-Who is Vanessa Philippe?
I’m French, I live in Paris. I am a songwriter and performer, dancer and choreographer. Since my third album, I have been making my own music videos. “Suddenly the birds” is my new and fifth album, released on January 21, 2022, and “So many tears” is one of the music videos I made.
What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
First I was a dancer and choreographer, very interested in directing. I started to stage myself in music videos to reclaim my own music that sometimes escaped me during recording in the studio, with the director of my songs, or musicians.
Anyway I like writing stories in music as in pictures. I want it to escape from reality, or to perform reality into poerty.
“So many tears” is a surreal music video that speaks of feelings of mourning contrasted with the joys of childhood. My sister’s died in 2019, and to bear and accept the harsh reality, I wrote an album, “Suddenly the birds”, dedicated to her. This song is one of them, and the music video is a second reading of the emotions that go through me.
In surrealism I find the unconscious and dreams that I use in my lyrics and music.
I need to surprise myself and making music videos is an experience that allows me that.
-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?
Yes of course, espacially concerning the condition of women in our society. Often when we watch a film we seek or we find answers to our own questions, not necessarily consciously. And what comes up can then influence our lives and the society we are all building together. I am particularly moved by films talking about the difference between women and men and the oppression of women in the history of our society. Talking about it, putting your finger on flaws allows you to become aware and change things, I’m sure.
-What would you change in the world?
If I could change something I would put the trees back in place, I would remove tar and plastic that invades us and suffocates us step by step. I would restore nature its rights to save the human being.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
This is a difficult question. The cinema will always exist, but will the theaters last? As with music, the industry changes with the evolution of society. The pandemic has changed people’s habits, platforms have taken the place of theaters. Even today most people stay at home and watch a movie on their screen or computer. The screen is integrated to our daily life, individualism also with social networks. Relations with society have changed and going to the theater to share a film together is increasingly rare, unfortunately. There may be fewer films, but cinema, as music, will always be a vital necessity.
