Munyurangabo (2007)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Dir. by Lee Isaac Chung
My interview with Lee Isaac Chung is in the June issue of Sojourners, now available on newsstands. (This link should take you to the article. Apologies if you have to sign up for their e-letter in order to access the page.) Munyurangabo was one of my favorite films of 2007 and was far and away the best debut I saw all year. I'm really eager to see what Isaac does next. Last time we spoke he was planning to start production on his follow-up in September.
A snippet from the interview:
Presumably, Munyurangabo's inclusion in the lineups of so many prestigious festivals can be attributed in part to Chung's photography. It is a strikingly beautiful film. And, particularly for a first-time director, Chung demonstrates a genuine talent for an essential aspect of his craft: He knows where to put the camera. When I ask about my favorite shot in the film, a simple image of Sangwa's and 'Ngabo's faces in profile, he thanks me for the compliment but seems reticent to talk at length about the scene. "I knew what shots would come before it and what would come after it, and I knew I needed to break the rhythm with a quieter moment." Chung's humility can actually be felt in the image itself. Like the filmmakers to whom he owes the greatest debt -- Terrence Malick, Andrei Tarkovsky, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne -- Chung has a sensitive curiosity about the human face, and the style of his film invites viewers to reflect upon their shared dignity rather than to simply pass judgment, as films so often do.
With some embarrassment, Chung admits another reason his film has found an audience at international festivals: "Several programmers have told me the film isn't what they expected it to be."
"Which is what, exactly?" I ask.
"I guess they expected another film about white guilt."
We both laugh.
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