The journey of an Uzbek auteur filmmaker

Anvar Safo is the founder of OneStudio video production and the creative director of Qand. He studied film and television directing at the Tashkent Institute of Arts and Culture. After winning a grant in 2014, he went to study at the School of Cinema and Television in Paris and continued his education at the Cifacom School of Graphic Design and Animation. He has authored several short films, including “Compose Rose,” which participated in the 70th Cannes Film Festival and the Chelsea Film Festival in New York.

Could you have ever imagined becoming a filmmaker?

At the beginning of my creative journey, I was studying to be a sound director and working at the “Uzbegim Taronasi” radio station. Family and friends used to convince me that there was something out of this world about me and that I should become a director. I was expelled from the institute several times because I was working and not attending classes. Eventually, I decided to listen to those around me and enrolled in directing, still unsure if I wanted to pursue it. But in my second year, I fell in love with my future profession.

Who fostered this love?

I fell in love with this profession because of the lecture by my honored teacher, who, unfortunately, is no longer with us – Khanjara Nasyrovna Abul-Kasymova. She was an encyclopedia of knowledge, respected and admired by everyone. She was one of the founders of the cinema museum. That lecture about French and Uzbek cinema set a fire in me that still burns today. In my third year, after making my first short film, “Dog,” I realized how challenging this path was and knew I wanted to pursue it.

Where do you get ideas for auteur cinema from?

From life. My life, the life of everyone – that’s auteur cinema. Despite what is written on your forehead, you live your path, maybe for the hundredth time, and write your story. It’s been eight years since I made my last film, and during this time, I haven’t shot anything because I was living, collecting memories for the next project.

Is there a film you wish you had made?

Probably several. For example, the film “Poor Things” by Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos or “Mr. Nobody” by Jaco Van Dormael. How I wish I had made those films!

How does European auteur cinema differ from Uzbek auteur cinema?

In vision. We seem to be internally complex because we all go through a tough school – we feel everything through suffering. Even in the institute, we have to go through this. 

In my view, the European school is different; they have moved past this stage a long time ago and now simply experience life. They have just enough drama to reflect the European experience. 

Uzbek auteur films are overflowing with drama. It’s cool in its way, but it lacks a certain lightness, like the feather in “Forrest Gump” that hints at the story of a light-hearted man. This is what our films lack.

A question to help young directors: Is it possible to make a talented film without money?

Yes, especially now. In the era of artificial intelligence, you can write a script in 30 seconds and generate a video. In auteur cinema, the idea is crucial; technical capabilities come in the background. If a person has a goal, they will make a film. Material difficulties should not stop them. I say this, but it does stop me (laughs). If someone told me, "Anvar, make whatever you want, by any means," I would still need technical capabilities.

What projects are you proud of?

I am proud of my short films and projects related to Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage. Even if they are commercial, I am also proud of projects where I was given creative freedom and told, “Anvar, do it your way.”

What films are profitable to make in Uzbekistan and abroad?

In Uzbekistan, there is a demand for family dramas, which I think is a big mistake. It's wrong to develop only one genre. There should be many genres and many filmmakers working in different genres, not just stories about families, wealth or poverty, breakups or deaths. It’s great when there is a general demand for ideas. For example, I’ve been to American cinemas where they have sessions showing only short films, and people visit them. They find it important to watch five 15-minute shorts in one sitting. The demand is for what is offered. That’s good. 

Sometimes I’ve been invited to Uzbekkino, mainly for films that are already being made. When I suggested different topics, they said such themes don’t exist here and there’s no point in making films about them, like domestic violence, etc.

Could you implement this idea of short film sessions in cinemas?

Yes, we are thinking about this idea, but it requires good short films from local cinema, or we could mix in Central Asian films.

Where did the idea for your film “Compose Rose” come from? From life?

From life, yes. The film idea was suggested by my friend Laurent, who lives in Paris. It’s about a lost person trying to find himself but failing. We developed the idea that the main character starts meeting various characters, and the audience realizes they are all a part of him. Sometimes he is crazy, sometimes happy, sometimes sad; at times he is bold and rough, other times gentle. It’s the state of the soul at different stages of life. We initially planned a feature film, but due to a lack of funds, we made a short film.

At which festivals did it participate, and can you tell us about the planned screening of this film?

The film participated in New York, Paris, and at the 70th Cannes Festival in a section where non-competition films could be shown to audiences by renting a hall. That’s what we did..

We plan to show this film to the Uzbek audience soon, and I would love for it to be an open screening lasting several days so that people have the chance to see it. I would like to organize this event in one of the best cinemas in the city. It would be great to show other directors that they too can make such films.

What does Anvar Safo do in his free time?

I’ve been interested in drawing for a long time. Now I’m taking lessons from a talented young artist who prefers to be called that, and I try to draw something every day.I love coming to work by bike or on foot. I rarely drive a car nowadays.I adore music. I used to rap, recorded everything, and even have some music videos. I still love doing that.