Documentary Makers Talk Wellbeing – and the Importance of Sleep – at Ji.hlava Doc Festival: ‘Have a Therapist, Share Responsibility and Build a Community Around Your Film’

As a seasoned film critic with years of experience under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of documentaries that delve into the complexities and hardships of human existence. The insights shared by these talented directors during Ji.hlava Film Festival’s “Conference on Ethics in Documentary Filmmaking” resonated deeply with me, particularly Anna Rubi’s emphasis on the importance of self-care while tackling such challenging subjects.

Based on the insights shared by Hungarian filmmaker Anna Rubi, here are three guidelines to keep in mind when creating a movie that tackles challenging themes:

It’s important to establish a personal support system for yourself. This could include having a therapist and involving specialists at the earliest opportunity. When difficult times come, this person will be there to help you. Divide responsibilities. Create a community around your film project, collaborate with others as co-creators,” she emphasized during the “Ethics in Documentary Filmmaking” discussion at the Ji.hlava Film Festival.

Rubi’s latest movie, titled “Life Beyond You,” narrates the story of a band of older mothers taking legal action against the state, aiming to establish a worthy and honorable future for their handicapped offspring.

Overlooking personal welfare is a typical blunder, yet it can only harm the final product, as pointed out by Marek Kozakiewicz, who worked on “Silent Love.

To capture moments with the camera, we face numerous challenges. We’re already drained! On top of that, we delve into people’s lives,” he explained, as Tomáš Hlaváček added: “Sleep is crucial. I’ve been making participatory documentaries for a decade now and I’m spent. Besides sleep, what matters most? A solid team. For me, creating a documentary is like social work. Even though we know we can’t change the world, this community gives us strength.

Documentary Makers Talk Wellbeing – and the Importance of Sleep – at Ji.hlava Doc Festival: ‘Have a Therapist, Share Responsibility and Build a Community Around Your Film’

Hlaváček’s “The Impossibility,” making its debut at the Czech festival, tackles the challenges of offering suitable housing to families in dire straits.

Looking back, you understand just how challenging things truly were. In the moment when you’re exhausted, it’s easy to respond impulsively – or even excessively. That’s why I prioritize my mental well-being; if I don’t take care of myself, I can’t be there for others,” stated Maia Martiniak.

In the conversation centered around “Artistic Vision and Accountability: A Central European Viewpoint on Liberty, Suppression, and Cinematic Challenges,” the filmmakers additionally shared insights into their creative processes.

Hlaváček mentioned that he feels uncomfortable without his camera. His camera isn’t a weapon, but he doesn’t prefer to be incognito. He wants the people he photographs to recognize his involvement and accept his presence. Rather than simply observing, he wants open conversations with them,” is one possible way of paraphrasing this statement in a natural and easy-to-read manner.

It was emphasized that it’s crucial for others to spend time with their characters not just during filming but off-set as well.

Martiniak shared that building trust is crucial for him, especially since he frequently works with individuals who have experienced trauma. He mentioned that these people often hide their true selves behind masks, making it a lengthy process to uncover the truth,” explained Martiniak.

As a devoted admirer, I’ve chronicled that enigmatic legal saga for a span of seven years, yet my intention was never to craft a courtroom drama. Instead, I chose to immerse myself in the lives of the families and their tight-knit community. Collaborating with someone who communicates beyond the boundaries of words proved to be an intriguing challenge. It required patience and dedication to truly understand and bring their story to light.

Her protagonists signed the release forms only at the end of the seventh year.

As a cinephile, I dared to immerse myself deeply with these creative minds for an extended period, presenting them with the raw film elements. It was a daring move, but it felt like the proper course of action.

According to Kozakiewicz, “I always assure them we’ll remove anything they’re uncomfortable with in the movie. This allows them to express themselves freely during filming without self-censorship. It can be risky, but I prefer not to include scenes that they wouldn’t want in the first place.

In the story “Silent Love,” the author portrays a sibling returning from urban areas to traditional, rural Poland to look after their younger brother. Additionally, the narrative subtly explores an understated romantic connection between this character and another female individual.

At times, their feelings towards the movie fluctuated – they were in favor at certain instances, and against it at others. They experienced a sense of security, but then had to depart, return home. Eventually, they found themselves having to regain that feeling of security from scratch.

According to Hlaváček, showing the almost-finished film to your protagonists can be tricky.

He mentioned that there’s an issue regarding it. What matters to him is obtaining consent from those involved before including them in the film, and they discuss the subsequent scenes immediately following their filming.

As a movie reviewer, I must admit that in my documentary “Unseen,” about the harrowing experiences of childbirth trauma, one of the courageous women I had initially chosen to feature decided against it at the last minute. This unexpected turn of events certainly added an extra layer of complexity to the story we aimed to tell.

She expressed her preference for the film not being viewed globally. However, we determined it was crucial to exhibit the movie worldwide rather than featuring her scenes. This led us to wonder why she was hesitant. One of them confessed that her fear stemmed from potential issues leaving her on her own. I reassured her, saying, ‘Don’t worry. I will always be here with you.’

I assured them that I would share the footage and allow them to make their own decisions about moving forward. Additionally, we took care to ensure our editing process didn’t cause further distress. One sales representative mentioned a desire for more graphic content, but for me, prioritizing the sensitivity and feelings of these women was essential.

Martiniak pointed out that listening to outside opinions could become confusing, as she shared experiences involving local commissioners.

“I don’t want to offend anyone, but our commissions are dominated by older men. It was difficult to explain to them why this film was important. The way they talked to us was very patriarchal. I even had to issue a statement about one encounter. I had to say it wasn’t okay.”

Kozakiewicz stated: “With more collaborators comes the potential for diverse perspectives on a film’s direction. An edit in ‘Silent Love’ was disapproved by the financiers, which I revised, only to be told they preferred the original version just before our Hot Docs premiere! Fortunately, we didn’t have time to adjust, but their feedback made me think I had ruined my own film.

2024-11-01 20:17

Documentary Makers Talk Wellbeing – and the Importance of Sleep – at Ji.hlava Doc Festival: ‘Have a Therapist, Share Responsibility and Build a Community Around Your Film’

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