Fjord's Sebastian Stan, Cristian Mungiu on making a movie no one can agree on
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one → make → movie
'It's about what happens to all of us in the world of today,' says Mungiu of film
Palme d'Or winner and Oscar hopeful Fjord is not your typical Hollywood critical darling.
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Fjord → happen → film
Following a Romanian, deeply Christian family at odds with the Norwegian child-care system — which interprets that family's form of child-rearing as potentially abusive — it seems the perfect recipe for controversy.
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it → follow → controversy
There's only one problem: No one can figure out who to be mad at.
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If you were to ask director Cristian Mungiu, that was the point — to craft a story so even-handed that every audience member would come out thinking he meant to villainize someone else.
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And with the response ranging from heralding him as a genius to calling the movie prejudiced and withholding, you could say he was successful.
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he → range → movie
CBC News sat down with Mungiu and his star, Sebastian Stan, to understand.
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This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
I'm curious whether you think that objectivity in films is possible, and is it something that you aspired for in making this film?
Cristian Mungiu:
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I think it's possible to make films, as you see this one, in which you don't tell the story from your personal point of view as a citizen.
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you → think → citizen
If I had taken sides in the film, the other party wouldn't have watched the film like this.
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party → take → this
I use this film as a trigger for a more important conversation — way more important than what happens in the film — about the society of today.
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what → use → today
That's the point of the film: Let's listen to the arguments of the other, even if they won't convince us.
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they → let → us
Because if we continue believing that we are the only ones who are right, we are in this dead end, in which half of the population have conservative views, the other half has progressive views, as in the U.S.
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half → continue → U.S.
Once you make a film and it's free to be screened anywhere, there are a lot of misinterpretations.
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it → make → misinterpretations
You can't correct every one, but whenever I try to speak, I try to make sure that this is not about Norway and Romania.
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It's about what happens to all of us in the world of today.
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Sebastian, it wasn't too long ago the Canadian-produced The Apprentice ended up sweeping the Canadian Screen Awards, but it had a very difficult route to audiences.
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That was a very different film, but I think of equal importance to me.
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And I think the similarity there, again, is just wanting to work with someone like [The Apprentice director] Ali Abbasi or like Cristian, who I think have a very fearless attitude towards wanting to get to the truth and wanting to do it without judgment.
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There is a difficulty to it in a lot of ways, but that is also attractive.
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that → be → ways
And it's what you want in the long run.
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Especially now, when everybody just wants to be spoonfed how to feel, what to think and all that stuff.
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So I felt lucky to sort of have something right away to follow that with, and that was of equal measure.
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that → feel → measure
- REVIEW
Stop-motion movie Wildwood is a staggering masterpiece.
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It's a miracle it exists at all
Loved You Can See Everything?
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You → exist → Everything
Speaking about someone to work with — Sebastian, you disappeared into this character, no less for the fact you shaved your head for the role.
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you → speak → role
Cristian, what made you think of Sebastian Stan, the Marvel superhero, for this character?
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you → make → character
Well, because I see beyond the Marvel hero.
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I met Sebastian some 10 years ago and I have also watched the other things that he did in cinema.
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Yes, he has the ability of also doing the Marvel stuff.
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It doesn't mean that actors need to be typecast and always labelled as doing only this and this.
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And I wanted to take this — after talking to Sebastian — to the edge.
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To make people see a different character; not only in the way he embodied this very religious person, but also in the way he looked.
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I'm sorry to say this, but he's a very good-looking guy [laughs].
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I always have this problem with him.
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And this distracts you from seeing that he can be so possessed by the part.
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And we came together at the end with this idea that the more distant he looks from his regular self, the more the people are going to see the character.
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people → come → character
Yes, it was important for me that the name of Sebastian was there, because without him, we couldn't have financed this film, to be honest.
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But at the same time, it's important not to exploit that he's so good-looking.
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he → exploit → time
I was looking for his talents, and he gave us the opportunity to see what he can do.
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he → look → what
…and 25 more, not listed.
The Aporia
