The Golden Age (2019)

Director: Jenna Suru

Writer: Jenna Suru

Stars: Sebastien Cipolla, Jenna Suru

May 1967. A penniless Franco-American producer meets an ambitious French theatre actress in Paris. Both desperate to change the world, they decide to embark on an artistic project together, ending up in a small village in the South of France: Saint-Tropez.

In a new exclusive interview on Blazing Minds, I got a chance to talk with the multifaceted filmmaker; Jenna Suru, who wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the new French period drama, The Golden Age. I asked Jenna a few questions about how she got into film making, recreating 1960s Saint-Tropez and being the last French fictional drama to have filmed in Notre Dame.

Can you tell me a bit about how you got into film making and your production company Belle Époque Films?

I started acting when I was about eight-years-old. I’ve always loved filmmaking, so everything I’ve done in my life was direct to that. When I was a teenager, I entered what we call in France a classe préparatoire, which is basically what you do after the equivalent of an A Level that lets you enter the very best of French/European schools. I worked really hard and did two things. I entered the best French school for Media Business called ESCP Europe in London and also studied in LA at The Academy. The Academy mainly focused on acting studies, but you got to learn a lot about directing, producing and even marketing too, so that was really exciting.  From there I really committed to becoming a filmmaker.

I opened my official production company called the French Feature Film Company in January 2015. I was actually living in London at the time because I had just finished my studies at ESCP.  One of my first productions was The Bigger Picture, with Robert Sheehan, who at the time already was quite big because of Misfits (2009-2011) and The Mortal Instruments (2013). Now most people know of him because of The Umbrella Academy (2019-2020) and he’s a fantastic actor. We had an Oscar-nominated DoP on that one, so that was great too. It was one of the very first productions of the company; it kind of started like that and then I never stopped.

Sometimes it just comes together when you get a project, it seems that everyone does seem to get into place and just seems to fit, doesn’t it?

Very true, you can get a lot done when you’re hard-working and have a clear vision of your project. London was important for me, but I also live in LA and learned so much in Paris. Filming in France is the most incredible thing ever. I really felt London, maybe it’s the timing and as you say, it fits. The UK has a great energy for your filmmakers as they really think out of the box. They know how to connect and they’re really innovative. It’s always been extremely inspiring to me and I think at the time it really played a very big role.  I think in my films you can see the inter-nationality of it with some of the British characters and the music and just the most exciting things ever. I’m in the UK quite a bit even if I’m also in Paris, it’s just a very good energy in the industry at the moment.

You wrote, directed and also style in the feature film, the Golden Age, which you released in 2019. Can you tell me a bit about the film?

Yes, it’s such a rich universe, there’s so much to talk about. The Golden Age is a tribute to the world changing charms of 60’s Saint-Tropez on the friendship narrow, it’s a story that has never been told on the screen. It’s very special to all of us because it’s a village that at the time was a real inspiring harbour for artists. For instance, one of the people I know Sally Kirkland, a Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee in the 80’s. She confirmed with me that at the time everyone in the industry, especially her before her filming in Italy, would go to Saint-Tropez in the harbour and she would have tea with Catherine Deneuve. It’s just amazing. Not even mentioning the singers and all the people from the music and literature industry. It’s just is wonderful for artists, inspiring people from all backgrounds.

Obviously now it’s so famous if you go in August it’s very different. There are many tourists and it’s super crowded, but they still keep this period which really touched me. The connection with the film is that at the time. This is where the UK has a really big place in the film, The Beatles in particular or even The Rolling Stones, they really contributed to change in that sense that they really embodied that spirit, especially the youth who were just tired of war and just wanted something else. This is a story that’s so important to tell, The Golden Age is about that these artists who don’t fit in this 60’s vogue, decided to flee to Saint-Tropez and started to seek out a project to bring change.

It’s actually interesting because it was a fascinating process of discovering and researching prior to the writing. There are a few things that inspired me, firstly the village, Saint-Tropez has just an incredible spirit. People are so authentic and also the light there is just phenomenal, every time I go it just moved me so much.  The light in the south of France is beautiful, so It inspired me a lot, but also from paintings and music. Music is a very big inspiration to me and the music from the time. I did some research, interviewed so many people who lived at the time to understand how you would eat, work, what you would think. Everything was so different from now, because we have the internet. It’s just so incredible and baffling, even the way you live your life stories were so different. I was inspired a lot from the village and the people I met from back in the time, paintings for the lights and the music really inspired me.

Interesting you mentioned the painting, was that for the visual style of the film you were looking at?

