The journey along the canals, with the numerous locks to negotiate, becomes a metaphor for this motely group of actor friends, Jon (Jon Foster), Red (Robyn Isaac), Zooby (Jamie Zubairi ) and Simon (Simon Meacock) who are each facing various life changes and challenges. This is amusingly echoed by a distraught man on the banks who is clearly trying, unsuccessfully, to rescue his relationship, as his one-sided telephone argument increases and comes and goes on the wind, while the real issues on the boat remain silent.
This film has freshness and spontaneity that, with the improvised dialogues, manages to keep your interest. The friends meet on the narrow boat for the weekend and drink too much, as they try to bridge the gaps that have opened between them over the years. The knowledge that one (Jon) has suffered a devastating loss hangs in the air unspoken, creating a tension that bubbles to the surface, but is never really dealt with. This is clearly a tragedy that is not mentioned but felt, like a hangover of its own as they drink into the night. The canal and the numerous locks and scenery take on a life of their own Seeking companionship and solitude at the same time, the conflicted Jon is confined largely, and without experience, to the steering end of the vessel, while the others booze it up.
There is a contrast with the stunning serenity of the lush surroundings and the unravelling of old issues that inevitably rise and fall during their time together. The choice of Black & White images over colour adds a dreamy ingredient. The scenery is a dazzling backdrop as the friends somewhat clumsily try to reconnect and restore their old familiarity and warmth. There is humour, honesty and the freshness of the improvised dialogue adds intensity to the encounter.
This is an interesting debut film for British-Peruvian film-maker, artist and musician Tupaq Felber. He has spent years living and working in Hungary and India and he has worked as a fashion designer, a graphic artist and a music producer, before getting a name as a film editor and commercials director.
Named Tupaq by his Peruvian mother, after Tupaq Amaru, the last Inca Emperor of Perú, Felber is known for numerous Documentaries and short films. This film was inspired from the experiences of spending time on annual barging weekends himself. Some years ago, Felber spent a few days on the canals with a friend who had suffered a loss in his family as part of helping him through the mourning process, and it was there that the idea to make it into a film arose.
Tupaq Felber
The improvised quality was very deliberate, the cast were encouraged to use their own life experiences to create a group dynamic. His experience shooting documentaries was vital in that he knew how to work around an event without interfering too much, so that although there was a script, it was just a template or structure that remained in his head and, in the end, he never gave it to the cast.
Tupaq Felber: -
“I had a world to work with and a basic structure. The trick was to populate this with believable characters. Characters who would allow me to discuss the themes I’d settled on. After initial discussions with the cast I decided that Jon would represent ‘loss’, Red would represent ‘love’, Simon ‘career’ and Zooby ‘spirituality’. And that’s where our writing process really began. “
Having always admired filmmakers of intimate subject matter like John Cassavetes, Ingmar Bergman, and even the Dardennes Brothers, the tonality and need to film in black & white was there from the start.
The DOP (Director of Photography) Paul O’Callaghan is a Bafta winning talent and the film was shot on an Arri Alexa. Despite concern on Felber’s part, that using black and white would not make the most of the beautiful locations, in reality, the shimmering effect of light on the leaves is so delicate and rich that the ethereal quality that ensues is truly mesmerizing.
Tupaq Felber: -
“In the end the decision, like most of the decisions on this project, was a practical one. Black and White meant we could be more agile when it came to lighting. It meant we could grade in a broader way. It discarded a lot of variables. When you’re making something at this scale, you want to give all the energy you can to the smallest number of variables possible. It gives you the best chance of doing something good. “
The whole film was shot in three days almost continuously, with little sleep in-between. It was a challenge for the editor (Felber) to shape the film from the 18 hours footage cutting it down to the current 98 minutes.
“Whilst I knew I’d structured the timeline so there’d be sufficient pace to keep it moving along, I also knew that all the nuance which would give this film its soul, would come from the things that happened in between.”
This was a truly independent production, even the financing was arranged so that everyone was a ‘financier’ and part- owner of the film, so that everyone who participated would benefit in the end. When Kamilla Hodøl of Elation Pictures came on board, Felber was persuaded to show the film at the 2017 London Film festival. Now he is hoping ‘to move British Cinema away from British Cinema’.
“The project I'm hoping we'll shoot in spring next year, is the adaptation of a classic American underground comic book, which I've re-set in Scotland. It's a dark comedy sci-fi with lots of swearing in it.”
After this interesting debut, we will be keenly awaiting his new film.
TIDES (2017)
Director/ Writer/Editor Tupaq Felber
DOP Paul O’Callaghan
Sound Designer Emanuele Constantini
Music Kas-Tro
Producers Samantha Chitty. Emilie Jouffroy and Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl(Elation Pictures)
