Originally hailing from Belgium, Zoé Wittock grew up travelling the world. She attended the International Film School of Paris. Her shorts include “A demi-mot,” “Still,” and “This Is Not an Umbrella.”
“Jumbo” premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival on January 24.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
ZW: “Jumbo” is above all an extraordinary coming-of-age story between a shy young woman and a machine on the rise.
As Jeanne discovers her true feelings for Jumbo, the newest and seductive attraction of the amusement park she works at, she will slowly mature into a fully-grown woman, which will not be to her mother’s liking.
The film will follow this mother-daughter relationship as they struggle to accept each other for who they really are.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
ZW: It was unconventional and struck me the moment I read the article that inspired it all. It was about a woman who had fallen in love and married the Eiffel Tower, ultimately becoming Erika Eiffel! At the time, I couldn’t really tell why I was so intrigued by it. It just made me laugh as much as it fascinated me. How and why would someone chose to live their lives that way? So I contacted her, and was even more surprised to realize that she was one of the most grounded people I had ever talked to.
She initiated me to the notion of “Objectum sexuals,” people in love with inanimate objects, and was just very open about her experience. Little by little, I started writing and understanding that this was really just about accepting who you were and owning up to it enough to share it with the world. And this is how this love story slowly transformed into a story of empowerment and [an exploration of] identity and sexuality, which most definitely resonated with my young self.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
ZW: I don’t want to impose one way to react or think. I just hope that they enjoy the ride! And that the story leaves enough of an emotional impression for them to question their own limits.
It is quite an unusual love story and if I’ve managed to [make] the audience emotionally involved then my job is done.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
ZW: The biggest challenge was most definitely creating a real connection between Jeanne and Jumbo, the amusement park ride. From the conception to making [it a reality,] it was quite a unique experience. Having to work within the constraints of a limited budget, we couldn’t lean on VFX as much as we would have wanted to and thus had to be creative on the ground in order to make the constraints work to our advantage.
After a world search for the right Jumbo, we lucked out and ended up finding the perfect one in France. We then customized him and changed his entire electrical circuit — more than 3000 lights — before he was ready to “communicate” in a way that the audience would believe in.
During the actual shooting, there we three people operating him so that he could react live to any of actress Noémie Merlant’s improvisations. Each technician had to be extremely coordinated with one another and, in a way, a little bit of an acting partner to Noémie. It was just as challenging as it was fun!
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
ZW: We actually made the most of what governmental funds had to offer. Our first support came from France through the CNC (French film fund,) and was quickly followed by Belgian and Luxembourgish support. Being from Belgium myself, it really made sense to open it up to a European co-production.
W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
ZW: I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker from a young age. At the time, I lived in Sydney with my parents and was going to a very small French school where it wasn’t always easy to navigate as a student. Despite the amazing teachers we had, I ended up being the victim of bullying and closed myself off to everyone around me. I had always loved watching movies, but at the time it became my only refuge.
Ultimately, suffering from the frustration of not having anyone to talk to, I started questioning different ways of expressing oneself. Unable to write at the time, I felt like images would be my best medium to tell my stories. Little by little it became inherent to my lifestyle, and it has never really left me since.
W&H: What’s the best advice you’ve received?
ZW: The best advice is the first good piece of advice that stuck with me: “If you want to be a filmmaker, then just be one. You can only become one by taking a huge leap of faith: so do not wait, do not hesitate, do not shy away from it, and don’t try to take reassuring detours on the way. It is already hard enough as it is to not waste time trying to access it through more accessible jobs.” This was quite radical, but it helped me in finding the determination I need to keep pushing forward.
Other good advice, if I may: “Trust your gut.” And also, “Film is not a one-person show. It is a collaboration — so learn to listen.”
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
ZW: If think it is important to be proactive in the current gender and diversity debate in film, but if I had one advice to give them it would be not to look at other people’s careers — whether female or male — and to just focus on their stories, whether female- or male-driven.
We are all filmmakers. Our gender does not define our art: it is only part of it. If someone is passionate about their stories and characters, then I am absolutely sure they will find the right film partners out there.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
ZW: Claire Denis might be one of my favorite directors. It just feels that she was one of the most daring filmmaker of her time! She is an auteur filmmaker that takes risks and explores the realms of genre within her work, striving for the most beautiful images while capturing the most intimate emotions and feelings. I was blown away when I saw “Trouble Every Day,” but I also really felt captivated by her latest film, “High Life.”
W&H: What differences have you noticed in the industry since the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements launched?
ZW: It has made a huge difference. Those movements have redefined the barrier between genres in every way. Of course it helped in putting gender issues upfront in the film industry — and fortunately others along with it — but it also helped in opening up dialogues about what “genre” actually meant, thus triggering much wider conversations.
It questioned everyday social interactions between men and women, questioned gender equality within the work place, but also challenged the mere definition of what “femininity” and “masculinity” meant. And that, to me, is very interesting. It taught us to debate the most quintessential notion of Adam and Eve, in a way. Both for women and men, who were themselves stuck within the parameters of what they had been taught to be.
The prospect of change is fascinating — we just have to make sure it remains an inclusive movement for all genders. I also do not think that a movie like “Jumbo” could have been made 10 years ago as it questions too much of a woman’s personal choice of identity and sexuality.
