French actor and director Mathieu Amalric plunges back into the eclectic world of musician and composer John Zorn. With Zorn III (2018-2022)his third film on the New York creator, he is interested in the relationship between Zorn and a performer, his partner Barbara Hannigan, who has to put a particularly complex score in her mouth.
Mathieu Amalric is fascinated by the work of singers and musicians in general, whom he does not hesitate to call “creative geniuses”, and by the work of New York avant-garde composer John Zorn in particular, who affected by all genres – from punk music to free jazz via klezmer, classical or experimental music.
For this third film devoted to Zorn – presented on Saturday as part of the International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) – he wanted to dwell on a “detail”, he confides to us during an interview. by videoconference. That of a performer who receives a score and who says to himself, reading the first lines: “What the fuck? “, he illustrates.
PHOTO VALERY HACHE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Mathieu Amalric, seen here in Cannes during the presentation of his film Hug me tight in 2021, has made three films about John Zorn.
I wanted to show the shock that all musicians experience when they enter the world of John Zorn.
Mathieu Amalric
Chance caused John Zorn to write a play, Jumalattaret, inspired by Finnish pagan goddesses, and that he proposed it to his companion (since 2015), Barbara Hannigan, Canadian soprano. The two artists knew each other, but had never worked together.
For his part, Mathieu Amalric, who had met John Zorn in 2008 – he interpreted on stage one of the voices of the musical adaptation of song of songs –, was invited to film several projects of the American composer.
The collaboration between Zorn and Hannigan appeared to him to be a promising vein for this third opus.
“There is this correspondence between the two which is very beautiful and frank, underlines Mathieu Amalric. Barbara feels unable to carry out the project, John replies: “it will be for next time then…” Then she says to him: “wait!” She needs to change her work habits. Will she get there? It all starts from there. »
This tension is palpable in Mathieu Amalric’s film, which goes from Barbara Hannigan’s rehearsals with pianist Stephen Gosling, to John Zorn’s work sessions, to Zorn and Hannigan’s meeting in Lisbon to discuss details – and pitfalls. – of the room Jumalattaret, which will ultimately be presented in Hamburg.
IMAGE FROM THE FILM JOHN ZORN III (2018-2022)
Barbara Hannigan
There are some slightly technical passages – we add a note here, we increase the tempo there or we lower this staff by an octave – which does not prevent us from appreciating the creative work of these artists, who know how to adjust to the second.
“We must not forget that these films are screened as part of John Zorn’s musical marathons, insists Mathieu Amalric. They are shown to the public who come to see his shows, so for sure it’s very precise, but I think we can still find these intimate working moments between musicians inspiring. »
We submit to Mathieu Amalric that it is also an act of love, since he is filming his lover – he had moreover filmed her in Music Is Music in 2017.
Of course there is love, but this film is very professional. I filmed Barbara in It’s almost at the end of the world, a 15-minute film where I wondered where the operatic voice comes from, and there we can say that it was in love! But I filmed two people that I love, yes. I would never have imagined filming otherwise.
Mathieu Amalric
Mathieu Amalric, who will not be able to present his film in Montreal at FIFA in person, is currently working on the shooting of another documentary on the American quartet Emerson, who will give their last concert in Paris on October 7, before bidding farewell to New York in November.
IMAGE FROM THE FILM JOHN ZORN III (2018-2022)
Barbara Hannigan and John Zorn
He pursues his film projects – as a director – inspired by the approach of musicians. “It’s that they go into areas of staggering danger, so I draw inspiration from the rigor of the music in my cinema. In the sense that there is a lot of preparation work, but at the time of the performance, there is a kind of letting go, animality and pure presence. »
He would like to make an adaptation of The man without qualities (by Robert Musil), “an unfinished novel of more than 2500 pages! “, he says, laughing, but does not turn his back on the game – when he is offered gifts. Like this role in Nanni Moretti’s next film (Il sol dell’avvenire) shot last summer.
But, he assures us, there will be a Zorn IV. Because his collaboration – and his friendship – with the American composer will not stop there. We already know that John Zorn will be on a European tour to celebrate his 70th birthday, you can be sure that Mathieu Amalric won’t be far behind with his camera.
Zorn III (2018-2022) will be presented on March 18 at the Cinéma du Musée at 3 p.m.