Interview with director Vincent Bonin-Arena
A "Nouvelle personne" at the Berlinale

Quebec director Vincent Bonin-Arena presented his first feature film, "Nouvelle Personne", at the Berlinale. Émilie Kessler et Emmy Champagne took the opportunity to interview their compatriot about his work and life path.

Vincent Bonin-Arena is one of the directors who represented Quebec at the Berlinale this year. His first feature film, Nouvelle personne, was selected to premiere at the European Film Market (EFM). We discussed his film career and his experience at the Berlinale.      
 
What is your background in film?  

Vincent Bonin-Arena: Actually, film has always been a passion for me, but as a teenager I didn't know that it could also be a possible profession. Towards Vincent Bonin-Arena | © Novateam the end of high school, when I realized that you could make a life in the business, it was a revelation to me. I studied at the Lasalle Conservatory. That's where I made my first short films. After that, I went to college and then to university. There I found the most challenging part was to really throw yourself 100% into the business!  

I was used to always having a job after I finished school, so it was quite stressful to get into the film business. I've managed to make a living out of my profession for 3 or 4 years now, and that's one of my best achievements, honestly. 

I continued to make short films, commercials and music videos. My first feature film, the one that we now presented in Berlin, had the support of MELS studios, although I also put some money of my own into the production. I'm currently editing my second film. Otherwise, I continue to write, submit my works, try to make ends meet as a filmmaker.
 
How was your experience at the Berlinale? 

It was the first time I went to this festival and it was really amazing! It's just beautiful to see how cinema can bring so many people together. The works they offer are so atypical and original compared to what we are used to seeing in traditional cinemas. Just the fact that my film was presented at the 'Market' as a showcase, was already a great opportunity for people to see the film. Also, it allowed me to get a distributor for the film. This is very good news for the next chapter of the film's life!
 
How did it feel to have your film screened at one of the biggest international film festivals? 

When I got the letter that the film was going to be shown at the film market, I was really happy. It's a festival that has a good reputation. The category my feature film was submitted to was taking a lot of films. So it's not exactly like my film was selected for the festival competition. But just the fact that the EFM people decided to present it at the Berlinale at all was really amazing. I'm really happy and it's an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my career. It's a very formative experience.

How was the first public screening of your film at the 'Market'? 

Poster "Nouvelle Personne" | © Productions Bonin The premiere of the film went very well. It wasn't a big venue, but I was surprised that there was quite a crowd when the film started. At one point during the movie, I remember feeling people moving behind me. And at the end, the audience applauded. That's a lot of fun. I also got to talk to some of those who had been there for the screening. 

Afterwards, we went to meet some friends. One of the actresses in my film told me that people reacted well. That's really great for a film that has a less narrative essay at its core. When I daid I felt people moving, I thought they were leaving, but in fact it was new people coming in. That was really surprising that people were coming in the middle of a movie. Anyway, it was just wonderful to see that people were interested in the film.

It's always different to see your film on the big screen. In the theater, there's something special going on. You have access to the universe in a way. Even though I made the film, I still got into the story. In editing, I don't necessarily have that access. All in all, it was a really nice opening night. 
 
Have you met any new contacts that can help you in your future projects? 

The purpose of the festival is mostly to meet people that you can grow with in the business. I really felt that my experience allowed me to meet people who work in production companies for movies and TV series. It's possible to meet and talk to each other in person. These are connections I can use in the future when I submit a project and they already know a little bit about who I am. It's very valuable to have had the human experience there.
 
What was the creative process for "Nouvelle personne" like? 

The film was shot in 2020. It was originally supposed to be a short film, but then came the pandemic. I spent a lot of time at home. I had several ideas. When I put all the scenes together, it was getting a little long for a short film. So ffter shooting, it became a short feature film. It's 70 minutes. There wasn't really a traditional written script. It was more a canvas of ideas. Nouvelle personne is my first feature film. On March 2, 2023, the film was shown at the Rendezvous du cinéma québécois. It was presented at other festivals as well, and then, in the end, it will hopefully end up in theatres. But if not, it will definitely be on VOD platforms like iTunes, YouTube.