Awareness Film Festival - All Under Heaven
A Muslim man decides to enter a church. The question remains, is faith found in a certain place…a statue…or is it something else?
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Paul Joosse
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
My film started as an assignment for filmschool. I study directing in Brussels and we had to make a short film of approximetaly 10 minutes. The main task was to keep it simple, try too surround the film mostly around one person, one place.
Besides that I chose the subject of my film partly because of tensions surrounding faith nowadays (remember this was before the terrorist attacks in Brussels). But many times I also start from a picture inside my head. This time it was a Muslim man sitting on a bench, in traditional clothes in front of a church. An image that I think immediately creates associations and questions in the audience’s mind.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
It’s a story with warmth, humor, drama and heart, about a subject that’s very relevant today. Different ideas about faith and God are opposite each other, but how different are they really? I hope it can create some discussion between people, The story is pretty straight forward but once you start thinking about it, there are a lot of aspects involved.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I like to combine them, because many people experience both things, only at different levels. In my opinion a large subject matter like war, faith, death, is best told through a personal story. Something people can relate to. In this case it’s personal in the sense that we all experience some doubts about things that are different. We want to know about it but don’t want to get to close at the same time - many times it is because we are afraid. Not realising or forgetting we are basically all the same, only our experiences are packaged in a different way.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
Yes, it started out with more characters and even with an action scène! The priest and Muslim man were to fight in the snow. Throwing snowballs… I still wonder how that would have worked out… I basically dropped the idea because the story was getting to big and the snow was difficult practically.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Many good reactions, people like the story, it’s message and subject. The teachers at school made some critical points, but it was mainly on a technical level. Something I’m trying to improve with each project.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Not really, I like to hear feedback and try to take all the advice with me to the next film. After the first viewing some people thought the film was a bit too slow when I first showed it. I took some small parts out to make its pacing a bit faster.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope to get some good reactions, anything is welcome. Possibly people are inspired to see the film at Awareness Festival. I’m very honored whenever someone takes the time to watch my work and hopefully they appreciate it.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Any help is welcome, I’d love to get more word out for the film so if people want to help with spreading the film to other festivals/events that would be great. With a producer this could maybe be taken to a bigger (short)film. In my opinion a lot could be done with these characters. I’d love to talk with people who are interested in the film!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Mostly I hope people will like its message, that they remember the little story about the Muslim man that enters the church. Maybe even think about it when they meet someone with a different background or faith. Anything more I’d be very grateful.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Maybe just, What is faith? Is it really something that has to be done in that one certain way? Or can we leave some room for others and their ideas?
Would you like to add anything else?
Hopefully the story is clear to everyone, I think it is, just enjoy the film and try to be interested in other people and their ideas about life.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m starting my second year at film school now, a lot of interesting projects are ahead. It will be a bit more diverse from last year, besides lots of lessons and workshops I’ll be making a ‘human interest’ portrait, a TV project, and a short film. Other than school I’m going to give a workshop for theatre actors iar the end of October. I will try to make a film with them in one day! We will make the story, act it out, film it, edit it, everything. Goal now is to try and do the whole story in one take, it's always nice to have a challenge!
Interview: October 2016
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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All Under Heaven
A Muslim man decides to enter a church. The question remains, is faith found in a certain place…a statue…or is it something else?
Length: 12:00 min
Director: Paul Joosse
Producer: Paul Joosse
Writer: Paul Joosse
About the writer, director and producer:
Paul Joosse is a second year student at Erasmus Hogeschool Brussels, looking to become a film director. Since he was young Paul has always been interested in Films, film technique, acting, directing etc.
After highschool he first finished studying Industrial Design (for different reasons..) But spending all his spare time watching movies, playing in the theatre and creating shortfilms, Paul decided to follow his childhood dream and become a film director. And so in 2015 he ended up at Brussels film school and is now making shortfilms and studying the art of film.
Key cast: Alican Unal, Lucas van Dam
Crew: Kobe Fleerackers, Sander Blok
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): All of the above. Paul can use help funding his shortfilms, Ali and Lucas both work on theatre projects.
Funders: Self funded.
Made in association with: Erasmus Hogeschool RITCS, Brussel
Release date: 09 October 2016, Awareness Festival