Werkmeister Harmonies Q&A Session

Tarr Bela has a certain following among those in the know as the brilliant director of the 7 1/2 hour epic Satantango (1994), and his new film Werkmeister Harmonies is another standout work boasting more than enough depth and intensity to capture, and keep, audience attention right where it belongs. Filmed in black and white with one shot per scene, the film depicts the people in a small village, and the chaos and rioting that erupts when a traveling circus comes to town. Appearing after the screening, director Bela chose to stand on the same level as the audience rather than sit on the stage for the Q&A session. Regarding his choice to film in black and white, Bela said, "I see the world in black and white. I don't think you could capture the true essence of things if you gave them color." When an audience member mentioned the film's use of extremely long panning shots, he bared part of his clear, uncompromising film philosophy to the audience, saying "I don't like to give a piece of information, then cut to the next scene. For me, the story is superficial. I think a certain flow of time is necessary to convey the essential things that lie deeper beneath. By crossing the limits of that time, I can become free." Asked about the symbolism of the whale that appears in the film, Bela answered "I don't believe in symbols," explaining that he does not like to limit things to one interpretation. Finally, he thanked the audience in classic director fashion, saying "I'm happy that you came to see this hopeless, grey film," and closed the session by saying "I hope that [in the film], you can fe! el a sense of why we destroy things." Director's Profile: Tarr Bela Born in Hungary in 1955. Graduated from the Hungarian Academy of Theatre and Film in Budapest in 1981. Since 1981, employed by MAFILM. From 1979 to 1980, a member of the direction committee of the Bela Balazs Studio in Budapest, a film studio for young filmmakers. Since 1990, has worked as a visiting professor at the Film Academy in Berlin and has been a member of the European Film Academy since 1996.