George Benlian on movies, books and few other things

Master class with Bertrand Tavernier

Spending several hours in the company of a talented and well respected movie director doesn't happen often. Being able to talk with him sharing common knowledge or asking questions are all part of an enriching experience.

The master class was an invitation to the work of Bertrand Tavernier, a cineaste who has made 20 feature movies, 2 short ones, 5 documentaries and who has written thousands of pages about the world of the cinema and in particular the american movies. A man who has interviewed great Hollywood directors such as John Ford and Raoul Walsh. A movie buff who has played a major role in discovering Michael Powell and Andre De Toth as important filmmakers in France. Tavernier is also the director who has worked closely with many great faces of French cinema starting of course with Philippe Noiret on top of the list and adding names such as Romy Schneider, Jean Rochefort, Harvey Keitel, Michel Galabru, Sabine Azema, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Phlippe Torreton, Claude Rich, Jacques Gamblin, Marie Gilain and recently Tommy Lee Jones.

In 1961, aged 20 he was the fourth assistant director of Jean-Pierre Melville. "Although a master of film noir, it was a nightmare to work for Melville. I got fired after two movies and found employment as movie promoter the same day. This was the era of the New Wave cinema and therefore have promoted various French classics like "Lola" by Jacques Demy and "Cleo de 5 a 7" by Agnes Varda"

It was crucial for Tavernier to be ready as a human being who has lived to direct his first feature film. "L'horloger de Saint Paul" released in early 1974 was avoided by all French producers. Without the perseverence of its main actor, Philippe Noiret, the movie would have never existed. The success however enabled Bertrand to continue a career as a director prefering  historical subjects from contemporary ones. Saying this he has made some wonderful contemporary movies as well showing society issues such as the life of a policeman in "L627", how things could go really bad among three young people in "L'appat" (known as "Fresh bait" in english) and alarming sad realities of families in "Ca commence aujourd'hui" know in english as "It all starts tommorrow"

"Film should be like exploring". I did use the word "explorer" about him in my previous text. This time i can definitely confirm; he is the quintessential explorer.

The masterclass covered many themes that are always present in Tavernier's works. Political meaning and signification are two major components in most of his work."It is imperative to be honest to it's own sensitivities".  The dramaturgie in his movies is well structured and always hide the possiblity to predict.  Guessing the next scene could be a sign of weakness in both the narrative and the visual parts of the movie. Tavernier is avoids to have answers to everything. This allows the audience to actually think further in search of possible answers. Any person who finds the process of making a movie as an interesting subject to explore, then listening to him is a  major lesson of cinema.

The website senses of cinema has a comprehensive article on Tavernier.

http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/tavernier.html#web

"Cambodia is where people smile with a broken heart"

Bertrand Tavernier is a curious man. As a film maker, he is also an explorer eager to find out about a subject through the making of a movie. He made "Holy Lola" in 2004. It all starts with the curiosity of learning about how french nationals adopt a child in Cambodia. A subject rich enough to create a touching movie as well to film the smiling people with a broken heart of a suffering nation

Bertrand Tavernier introduced the film at the Australian Film Television and Radio school. He is in Australia for a week and is participating in various events held in Canberra, Sydney and Perth. Last time he was in my adopted country in June 1999. Nearly a decade afte, he has remained the same great communicator who simply makes you love the cinema more after listening to him.

"Holy Lola" is a powerful yet a very simple movie shot in Cambodia. Embracing a new culture is not new for Tavernier. He has done this few times before and his very last movie that hasn't been released yet was entirely shot in Louisiana.

The adventure of a couple in search of a child to adopt in Cambodia can be used as a one line summary. However, Tavernier is a gifted camera narrator. "Holy Lola" invites us to share the difficulties, frustations, joy, despair and hope on going into such a poor country and trying to deal with corruption as well as with heart warming locals. Discovering a different culture can be a mesmerising experience with contradictory feelings. "Holy Lola" shows this perfectly despite all the difficulties encoutered by these french couples in search of a child.

Tavernier has always been a family oriented creator. His first movie talks about a father despair for his condemned son. In "Un dimanche a la campagne", a family reunion is shown at the turn of last century. In "Daddy Nostalgie" it's all about relationship between a dying father and his daughter. In "Holy Lola" he is showing how difficult it could be sometime for a loving couple to have a family of their own. 