Interesting I think filmmakers talk a lot about the films that inspired them and it’s true. In the UK industry one of my big inspirations is Ken Loach because of the authenticity. I always remember when I saw, I, Daniel Blake (2016) and for me it’s a good inspiration. I hope it kind of feels like this in the film, I think it does because of the authenticity. I love this, it’s a very inspiring and generous cinema.

The thing is, we are inspired from other films. I also watched movies from back in the time like And God Created Woman (1956) with Brigitte Bardot. But I am actually more inspired by paintings and music. The only thing with watching other films is that if you’re inspired, you may tend to copy a little even if you don’t realise it. Obviously, you can afford to repeat something that’s really good. Whereas with paintings and music, because it’s a different form of art you need to transpose it differently and to me it’s extremely important.

The light in the south of France is really special, so I really wanted to reform this light of Saint-Tropez in the film with the colours. They’re very beautiful in the film, but they are also just like that in reality. Its a real colour and it was important to reveal that through the cinematography.

Also, music inspires me, I’ve just been inspired by music all my life, it just makes me so happy. It also makes me think of the time because in the 60’s it played such a big role. There was no internet, there was no way to connect in the distance so easily. The music was a wonderful way for people just to feel like they were part of their community.

Absolutely. You mentioned the music which plays quite an important part in the film. Was you involved in the selection of the soundtrack to the film?

Oh, absolutely. I chose, licensed and produced the music. Basically, what happened is I watched documentaries, there were some titles I really loved, so I had them licenced and I produced the soundtrack on titles I really like and the we recorded it with a British band near Paris. It was just amazing! The soundtrack, the recording of the soundtrack and the licencing was just such an exciting part of the process making of the film.

Excellent. And obviously, you mentioned the Saint-Tropez a prime location, but you actually used these 35 locations in the film. Were all of these locations your original choices or did you have to change some as you went along?

The incredible story about the film, is that for the locations I had my number one choices. This story has never been told before, so something that was really important to me was that the audience gets feel 60’s Saint-Tropez, because things are changing. Tropeziennes work really hard to make things look authentic, but things can erode and disappear.

The opening of the film is shot just behind Notre Dame, so we were the very last fictional drama that was shot. Obviously, it was moving to see the events and it’s so incredible because you would never think Notre Dame would collapse. It’s the kind of thing that you think will never change. When we filmed it was so magical and we won’t be able to do it again, because it will never look the same. It was so important to me to have those locations and the Tropeziennes were extremely helpful. There were many incredible partners, and everyone was just absolutely mind blowing. It’s just very moving to see that in the end and it’s also really important tribute.

It’s amazing your most captured locations for the film itself, but did you make any changes to the scripts whilst filming?

What’s really interesting is that the story didn’t change that much, which is kind of surprising because I can understand for many reasons, you can change the story because of certain elements. For instance, at the moment I’m writing my next period drama which is For the Love of Music. It took me more time because I wanted the story to be more intent and for some reason The Golden Age felt very natural, very spontaneous. It’s about the 60’s artists who want to change the world and bring change. I think in a way, it’s a little bit like something coming from your heart, like a screaming, because I really feel like the characters. I made me want to film this film, there’s so many people at the time right now, who are not at ease in this whole world. When you think of Brexit. Even in France, there’s something that is not right. There are many people who feel like their marginals or who don’t fit in or don’t feel comfortable in this world, and I realised there are many people who are feeling like that.

Just telling a story from characters in the 60’s will be very interesting because it’s a different period, but at the same time you can connect. In a way it didn’t change that because it was just incredible to see the reality connect so well. We filmed in a period train, in a period station. We filmed in the theatre of Saint-Tropez which was really difficult, and there were 200 extras. It’s like, the reality of the film, connected with the film in such an incredible way, you know, it’s so weird. Even Notre Dame, how can you expect this to happen? It’s just crazy. I really, I think there’s something magical in this film like reality connected with restriction so easily, it’s really interesting.

Did you experience any issues whilst filming at all?

Oh, yeah, it was really challenging, of course, always. There were so many challenges. I know there were a few shoots that were cancelled around that time because of the weather. Saint-Tropez is really sunny, but for some reason it rained and normally it doesn’t really rain at this time of the year. What’s really funny is that it started raining when we were not filming. We called the end of the day and it rained. I think I was finished with my close up and we just had one take and then it rained. But the take worked, and we were very lucky. Also, we were filming one of our locations is this very famous hotel, which is also a bar. There is a big dancing scene there right on the harbour of Saint-Tropez. I really didn’t want to have a big yacht in front of the hotel because it’s not of the period. It was funny because there was no yacht when we were filming but when I called the end of the day there was this huge boat that parked, it was so crazy. We were just extremely lucky because in the film you can see the harbour, you can see where the boats, then calling the end of the day and there is this huge boat, it was so funny. There were challenges also, you know there are many challenges when filming, but honestly, everything felt like that for this film – everything just felt magical. Sometimes you can feel I think when the elements are with you and Saint-Tropez had that feeling.

