CREATIVE young Filmmakers NICHOLAS FACKLER & XAVIER DOLAN

Comments about CREATIVE young Filmmakers NICHOLAS FACKLER & XAVIER DOLAN

(incl. re film “HEARTBEATS”)

I tend to be strongly impressed by truly CREATIVE new efforts in filmmaking.  In that regard, at last year’s FILM FESTIVAL,# 45 in Chicago,  I was most impressed by a young man named NICHOLAS FACKLER.  He wrote and directed an amazing “personal” film called “LOVELY, STILL” -- which is just now reportedly ready to receive a release…

…  The film stars MARTIN LANDAU & ELLYN BURSTYN in a blossoming romance between two neighbors, & (before a Festival Tribute to him last year), I spoke to Mr. Landau in person about his participation in the movie done by an “unknown” young filmmaker.  He spoke of how he himself had an art background, & was stirred with similar efforts done by Nicholas & the vision Nick had for the film…

…  When I spoke to Nick himself, he was self-effacing but proud and super enthusiastic about the movie he’d created.  He was very pleased that I had noticed a number of artistic visual references & “links” on-screen to things being discussed verbally in the film…

…  Nick’s animated passion for film-making was palpable, and he was almost “bouncing off the walls” with excitement and pleasure at being involved with putting his vision on film and being able to work with, and be strongly encouraged by, someone such as Mr. Landau…  I felt Nick was a filmmaker to watch & be on the “lookout” for in the FUTURE…

…  This year, during viewing films in the 46^th CIFF, I had a similar general response to another young filmmaker I’d been unfamiliar with--  a French-Canadian named XAVIER DOLAN, whose film “HEARTBEATS” is to be shown during the Festival.  The original title is “Les Amours Imaginaires”, which literally translates into the more “accurate” plot description of “IMAGINARY Loves”…

…  After seeing the film (which I will Review later, in my Report # 15), I did some background research on Xavier:

...  Born in 1989, he’s the son of actor Manuel Tadros, & has himself been an actor since he was a child, appearing in three films and a TV series, besides being the French-dubbed voice of “Stan” in the animated “South Park” series…

…  At the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, Xavier won a bunch of top “Director’s Fortnight” competition prizes for his first directed (& self-written) feature called “I Killed My Mother” (“J'ai Tué Ma Mère”)--  which he at one point described as being “semi-autobiographical” (to what extent I don’t know)… 

…  Reportedly, his new film “HEARTBEATS” received a standing ovation when it premiered at THIS year’s 63^rd Cannes Festival, and received the top Competition prize at the 2010 Sydney (Australia) Film festival in June.  From the credits I saw at the end of the Chicago preview screening, Xavier WROTE, STARRED in & DIRECTED the film, besides working on the Art Direction, Costumes, and doing the main EDITING…

…  Xavier has stated that, besides having to put the costs for making ““I Killed My Mother” on a CREDIT card, he had to do the same thing for the “first days” of work on this new film (due to some initial “indecision” by the “investors”)…  It was a “nightmare” making the first film, but “a dream” after it was finally finished…

…  As to this current film, he feels it’s purposely “visually…  as shallow as the love it portrays”, with characters “falling in love with the IDEA of love”, & he wanted the film to be reflective of that…

…  He is eager to make his already-planned 3^rd film, “LAURENCE ANYWAYS”, which he’s described as being “about love” regarding a married transsexual man (scheduled to start filming in February of 2011).  But, he’s commented that it’s “normal in Quebec” to have to wait 3-6 or so years between films to be able to make them, so he feels “grateful & lucky” to have been able to make “Heartbeats” without such a delay (& to be in touch with investors re the upcoming film)…  

…  Xavier has remarked that, he’s learned from the current movie to do things DIFFERENTLY on the upcoming film:  “Never, never count only on 2 shots [being filmed of the same scene]”…  He wants to have more angles & [point-of-view] shots, and “All of these movies are…  homework!” for him, & it’s “a great PASSION” for him to be making films….  

…  He stated that, “I’m doing movies for MYSELF…  Obviously, you want to be loved by people.  But, while doing them, I’m not thinking about CRITICS or public….  I’m just thinking about myself.  It’s a very selfish act to do a film.  And I’m thinking about what I love, what I would do instinctively--  what would make ME cry, what would make me laugh. And, I just DO the film, and then afterwards…  come the critics…   Your film is YOU.  If they hate your film, they hate you…  I am not saying this is ‘rational’ thought!...  It’s realistic…  [If they hate the film,] they certainly hate a part of you…”

[ See my Separate Report for a REVIEW of “HEARTBEATS”…  ]

[ Note that his film "I KILLED MY MOTHER" is scheduled to be shown on Saturday, November 6th at 7:15 PM during the REELING 29 Film Festival at the Landmark Century theater # 7 at 2828 N. Clark Street in Chicago  ]


...  My RATING:  8.50 of 10 stars.