"It's hard to get lost if you don't know where you're going," is the motto of popular director Jim Jarmusch, which seems particularly apt here as he traipses through the streets of Seville as if through a labyrinth, followed by a camera that manages to be a discreet observer rather than a provocateur. If Jarmusch looks into its lens to share his reflections it is because he wants to. He is the one who engages director Léa Rinaldi, not the other way around, and he even seems self-conscious, at times, to have someone observing him while working. This is an exceptional occasion to play voyeur on Jim’s set, to regard his images and witness his moods: at times he acts like a pedantic control freak, only to appear withdrawn and absent at others. This documentary is somewhat reminiscent of its subject’s movies, and presents a rare opportunity to learn how he behaves on the other side of the camera.
Léa Rinaldi studied literature and audiovisual arts at the Sorbonne. She had her first contact with the camera during a yearlong stay in Cuba, where she made amateur films. After her return, she worked in film journalism, including with Canal+, and produced short independent films. A meeting with Jim Jarmusch at a film festival resulted in an on-set visit, which ultimately led to the making of Behind Jim Jarmusch, her feature documentary directorial debut.
2008 Migration (kr. m. / short)
2009 Gilles Peterson presenta Havana Cultura (kr. m. / short)
2009 Za plecami Jima Jarmuscha / Behind Jim Jarmusch (dok. / doc.)