Cedric Klapisch: “You Learn Cinema By Doing Things Not By Advice”
Cedric Klapisch is a French film director, screenwriter, and producer. After studying at the NYU film school in the 80’s, he returned to France where he directed Un Air de Famille, for which he received a Cesar [the French Oscar]. He’s famous for many other movies, his biggest box-office success being The Spanish Apartment. In 2019, he released his latest movie, Someone, Somewhere. He is passionate about dance and is currently writing a feature film about dancers.
You lived in New York City for three years, in the 80’s when you studied at NYU and in 2012 while preparing the shooting of your feature film, Chinese Puzzle. If you had to pick one memory of New York City, which one would it be?
Overall, the two years at NYU were pretty intense, but the second time when I was shooting Chinese Puzzle, hurricane Sandy landed and it was extreme. We weren’t allowed to shoot in the streets, due to the weather. It was a feature film with about a hundred people. All of a sudden, we were ten shooting in the streets. It felt very much like shooting a student movie. It was a funny way to end the shooting. I miss New York. I was supposed to come to New York in March but the latest news postponed my venue.
You started by making short movies at NYU, before making feature films. How do you transit from one to the other?
It was very difficult for me to go from making short movies to making a feature movie. At NYU film school, I made a lot of shorts and felt like I knew how to make a feature film as well, even though I had never tried. I started to write a feature film and realized that there was a skill I was missing: the control of time. Having control over the duration of a movie is essential when making a feature film.
Since you experienced both, what are the differences between shooting a movie in the U.S. [New York] and shooting a movie in France?
New York is controlled by unions like SAG. There are many rules to follow, and it became extremely complicated to shoot there. Another difference is that shooting in New York is expensive; everything relates to money. So, if you have the money, you can get better places. In France, you can find nice locations which aren’t that expensive. Overall, there are too many shootings in New York so the competition makes life difficult for filmmakers.
Can you describe your latest movie, Someone, Somewhere?
The movie questions what is a relationship and how is it possible to meet someone when you’re single in a big city. What makes you meet that person? So it’s really about the mystery of being attracted, the mystery of love, and why you pick that one person in a million.
The characters are going through a depression. When did you ever feel the most vulnerable?
When I was 20 and a student, I went through depression. I know I made this movie because of that. Even though it was a short-term depression, I had insomnia. It was like the character Remy in the movie. One day, I had a dream and spoke about it to a psychologist. He explained it to me. The day after I was cured. It was a crazy experience, as if talking could cure something I didn’t even think was important. It’s crazy how a few words can help so much - can help your health.
Are there more and more people going through depression today?
Psychotherapists say they are seeing more and more patients. I think it’s a very strange thing related to social media. They are meant to bring people together - to connect them - when in fact, it creates solitude and loneliness. Jealousy is very different today than it was 20 years ago. When a couple separates, for example, it’s better for both parties not to see the each other’s Instagram or Facebook accounts. It makes people crazy. I think social media has brought new ways of being depressed
You’re writing a movie about dance. How do you capture the emotion of a ballet in a movie?
It’s hard to film a live performance. Most of the time you miss something when filming. There is no magic trick about how to film it - no rules. That’s why I like it; you have to find the solution by yourself.
In an interview with the ballet dancer, Aurelie Dupont, you asked her the following question: "If you had to say one thing to the little girl you were when you started dancing, what would it be?” What would you tell yourself when you started doing filmmaking?
I guess, just do things. I think when you’re a young filmmaker you have so many things to learn and by doing and trying things, you learn, not by advice, by a book, or by classes. Also, I was shy, so in order to get more confidence, I would tell the young me to do something, even if it’s not great. Just to do it.