After being a successful professional painter all his life, European-based American Michael Lasoff turned to filmmaking in 2011. The scripts and most of the music scores are his own creations. On a low-budget, he writes, directs, edits and promotes his films all alone. In 2013, Lasoff made his first feature film followed by seven more that have been awarded and shown around the world. His films are satiric observations of humanity, with an emphasis on creators like artistes, dancers, and poets struggling to understand and find love. He’s also made sci-fi and neo noir films that deal with heavy issues in a lightweight way.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
When the art world began to collapse, I decided it was time to return to a hobby I had long before art school, making films. The films that really got me excited about filmmaking were “Alphaville” by Godard and “8 ½” by Fellini. Many years later I was able to realise my youthful dreams with a jump into the dark and some money I made from paintings sales.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
No, not directly. Perhaps documentaries can be a wake-up call for certain important issues to be faced in society. Fantasy-rich narratives like I make will not change the world. Perhaps they can awe, console or stimulate the imaginations of a small public. If that is possible, then in my eyes, they have succeeded in doing something positive for whoever enjoyed them.
-What would you change in the world?
I would hope that we all become more environmentally conscious of what we can do to contribute to a cleaner, healthier and socially fair world. I would like to see all wars ended. I would like to see all people becoming better educated. If people could be kinder and better for each other, what a change that would be. But how I would change the world, is too much for my small mind to grasp. I don’t regard myself as the right person to change the world.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I am not sure where the film industry is going but if we haven’t blown up the planet, it might be interesting to see stories directly transmitted into our brains with advanced technical mechanics that enhance and mimic all our sensory organs.
