WomenCinemakers vol V WomenCinemakers vol V | Page 7

Nour Wazzi
Cinematographic majesty
within the everyday
disheartening stories about council estate youths in
the UK – at its core is a bittersweet tale of love
between two neglected kids. The film aims to capture
something of the poetry and charm in life and
relationships. It strikes a balance between the lyrical
and the gritty, interweaving moments of stillness with
the spontaneity and disarray of youth.
W
ITH
EVERY
INCH
OF
ITS
SUPERWIDE
FRAME
CRAMMED WITH GRACE AND INVENTIVENESS ,
Little did I know life had other plans for me, and when I
moved to London in 2003 everything changed for me. The
first time I directed a film, it's like everything finally made
sense. Bringing stories to life brought me to life. I'd finally
found my calling.
Up on the Roof is a rare example of true film poetry, a
work of astonishing intimacy and tenderness. Can you
tell us what attracted you to this particular story?
U P
At the time I was on the hunt for a thriller or science fiction
R OOF IS A BRILLIANT FILM THAT COMES
story as that is direction I intend to be going in the features
and TV shows I'm developing as a producer/director. I was
AT THE VIEWER IN A TORRENT OF BEAUTIFUL , NOSTALGIC
intro duced to the writer at a friend's birthday and he pitched
FEELING . E SCHEWING ANY DIRECT APPEALS
me the story based on
TO SENTIMENTALITY , N OUR W AZZI IMBUES “One of the main things I love about
his experiences as a
THE FILM WITH AN ASTONISHING VERITÉ anamorphic in a character-driven film is
youth worker. It was
QUALITY REMINESCENT OF S HARUNAS that you use much longer lenses than you
only when I read the
B ARTAS ' S EARLY WORK . M OVING IN ITS would use in a spherical format, and that script and the• subtleties
SIMPLICITY AND GRITTY IN ITS TEXTURES , UP gives you more control of the background.” embedded within that I
something touched me
ON THE ROOF DISCOVERS CINEMATOGRAPHIC
and I saw the true potential of the story. I think what drew
MAJESTY AND MYSTERY WITHIN THE EVERYDAY . N OUR , W HAT
to me in was approaching the loss of innocence in a delicate
INSPIRED YOU TO EXPRESS YOURSELF IN THIS MEDIUM ?
and graceful manner, seen through the lens of a young boy
who is in love with an older girl in an abusive relationship.
Thank you for the beautiful words about my short, I'm very
touched and humbled. I have always loved film - from birth
Based on real stories, these kids live in• difficult situations
my mother would put me in front of the TV screen behind a
with absent parents and take on so much responsibility at
couch to distract me from the sounds of the bombs and
such a• young age. It’s sad and terrifying but I wanted to
bullets outside. I grew up as a film addict and as a result
steer away from typical dark depictions of council estate
had a vivid imagination and loved telling stories. As a kid I
youths in the UK.• I• have always wanted to tell a story
used to direct my friends in little plays we'd perform to our
through a child’s eyes and there is something deeply
families. At the time I had no idea you could actually do this
profound about• their seemingly carefree existence that is
for a living, and while I wrote short stories in my free time,
in fact riddled with so much pain and disappointment. I
I grew up believing I'd become a surgeon or biochemist and
could• immediately visualise how I would be able to translate
do something worthy with my life like find a cure for cancer!
ON THE