French producer shares experience with new Vietnamese director

French producer Leonard Haddad shares his experience in film presentation, through a short course dedicated to unique ideas from Vietnam, within the framework of the Da Nang Asian Film Festival.

Students present film ideas in class. (Photo: Organizing Committee)

The journey from a conceptual project to a finished film is a long and arduous one. Filmmakers need not only insight into the market, but also the skills to market their ideas.

Within the framework of the 3rd Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF), there is a "Project Incubator" program with a Genre Films Project class dedicated to Vietnamese filmmakers. The lecturers are two French and Korean producers, including Mr. Leonard Haddad from France who has more than 20 years of experience in introducing and distributing Asian films in his country.

VietnamPlus Online Newspaper reporter had an interview with Mr. Haddad to understand more about the European market perspective, as well as knowledge to help Vietnamese directors increase their chances of being invested in making and distributing films.

Common mistakes of new directors

- Coming to the students in the "Project Incubator" program, what experiences do you share?

Producer Leonard Haddad: At DANAFF, I think that producer Kim Young Min from Korea and I will bring very different perspectives to help a Vietnamese project reach the rest of Asia or Europe. Because each market has different perspectives, different expectations and a different film ecosystem.

Of course, cinema is cinema, but you will have very local things and very international things. Film festivals in France or Europe in general will also have their own image of Asian and Vietnamese cinema. So in this program, I will share my expertise in project presentation skills, how to shape a project, especially in the early stages.

Mr. Leonard Haddad at the class of "Project Incubator." (Photo: Organizing Committee)

I have been writing about Asian cinema for many years and currently head the Asian film department at Metropolitan Filmexport - a film production and distribution company in France.

My job is to introduce Asian films to French audiences. From Hong Kong (China), Korean, Japanese, and now maybe Vietnamese films, we have to shape the market in France to bring new voices, new authors, new ideas and new countries.

It’s not easy because there’s not much room for Vietnamese films. You can’t release 20 Vietnamese films in France every year, so every two years we’ll introduce one. It’s difficult but it’s an interesting challenge to conquer.

Leonard Haddad is currently in charge of copyright acquisition and project development at Davis Films (the production company of the "billion/million dollar" films " Silent Hill," "Resident Evil," "The Crow" remake) and Metropolitan Filmexport (distributing the above titles in France). In addition, he has more than 20 years of experience as a critic. Through approaching projects at DANAFF, Leonard Haddad can become the "godfather" of Vietnamese films that he sees potential and suitability.

- What is the mistake that most young and new directors easily make when introducing and promoting their projects, sir?

Producer Leonard Haddad: When you just write a project on paper, you can't know how others will interpret your idea. Because it's not easy to understand the filmmaker's intention through cinematic language. Sometimes the idea is interpreted in a completely opposite way,

When I present an idea, I don't just tell a story. I show it. The audience needs to feel my emotion and passion for the project.”

Director Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, Schindler's List)

So when you have an idea, you have to know how to present it and express it well. And to know how to advertise, you have to have a very good, almost instinctive, sense of how people receive it.

Even just talking about it needs to be adjusted and polished to get the idea across. You as a presenter have to communicate your thoughts to sponsors, to producers, and then as a director, to the audience through the film.

Every step needs to be aligned to be on the same line, you have to do your best at every step to convey your idea in the most complete way. We, with many years of working in the film market and from the producer's perspective, will provide this experience and perspective.

Using cinema to erase prejudice

- How do you think French people perceive Asian cinema, specifically Vietnamese cinema?

Producer Leonard Haddad: I’m sorry to say that we still have an “exotic” perspective and stereotypes about Asia. For example, when we think of Vietnam, we think of nature, agriculture , traditional costumes…

It is similar to the way Vietnamese audiences have a similar “far away” view of Europe. For example, when mentioning France, you will immediately imagine the streets of Paris with accordion musicians or romanticism… There will be images that are portrayed regularly, from year to year, creating a number of fixed images for many generations.

Cinema can either reinforce prejudice, or help to remove it. (Illustration: Tima Miroshnichenko)

In France, we are very open to all cultures, but at the same time we are very conservative. So as distributors we not only offer what our audience likes to see, but also try to break down existing stereotypes and clichés, allowing new voices to emerge.

- Is diversity what you and your colleagues are aiming for?

Producer Leonard Haddad: That's right. As filmmakers, you try to be as diverse as possible.

- So do you have any advice for young and new filmmakers in Vietnam on their path to becoming directors?

Producer Leonard Haddad: I think there are two ways to look at it. One is to think that you might get a lucky "lottery ticket" that would be an opportunity to make a film. Two is that there will be a new wave of filmmakers coming up, and I think that's an encouraging way to look at it.

A strong local market is a huge advantage for you. Don’t obsess over copying or being like any other market, and don’t try to. You have to focus on what the audience in Vietnam craves.

Let's continue to talk about Vietnamese issues, let's talk about Vietnamese history, about Vietnamese ways, culture, family and traditions.

Let's do it the Vietnamese way and put that consistent style into the film. If there is consistency, not one film, two films, but many films that people will recognize and have a sense of the culture. That's how we started to love Japanese cinema, American cinema, Italian cinema.

We get a feel for the country and you also learn a lot about different countries through cinema. So I hope that will happen to Vietnam. Be unique and tell your story authentically.

- Thank you very much./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nha-san-xuat-phap-chia-se-kinh-nghiem-cho-cho-dao-dien-viet-moi-vao-nghe-post1047490.vnp