Sophie Barthes is a Franco-American filmmaker. Her directorial debut, “Cold Souls,” was launched by Samuel Goldwyn and performed in competitors on the Sundance Film Festival. Her second characteristic, “Madame Bovary,” was launched in 2015 after premiering at Telluride.
“The Pod Generation” is screening on the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, which runs from January 19-29.
W&H: Describe the movie for us in your individual phrases.
SB: “The Pod Generation” is a thought-provoking humanistic surrealist satire a couple of society head over heels in love with know-how. Set within the not-so-distant future, my intention with this movie is to lift questions on our relationship to know-how and the the potential penalties of its unregulated intrusion into our intimacy.
This is the story of a pair and the gestation of their child in a man-made womb. The tone is playful and satirical with incursions into profound advanced feelings round parenthood.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
SB: I’ve a dream journal and once I was anticipating my daughter I wrote down all of the extremely unusual desires I had throughout my being pregnant. The desires have been so vivid, poetic, and unsettling that I wished to place them in a movie.
I additionally was very influenced by “Brave New World.” I learn it as a pre-teen and the ebook had a profound impact on me. I like science fiction as a style and all of the potential philosophical questions it raises. But unusually in movie, the sci-fi style could be very male dominated. I’m fascinated with exploring “feminine science fiction” on-screen. I’m undecided easy methods to outline it exactly, however hopefully if you’ll see the movie you’ll perceive what I imply.
It doesn’t must comply with all of the tropes of basic sci-fi movies: interplanetary warfare, aliens, time journey, parallel universes, monsters. I believe you’ll be able to create sci-fi with themes and points which might be very relatable, virtually a part of our each day lives however give it a twist that makes it sci-fi. It’s the “What if…” state of affairs. What if infants may gestate in pods? What can be the implications for us people? I’m additionally very interested in the concept of the commodification of all the things. In my first movie, human souls might be extracted and shops to alleviate us from our existential burden. In this movie, the “ultra solution” for moms is the factitious womb. But is it actually the answer?
W&H: What would you like individuals to consider after they watch the movie?
SB: First of all, I’d love for the viewers to “feel” one thing for the movie after which to assume! I believe the fantastic thing about presenting a movie to an viewers is that every viewers member is exclusive, so every response is all the time private and distinctive. Films function like mirrors: we challenge a part of ourselves on the movie. It’s not a one-way relationship. I believe a movie tries to convey concepts, an aesthetic expertise, feelings, and so forth., however the viewers members additionally challenge their very own life expertise on the movie.
I simply hope this movie will make the viewers snigger at occasions — because it’s a satire — and in addition take into consideration their relationship to know-how in the present day: is it a wholesome relationship? Does it appear unhinged? Why are we so seduced by know-how? What does it say about us as species? I additionally hope it’ll assist girls to really feel that there isn’t any “perfect mother’ and that it is totally fine to be the “good enough” mom, as British pediatrician Donald Winnicott mentioned. My feeling is that there isn’t any “ultra solution.”
W&H: What was the largest problem in making the movie?
SB: Getting the financing collectively was an ordeal. I wished to shoot in New York however everybody within the U.S. noticed this challenge as too dangerous. It’s a visually bold movie. I couldn’t make it for a low funds. When I understood I wouldn’t get it financed within the U.S. I seemed for financing in Europe and made the movie as a European co-production. I believe it’s been 4 years within the making!
W&H: How did you get your movie funded?
SB: The movie was made independently as a European co-production which is all the time a mixture of overseas gross sales, smooth cash, regional funds, tax credit score or tax shelter, fairness, and a few hole financing.
W&H: What impressed you to change into a filmmaker?
SB: When I first watched Woody Allen’s “The Purple Rose of Cairo” as a toddler in a movie show, I used to be utterly blown away and that feeling all the time stayed with me. My mother and father have been cinephiles and, pretty much as good French mother and father, they by no means actually censored the movies we may watch. So very early on I keep in mind watching movies by Bergman, Godard, Kubrick, Westerns, Chaplin, Fellini, and so forth.
I used to be by no means allowed to look at cartoons or Disney movies as a toddler. My mom all the time thought kids ought to have entry to raise tradition even when they might not grasp all the things, one thing would stick. I’m very grateful to her in the present day.
W&H: What’s the most effective and worst recommendation you’ve obtained?
SB: The greatest recommendation was from my husband, Andrij Parekh, who occurs to be a really gifted cinematographer : to by no means quit filmmaking. even when it was very tough career-wise and heartbreaking at occasions. I keep in mind him telling me, “Well if you give up now, you would have just given up.”
The worst recommendation I obtained was most likely from myself! Not trusting my instincts or doubting an excessive amount of. I believe we will be our worse enemies at occasions!
W&H: What recommendation do you will have for different girls administrators?
SB: We are very fortunate that that is the second for feminine administrators! When I began 14 years in the past it was far more tough. I believe it’s a great second to be a feminine director as a result of audiences are open to female-driven films and tales which have fascinating issues to say and discover about girls. So seize the second!
I believe my recommendation can be the identical because the one I as soon as obtained: if that is your true ardour, by no means quit. It’s like crusing: there might be tough waters and storms however when the crusing is easy it’s the most exhilarating occupation you can dream of. It is such a posh and fascinating occupation.
W&H: Name your favourite woman-directed movie and why.
SB: I completely love Agnès Varda’s “Cléo from 5 to 7.” It’s essentially the most poetic, heartbreaking, aesthetic, and shifting portrait of a lady who spends two hours strolling throughout Paris whereas ready for the results of a biopsy. It’s a couple of girl confronting her vulnerability and mortality nevertheless it’s additionally an ode to life. The movie has an ideal female sensibility. And I like that it virtually appears like a documentary. The cinematography is easy however beautiful. It’s a lesson in cinema.
W&H: What, if any, duties do you assume storytellers need to confront the tumult on the planet, from the pandemic to the lack of abortion rights and systemic violence?
SB: As filmmakers it’s our responsibility to confront significant political points and lift questions. Personally, I don’t perceive cinema as mere leisure. I believe movies have an obligation to say one thing significant about humanity. It will be carried out by way of comedy, satire, all kinds of genres. I don’t imply the movies need to be “serious,” however they should say one thing fascinating. Films shouldn’t be lectures and hammer messages, however they need to discover themes and feelings that open up the dialogue and make us perceive a bit higher the human situation.
W&H: The movie business has a protracted historical past of underrepresenting individuals of colour onscreen and behind the scenes and reinforcing — and creating — destructive stereotypes. What actions do you assume must be taken to make Hollywood and/or the doc world extra inclusive?
SB: I believe as administrators we have to solid as racially various as potential so audiences see on-screen a world that displays the truth round us, not a assemble that’s all white.
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