NICHOLAS LAZOVIC
director & screenwriter
Hi Nick, what are you working on at the moment?
I am currently in post-production on my upcoming short film EUREKA, produced by Allegra Venturi. It is a proof of concept for a feature length screenplay I would like to make next.
What did you think of “The Substance” written, directed, and co-produced by Carolie Fargeat?
I loved it, there’s a reason it won best screenplay at Cannes. I think it’s worth seeing in the cinema for audience reaction alone. Those last 30 minutes are a communal experience, they need to be enjoyed in a packed room.
Tell us a bit more about EUREKA, in what kind of world is the story taking place?
EUREKA is a film about happiness, love, loss and loneliness. It is set in a world that has become really good at distracting you from sadness and even sells you products which can replicate the same chemical reactions as happiness or love. This makes it incredibly difficult for the characters to distinguish what is real anymore - or if any of it even really matters or is worth fighting for.
Movie recommendation?
I recommend BEING THERE. It is with one of my all-time favorite actors, Peter Sellers. A beautiful film all about being in the right place at the right time; anything is possible!
“I believe the first purpose of cinema should be to entertain”
Tell us about a piece of work that radically changed your creative vision.
A film that changed my creative vision was “L’Aventure c’est L’Aventure” by Claude Lelouch. I remember seeing this film when I was a kid and having so much fun. It is so well-shot and has so many quotable moments. It was only many years later, when I came back to it that I understood why I loved it so much. It’s one of those rare films where you can tell that everyone involved had so much fun making. And it translates, the whole film is infused with so much love and passion.
Tell us about a project you liked making.
You can stream it on WeShort… CURTAIN CALL, premiered at the San Francisco Independent Film Festival. This was my first short film out of film school and I made it with my roommate at the time, Jozef Kaut. We had so much fun with it, exploring themes of self-confidence and what it takes to be yourself. It is about two actresses competing for a role in a musical. There’s dancing, a Great Dane, some underwater stuff… It was a lot of fun to make. It also really allowed me to explore my voice; I believe the first purpose of cinema should be to entertain, but I also like adding some deeper layers which are more anchored to important themes - I basically just try to add everything I look for when I watch films.
Click here to stream CURTAIN CALL.
What’s your favorite song, at the moment?
At the moment I’ve been listening to FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EARTH by The Strokes, one which stands out is RAZORBLADE. I love their sound, Julian Casablancas’ vocals and I just love simple songs with fun guitar parts.
Click here to stream Nick’s favourite song.
Last but not least, could you share with us an inspirational quote, or mantra that you go by?
Orson Welles answering a question on the making of CITIZEN KANE.
Q: How did you get away with enormous technical advances?
A: Simply by not knowing that they were impossible.
At the end of the day, films are to entertain, to transport people somewhere nothing else exists; so it’s important to remember to have fun while making them and let your imagination guide you and push the limits of what you think is possible!
