Cinematographer Javier Hernandez worked together with his friend Amanda García on her graduation film “Filiberto”. Originally from Colombia he studied at the International School for Cinema and Television in San Antonio de los Banos, Cuba. He gives us an insight on filmmaking in Cuba and in general, and on his work as a cinematographer.

You graduated from the International School of Cinema and Television in Cuba, worked in Germany and Colombia. What is film making like in Cuba compared to other countries?

The process of film making is basically the same all over the world. Only for our movie “Filiberto” we had difficulties to find the right place for the scene when the main character walks into that bar where he meets the clowns. We didn’t want the film to become a folkloristic representation of Cuban lifestyle but rather talk about life in general, so we needed a place that would look as if it could be located anywhere in the world. In the end our art director built the bar himself. We also had a very small amount of film material at our disposal, so we could only make one shot of every scene. That forced us to do lots of rehearsing. What is more difficult in Cuba is to find good actors. It’s not because they can’t act, but they’ve got a very expressive, a bit overacted style.

So why have you decided to go to Cuba for studying film?

The school is an outstanding place for studying film making. Once accepted the students immediately get involved into certain projects. During the first year you try out every role in the film making process and work together very intensely. After specialising you study in very small groups of only six people.  It’s also got a very international character, I studied with people from all over the world, and we have professors from Latin America as well as Europe, and even from Hollywood. The team for “Filiberto” for instance included people from seven distinct nationalities. But the school is also a bit a strange place because it’s located literally in the middle of nowhere and you’re always with the same people. So a lot of gossipping is going on there.

You met Amanda, who is from Bolivian origin, at the school. Was it the first time you worked together?

No, we had been working together right from the beginning and soon realised that we were a very good team. We did a documentary on recycling in Cuba, which was a very interesting project. People in Cuba do not throw old or broken things away such as in Europe or other consumeristic societies. They repair everything and have to be very inventive. We talked to a man who is repairing umbrellas, which is something you couldn’t imagine somebody doing in Germany. And the guy who is making the rapiers for the Cuban national team uses old springs from cars for that. Living in Cuba I have realised that I don’t need so many things for living a good life and having fun.

You specialised in cinematography. What fascinates you about that work?

I think that as a cinematographer I’m responsible for the “grammar” of the film. My job is to help the director to find the right elements to narrate, to compose the story. While the director takes decisions on which scene is being used for the film the cinematographer is responsible for the image. Usually the director and the cinematographer work together very closely. Ingmar Bergman once said he really appreciated working with Sven Nykvist because they were both obsessed with light. Light is very important when telling a story using pictures, and knowing the lighting conditions is essential for my work. Cuba for example is really sunny, the sun rises quickly, whereas in Germany the light is somehow softer and weather is more changeable. Different lighting conditions change the impression of a scene completely.

Thank you very much for the interview. Enjoy the festival!