The Bite Magazine

With two films currently in the pipeline,

Jada Brookes

gets into

the mind of London-based director Pascal Bergamin and looks

at his career in films.

bite

director

profile

is first film

Nice Guy

featured a cast of relevantly well-

known British drama actors and touched on what could

happen when an unemployed stay-at-home dad starts

venturing out at night and gets befriended by a group of petty

criminals and strippers. A story written by and starring Cavan

Clerkin from

Pulling

and

The Inbetweeners

fame, director Pascal

Bergamin took us on a compelling journey of someone who gets

implicated in a murder, finds himself indebted to a psychotic

gangster and then drawn into a world of violence that threatens

both his life and his family’s safety. After studying film at the

University of Arts in Zurich, Switzerland from 2001 to 2005, the

director moved to London where he now works as a freelance

writer and director. His interest in films stems from the age of 13

when he began experimenting with a film camera given to his dad

by his workplace. “At the time, I didn’t have any editing facilities,

so everything had to be done by camera. If a scene didn’t work

out the way I wanted it to, I had to rewind the tape and shoot it

again. I made a few short films, mainly casting friends and family.”

Growing up in the small town of Davos in Switzerland, Pascal had

no access to professional filmmakers or media companies but one

thing it did have was an amazing cinema. “I watched everything

I could. From Hollywood to obscure foreign art house films. I

clearly remember watching the first Dogma film

The Celebration

thinking: If these guys can make such powerful films without lights

on a small video camera, relying on whatever is available then

nothing can stop you from making films. It was refreshing to see

that great films could be made with semi-professional equipment

and still end up on a big screen.The Dogma movement certainly

inspired me to make more films in my teens.” Pascal tells us

that he is influenced by everything he has ever watched from

Baywatch to Bergman and adds, “Inspiration can come from

anywhere, but I tend to find it’s almost always found in something

unexpected.” When asked what makes a cutting edge and

successful director, he gave us a very light-hearted answer: “If I

knew, I would write a book called ‘How to become a cutting edge

and successful director’. Make millions from selling it and invest

the money in my next film.”

In his experience, one of the most enjoyable and rewarding

moments in making a film is the screening of a film. “There’s

nothing more enjoyable or sometimes painful than showing your

film. For me it’s the moment where I can finally let go of a film,

celebrate the hard work and move onto the next project. If the

film gets a mixed or bad reception, I treat it more like a funeral

where everyone gathers to say goodbye, grieve and honour

ergamin

ascal