CANNES, France — We caught Sohrab Mirmont at the World Women Foundation in Cannes on May 12, fresh off a panel and about to start shooting his new film in Venice. He is the nephew of Abbas Kiarostami, the Iranian maestro who won the Palme d’Or in 1997 for “Taste of Cherry” and the Venice Grand Jury Prize in 1999 for “The Wind Will Carry Us”, and who shot “Certified Copy” in Tuscany. Sohrab, who produced “Riddle of Fire” on Super 16mm outside the Hollywood system, has signed Luca Bigazzi, his uncle’s cinematographer on “Certified Copy”, and Italian actor Riccardo Scamarcio in what he promises will be one of the actor’s deepest performances yet. The story, half Italian and half English, was born on a water taxi gliding through the canals.
Q. Your uncle won at Venice and shot in Tuscany. What does it mean to carry that name into your own Italian chapter?
“It means everything. I began my career as a filmmaker after seeing what he’s done and the impact he’s had on the world. The ability to make films that touch people and travel beyond language is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Q. Why Venice?
“Venice is more than 1,500 years old. Everywhere you point the camera, it’s already set design. I fell in love with it the first time I visited. I got on a water taxi and it was magical. Nobody’s ever made a film about a water taxi captain. That’s what got me thinking about the film.”
Q. You’re working with Luca Bigazzi, your uncle’s cinematographer. What was that first meeting like?
“A little intimidating. But after we sat down and spoke, it was like we were speaking the visual language of cinema. He’s got so much more experience than I do, which I’m thankful for. I don’t want to let anybody down.”
Q. AI in cinema. Where do you draw the line?
“You don’t want to replace actors with AI. You don’t get the same kind of performances. But for little gaps, background actors, simple VFX, that’s fine in my book.”
Q. What does Italy give that you can’t find anywhere else?
“A global playground. For an American to make a film in Italy, you’re stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing cinema that is global.”
