Case Study: Slurp

Films about human groups

“I write films about human groups, often gathered around a table, sharing a meal or birthday cake. It is in its atmospheres that I try to distil drama and comic, relying on characters that I try to carve in opposite directions. I try to talk about rejection, love, complicity and betrayal. The idea of ​​this film appeared while I was meditating on the place of elderly people in our families in France.”

Only a couple of minutes

“I wrote the script alone, in a few minutes. The alterations took place after having told my idea to a few ears of attention and confidence. During the shooting, we followed the script carefully. I work based on the script and 99% storyboard. After discussions with my staged adviser (Akaki Popkhadze), we added a plan, which extended the reflection time of the grandson’s character.”

Gestures and looks

“The scenes came suddenly, when I had the idea of ​​the main tension of the film. It is a film without dialogue, I recalled my memories and my visions to establish a whole list of gestures and looks which make all the dramaturgy.”

“For the photography I worked with trusted people (Justin Vaudaux and Akaki Popkhadze), showing them dozens of reference photos and paintings and taking them to the set several times. We have prepared a lot of the atmosphere of the film, retouching every detail, every object.”

No budget, no decor, no actors to pay

“The production was pretty easy because I immediately thought of my grandmother and my cousin to play the main roles, two friend actors for the secondary roles, and the family home of my grandparents for the location. No budget, decor or actors to start! Then I called on friends who were happy to help out on the set. I only had to pay some equipment costs, a few train tickets, and meals, which are, in my eyes, the base of an effective filming (I am French and greedy). I financed the film entirely and Marina Barabanova helped me to produce all this in accordance with the rules.”

“We shot 3 days to take the time to do well, each plan requiring, as I said, a lot of precision. Colin, my little cousin and lead actor, was a novice actor and was 3 years old. He needed to leave the set, play in the garden, etc. My grandmother needed to rest. I did not want to rush them, so I decided to shoot for three days.”

In the love of cinema

“Everything during the production went at best. Believe me or not: it was sunny all three days and it began to rain as soon as the shooting ended. At a moment of difficulty a fly landed on Colin’s hand, forcing him to focus (which was very random) and allowing us to have a perfect grip. The elements were with us, I believe, and everything happened in the times and in the good mood of the shared effort, in the love of the cinema!”

Staying true to the first vision

“I edited the film with Justin Vaudaux. Again, I followed the script and the storyboard thoroughly. I had this story in mind from the beginning, to the second, and I never detached myself from the origins of it, from my instinct and my first vision.”

A fresh and deep sound

“Justin Vaudaux and I recreated all the sound for the film. No direct catch on the set, but all in post-production. The music was composed by Guillaume Ferran, my best friend and musician of great talent. He offered me this song and I immediately accepted its presence in the film, which I find fresh and deep. Justin Vaudaux also did the work on the colors, which I wanted very bright and a little dusty.”

Slurp going to the festivals

“Slurp has been selected in Clermont, New York, Berlin, Dingle, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Eindhoven, and has received some awards. It’s a huge pleasure every time. I make my grandmother travel around the world!”

A piece of advice

“Follow your silence, listen to your visions, take notes when necessary, and hold on.”