TECHNIQUE DOGME 95
“A lot of people hate that rule,” he laughs. “If you don’t have any funding, or you’re not allowed to make any more films, then what would your last film be? I think that idea really forces you to think. Maybe there’s an idea, a thought or a feeling that you’ve had for years, but you haven’t dared go there yet.” The hope is that a lot of great films will come out of Dogma 25, and Alami finds it reassuring that filmmakers across numerous countries have reached out. “Dogme 95 was a rupture in the way that everything felt artificial, [but] for us it’s more a rupture in the process of filmmaking,” he says. “Our Dogma movement is based on what we can do to take ownership of the process and make it as inspiring as we can, and really protect the filmmakers and core group of people who have something they want to tell. Dogme 95 was more technical. There were lots of rules that were there to force the filmmaker to not do something that is too polished, and our rules are different from those.”
ALL THE RULES WERE INTERESTING AND difficult and provoking FOR MOST OF US”
were good, etc. You have to be willing to compromise, even if it’s annoying that you can’t use the internet, for example. These limitations [are meant] to provoke you. So, all the rules were interesting and difficult and provoking for most of us.” He argues that while the rules may limit filmmakers, these restrictions enable more creativity. “The rules are there to ultimately protect the core ideas of projects. We’ve already seen quite a few people inspired by these rules, because they are provoking. As a director, since you are not allowed to use
the internet, it means having to sit down with your cinematographer in person. It’s a completely different way of working that forces you to maybe go in another direction, and that can be very inspiring.” As he is wrapping another project, Alami has yet to commence work on his Dogma 25 film, but believes it will take him back to why he wanted to make films to begin with. “I’ve spoken to some of the people making Dogma films now and they’ve all said it’s extremely freeing.” One of the rules he particularly likes is having to make the film as if it’s your last.
FESSING UP Thomas Vinterberg broke his own Dogme 95 rules on Festen by covering a window to block out light and not using Academy 35mm film
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