Breakfast with Mars IV
Interview with Guillaume Rieu, director of Mars IV
How did you come up with the idea to place your characters in an extra-terrestrial setting? Do you have a particular view on space exploration?
I have always been fascinated by the planet Mars, and in particular for its impact on science fiction literature, from John Carter and The Martian Chronicles to Total Recall. So, in addition to a realistic picture of space exploration, it was a more “poetic” version in tribute to science fiction literature that I attempted to create. Outside of that, space exploration and flying off to other planets sounds quite appealing given our current political climate here on Earth…
Why were you interested in hallucinations and the human brain’s ability to juggle between real and imaginary memories?
This is a subject that is dear to my heart, and that has also been present in my previous films. I like the idea of calling reality into question, at least what we call reality. Our dreams and hallucinations can seem real to us in the moment. From our point of view at that moment in time, they are indeed reality. For me, cinema is the art form that comes closest to dreams; it is thus the medium to which I connect this concept of reality/non-reality.
Did you do any research on the actual technology that is used by space explorers? Did you conceive your “robonaut” as a form of artificial intelligence or as a simple machine?
Indeed, I did some research which in the end confirmed what I had already written, such as the number of people that would be sent, their skill sets, the fact that they were couples, etc. For the “robonaut”, after seeing Interstellar and that enormous rectangular robot that seemed so ill-adapted in the confines of a space station, logic dictated that if we were going to use robots in space, in ships that have been optimized for humanoids, that the most adapted form would be a humanoid form. And I was surprised to discover that NASA already uses robots, and that they are humanoid in form (the Robonaut program). So, I conceived my robot as a more advanced version of the Robonaut, which would be an autonomous machine and not a remote-control robot as is currently the case. So for me, it doesn’t have a conscience. It is simply a machine that analyzes a situation and reacts in a way that seems the most adapted to serve humanity. But I think that the more we insist that a robot does not have a conscience, the more the viewer wants to believe the contrary.
What techniques and tools, and in particular which post-production effects, did you use in the making of Mars IV?
All the post-production effects were made with After Effects. There is no CGI actually involved, with the exception of certain virtual reality elements that are made in rudimentary 3D. For the Mars exterior, the landscapes are matte paintings, some of the effects are in 2D, there is also some stop-motion, a few models, explosive effects and dust that comes from image banks… overall, mostly traditional effects.
Do you think we can define a line between useful technology and the kind that leads to a loss in our ability to find answers on our own?
It’s a blurry line. I think that the more useful an object is in completing a task, the more we lose our ability to complete the task in question. A GPS will get us to our destination more quickly, at the expense of our sense of direction. We no longer need to think, to memorize the way, to know exactly where we are. The brain gets used to the idleness.
Any cinematic coups de cœur in the past year you’d like to tell us about?
The Nice Guys, Kubo, Train to Busan… Not much else comes to mind, so I’ll mention Mad Max Fury Road, even if that was 2015.
If you’ve already been to Clermont-Ferrand, could you share with us an anecdote from the festival? If not, what are your expectations for this year?
I have already been here with my two previous films, Attack of the Giant Brainsucker Monster from Outer Space and Tarim the Brave against the Thousand and One Effects (Fernand Raynaud Laughter Prize, 2015). Every time, my toes get frozen, I eat truffade, parmesan cheese at the Film Market, and I have drinks everywhere. I hope this year will be more of the same! Oh, and the festival-goers who see me on 5 February will have the chance to wish me a happy birthday! Gifts and cakes are welcome!
Mars IV is being shown in National Competition F2 and the Canal+ programme.
