Do you want to see a magic trick?
In upcoming doc “The Greatest Illusion,” Benjamin Ree – behind Oscar-shortlisted “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” and “The Painter and the Thief” – will focus on Norwegian illusionist Alexx Alexxander.
Alexxander, who loses crucial memories after a traumatic experience, processes it all on stage, in grand-scale, personal magic shows. He creates his own alternative reality – just like “Ibelin’s” protagonist Mats Steen, suffering from a degenerative muscular disease and finding refuge in the universe of the World of Warcraft.
“I think it’s a good interpretation,” Ree tells Variety at Norwegian Intl. Film Festival Haugesund, right before “The Greatest Illusion” picked up an award at the Nordic Co-Production Market.
“These are stories of resilience. Humans have an enormous capacity to survive and find meaning in life. Towards the end of his life, Mats could barely move his fingers and he still helped people all over Europe. They wrote to his parents after he passed away, sharing stories about him as a friend. I’m drawn to that kind of kindness. It can change lives.”
When Ree started filming, Alexxander was bankrupt. Towards the end of the shoot, he was an international star, performing at Orson Welles’ favorite spot The Magic Castle and promising to make the iconic Hollywood sign vanish.
“I strongly believe in the power of hope. But it’s not the Disney kind of hope; it’s grittier and more complex. We need it these days,” said the director.
“Magic and illusions have been extremely important for Alexx. When life was at its roughest, he would go up on stage and perform. That’s what fascinates me: his ability to do personal magic and connect it to his own story.”
Ree wants to invite the audience into Alexxander’s inner life and “show how trauma affects memories.”
“I come from a journalistic background. I used to work for Reuters, dealing with one kind of truth, which is extremely important, but there are truths that are more subjective. One of my favorites is Fellini’s ‘The Book of Dreams,’ where he wrote about his dreams and nightmares. Alexx used to do the same thing. We have his entire inner life written down and we use it to find out more about his past.”
But his memories, hiding a terrible secret, are constantly changing.
He added: “In the film, we’ll show different versions of what he’s trying to remember. They did it brilliantly in ‘The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,’ which is a reference. I’ve also experienced how memories can change because of trauma and depression. It’s very scary.”
Tackling Alexxander’s life-altering wound, Ree decided to work with a therapist.
“Instead of usual interviews with Alexx, that kind of ‘digging’ is done in a therapy room by a specialist. We were allowed to film the sessions,” he said.
Both Alexxander and his family will be involved in the film.
“I want to include them as much as possible. They will watch the first version and they will be there for test screenings. That’s extremely important because the people we are making films about will live with them forever. They should understand how they’re received by audiences. Figuring out how to tell their story isn’t just an artistic choice; it’s an ethical choice.”
On “Ibelin,” Mats’ family watched multiple different edits.
“They didn’t have any comments; they just wanted to be part of it. They used the film in their still ongoing grieving and healing process.” They also ended up accompanying Ree to festivals. “They went to every screening. I hope Alexxander’s family will also do it to a certain degree, but it’s up to them to decide.”
At the moment, Alexxander is set to perform his art alongside screenings.
“We hope we’ll make magic fashionable again,” laughed Ree.
“It’s one of the oldest art forms and it’s so connected to the history of cinema. Georges Méliès [behind 1902 ‘A Trip to the Moon’] was a magician! The goal is to blend two Davids: David Copperfield and David Lynch. And to make it work.”
While fictional takes on “The Painter and the Thief” and Mats Steen’s life are also in development, Ree has “nothing to do with them.”
“Hopefully they will make people watch the documentaries, too,” he noted. Ingvil Giske, producing for Medieoperatørene, added: “I think documentaries have always tried to play with form. The first film ever is a documentary, right? I just feel that the history of documentary is not so present in our minds as the history of fiction film. Our community needs to advocate more for its presence,” she argued. Also as an art form, insisted Ree.
“A documentary has never been nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and so many films would deserve that recognition.”
“Real stories have something different to offer than fiction. These are real people going through a terrible time and creating a life that’s worth living. It’s real Mats Steen, real Alexx Alexxander, and not some famous actor recreating their lives. That’s the beauty of documentary: authenticity.”
variety.com
#Benjamin #Ree #Ibelin #Greatest #Illusion
