Director of Bosnia and Herzegovina Danis Tanovic has made only 7 feature films so far, but he has won many international awards such as Best Script Award of Cannes Film Festival, Oscar Best Foreign Language Film Award, Golden Globes and Silver Bear of Berlin Film Festival, etc. and hence he was bemedaled. This time, his acting as the Juror of current Tiantan Award is deserved. As it was Tanovic’s first time in Beijing, when interviewed by the journalist, he was excited about Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF), full of anticipation. “I just have a delicious Chinese meal, and it is completely different from the food in my country”.
Tanovic was unique in personality, which was reflected in his attitude in the interview. When one journalist asked for his opinion about BJIFF, he said, “You shall ask this question when the film festival is over”. When one journalist from certain TV station requested him to speak some Chinese, at first he refused, “Speak Chinese? Oh, no, I can’t speak Chinese”. Upon invitation, he finally learned several words, but when he was requested to speak another four more characters, he refused it on the ground of it being too difficult. When that journalist said that “it is easy, all you need to do is to follow me”, “Easy? How about I speak two Bosnian words and you follow me”. And then Tanovic spoke some Bosnian words and everyone smiled and Tanovic also smiled complacently.
■My Mother Once Thought I Was a Genius
Born on Feb. 20, 1969, Danis Tanovic is a film director and playwright of Yugoslavian origin (now Bosnia and Herzegovina). His father is a writer. He once learned music but since he loved films, he chose this career and played multiple roles such as scriptwriter, director and film maker, etc. In 2001, Tanovic directed his first feature film — No Man's Land, a dark comedy which tells Yugoslavian civil war. And the film won many awards such as Best Script Award in Cannes Film Festival, Best Foreign Language Film Award of Golden Globes and the Oscar Best Foreign Language Film Award in 2002.
Tavonic was bound to have a very smooth directing career for such resplendent achievement of first film directed by him and he became a frequent award winner of international film festivals. His new film, Death in Sarajevo, won Silver Bear in Berlin Film Festival this year. When asked about whether he thought he was a genius director, Tavonic smiled and said that “I never think this word has anything to do with me but my mother thinks I’m a genius after I made No Man’s Land”.
The film No Man’s Land tells about two soldiers, one Bosnian and another Serb, who are trapped in a “no man’s land”, i.e. a trench between forward positions of two sides at war during Bosnian War. They have no reliable person and can’t get away from the place safe and sound. One partner lied on the ground of trench with a trigger bomb underneath which would blast if he moves. If it is not in such a terrible situation, situation of the two persons would be extremely ridiculous. War and peace, humor and hatred, captivity and capitulation, life and death, all happens in No Man’s Land which shows black humor under background of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tavonic said that sense of humor is one of the reasons why his nation can survive in the war “We will smile even during war period, because it’s our secret weapon and so why not be humorous when filming a serious theme?”
Tavonic was first known for making documentary and this style also had influence on his feature films later. For example, some extras in No Man’s Land were found by him in the street and many non-professional actors were employed in his film, An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker which won two Silver Bears, Jury Prize and Best Actor Award of Berlin Film Festival in 2014. Tavonic thought that although non-professional actors were inferior to professional actors in acting skills and state of relaxation, they were more realistic and they could touch people more easily.
■It is much easier to be a juror than to be a director
Although he had been to many places and participated in many film festivals, Danis Tanovic was very interested in Beijing International Film Festival because he can have much more time to know about the country: “I know that China has vast territory and abundant resources, and has a long history and profound culture, so I’m very pleased that I’m invited to be the juror this time. Chinese film is playing a more and more important role in film structure around the world and no filmmaker is not curious about China”.
Tavonic expressed that he watched some works directed by Chinese directors which left profound impression on him when he participated in various film festivals. The names of Chinese directors he remembers are Jiang Wen and Karwai Wong. He likes Kar. “Wow, his films are actually made in this way and I have watched a lot.” When hearing that Karwai Wong was famous in China, Tavonic commented that “Many people are ‘famous’ but their works are just so-so, but Karwai Wong is really great.” During this visit in Beijing, Tavonic hoped to communicate with more Chinese directors and Chinese actors, “I know there are many excellent filmmakers in China and I hope to meet with them in this platform.”
