The Congress is a film of abrupt plot turns and dizzying psychedelia.
So it was really tough.
And it takes a long time anyway, to make a picture.
What inspired you to take Stanislaw Lems book, and set it in the film industry?
Well, I first read his book when I was 16, and then again in film school.
I purchased the novel for adaptation, but I had no idea what I was going to do.
It was a process of finding something that intrigued me.
I met a few, and they were way better than the guy we have in the movie!
So a lot of it came from my imagination.
So everything was from my imagination I didnt meet anyone like Jeff Green or anything like that.
Is it also a meditation on where entertainment could go?
I think, in a way, it does.
I tried to figure it out, to take it one step ahead.
Where you create another persona for yourself.
This is true, but honestly, I only recently, because of my kids, got into videogames.
Because kids get addicted to them.
When I made the movie, I had no interest in videogames.
To me, they were a waste of time.
What was Robin Wright like to work with, and how collaborative was she?
Well, she was very collaborative.
I pitched her the project in LA, I think it was in 2009.
She took one second to commit herself.
I dont think she believed Id ever really make this movie anyhow, but she did commit.
And then she was a great partner for me.
The film has nothing to do with her work.
What was the thinking behind using her name and some of the films she worked on?
It was to make it make it a bit more real, to make it connect with the audience.
I thought it would work better.
I got the feeling you enjoyed putting those in.
I loved putting them in.
Kubrick is my all-time hero as a director.
I made this homage, and we were afraid to ask for permission.
We only asked for permission after we shot it, and then we sent them the final scene.
And we did get it eventually, obviously, otherwise it wouldnt be in the film.
But I do believe thatDr Strangeloveis the greatest comedy ever made.
Id say Kubricks really underrated as a director of humour, really.
People think of him as being very cerebral and dry, but his films were very, very funny.
This guy… every genre he dealt with, he was the best.
He made one of the top three sci-fi movies, obviously the best comedy, horror picture you know?
There was only one Stanley Kubrick.
The Congress also reminded me of Hieronymus Bosch paintings with a dash of Terry Gilliam zaniness.
Well, there is.
There is Bosch, and Gilliam was another guy.
In the animation theres also references to the Fleischer brothers, and Ralph Bakshi, in a way.
Its about giving the animators as much material as I can.
So you really want to follow the movements of the live-action actors.
You want the animated Robin to move like the real one.
You want the same smile and gestures.
I just believe in this technique.
How important is Max Richters music to you?
Hes in the process of the script, if you really want to know.
He read the script, and then a year later, I went through the scenes, emotionally speaking.
Then he sees the animatics, the video boards.
it’s possible for you to tell in a way.
The music matches the rhythm of the film.
You cant really separate one from the other.
No, you cant.
I think part of it is that Max is a genius no doubt.
And the other thing is that hes involved very early in the process.
Harvey took me a while, for many reasons.
With Paul it was easy hes a sci-fi buff, and he reads so much.
He knows so much about sci-fi.
Hes read all of Lems work.
He wants to be in it.
Hes just the best guy on set you’re able to have.
In the case ofThe Congress,how difficult was it to achieve, that moment?
It was more difficult.
To have it go from live to animation and then animation to live.
So it was more complicated.
That was the biggest challenge of the movie.
Another great animated science fiction film wasA Scanner Darkly.But there are so few of them.
Why do you think that is?
So we dont have it.
I dont plan to make another adult animated movie.
I spent ten years of my life doing that, and I think its tough.
Its tough to raise the money, taught to convince people it will work.
This cliche that animation is for kids or family you cant beat it.
Unfortunately, I have to say, unfortunately.
So what about science fiction?
I know youre obviously a big sci-fi fan, in any can.
So will you make another science fiction film in the future?
Id love to make another one.
I just saw JodorowskysDune.
Did you see that one?
I cant wait to, though.
Well, you have to see that.
I wish I could do that film.
TheDunehe [Jodorowsky] wanted to do.
Im up for the challenge.
I just recently got his email and I want to go and meet the guy.
That would be amazing.
Do you think theres the possibility that it could actually happen?
Well, you never know.
Im busy now with a big project, but Ill give it a shot.
I want to see that story.
Id love to see that story.
You have to see that movie.
Its one of the most ingenious documentaries Ive seen.
[Jodorowsky] is an unbelievable storyteller.
So, so good.
You immediately fall in love with him.
Hes a great guy.
Its a lovely story.
So what do you think about the state of science fiction cinema in general?
Are there any directors currently working in it that excite you?
Well, in a way, its going too big for me.
And I understand why it goes there…
I think that sometimes, some directors cross the line in terms of what CGI gives them.
For some, it doesnt work.
If you seeBlade Runnertoday, its probably the best sci-fi movie ever made.
It still holds up, its still a very fresh movie.
Unbelievably made, with so much talent everyone involved.
And everythings made for real!
Can you imagine that?
There were no [digital] effects back then.
If you look atPrometheus, for example, theres no comparison.
But it depends on who does it.
I think Christopher Nolan, in a way, he can do the combination.
Hes an old-school director who uses everything technology gives you today and puts it into a movie.
Hes an old-school director in terms of his craft, which is a big compliment.
Hes just so good with technology.
He can do everything.
Because the good things inInceptionarent to do with technology.
Theyre about the dramatic way he directed it.
Can you talk a bit about what youre doing next?
Im making an animated adaptation of the Anne Frank story, for kids.
Weve shot part of it in London using stop-motion.
Its a very exciting project.
But now were going back to London to change it to full stop-motion.
Can you tell me whos animating it?
Its some of the people who didFantastic Mr Fox.Im doing it withPassion Films.
Our director of photography is Tristan Oliver who didParaNormanandFantastic Mr Fox.
Great people to work with.
Well, I really look forward to seeing that.
Ari Folman, thank you very much.
The Congressis out on DVD and Blu-ray on the 8th December.
