NZIFF Q&A with Ant Timpson, curator of the Incredibly Strange

Ant Timpson returns to the New Zealand International Film Festival - and takes a few moments to answer the one Q&A he dreads every year.

Hello, welcome back to Auckland - has the pandemic mellowed you?

Mellowed to the point of ultra lethargy. I honestly can't even get the energy to insult you Darren. But let me try for old times' sake.

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries

In terms of weirdness, how has 2022 been for filmmaking?

You mean the actual process of making films in 2022 or are you talking about the state of weird cinema?   

Darren, you need to have clarity when discussing the holiest of holy exploits.  

It's as hard as it's ever been plus the added joy of cCvid interruptions both on set and in terms of cinema attendance. 

Hollywood has gone all in on tentpole cinema and so smart mid-tier films for adults are now relegated to festivals or streaming only. 

I know you weren't in favour of the hybrid cinema experience, so what does going back to the mighty Civic, the Hollywood et al mean to you?

The hybrid alternative is not my preference absolutely but look - if I was a film fiend in the boonies, 100s of miles from a cinema, then I think online access in tandem with a live fest is not a bad thing right?

I try not to be completely selfish in my thinking about the realities of the situation. Of course nothing beats seeing the years' best films on huge screens. That's a no brainer. 

I think audiences just expect the festival to always be around but in these difficult times, nothing is guaranteed. The fest took a royal beating for the past couple of years and it needs audiences to turn up and support en masse so the coffers refill.  

Let's take a look at your Incredibly Strange strand this year - Smoking Causes Coughing, you seem to have a thing for Quentin Dupieux - explain yourself.

Been an admirer of his eclectic offerings ever since I played his first outing RUBBER at one of my 24HR Movie Marathons.

I loved how he has carved out a very successful career without any compromise. He realises the more money you get the more compromises there are - so he's super content to continue to create his brand of oddball and genuinely sweet cinema. 

There's just no one making films like he does and so when we get the opportunity to showcase his latest, I'm always down. The two this year are both very good but SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING is just joyous loopy escapism and should play to a wide audience but it probably won't (boo!) - because it looks kooky and kooky only packs 'em in if it's Wes Anderson in full twee mode.

 

Speak No Evil seems to be about Danish discomfort and a holiday friendship gone wrong - guessing you can relate to this?

Relate? Are you referring to that rotten holiday where we found ourselves in adjoining Rotorua motel rooms and you decided to cook baked beans for each meal?  

Well if people can imagine the horror of that and times it by 100 then they still won't get close to the harrowing tension of SPEAK NO EVIL which really is the standout film in my section this year. 

For those who remember THE VANISHING then get ready for another dose of Danish fun. 

 

Tell me about Piggy, it seems to have tickled your fancy judging by the hyperbole in the write up in the programme - why will audiences dig it?

No one likes bullies Darren and this succulent Spanish slice of sick revenge  provides a major cathartic experience for anyone who has ever been on the receiving end. 

This one has a strong femme focus and is the feature version of Carlota Pereda's award-winning festival short. 

 

Family Dinner seems to be about the discomfort as well - what's the one moment that stands out here?

I loved the script of this when I read it years ago and was stoked to come onboard the film as Exec Producer. The director studied under Haneke in film school and there's definitely some nods to his influence in the mix. 

It's a slow burn psychological thriller with folk overtones that sets up some awkward family dynamics and then turns up the heat in the kitchen. I also like that the film has a plus-size lead (like PIGGY) and uses it to make some sharp satirical commentary on the fatuousness of foodie influencers.

Resurrection appears to have it all - Rebecca Hall, Tim Roth , stalking...

Highly recommend this one. It starts off with the dour rigor of something like Margin Call before escalating into a terrific dark character piece that echoes the work of early Polanski. It's one of those thrillers where people will want to tell their friends about it but will probably have trouble containing themselves over spilling the beans about the ending.  No spoilers folks.

 

Incredible but True - I refer you back to Question 4)....but with more humour perhaps?

Both Dupieux films are very funny but they offer very different experiences. INCREDIBLE BUT TRUE is a more grounded affair even though it details with extraordinary circumstances, quantum physics and remote controlled penises -- but look it doesn't have campfire tales, superheroes and a puppet rat having sex with hot women like SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING does, so how can it compare? 

What else do you rate from the programme this year, and what is there that you've been fizzing to see?

I'm down for The Territory cos my buddy Courtney told me it was a stone cold killer doc that I had to check out. 

Held off seeing the latest Cronenberg (Crimes of The Future) until I could see it on a big screen so that's a must. Emily The Criminal is a goer - primarily because I have a deep crush on Aubrey Plaza - but I also heard that the film is supposed to be excellent.

FLUX GOURMET is from Peter Strickland who did a segment for my anthology feature and even with that bias put aside - he hasn't had a misstep ever. He's the real deal. I'm also keen to see local filmmaker Tom Levesque's debut micro-feature SHUT EYE. 

Anyone who goes out and makes a feature film with zero funding support at all needs a standing O in these dark times.

You can check out all of Ant Timpson's programming selections at nziff.co.nz