Insights from filming "Savages" by Claude Barras

Who is Claude Barras?

Claude Barras, born in Sierre on January 19, 1973, is a Swiss film director and producer. Coming from a family of agricultural workers, he pursued studies in children's illustration at the Émile Cohl School, as well as anthropology and digital imaging at Lumière University in Lyon. He also studied cinema at the University of Geneva and 3D computer graphics at the Cantonal School of Art in Lausanne.

After completing his education, Barras co-directed his first animated short film, "Banquise," with Cédric Louis, which was selected for the Official Competition at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. He went on to produce and direct a variety of animated shorts for the Hélium Films animation collective, many of which have been recognized and awarded at numerous festivals. In addition to his filmmaking, he teaches animation at the Arts Appliqués de Genève and the École de la Poudrière in Valence. In 2013, Barras began working on his first feature-length stop-motion film, co-written with Céline Sciamma. "Ma vie de Courgette" premiered at the Cannes Directors' Fortnight in 2016. The film has been distributed in over 60 countries and has attracted more than 175,000 viewers in Switzerland and 800,000 in France. It has received significant acclaim, including two Césars and an Oscar nomination in 2017.

In 2018, with Nancy Huston and Morgan Navarro, he developed the idea for a new animated feature film, which he then co-wrote with Catherine Paillé. Sauvages will be presented in Special Screening of the Official Selection of the Cannes Festival 2024.

About ''Savages'', his last film

Plot

In Borneo, at the edge of the tropical forest, Kéria is given a baby orangutan. At the same time, Selaï, her cousin, comes to take refuge in their home to escape the conflict between his nomadic family and the logging companies. With the forest under greater threat than ever, Kéria, Selaï, and the little primate, Oshi, will face many obstacles. Embark on an incredible journey through a tropical forest in this poetic and comic stop-motion film. Suitable for children of all ages!

40 seconds a day shot in stop motion

Claude Barras expresses a deep appreciation for the artisanal nature of stop-motion animation, emphasizing the hands-on experience that comes from collaborating with others rather than being isolated in front of a screen. He finds this approach to be more enjoyable, although it does require meticulous planning and organization, as the medium doesn’t allow for easy revisions or adjustments as digital animation does. While filming Savages, 10 film sets were constantly in operation to shoot the film frame-by-frame. Each set shot 4 seconds of film per day!

The puppet hospital

A workshop nicknamed the ‘puppet hospital’ housed all the figures, which were dressed, made up, and touched up between takes. The puppet designers create a total of 100 figures, including stand-ins for the protagonists, if needed.

A tribute to nature

Bruno Manser, the environmental activist who disappeared in Malaysia, is the man who inspired Claude Barras to make this film with a clear ecological moral. The film's plot conveys a significant message about the importance of preserving the environment. The release of "Savages" will be supported by an impact campaign aimed at encouraging audiences of all ages to take action. This initiative seeks to inspire positive change regarding the issues of deforestation and the excesses of the agri-food industry depicted in the film.

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