Glenn Dumortier (°1985) is a Belgian filmmaker, currently completing a Masters in documentary filmmaking at RITCS Brussels.
iFilmFestival: Tell us a bit about your most important film so far.
Dumortier: "A.WAY was a hard film to make. Because it speaks about nostalgia and melancholia, I found myself being a bit depressed for a while. If you make a film about the ending of childhood and the sorrow of being an adult, then you think about all the times that are passed and will never come back quite a lot."
iFilmFestival: What were the key challenges making it?
Dumortier: "The lockdown! I had already filmed some shots with my DOP, Sven Aerts. But I wasn't satisfied. Later on, I decided to construct the film only using archive material. Needless to say, Sven wasn't amused!"
iFilmFestival: What’s one aspect that you’re particularly proud of?
Dumortier: "I did the voice-over myself, and in one fragment I almost started crying, you can hear my voice break. I'm satisfied when people tell me that that particular fragment really hits them."
Trailer: A.WAY by Glenn Dumortier
iFilmFestival: How did you get involved in filmmaking?
Dumortier: "I've always been a cinephile and an amateur writer. A few years ago, I worked a dead-end job. After long consideration I decided to go do something with my passions. That's how I decided to go back studying at RITCS in Brussels. At that time I was 31."
iFilmFestival: What new projects are you working on or are you hoping to work on in the future?
Dumortier: "I'm busy writing the scenario for my Masters-film which will be called "in this valley of tears". I'm going to explore more about nostalgia and I'm trying to write sort of an audiovisual letter to my godchild, Mia, who was born a few months ago."
iFilmFestival: What role do film festivals play?
Dumortier: "It's a great way to get your name known around the circuit and of course, most importantly, it gives you the chance to get your film seen, by people. P.S. F*ck you, Covid-19!!"
iFilmFestival: What is your advice to filmmakers tackling the festival circuit?
Dumortier: "Be Patient! And even tough it doesn't get selected, it's not the end of the world. Keep making films!"
iFilmFestival: How do you see the future of film?
Dumortier: "Positively. People tend to escape trough the beauty of film. If not in the cinema, than at home. Film will never die!"
iFilmFestival: Which filmmaker do you admire and why?
Dumortier: "Charlie Kaufman is a really big inspiration. For example, 'Synechdoche, New York', my favourite film of all time, is a film that you can watch ten times and you'll still discover new things. It's crazy how one can show you life entirely in just two hours."
iFilmFestival: What film have you recently seen that you have admired in one way or another?
Dumortier: "I had to stay in isolation recently, so I saw a lot of films lately. The one that stuck with me is "Bacaura" from Juliano Dornelles and Kleber Mendonça Filho. It's something unlike anything I've seen before. You can't keep your eyes of it. Honorable mentions: The Battery (Jeremy Gardner) and These Final Hours (Zak Hilditch). Low budget and amazing. I really like post-apocalyptic films, by the way."
Thank you Glenn for answering our questions!
Interview by iFilmFestival on 18 February 2021
