Claire Denis, Uplifting Humanity through Film

Film is a force for opinion for director Claire Denis (77). What are the perspectives like?

KOMPAS/RIANA A IBRAHIM

French director, Claire Denis, taught a class at Qumra 2024 held at the Museum of Islamic Arts in Doha, Qatar on March 2, 2024.

After more than three decades of work, the French director and screenwriter, Claire Denis (77), uses films as a means of voicing her views and feelings. With films, he hopes to contribute to building a better world for everyone who lives in it.

Wearing a black blazer combined with jeans and boots, Denis climbed the stage in the auditorium of the Museum of Islamic Arts, Doha, Qatar, on Saturday (2/3/2024) morning. He, who admitted that he was not fit that day because he had just landed in Doha after an almost seven hour flight from Paris to Doha, still showed enthusiasm to fill the class for two hours.

Denis' experience is indeed worth sharing with new filmmakers who attend the class and take part in a week of training at Qumra 2024. Denis is one of the most successful female directors and screenwriters with works that have appeared at various world film festivals, such as Cannes, Locarno, Berlin and Venice.

A total of 16 long films were born from his hands. His first film, entitled Chocolat (1988), immediately succeeded in entering the Cannes Film Festival to compete for the Palme D'Or at that time. Even though it didn't win, this film about a woman who befriends her housekeeper while living in Cameroon, Africa, stole attention because of its lawsuit against the class system that gave rise to racism in the future.

The choice of location in Africa is related to Denis' childhood, growing up in several French-occupied countries in Africa such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Senegal, and French Somaliland which is currently Djibouti. Denis' father was a civil servant assigned to these countries. However, Denis returned to France at the age of 12 due to being stricken with polio and needing medical treatment.

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However, from his childhood, Denis' perspective in seeing injustice was honed. Even the education he received influenced the films he made.

KOMPAS/RIANA A IBRAHIM

The expression of the French director, Claire Denis, when teaching a class at Qumra 2024 held at the Museum of Islamic Arts, Doha, Qatar, on March 2, 2024.

"At that time, we understood the need for independence for the African people. My father also said the same thing, although he worked for France. He taught me and my siblings to understand the negative effects of colonization," explained Denis, who felt out of place in France when he was younger.

Apart from Chocolat, he also directed the film White Material (2009) which raised the theme of Africa and the conflict of resistance to colonialism. Not only about colonialism and politics, Denis also plays with social criticism in everyday life, such as Nenette et Boni (1996) which took home the Golden Leopard from the Locarno Film Festival.

The film is also about building relationships. That is very important. Especially since I am a very pessimistic and sometimes impatient person, it is enjoyable to find a solid team that can talk casually about work.

Denis, who admitted that he was happy with films because they gave him free space to explore anything, impressed him again with his courage in raising the theme of soldiers returning home from war through the film Beau Travail (1999).

"If you say that Denis is very brave in entering a masculine theme, what does he know? I once thought that being a man would be nice, if I were a man. But, in fact, they are also humans, they have many sides. This arose after I accidentally met a soldier who had just returned from war. "So, this is indeed my independent point of view regarding fellow humans," said Denis, who is one of the influential female directors in the world.

He also produced drama films such as Let The Sunshine In (2017) and Both Sides ofThe Blades (2022) which was awarded the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlin Film Festival. Denis entrusted the main roles in these two drama films to French actress Juliette Binoche, who has repeatedly worked with Denis.

JOHN PHILLIPS

Richard Pena (left) leads a Qumra Masterclass session with French director, Claire Denis, at the Museum of Islamic Arts in Doha, Qatar on March 2, 2024.

”The film is about building relationships too. That's very important. "Moreover, I am a very pessimistic person and sometimes impatient, so it's nice to find a solid work team and can talk casually about work," said Denis, who even avoided selecting players through casting.

Talking about a solid relationship, Denis proves it not only through collaboration with the same actors and actresses for several titles. Agnès Godard, a cinematographer, is someone he trusts greatly. Out of 16 films he has made, Denis has worked with Godard on 11 of them.

Making decision

His success in the film industry apparently also began with his awareness to determine his own fate. Initially, he studied economics. "It was like committing suicide. The days I spent just made me angry," he said while laughing.

Until 1969, he continued his studies at a film school, L’Institut des Hautes Études Cinématographiques (IDHEC), which is now renamed La Femis. After graduating in 1971, he began to immerse himself in the world of film, helping a number of directors such as Jacques Rivette, Robert Enrico, Costa-Gravas, and Wim Wenders. It was from Wenders that Denis received the inspiration to make his own films.

Moreover, Denis feels that there are many things he wants to voice and share with others. Film, for him, is a means of expressing opinions and sharing perspectives. "I'm just sharing a vision. Through this film, I want the cruelty in this world to decrease. If it's for a peaceful world, it seems unlikely. So, at least cruelty can be reduced," he said.

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On this basis, he was active in various humanitarian actions related to fighting injustice, violence and cruelty. One of them, in December 2023, he and 50 filmmakers signed an open letter published in the newspaper Liberation regarding the push for a ceasefire in Gaza, urging Israel to stop attacks that killed many civilians, and allow humanitarian aid to enter. Palestine.

Even at the age of 70, Denis still has many dreams. In fact, he is still preparing to work on his new film this year. Finally, in 2022, his film Stars at Noon (2022) won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. “Some say I will retire. It doesn't feel like it. "I will stop only when I am no longer in this world," he concluded.

Place of birth: Paris, April 21, 1946

Education: L’Institut des Hautes Études Cinématograpiques (IDHEC)