Paths of Light
2005. február 03. 12:18;
film-card
Dániel Béres
What happens if you lose all you have? How can you continue living if the only thing missing is what was the most important thing of all? Interview with Attila Mispál, who directed Paths of Light.
filmhu:
When was the idea of the film born?
A.M.: Some elements were born long ago. I had them in my mind already when I entered college. The synopsis of the current story was written five years ago. Of course, a lot has changed since, but the direction, the title, the main characters and the lines of the plot remained the same. 13 versions were born during these five years. We failed at a tender and the shot was delayed by a year. But we gained something by that, or rather someone: Annamária Cseh, our female lead, whom I didn’t know earlier.
filmhu:
She is a supermodel in reality as well, so she’s familiar with one of the film’s universes. To what extent did she help you create that universe?
A.M.: Annamari is great because if you look at her, she does look like a model. I currently see no Hungarian actress who has the same quality and therefore credibility in playing this role. You can light her face from any direction, she looks perfect. That’s not simply beauty but expressiveness as well, which is not the same.
filmhu:
András Nagy is a long-time collaborator of yours.
A.M.: There are several reasons why I chose him. First of all, his stylistic sensitivity, the way he works and manages to create unity. We have scenes shot in various ways, from “dogma-like” to Kubrick-style. That is also true for lighting, but he handles that in an expert way. The title also alludes to the form of the actual, physical appearance of light, and András keeps that in mind. Light has a role in the plot. We present two worlds, which interpret each other. A fashion show and a metal workshop, has to be lit. Distances are great in this film, but our job is to establish the links between the two worlds.
filmhu:
What’s the plot, in brief?
A.M.: There are two parallel stories. One is that of the model. A tramp starts to follow her and causes her accident. She is injured, her face is burnt, her body is altered, her life changes. The other is that of a artist, who works with metal. He receives a big commission, but his sight is deteriorating and he is unable to finish it. The two meet at the end and the two story lines unite.