Tavernier is passionate on what he does. At the end of the movie, he answered during more than half  an hour various questions asked by the audience. I asked him whether it was complicated to make a movie in a poor country with no national cinema. Tavernier is a world citizen although when he is in his country his movies have strong elements of French society and in some cases of French History. "Holy Lola" is however a universal project. The Asian context is used as the heart of this story. A sad reality is evident throughout the film. The most touching scene for me was when at the end the couple took Holy Lola - their adopted daughter from the nanny who was looking after her in the orphanage.

Improvisation played a great role in the making of "Holy Lola". An unpredictable country will definitely procure opportunity to create scenes on the spot. Listening to Tavernier, it's mind blowing how the making of a film is a collaborative effort.

Tavernier loves his actors. You can feel this just by watching them. Every few years he tries new people and until now i cannot remember of an actor who was mediocre in a Tavernier movie.The role of Jacques Gamblin and Isabelle Carre could have been played by Philippe Noiret and Romy Schneider in the seventees, by Gerard Lanvin and Nathalie Baye in the eightees, by Philippe Torreton and Sophie Marceau in the ninetees... He is a definite actor's man.

Highly recommended!

A week end with legendary French director Bertrand Tavernier

This week end i will be spoiled. I will be spending more than ten hours over two days with the French director Bertrand Tavernier who is visiting Sydney for the second time. In June 1999, he was a guest of Sydney Film Festival and back then i wrote a text in French about him. Here is an extract in english translation.

Spending 150 unforgetable minutes listening to one of France most respected filmmakers, Bertrand Tavernier is an enriching experience. I think it is Philippe Noiret who has said about him: "Tavernier is a living encyclopedia". If you are lucky to meet this man, you will understand what the famous french actor meant to say.Listening to Tavernier makes you think in new perspective.

Bertrand Tavernier is a man of passion. When he talks about a subject, he is truly absorbed by it. His words have always determination and his believes have profound certainty. The tonality in his voice is enough to pass a message without ambiguity. As a filmmaker being so convincing is a definite advantage specialy when you are sensitive on social issues.

Listening to Tavernier helps to understand and to better appreciate his cinema. He makes you think about certain difficult issues that normaly we may be tempted to ignore. His excellent communication, his choice of words, his legendary eloquence are all his tools to be heard. I noticed this years ago when i heard an interview with him. He was talking about Alexandre Dumas and the musketeers at that time; he could be talking about social disavantages in the eve of the twentieth century France or about Jean-Pierre Melville- the best representative of French Film noir, the listener would definitely seek more information about the subject because of Bertrand persuasive talent of sharing something with someone.

Bertrand Tavernier belongs to a generation of filmmakers that has always interested me the most. Born in 1941 in Lyon, he created in the sixties the profession "attache presse" by promoting movies through their distribution. A critic for Positive magazine and in charge of programing various cinematheques, Tavernier played an essential role in the emergence of various directors with great talent bit little recognition until then. In 1973, he made his first movie adapted from a novel by crime writer Georges Simenon. "L'horloger de Saint Paul" with Philippe Noiret and Jean Rochefort, adapted by Aurenche and Bost and having Alexandre Trauner as the set decorator, this movie existed with enormous difficulties and without Noiret's help, Tavernier was probably going to wait longer to start making his own movies. When you listen to Tavernier you realise this man has worked with some great names like Alfred Adam and Renee Faure for exemple. And then my three favourite actors; Philippe Noiret, Jean Rochefort and Jean-Pierre Marielle have worked with him on several occasions.

At the conference, few famous Australian faces were among the audience. People like Dr George Miller who has a plan to create a cinematheque in every major capital cities of Australia. Tavernier knows about cinematheques better than anyone. An avid goer of the Cinematheque Francaise from the time when Henri Langlois used to program to the establishment of the Lumiere Institute in Lyon and the numerous projects such as publishing and conferences that are undertaken since so many years, Tavernier is in all front.

"Life will be boring if things will be easy" is a phrase that stayed in my mind. What a great way to conclude.

The above is only an extract taken from more than six pages. In 1999, i met Tavernier 4 times. I was introduced to him by Barrie Patterson as "The crazy young man of French movies". Almost ten years later, i will have again the opportunity to listen to him twice. More to come of course...