Of course, Tanovic’s primary task in Beijing is to be a juror. Tanovic says with a smile that it is much easier to be a juror comparing with a director: “evaluation of a film is always relatively easier than producing a film; I think that the happiest thing to come to Beijing this time is sitting down, drinking a cup of coffee, and watching a good film; I also expect that I could watch good films from the whole world.”
Tanovic thinks that producing a film is a complex work, therefore, even a great director cannot ensure that there is no mediocre film produced by him (her) throughout the life: “It is irrelevant to the investment cost. Producing a film is a collective work, if one person messes up, the whole film will be messed up; for example, the films will be messed up if the music is not good and actors (actresses) are not chosen well. Therefore, it will be easier to evaluate a film.”
In Tanovic’s childhood, his mother took him into the cinema, and then the seed of film was in his heart at that time. Up to now, Tanovic says that he is still infatuated with film and loves film, “when the lights of theater is turned off, a new world will be displayed in front of you. What a wonderful thing it is. Nothing more than this will make me happy.”
Tanovic says that he watches films of various types while being asked about what kind of film he likes, including some so-called bad films, “because the bad films will make it easier for you to see the problems comparing with good films, then, you will remind yourself that “I will never make a film like this” after you watching the bad film.”
■Chinese film should be based on Chinese market first
The huge potential of Chinese film market attracts the filmmakers from the whole world, including Tonovic; but according to his experience of making a film, he puts forward his suggestion about the problem that the Chinese filmmakers are eager to “go overseas”: based on Chinese market first, because the Chinese market is large enough.
Tanovic says that his country is small; therefore, the film production is not high. It is difficult to get investment while making film within his country; so they will seek for investment in European countries in the earliest stage of film script.” A film always is invested jointly by several countries which will make decision about whether to make after reading the script. Therefore my film is international from the birth stage. Only 4 films among the 7 films I produced are made in Bosnia. But the Chinese market is so big that there is no worry of the filmmakers from small countries, like me.”
Tanovic thinks that “big market” is also a double-edged sword. The good aspect of is that there is no need to consider too much, and the bad aspect is that the film is too localized to occupy overseas market. Taking into consideration various factors, Tanovic recommends the Chinese filmmakers shall base on Chinese market first and make films accepted and recognized by domestic audience, and then research the problem of “go overseas”. “Film festival is a good communication platform which we can supply each other’s needs and exchange experience and lessons learned. Now, Chinese films have occupied an important position in the world and Beijing International Film Festival also has a high reputation. I believe that China will make many great films and obtain more international awards if Chinese films are based on Chinese market.”
■Do not want to make money by films
Many directors will go to Hollywood to make commercial films after obtaining international reputation, but Tanovic does not do it. When asked about the reason, he says that there are always two reasons for going to Hollywood to make commercial films: one is for money and the other is for reputation: “I have obtained reputation and the money is enough for me to spend. I never want to make money by films. If I want to make money, I will just work in a bank on Wall Street.”
Tanovic thinks that making films is not just to walk on the red carpet at film festivals. Film is his life and the existence of his life, “it is a 24-hour work, or it is not just work for me”. When asked that whether Tanovic will be willing to make films in China or cooperate with Chinese filmmakers, he says that he will not refuse if it is appropriate, but provided that the theme of film must interest him. He also hopes that the travel of Beijing International Film Festival will inspire him in creation.
As a frequent award winner of International Film Festivals, what the experience of making films of Tanovic can be learned by Chinese filmmakers? Tanovic emphasizes the importance of script, “maybe many great directors improvise in the studio and have no detailed script, but I cannot. As for me, shooting is just a technical work which can be completed precisely only in accordance with the technical process. The most important is script creation. I am not sure to complete a film if there is no good script.”