5 Behind The Camera: Directors Of Photography

We'd like to focus on some of the talented people whose work you can enjoy in five of the films playing at the Toronto International Film Festival. Each is a Director of Photography, also known as a DP: Ernesto Herrera (Here Comes The Devil), Gary Shaw (iLL Manors), Linda Wassberg (Blondie), Laurie Rose (Sightseers), and Robin Thomson (Peaches Does Herself).

Ernesto Herrera, the DP for Here Comes The Devil, also worked with director Adrián García Bogliano on 2011's Penumbra. Variety made specific mention of his skills in their review, stating that he "intensifies audience unease in several scenes by portentously framing characters in mirrors, doorways and hallways, subtly suggesting that power is shifting and screws are tightening."

"What stood out most to me [in Penumbra] was the slick cinematography" which "added an almost surreal atmosphere to the film that was quite effective," said Cinema Head Cheese blog. We look forward to Herrera's work in Here Comes The Devil, which plays at the Festival.

 We have already seen DP Gary Shaw's excellent work in Duncan Jones's 2009 Moon.
"The lighting is subtle yet brilliant and the cinematography definitely succeeds in highlighting Sam's isolation," remarked Cinemaroll in their review, while Zarzax The Blog classified the cinematography as "amazing."

Shaw's work on iLL Manors, playing at the Festival, is also getting recognition. Eat Sleep Live Film proclaims, "The film's visual style belies its low-budget origins. Director of photography Gary Shaw (who also shot Duncan Jones film Moon) ensures it looks good, even when things get very bad."

Before Blondie, Linda Wassberg lensed She Monkeys in 2011. For that, she won the prize for Best Cinematography at the Transylvania International Film Festival in Romania. Sound on Sight praised Wassberg's work highly, saying, she "amps up the atmosphere: shadows, natural darkness, and narrow scope are used to emphasize the claustrophobia of the girl's lives."

Variety also took note of Wassberg's prowess in their review of She Monkeys: "The stellar tech package is led by Linda Wassberg's atmospheric, tightly focused widescreen lensing." Wassberg's work impressed Chorus and Echo, who said She Monkeys was, "beautifully shot and convincingly styled-one can only hope for more from cinematographer Linda Wassberg." We feel sure that  "more" will be more than obvious in Blondie, which will be playing at the Festival.

Ben Wheatley has previously collaborated with DP Laurie Rose on the films Kill List and Down Terrace. The two team up again on Sightseers, which is playing at the Festival. "From the very outset the cinematography is striking," notes Sound on Sight in their review of Sightseers, "direct credit to DP Laurie Rose whose use of darkness in particular is masterful."

Telegraph also had great things to say about Sightseers, remarking "Laurie Rose gives the Yorkshire and Cumbrian landscapes a dewily gorgeous sheen." The Hollywood Reporter admired how Rose's "widescreen digital cinematography presents the countryside in a sufficiently splendid and alluring manner to delight UK tourist authorities—even if Wheatley's vision of this 'green and pleasant land' tends to be strewn with messily-dispatched corpses.We don't doubt that such a contrast will be stunning in Sightseers.

Robin Thomson, who shot and edited Peaches Does Herself, graduated with a BA of Fine Arts from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee, Scotland in 2008. According to his website he is also working in Berlin as a video editor, artist, and musician, as well as managing Peaches' various online platforms, including her blog and social media.

Recently, Thomson compiled and edited a guerilla video that Peaches organized with her fans to support the Russian punk activist band Pussy Riot, who were charged and convicted of "hooliganism" (for real) for their song "Putin Lights Up The Fires." Watch the video here.

While you're waiting for a screening of Peaches Does Herself at the Festival,  you can also watch more of Thomson's work on his website.

HERE COMES THE DEVIL screening times:
Tues., Sept. 11th, 6:00PM, BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Wed., Sept. 13th, 7:00PM, SCOTIABANK THEATRE 3
Sun., Sept. 16th, 3:30PM, SCOTIABANK THEATRE 4

ILL MANORS Screening Times:
Sun., Sept. 9th, BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA 9:00PM
Tues., Sept. 11th, SCOTIABANK 4  4:15 PM
Sat., Sept. 15th, SCOTIABANK 4  9:30 PM

BLONDIE Screening Times:
Mon., Sept. 10th, SCOTIABANK 2  9:45PM
Wed., Sept. 12th, BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA 12:00PM
Fri., Sept. 14th, SCOTIABANK 3  6:15PM

SIGHTSEERS Screening Times:
Tues., Sept. 11th, RYERSON THEATRE 9:00PM
Thurs., Sept. 13th,  RYERSON THEATRE 12:00PM
Sun., Sept. 16th BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA 7:00PM

PEACHES DOES HERSELF Screening Times:
Thur., Sept. 13th, BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA 9:00PM
Sat., Sept. 15th, TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 4 3:15PM
Sun., Sept. 16th, JACKMAN HALL (AGO) 4:00PM

HERE COMES THE DEVIL: Director Profile: Adrián García Bogliano

Argentinian director Adrián García Bogliano embarked upon his career making short films his in the late '90s, but it was only a decade later that he jumped  into features with 2004's Riddlebox. Since then, he's been a busy man; just check out his IMDB profile. 

Bogliano's 2006 feature, 36 Steps (also known as Bloody Birthday), was low in budget but high in gore, offering a twist on the sexism inherent in many slasher films. The thrilling Cold Sweat was a hit at SXSW, presenting familiar genre elements through Bogilano's distinctive, groundbreaking style. The Polanski-influenced, slow burning Penumbra screened at Fantastic Fest in 2011. This film, which uses the intriguing setting of a solar eclipse, dares to make the central character as unlikable as possible.

Now that there's some well-deserved buzz around this talented new filmmaker, horror aficionados as well as fans are in luck: Synapse Films recently acquired the rights to three of his older films: Rooms For Tourists (2004), I'll Never Die Alone (2008), and Watch 'Em Die (2009).

Although Bogliano has stated he's dedicated to making horror films, he insists on pushing the boundaries of the genre. In a recent interview with Twitch, he discusses how horror is a good way to comment on political issues, especially for younger generations of the film audience. He describes Cold Sweat as "an exhausting thrill-ride" that still makes a "grand conversation" possible. He's quick to point out, however, that what's important for him is "telling good stories, making your audience glad they came to the theater or rented the movie, continuing to be able to work."

Here Comes The Devil, Bogliano's latest and highly-anticipated film, is also the first of his creations to appear in the Toronto International Film Festival. The plot seems simple enough, but with Bogliano at the helm you know there will be chilling surprises in store. While on a family trip, two young kids disappear briefly. Although their parents are overjoyed when they are reunited, their happiness turns to horror as it becomes quickly apparent that they're not quite the same and worse, that something sinister and supernatural is to blame.

Here Comes The Devil, explained Bogliano to Indiewire, was partly inspired by Nicholas Roeg's 1973 masterpiece Don't Look Now as well as the unique and perhaps unexpected location of Tijuana, a city with an interesting energy and history. Bogliano's fascination with Tijuana is partly due to his recent relocation to Mexico, where he's started a new production company, Salto de Fe Films.

Be sure to check out Here Comes The Devil, especially if you're planning on vacationing in Tijuana anytime in the near future.

HERE COMES THE DEVIL screening times:

Tues., Sept. 11^th, 6:00PM, BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Wed., Sept. 13^th, 7:00PM, SCOTIABANK THEATRE 3

Sun., Sept. 16^th, 3:30PM, SCOTIABANK THEATRE 4