when a film is being created, in general,
the factor of time is certainly taken into consideration, when certain
subjects become "fashionable" and are in demand. In his opinion,
the same subjects are mainly touched upon in all the films: love,
betrayal, violence, just the ways and methods of their presentation are
different. "Irrespective of the fact that the subject of violence is
much spoken about, it is another way of showing our very strive to get
rid of that sense of violence," he said. As for the choice of actors
for his films, he attached importance to their inner insubordination
and the capacities to create.
The French art critic mentioned that he is happy to take part in the
"Golden Apricot" festival and that he is deeply impressed by Armenian
landscapes.
"Yesterday, when I was returninhg from Lake Sevan, I took some black
stones, which you call "Satani kar" (Stone of the Devil). When I
touched them and felt their coldness, I seemed to feel the whole
Armenia through them, which seemed very interesting and familiar to
me," he said. According to the French producer, Armenian landscapes
are likely to be used in his films in future.
The filmography of the famous producer comprises a number of films,
which brought reputation to him as a producer of extraordinary
way of thinking, who is looking clearly at the surrounding world
and understands reality directly. His first feature film, that is,
"The life of Jesus", was awarded with "Golden Camera" and "Jean Vigo"
prizes of the Cannes festival in 1997.
One of his stormy victories was the fact of receiving the three
principle prizes during the same festival for the film "Humanity".