In the beginning, there were short fiction films. Three of them. I hope to have learned something from their successes and failures, partly due to the same cause: the will to maintain control. I still believe that everything I may do later is contained in its buds, not in its dramatic expression, but in its images (framing, light, camera movements, rhythm).
Then there was a long silence after which, to my surprise, I directed two documentaries dedicated to artists: “La mano azul” and “Elegía del trópico.” Until then, the sixth continent of cinema, that is, documentary film, had been far away. Just like literary fiction, it arrived without me seeking it.
Despite having directed little, I was able to verify that fiction and documentary are not at all opposed, but complementary, to the point that I am convinced that my fiction feature films will retain a documentary imprint.
Then came the stimulating experience of “Héloïse,” a short fiction film constructed from images of amateur documentary film, what some today call found footage. It was fascinating to return to celluloid, to give a second life and a second meaning to the shots filmed from fourteen different film archives.
I am currently developing several fiction feature film projects.
My perception is as follows: whoever wants to direct fiction must be able to take the floor with force and clarity; whoever wants to dedicate themselves to documentary film must above all know how to listen. Beloved by the gods is the one who combines both qualities. The director of a fiction film takes the reins, the director of a documentary works by impregnation and pretends to be carried away by what happens.
In my opinion, the practice of documentary brings empathy to the fiction director, who is sometimes too obsessed with the technique that he confuses with the staging, and helps him choose the narrative point of view. On the other hand, the ability to film fictions reinforces dramatic rigor and aesthetic coherence in the documentary approach.
The more open fiction is, the closer it gets to documentary film. This porosity between both forms of expression is stimulating, as old as cinema is, and in my case it has led me to welcome the unexpected with pleasure.
