FILM FESTIVAL-VENICE/HUMAN French director Yann Arthus-Bertrand talks on his documentary "Human" ahead of U.N. screening

Record ID: 139941

  • Title: FILM FESTIVAL-VENICE/HUMAN French director Yann Arthus-Bertrand talks on his documentary "Human" ahead of U.N. screening
  • Date: 11th September 2015
  • Summary: VENICE, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 9, 2015) (REUTERS) DIRECTOR, YANN ARTHUS-BERTRAND, WALKING TO SEAT AND SITTING DOWN (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR, YANN ARTHUS-BERTRAND, SAYING: "You have your humanity above everything. What has happened today in Germany, in Austria, is really something very strong for me. When you see these people welcoming refugees, it's not just politics, it's private people bringing their humanity above their fear. This, I love it. I love it. That's the world I want to live in. This world. Full of kindness and welcoming to the other."
  • Embargoed: 26th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA334FIM9SAKN0GNFQ4FR7GGO49
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A film by French photographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, looking at emotional narrations by people staring straight into camera is due to have its premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday (September 12), followed shortly after by a screening at the United Nations Assembly Hall.
    The documentary depicts a series of interviews with people who are not named or introduced. Instead, the unnamed individuals speak to camera about experiences from their lives and often get emotional when doing so.
    "If I ask you today what is the worst thing that has happened in your life and what have you learned from it it's always something difficult to explain and you begin to talk, you cry. And sometimes you bring beautiful things, beautiful words about your experience. And, I think we grow-up with experience of the other one. We don't grow up alone. We need some people to feed you, to feed your life. We try to put in the movie strong words like that. And this movie has no comment about this at all. It's only people talking. You decide what you want to do with it," Arthus-Bertrand told Reuters TV ahead of the premiere on Wednesday (September 9).
    Over the course of three years Arthus-Bertrand interviewed more than 2000 people in 70 countries.
    He spoke to a wide range of people, including convicted murderers, war veterans and migrants.
    The director is best known for his aerial photography and the film places images shot from the air of wild nature and people working together between some of the interviews.
    Arthus-Bertrand also interviewed some major names from business and politics for his project, including Bill Gates and Ban Ki-moon, but neither of their answers were used in the final edit.
    The "Human" director explained, "Ban Ki-moon and Bill Gates are very strong, very nice people. Bill Gates - what he's doing is amazing. He's a guy using his fortune for help. It's amazing. Ban Ki-moon I've know him quite well. He's a very nice man. He wants to change the world. But he's not a very charismatic guy. And, also, he's political. It's difficult for him to talk about private life. It's impossible for him. I did a nice interview, but really it was a political interview. So, he's not in the movie and I regret it."
    The film is due to be shown at a screening at the United Nations Assembly Hall in New York after its premiere at an Out of Competition special event the Venice Film Festival.
    Arthus-Bertrand explained he believes the U.N. building is a strong place to show the voices of ordinary people to those in positions of power.
    "I think to be in the U.N. is very important because, you know, when the U.N. was made after the war it was try to stop the war and they say now, with the U.N., we're going to speak together. It's not working. It's a failure. But anyway we have to deal with it. It's easy to complain, but there's nothing else. So, we have to work with it. And I think to bring these poor people into the middle of the U.N. - large screen and twenty....it's going to be a shock for a lot of people. I hope so. And I think that's the place to be. That's the place to be," said the director.
    The Venice Film Festival runs until Saturday (September 12).
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