at Lumière

PostED ON 17.10.2023

Sébastien Durand, Disney expert, introducing the studio's centenary screening

“In 1935, Walt Disney met his living god, Louis Lumière. He was passionate about old projection equipment and was a collector. When they met, Louis Lumière invited him to see his first attempts at stereoscopic 3D cinema. Walt Disney would use them twenty years later to make 3D films. That meeting was very important."

"We're celebrating the 100th anniversary today, but in reality, Disney was already on his third studio when he founded the one that still bears his name today. He was very young. He was just twenty. He launched his first studio to make commercials. But it only lasted a month. He didn't give up and set up another studio with which he made  Laugh-O-Grams, funny adaptations of fairy tales such as Puss in Boots, Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. But once again, it didn't work. The third time was the charm. In 1923, he joined forces with his brother and they founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, which would become the Walt Disney Company today. Disney's animation in 1922 was very primitive by today's standards, but it already contained some very interesting things. The quality of these films is quite low because the film used for restoration was in very poor condition. But it's a bit like the Lascaux of Disney,  the studio's prehistoric times, before the history that is still being written today." 

Bruce Weber introducing Let’s get lost

"If Chet Baker were here, he'd probably settle into a seat a little above the front rows. He'd be coming back from one of his many famous walks. You can't imagine how I feel now that time has passed and I've aged. I'm sad that he's not here with us. I miss him very much. These are difficult times to be celebrating cinema, given everything that's going on in the world. But for me, music, painting and films bring so much joy... it's something important to keep in your heart. I'm very flattered to be here, what a magnificent festival! You can't imagine what an event like this can mean to a filmmaker, with the feeling that we’re at home.” 

“I made this film a couple of years ago now. I felt like I was drowning in a drained swimming pool. That's the feeling I get every time I start a film. It's a very uncomfortable feeling. I could never have made this documentary without the help of my wife and producer, Nan Bush, who is here with us. Making a film is a team sport. I probably felt too alone when I was taking photographs".

© Léa Rener