Anlässlich des Filmschoolfests 2024 hatten wir die Gelegenheit, mit dem Gewinner des Documentary Awards zu sprechen. Der Regisseur Hugo Drechsler verschafft uns mit seinem Dokumentarfilm "Paul en Paul" einen Einblick in die dunkle und bewegende Familiengeschichte zweier Brüder und überrascht zugleich mit humorvollen Momenten.
My name is Hugo Drechsler, and I'm a film director from the Netherlands. I'm studying at the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam, and I made a documentary called Paul en Paul, and it's about two brothers living in Amsterdam North, and they are talking about their dark family history. And during that they are doing a lot of funny things, like stealing bikes on the streets, going to jail.
So, yeah, it's a portrait about two brothers.
Did you have any difficulties while shooting the movie?
It was, I think the hardest thing during shooting the documentary was, the ethical thing. Like, we really want to make a funny portrait about two brothers, but at the same time, it was also about their really hard family history because their dad was working in the second World War in Auschwitz. It's about incest. So, we had to bring those two elements really in balance.
Like, because the two brothers are really funny in daily life, but they are also struggling with some really hard emotional problems. So, I think that was the hardest thing, during filming the movie.
Was it challenging to portrait the film in a somewhat humorous way without it seeming like you were making fun of the story?
I really understand, but I think that was also one of the hardest parts, of making this movie that we really wanted to put the funny scenes in the movie, but we always, have to thought about what ‘s the movie really about. And it's about being brother, in good and bad times, and about the dark family history.
So, we only took the funny scenes when they are also telling something about being brothers. So, I think, yeah, but it was really hard to, to get all in balance.
Is there a reason behind shooting the film in black and white?
When I was doing the research of this movie, I was always filming them with my own camera, just like a photographic camera. And I… always after the research, I put it in black and white and it was always working really well for me. And I didn’t understand in that moment why it was working for me. And then I was talking with the camera man, like the DOP of the movie, Hugo, and he asked me what the movie is really about...and it’s about the relationship between two men, and we realized at that moment, that the black and white gives the attention more to the relationship of the two brothers and that everything that happens around them, didn’t matter anymore in black and white, because it was about the expression. So that was the reason we shoot in black and white.
How did you meet the two brothers?
It was because I didn't was looking for some movie characters. Was just, a really sunny day in Amsterdam. And I really loved the photograph. So, I was walking down the street, and, I saw two really beautiful men sitting in the front yard, shirtless, and one was drinking off their kind of beer. The other one was licking his ice cream.
So, I asked them to make a picture. So, because it was a really beautiful image, and, they said, yeah, of course, do your thing. Everything's all right. And that picture was the start of, relationship with me and the two brothers. Like, they didn't tell me at that moment about their family history. I didn't notice that they are even brothers.
And they are living together in the same house. But, yeah, after the picture, we met a lot more. And, so I, explored more about the two brothers.
Do you watch movies to analyze and learn from them?
I'm watching a lot of Dutch documentary filmmakers, and also another international, but, yeah, they giving inspiration. And I really love the filmmakers. They are also looking, for stories really close behind them. So, I'm for sure that you don't have to fly to the other side of the world to create a nice movie. I think it's really important for a filmmaker to look really close around your house or where you're living.
To find out if there are some nice stories, because if everybody's doing that, we are creating a lot of beautiful stories around the world. So, yeah, if I analyze some other people's movies. Yeah. I, sometimes when I'm making a movie and then I'm thinking, oh, I really prefer that style of the movie. Maybe it's also working, a little bit for my movie.
And then we're talking with the crew a lot about other filmmakers. So for the Paul en Paul, it was Ulrich Seidl . I'm not sure if you know the filmmaker, but he's making documentaries and also fiction. And it's, really cool filmmaker.
Do you take advice from others while shooting, or do you stick to you own ideas?
No, no, no, I think it's really important that, because sometimes you have some directors there. Always think it's my idea. So, what I'm doing is the best for the movie, but I think it's really important for a director to, also listen to other people and get some inspiration from your crew. Like, for example, the talk with my, DOP about shooting in black and white, but also, with the sound designer on, how do we kind of create…
Because I'm talking about my vision . So, I really want to make that kind of movie, and they give me a lot of inspiration. Okay. If you like that, we can do this or this or this. And I think, filmmaking is team work, so you have to do it together.
How did you build trust with the two brothers?
I knew already the I know for now, the two brothers for, I think 3 or 4 years, and we start shooting after one and a half year. So, I was there for one year, without camera, just talking with them and, knowing each other better. And after, a year, sometimes I took some people from the crew with me, like the producers and also the DOP‘s, the sound operator, that they already knew them before shooting.
And, so I think it’s…, my advice to create some trust with your characters give it a lot of time. Don't want to shoot directly when you know someone for one week, and…but give it some time.
Do you have any advice for new filmmakers?
I want to give the advice for started filmmakers to be really curious about what's happening around you. And search for some, stories, where you feel connection with, like I did. I make a movie about two brothers, and I'm also a brother of, my brother. And we also have a really beautiful relationship. So, I was really inspired by the story of Paul en Paul.
I think that's advice. You don't have to make a documentary about yourself. But find some stories where you're feeling connected to. And, I think then you're going to make, the best films you can. So, yeah. And always being curious, like, it's a really nice excuse for to explore some other, worlds behind you to say I'm a filmmaker I’m going to make a film about you, and then you're inside, and then the fun is happening.
Interview, Kamera
Noemi Nigro & Laura Lekuona
