Director Iair Said
Court Métrage, Festival de Cannes 2015
“It’s Martin’s birthday and he receives one weird present. This present takes him on a journey to figure out why he has received it, and what purpose it serves. He has to ask himself why somebody has given him this strange gift.”- director, Iair Said
GFM:
In this film you are not only the actor, you are the director, producer and the writer. Are you a control freak?
Iair:
No! This is my second film, and in my first one, Nine Vaccines, it was all was very new, so I wanted everything to be better the second time around. Also, I think that by starring in the film, I was able to improvise on certain things, and make it exactly how I wanted it to be. In my country it’s very difficult to make a film, so when you can do everything autonomously, it makes it easier. It’s the normal thing to do here.
GFM:
The impression I get from both Presente Imperfecto and Nine Vaccines is that they are somewhat autobiographical. Is that true?
Iair:
Yes, that is true for Nine Vaccines, as that film was based upon something that happened in my life, but it is not true for Presente Imperfecto; that one is completely fictional. The only thing similar to my life in that story, is that everytime I receive a gift for my birthday or a special occasion, I always want to exchange it. Nine Vaccines is based upon a dog biting me a while back.
GFM:
Before you started directing, you already had an established career as an actor. Was directing always something you wanted to do?
Iair:
No – when I was a child, I wanted to be an actor in either film or theatre. I also really wanted to be a screenwriter because I loved writing, even when I was growing up. But I never wanted to be a director. I became a director because I didn’t have an acting job lined up, so I took control of my own career. The only way to do that was to direct a film myself and create my own opportunities. Acting in this film opens up many doors for me.
GFM:
You were in a film in Cannes in 2011 called Soy Tan Feliz, and now you’re returning with a film of your own in competition. Tell us about that experience.
Iair:
I am very proud of this journey. The first time I was in Cannes, I saw a new world in regards to short film; I saw how important shorts are in terms of showcasing talent. In 2011, I met a lot of people who had only worked in short film, and until that moment, I hadn’t realised that this career path was possible! Cannes really did kickstart my career as a director.
Iair Said