Close your eyes for a moment and think of the sound a lightsaber makes. Think of the sound of Darth Vader breathing. Think of E. All those sound effects are the work of legendary sound designer Ben Burtt. From a childhood spent tape recording the sounds of movies from television to his pioneering effects work with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, Ben Burtt has lived a life through sound.
We took the opportunity to sit down with the charismatic and thoughtful actor to discuss his early influences — including watching De Sica and Fellini movies as a child —, his extraordinary performances done inside and outside of the Italian film industry, and his criteria for what makes a good movie.
Yet beyond memorable roles in films by Steven Spielberg, the Coen brothers, and Terrence Malick, Nelson is also an accomplished filmmaker in his own right, responsible for a handful of impressive works in a variety of genres. We took the chance to speak with the great actor about the appeal of genre, his boxing influences, and his ability to disappear into a role, whether through a physical transformation or by learning — as he is now doing — to convincingly play the mandolin at age Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner has one of the most immediately recognizable signatures as an auteur.
When she met her fellow jurors for the first time, Hausner stressed that it was important to consider films whose emotional power develops inside the viewer more slowly, accruing over time. We sat down with Hausner for a conversation on Locarno Meets to delve into her process in making films, her taste in cinema, the more than 30 takes it often takes to get a scene right, and her philosophy as president of a festival jury.
What are the ethics of AI art? Can it ever be a tool of artistic liberation or are AI systems inherently extractive? Should artists surrender knowledge of these tools or should they try to master them so they are put to better use? These are some of the questions that came up in our conversation with filmmaker Paul Trillo, who has been experimenting with AI technologies for years. This memorably gonzo experiment had its world premiere at the 77th Locarno Film Festival August and was one of the most talked about works in the program.
