LES YEUX ROUGES / UGLY
(FROM FEBRUARY, 12 TO SEPTEMBER, 30 2009)
The writing of a script is a work of compromise and give and take between one’s personal imagination and the constraints of reality. It is all the more true when working on films blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction. How can one write a true story? How to transform "a real person" into a part? What is left of the script and of the dialogues when the movie gives way to improvisation and to the unexpected? Here, at CENTQUATRE, Claire Burger and Marie Amachoukeli intend to compare the script to the film once made. They are preparing "Les Yeux rouge [Red eyes]" (provisional title), a feature film that explores the blurring of boundaries between documentary and fiction. The theme of immigration and family are central in their research. The characters come from the former Soviet Union. They live on the outskirts of Paris in their separate community. The writing of the script occurs when exchanging and sharing ideas with the actors. They will act their own part and life story following the narrative on which they collaborated.
Besides this realistic film project, Claire and Marie are also preparing "Ugly", an animated feature-length film aimed at adults, on the theme of death.
BIOGRAPHIES
Claire Burger
Born in 1978 in Forbach-en-Lorraine, Claire Burger was working there as a reporter before joining the Editing Department in La fémis Film School. During her years there she made several short films ("Impénétrables", "L’Amour de mon père", "Toute ma vie j’ai rêvé"), film portraits, between documentary and fiction.
Marie Amachoukeli
Born in 1979 from a Georgian father and French mother of Russian origin, Marie Amachoukeli lives, works in Paris and joined La fémis at age 23. She has written scripts for short films including "La Traversée" by Maeva Poli and "Madame" by Cyprien Vial. At the same time she made several filmic fragments, "Poste-restante", "Elisabeth" and "Inbetween" that all turn into fiction documentary material dealing with the same theme: the family secret.
Together
Claire and Marie met at La fémis. Together they have written the film "Forbach" (Grand Prize at the short film Clermont-Ferrand Festival in 2008/ Second Cinéfondation Prize at the Cannes Film Festival 2008 / Grand Prize at the Dinard Festival 2008/ Special Prize of the Jury at Rencontres Henri Langlois 2008 in Poitiers / Prize for the best short film at the Pune Festival 2008 in India). They decided then to become partners.
