Alexandre O. Philippe: Masterclass

after the screening of Kim Novak's Vertigo

KNH 5, 10.11

Jean-Luc Godard used to say that a gun and a girl are enough to make a good film. Alexandre O. Philippe went a step further and proved that he only needs… other films. During his career, which extends over two decades, the director who was born and raised in Switzerland, yet studied in the US, created his own unique style of cinephile documentaries. Whether he takes on a single film (Memory : The Origins of Alien, Chain Reactions) or even one scene (78/52), a whole body of work of an artist (You Can Call Me Bill, Kim Novak’s Vertigo, in a sense also Lynch/Oz) or a particular cultural phenomenon (The People vs. George Lucas, Doc of the Dead, The Taking), Philippe is able to combine the passion of an enthusiast and the meticulousness of a detective. He steers clear of both fan-level oversimplifications and academic hermeticism, and thanks to his cinematic skill, empathy and instinct, he is able form strong bonds with his characters, akin to the connection between the legendary protagonists of Hitchcock/Truffaut. 

During his masterclass at the festival, this year’s Indie Star Award winner will talk about the beginnings of his passion, share how growing up in Europe shaped his view of American popular culture, describe the evolution of his method, give a glimpse behind the scenes of his meetings with the greatest movie stars and answer the audience’s questions. 

host: Piotr Czerkawski 

participation in the masterclass is possible on the basis of a ticket or reservation as part of a pass/accreditation for the screening Kim Novak's Vertigo