How did you come to the idea to make a film about the porn industry and why did you choose to tell the story of Rocco Siffredi?
We were shooting a film about classical dance in Paris, when we received an offer from a production company to make a film about the porn industry in America. We started with that, but we were not very inspired, then we proposed to do a series of portraits of porn actors. One of them was Rocco. We went to Budapest, where we spent one day with him, and he convinced us that he was in fact he subject of the film, which is why in the end we decided to make a film about Rocco. We got the green light from the production company and thus created the film.
What was it like on the set?
It was a small crew of four people. The two of us, sound engineer and cameraman. We had Rocco’s permission to shoot, otherwise it is not allowed. The shooting of the porn film shooting, I mean. Porn actors who are used to being filmed in these scenes, while working, did not even notice us. Otherwise, it is not the custom, you cannot just walk on the set and attend the shooting.
For how long did the process of filming last?
It lasted for a year. We shot a total of 230 hours of material, of which only 2 hours was used. So, basically only 1% of the total material was used for the film.
What do you think about Rocco’s personality? Why did he choose to become a porn actor?
Rocco is a very complex personality. Simply put, he has been a sex addict ever since he was fifteen years old. He practically went all the way with his addiction and started making films. What makes him special in comparison to other actors is that he has been lasting for 30 years, while the others last five to six years. His career is that long.
What do you think is the position of documentary films on the European market?
We know what is the situation in France, not in Europe. In France, a documentary is on the rise and increasingly finds its way to the big screen, we hope that it continues in that direction. Thus, there is an upward trend of the documentary in France.
Do you have plans for your next film and would it be a documentary or a feature film?
It is still early to talk about that. We are at the beginning of preparations for a new project. So we are still in the process of writing the script, but we know it will surely be a documentary.
Will it be about an individual and his or her life again?
No, it will be a series of portraits, where different stories about different personalities intertwine. It will be about a holy place.
Do you have directors who are your role models?
Mail brothers, they are Americans who made films in the 60s and 70s. Our favorite film is “Grey Gardens”.
