Interview Nacho Cerd?

Het langverwachte tweede deel van ons interview met Nacho Cerd?.


Which of your own films is your personal favourite?

I don?t have much to choose from! However, Aftermath is the one I feel closer to. Its subject matter was something I toyed with for years before making it, and it ended up being quite faithful to my original vision. It was the result of a strong creative impulse that no one interfered with. In a way, nothing was ever the same anymore. That freshness of being on a professional film set for the first time actually compares to your first love; it left a huge mark on me.

Your new project, Coffin Of Light, is scheduled for later this year. Can you tell us something about this documentary?

It?s the story of Sergio del Monte, a cinematographer turned director who was mysteriously murdered back in the 70?s. At the time, he was making a movie called Coffin of Light using secret lighting techniques that were invented by German Expressionists to manipulate the masses. Apparently, Del Monte had found that Franco indeed was applying some of those in public TV and government showreels after he won the Spanish Civil War. My documentary tells us about a political conspiracy that ultimately killed Sergio and all the people involved in his project. It features interviews with some of the most influential horror filmmakers of that era such as Paul Naschy, Jess Franco, Amando de Ossorio and Narciso Ib??ez Serrador. It is also my personal homage to my childhood horrors.

You have worked together with both Karim Hussain and Richard Stanley. How would you describe your relationship with them and what do you think about their films?

I met Karim at Fantasia Montreal back in 97 when I premiered Aftermath there. We developed a friendship that brought us together to write a few scripts which never saw the light of day. All except an obscure story he had written entitled The Bleeding Compass. It was a very original take on horror involving doppelgangers in Russia. I really liked it so I suggested taking on this one as director myself and re-working it together. It later became The Abandoned. Karim is a real filmmaker, a self-made man who?s learned everything on his own. I absolutely admire that talent he developed over the years which has created such strong visions on film. I believe he is a visionary. Our styles are pretty different but the creative dialogue between us has always been quite fluid. Despite our difference, he?s always respected my vision as director, and that, being himself one, is admirable. Richard was only 23 when I met him at the Sitges Festival at the time of Hardware. In fact, I run into him to ask for his autograph! We saw each other seven years later in Fantasia after he just suffered the Dr. Moreau debacle. He is an incredible creative force with a strong cultural background. Hearing his stories is an absolute pleasure. I wish we could have spent longer working together on the script but the studio pressed really hard on us to deliver a draft. A funny thing is that Richard used to write longhand up until just two years ago, so he did everything on paper. No computers except the one I used myself to transcribe everything we discussed. Richard has a very amusing sense of humour that it really shows in his films. If there?s justice in this world, he should make another movie soon.

What would you say are the characterising elements of a Nacho Cerd? film?

You should tell me that! It?s quite hard to reflect on your own films unless many years go by. If I become aware of my own style, I might not be me anymore. I mean, it?s important to stay fresh when approaching your work; it should always come from your gut and not your head. I leave all analysis to film critics. My aim is to one day become invisible through my films so the story itself stands above all other considerations.

Can you tell us something about what we can expect from you in the future? Will you be directing more feature films or do you have any other plans?

Good question. What will the future bring? I keep asking this to myself all the time! Seriously, I?m now working on two projects that I pursued for a number of years. If those are green lit soon, I?d be a happy man. They are two different movies but none of them is a horror film, in fact, they are thrillers, quite dark and intense. I love emotional intensity in film, so whatever I do, I always look for that kind of involvement. If a good horror script comes along, I would be absolutely into doing it. Problem is that there?re not many of them out there. Directing is my talent so unless something terrible happens, I plan on making films for a long time. In addition, however, I might look into producing for other people on a small scale. There?s a great potential here in Spain for new talent and I?d like to help develop it.

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