Cedric Klapisch's Paris(2008) was recently screened at '2nd Rendezvous with French Cinema' in 'Bonjour India'.Ameya Bahulekar and Sean Sequeira had a chat with the director about the film and film-making in general. This is what the French director had to say...

Your latest film ‘Paris’ is going to be screened at the festival. What is it about?
It is an attempt to describe the city Paris. It’s a movie with a lot of characters. It’s like a portrait of today’s Paris shown through its varied characters.

You were also a short film maker. Could you share about how you started as director?
I studied film initially in France. Then I studied for two years at the New York University. So I guess I have a knack for two cultures i.e. how I make films in France and in how I make them in America. But I came back to France to make films here. I feel more of a French film maker. And with the short movies I made, I learnt how to establish a tone which is very important.

What are your influences?
Federico Fellini and Akira Kurosawa are important directors for me. And other people who were story tellers and trusted the actors. I like how they know to describe everyday’s life. It is an interesting thing to think about.

What do you have to say about the screening of French films in ‘2nd Rendezvous with French Cinema’ as a part of ‘Bonjour India’?
Exchanging ideas is a change we should make possible. For me, globalization is not about products that travel, it is really about minds that travel. So I think it is really important that we see movies from India and Indians should see films from Europe and only from France. Of course it’s a market thing; but about ideas and about exchanging cultures. I feel good about it.

As a movie maker do you think it is essential to have a message in a film?
For me it has to speak something deep. Also, if it’s too entertaining then it’s boring. So, I think it should be a combination of two things. It is possible to speak of life and spirit. People like Woody Allen really talk to your mind and to your soul and yet it’s entertaining. So I really like how it is possible to combine both the two elements.

How has French cinema transitioned since the new wave?
Now it is a new generation. The ‘new wave’ is not ‘new’ anymore. It’s a very important change that every young director has in mind. It’s much more plot oriented today or entertainment oriented. The freedom that they previously had at the start, like shooting on the spot without the script is something we aim at doing. The movies can change and evolve by trying different things. So we think we can be experimental without being too scientific. It gives us a sense of creativity.

With a lot young French directors coming up, could be the start of 2nd ‘new wave?’
I think so. The directors in France are different from each other. There are a lot of genres, all dealing with different things. A lot of women directors are also coming up. In France we have 60% male directors and 40% female directors. It’s a lot more compared to other countries. So I think that also is a sense of creation as a women’s look is also very new and important.

Do you have any advice for upcoming filmmakers?
You have to be an opportunist. It is good to plan as much as you can but you have trust the fact that what happens during the shooting is very important. Also, you have to have the freedom to change at the last minute. Very often your own intuition can be put to good use. For example if you want to shoot in an empty street and its crowded, it is better to always know how a situation can be made (what you planned) better. It doesn’t cause disappointment.

Any project in the pipeline?
I am scripting a comedy. I have started casting for it. It is about the financial crisis. So I am making fun of something which is not really funny.