A Docufiction As Awkward, Sad and Funny As Life Itself
“The Filmmaker's House” is screening in Sheffield for Sheffield Doc/Fest on Saturday 17 October at 5:30pm, book your tickets here.
‘The Filmmaker’s House"‘ opens to director Marc Isaacs seeking out his homeless friend Mikel, recovering from sepsis in hospital.
“Maybe this will be good for your movie” he muses, “It’s “real””. But is it?
Isaac’s film is a hybrid documentary featuring himself and a cast of real people that gather in his home to a scripted narrative on the theme of hospitality inspired by their personal backgrounds. Although some of the scenes (including the opener) genuinely ring true, there’s no knowing just how much is artifice.
The result is an experimental and at times awkward meta experience that doesn’t quite come off but makes up for it with its quirkiness, humour and humanity.
We find out from a video call with Isaac’s agent that his push to fund the film hasn’t gone to plan. TV bosses want psychopaths, serial killers and celebrities and Isaac’s pitch for “ordinary people doing ordinary things” hasn’t gone down well. Regardless, he decides to pick up his camera and do it anyway, turning his home into a set and adding his cleaner, neighbour, builder and friend to the script.
Although it may seem random, Isaac’s choice of cast is acutely representative of a modern London neighbourhood with its blend of nationalities, religions and cultural attachments. As they eventually crowd around the kitchen table to tuck into a curry, the film can be seen as a quiet statement on multiculturalism. They discuss universal topics like grief and family, of which they have shared experience and values, while simultaneously comparing things like food and customs, agreeing and disagreeing, but ultimately cohabiting.
Here7 the dialogue becomes stilted and the illusion of realtime handheld filming is abandoned in favour of regular cuts to closer shots. Although it’s intentional and even a little comical (Isaacs comments on how hard it is for him to film everyone), the loss of authenticity is a little jarring. Nonetheless, their discussions are interesting and the strange chemistry that builds between them produces entertaining moments that keep you watching.
The film’s strength is that it manages to be funny, awkward and sad at the same time - much like our everyday existence. Isaacs does so first and foremost by welcoming our gaze into his own home but also with a steady flow of self-deprecation, from his failed attempt to haggle with the builder, to his wife angrily interrupting filming when she comes home from work. Alongside these amusing moments we seamlessly learn about each character’s hardships: poor health, the loss of a loved one or having to live on the streets.
Ultimately, “The Filmmaker’s House” is a playful experiment that falls short of making a statement but succeeds in capturing the oddity, hardship and comedy of modern life.
“The Filmmaker's House” is screening in Sheffield for Sheffield Doc/Fest on Saturday 17 October at 5:30pm, book your tickets here.
