Breakfast with Dem dem!

An interview with Christophe Rolin, co-director of Dem dem!

 What was it that interested you about fishing?
Fishing is a contemplative activity. Looking out at the sea, we are a bit face-to-face with ourselves and our destiny.

 What did you want to call into question the most with regards to the European passport: hope, freedom, or transgression?
For Matar, the European passport represents the hope of another place, a dream life outside of the constraints of his daily life.

 What was it that interested you in the character of the poor poet on the beach?
The mad genius who measures the clouds also dreams of a life elsewhere. He is an idealist who is connected to an invisible world. He has an acute sense of what is unfolding behind the apparent banality of everyday life.

 How did you work on composing the music?
The music is inspired by the Senegalese sabar. The sabar is a Senegalese event where a drum section plays a very complicated score that can lead to a sort of trance. It was a great source of inspiration in translating the psychological state of Matar, the main character.

 Are you interested in the theme of dreams and illusions that carry us into the unknown, and do you foresee making other films based on this theme?
In Senegal, you must contend with an invisible world that reveals itself in many different ways. This mystical dimension is very rich and inspired the symbolism in the film. If our next film requires us to call again upon that hidden world, we will do it.

 What sort of freedom would you say the short format allows?
Certainly, the freedom to have the most fluid storyline possible.

 If you’ve already been to Clermont-Ferrand, could you share with us an anecdote or story from the festival? If not, what are your expectations for this year?
We expect to discover plenty of different visions of the world.

Dem Dem!  is being shown in International Competition I2.