Denis Villeneuve: “If I had made the sandworm sequence myself, I would still be filming it today” – LFF Screen Talk

For a filmmaker who avoids heavy dialogue in his work, Denis Villeneuve certainly has a way with words. In conversation with actor and comedian Brett Goldstein, the French-Canadian director passionately articulated the journey of his fascinating career in this year’s edition. BFI London Film Festival.

It was a remarkably fluid conversation, which is not surprising considering Villeneuve’s emphasis on preparation before filming: “Intellectual preparation is very important.” Evidently he was well prepared to enlighten and intrigue a packed Royal Festival Hall.

Villeneuve always wanted to be a filmmaker. He cited Steven Spielberg as his first influence, recalling “I remember reading about him, watching ‘making ofs’…it seemed like a fantastic way to explore reality.” When asked about his early work, he humorously described it as “very clumsy. The French would say ‘maladresse’.”

After two feature films, 32 August on Earth (1998) and Maelström (2000), Villeneuve took years to return to directing, recognizing his need to sincerely study the craft: “Maybe I made my first film too early”. Before returning, he studied every aspect of filmmaking he could, including acting – although when Goldstein pressed him about it, Villeneuve promised he was a terrible actor. Recounting his brief time in front of the camera, he said: “I auditioned for a friend. I cut myself and pissed blood everywhere.” He showed Goldstein a scar on his hand, a memento from the audition that reminds him never to act again.

As a director, Villeneuve has already made a lasting impact on cinema and shows no signs of slowing down. He described his process very simply: “I’m there to understand the artist in front of me.” Observation is important to Villeneuve’s practice, which was reiterated when Goldstein brought up Villeneuve’s third feature. “Polytechnique (2009) was a film that was inspired by the idea of ​​trying to observe reality.” The film is based on the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre, in which a gunman murdered 14 young people.

Villeneuve described the event as “a misogynistic crime.” “I identified a lot with the students. So, I agreed to do that film. It was by far the most difficult film I’ve made in my life.” He also spoke about his preference for reducing dialogue: “I always dreamed of making a film that would be perceived as a normal film, but without dialogue.”

Thus, the decision to adapt Incendies (2010), a play rich in dialogue, was a surprise. Villeneuve recalled: “It took me years to adapt this for the screen… but it was an enormous privilege.”

The Oscar-nominated Incendies – about twins investigating their mother’s hidden past – was his ticket to Hollywood. He has been working in Los Angeles ever since, although that was never his intention: “I didn’t necessarily dream of going to Los Angeles. But Hollywood came to me… I just wanted to experience what it was like.” This experience, which produced hits such as Enemy (2013), Prisoners (2013) and Sicario (2015), proved fruitful. Villeneuve has fond memories of his early days in Hollywood and the opportunities it brought, joking: “I experienced what it’s like to make a movie with money. Yes. The power.”

He also made some notable friends in Los Angeles. When talking about Sicario, he recalled: “I was working for the second time with Roger Deakins, who is a master.” The legendary cinematographer collaborated with Villeneuve on three films and isn’t the only collaborator who wants to return. Stars like Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin and David Dastmalchian are also frequent partners. Maybe it’s your discernible modesty that keeps them coming back.

Throughout his conversation with Goldstein, Villeneuve took the opportunity to reiterate how he couldn’t do anything alone: ​​“I’m not alone. There is a team around me. But perhaps his favorite collaborator is production assistant and filmmaker Tanya Lapointe. He commented that she “perfectly understood my direction. She knew exactly my vision…she is also my wife.”

Villeneuve spent most of his time with Goldstein discussing the two installments of the Dune franchise. He mentioned the original book: “Making Dune, I tried to approach it in a way (similar) to what Frank Herbert intended.”

When talking about the infamous sandworm scene in Dune: Part Two (2024), which took 44 days to film, Villeneuve noted “Every scene was complex… If I had done it myself, I would still be filming it today.”

He also clarified how women are at the center of Dune’s story, especially Chani: “Chani’s character was different from the book. It has become more prominent.” Returning to his love for less dialogue, Villeneuve praised actor Zendaya’s subtlety: “Just the reactions… and we understand the tragedy.”

Goldstein ended this eloquent conversation by asking for some advice for young creators. After describing how intimate the relationship with the camera should be, Villeneuve left the audience inspired with one last call to action: “Go out with your iPhone… and take photos.”