"The Path I Didn't Choose" Director Sally Potter How do we connect with people? [Director's Interview Vol.185]

Movies have the potential to resonate all over the world.

Q: The shots captured by cinematographer Robbie Ryan in New York, Mexico and Greece were very convincing and all of the images were beautiful.

Potter: Robbie tries to give each story a visual identity, especially when it comes to color. In Greece, he used blues and whites that evoked the sea and sky, in Mexico he used rusty colors, and in New York he used dry air. His choice of lens and handheld effects also helped create images with a very intimate atmosphere.

He is the type of person who finds the angle intuitively, so I stood right next to him, shoulder to shoulder with him, and we explored the angle together. From whose point of view should this shot be captured? We discussed that as we proceeded with the shoot.

“The path I didn’t choose” © BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION AND THE BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE AND AP (MOLLY) LTD. 2020

Q: I heard that the filming took place in a tight 26-day period. I was surprised that a master director like you could make a film under such constraints. I'm even more surprised that you were able to make such a rich film despite that. Filmmaking is an artistic activity that requires a large number of people and is carried out under constraints, but how do you perceive "filmmaking"?

Potter: Writing a script takes the longest time, and it's a solitary task, but after the script is completed, more and more people gather for production, and the peak is on the set. Because the shooting period is tight, it's kind of crazy at that moment (laughs).

After filming is over, the number of people decreases and it's just me and the editor who continue editing. Here, just like writing a script, the slow and careful work begins again. The best part of filmmaking is seeing the number of people involved change from one person to a large number of people.

Also, filmmaking involves many different elements, such as scriptwriting, which involves choosing words, filming, which involves deciding on colors and composition, editing, which involves manipulating time, and so on. The process of integrating all of these elements is also a big attraction. And the finished film has the potential to resonate with people all over the world, transcending different cultures and languages. I think that's really wonderful.

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Writer, director, composer and co-editor: Sally Potter

Born in London, England in 1949, he made his first 8mm film at the age of 14. Since then, he has directed nine feature films and short films such as "Play" (1970) and "Thriller" (1979). He has a long career in the fields of choreography, music, performance art, and experimental film, including writing and directing television series, opera (English National Opera's "Carmen" in 2007), and stage direction. His bold film adaptation of Virginia Woolf's classic novel "Orlando" (1992) was nominated for the 66th Academy Awards (Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design), and has won numerous other film awards, making him one of the world's most well-known directors. She was nominated for a BAFTA for her role in Tango Lessons (1997), followed by other films such as The Voice That Lives (2000), Love Letters (2004), Rage (2009), The Party (2012), and Rage (2017). She is known for her innovative style and risk-taking themes, and has worked with many of the biggest names in film. Her films have won over 40 international awards. London's BFI Southbank, New York's MoMA, and Madrid's Cinematheque have all held comprehensive retrospectives of her film and video work. In 2012, she was awarded an OBE.

Interview and text: Fumio Koda

Editorial staff and writer for CINEMORE. My favorite movies are ``The Goonies'' and ``Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.'' My recent favorites are 4K digitally remastered classics by Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu.

"The Road Not Chosen"

Released nationwide on Friday, February 25th at Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho and other locations

Official site

© BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION AND THE BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE AND AP (MOLLY) LTD. 2020