It sounds like there were some great memories from the film in itself. What were some of your favourite moments during the filming? There must be some good ones there.

Yes, every location was magical, everything was magical. If I had to pick some moments, obviously among those we mentioned filming in front of Notre Dame. We filmed around Notre Dame and the characters mentioned Notre Dame in the film, it was a very moving moment. Even if we didn’t know at the time what was going to happen, it’s just way too magical to forget, it was really beautiful.  The dancing scene on the harbour and this hotel was just really beautiful. I had called some extras from Woody Allen’s movie, Magic in the Moonlight (2014). They had shot one of my friends and so it was beautiful. We rehearsed the dancing which was really interesting for me as an actor in this big dancing scene, because at the time in Saint-Tropez everyone would dance a lot. The music is important to the film, it was moving and just a beautiful moment just to relive that.  

I would say also filming in Paris was incredible, but also filming around the period train from the 60’s era. It is so interesting. I directed and wrote the film and even though I knew exactly what was going to happen when I saw this train coming felt like I was living in the 60’s. I’m too young to have lived, but it just feels so real. I’ll never forget that it was just absolutely mind blowing.

It really sounds amazing. Moving on you’ve also got another film which your looking to direct and star in 2020. It’s a British horror film Fang Girl?

Yes, it’s a film set between Paris and the UK. We’re filming a bit in the studio and again in Paris, but in a very different way. I’m really excited about this film and it’s going to have a really specific aesthetic. A little bit like rock and roll/Lady Gaga if that makes sense. It’s going to be very edgy. We’re in the process of casting to attach and I’m really excited to work with big names again, like I did with Robert Sheehan in the past. We have been finding some really exciting locations and It’s a really interesting exploration.

I look forward to learning more about that at a later date. Do you have any other projects which you are working on?

Yes, I’m excited to be working with my agent and she is getting me quite a few auditions. I really hope to get a cast of in some really exciting projects. Also, I’ve been line producing a projects in Europe called The Sesh (2020) by Jamal Cole-Dickson. It’s meant to be released in the festival circuits this year. I was casting director and line producer so that’s really exciting.There’s also my next period drama For the Love of Music.

And what is For the Love of Music about? I assume there is a musical connection.

Yes, as you probably understand I love music, and this is also why I love the UK so much. For me, the UK is just incredible with music. You guys really have the best musicians and singers. I had to dig deep down to write the story. I’m not quite finished, but it’s coming along.  It’s basically a period drama about music, love and a really interesting perspective on how you can love your passion, love yourself and someone else.

If

someone’s looking to write and direct their own film, what advice would you give them?

The first thing is to be very coherent with the project. For instance, understand your budgets. It might sound obvious, but it’s really important to make sure you write what you want to direct. As a director, you may want to direct something really big, but when you’re writing you need to make sure you can adapt to your budget because then you can film a movie for any budget. Also, it’s the effort you’re ready to put in. In The Golden Age, I wanted to create this very exciting atmosphere for the audience. It was obviously a very ambitious project, with a big soundtrack, great locations and everything, but I knew I was ready to give it all my effort. Even though I was the only producer, writer and director, I knew I was ready for it. It’s important to be coherent within your projects and also within yourself.

The second piece of advice I think is really important is to surround yourself with the very best of people. Because at the end of the day, even though I think a lot by myself, success is not really possible alone.  It’s worth believing in yourself and being surrounded with the best cast, crew and partners. It’s extremely important, and I was very blessed with  The Golden Age because everyone put so much heart into it, beyond what constitutes as just being work. It was a project that we really connected with and I think this is also why the audience is responding. This project is so special, and I just feel very blessed.Also, come in very prepared. I directed and acted at the same time, so obviously I had no choice, but I would say being prepared is vital. You can sometimes be spontaneous, but I wouldn’t recommend it. With spontaneity and the beauty of things which look natural, there is a really fine line and an interesting process that requires a lot of preparation and hard work.

You can find out more about The Golden Age on Twitter – Instagram – Facebook and the Belle Époque Films website www.belleepoquefilms.com

Philip Rogers

Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!