Filming exclusively for AnOther at Liberatum in Hong Kong, Italian filmmakers caught up with English film director, writer and composer Mike Figgis...
Following a succession of festivals across the world, this year saw Liberatum take place in Hong Kong for a rich and diverse cultural programme. Documenting the event exclusively for AnOther, Italian filmmakers Roberto De Paolis and Carlo Lavagna took time out with English film director, writer and composer Mike Figgis who presented his short films featuring David Lynch, Marina Abramovic and the work of Guy Bourdin. Alongside their split-screen documentary film, here De Paolis talks about his experiences with Figgis at the festival...
"Mike was doing a photographic performance which consisted in talking photos of people and then print them right away, giving people the chance to get involved in the whole process of creating a portrait. Like in the streets: you get photographed, or someone makes a portrait of you and then you get it right away, only thing here was Mike Figgis doing it. The interesting thing was seeing him directing people, talking to them, finding the right position, as if they were actors in one of his films. I think he's so interested in taking portraits because that's a way to keep the research always alive on human beings, on their reactions, their secrets, their shyness, from which inspiration come when it's time to think of a story, develop it and shoot it. The feeling we had was that Mike's mission is just to understand what's behind the mask, to try to reveal what really leads people throughout their existences, which fears they are fighting... all the things people don't talk about, all the things people try to hide behind their social attitude."
See our film exclusive with Terence Koh at Liberatum Hong Kong here.
