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Filming conditions in Algeria

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Z
Raoul Coutard Film-maker
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So, well... when we did Z, the problem was a little different because I wasn't aware of it, I think that it was Jacques Perrin's idea since he was the producer. So there weren't any big problems, it wasn't a very complicated film. So it's true that independently from a whole load of problems, which were due to the co-production with the Algerians, we still had a lot of difficulties, which weren't due to the ignorance of the system but more to the organisation. So we started filming and, naturally, we sent the film to get developed in France, meaning that we filmed for around 10 days before... I don't remember why it was that long, we'd filmed for about 10 days before... So it was a film that was planned to last around 10 weeks. We had filmed for close to two weeks before we saw the rushes, and Costa didn't really like the photos. He had told me he didn't really like it. And... well, at the time I remember saying, 'Listen, I think that it's possible that you may not like it, but I think that when it'll be finished you'll find it good'. So he had trusted me, and indeed it went well. He asked me to do the next one.

Alors bon quand on a fait Z, le problème était un petit peu différent, parce que là je ne le connaissais pas, je pense que c'est une idée de Jacques Perrin puisqu'il était producteur... Bon, il n'y avait pas si on veut, disons de gros problème, c'était un film qui n'était pas d'une grande complication. Bon c'est vrai qu'indépendamment de tout un tas de problèmes qui étaient dus à la coproduction avec les Algériens où on avait quand même beaucoup de difficultés, qui n'étaient pas dues à la méconnaissance du système mais dues plus à l'organisation. Bon, disons qu'on a commencé à tourner et puis, naturellement on envoyait la pelloche à développer en France c'est-à-dire qu'on a tourné une dizaine de jours avant que, je ne me souviens plus pour quelle raison ça a été si long, on avait tourné une dizaine de jours avant que... Bon, c'était un film qui était prévu pour faire une dizaine de semaines quand même. On avait tourné quand même disons pas loin de deux semaines avant de voir les rushes, et Costa avait trouvé que les photos ne lui plaisaient pas vraiment. Il m'avait dit, ca ne me plaît pas beaucoup. Et bon à l'époque je me souviens que je lui avais dit, 'Ecoutes je pense que c'est possible que ça te plaise pas, mais je crois que quand ça sera fini tu trouveras ça bien'. Bon il m'avait fait confiance, effectivement ça s'est bien passé, il m'a demandé de faire le suivant.

French cinematographer, Raoul Coutard (1924-2016) was twice nominated for the César Award for best cinematography which he won in 1978 for 'Le Crabe-tambour'. He made over 75 films and documentaries, including 'À Bout de Souffle', Le Mépris' and 'Band à Part'. He was the most acclaimed French cinematographer of his generation and one of the key figures of the New Wave.

Listeners: Bernard Cohn

Benard Cohn is a French filmmaker and writer, who has directed five films as well as numerous documentaries and television series. As an assistant director, he worked with many important filmmakers, including Luis Buñuel, François Jacob, Otto Preminger and Woody Allen. He was a founding member of the Ciné-Qua-Non cinema club and has acted as editor and translator for various publications on the world of cinema.

Bernard Cohn est un réalisateur et écrivain français, ayant réalisé cinq film ainsi que de nombreux reportages et séries télévisées. En tant qu'assistant réalisateur, il a travaillé avec plusieurs grands cinéastes, notamment Luis Buñuel, François Truffaut, Otto Preminger et Woody Allen. Il fut membre fondateur du ciné-club Ciné-Qua-Non et a participé à la rédaction et traduction en anglais, de plusieurs ouvrages sur le cinéma.

Tags: Z, France, Algeria, Costa-Gavras, Jacques Perrin

Duration: 1 minute, 46 seconds

Date story recorded: October 2004

Date story went live: 24 January 2008