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- What was the toughest thing about making "Two Popes"?
- I think when I read the script, I loved the dialogues,
and I said, yes.
And then I realized that the film was
two men talking about religion.
Quite exciting, isn't it?
- It is very exciting.
- And how to make it cinematic,
so that was the big challenge.
- How big was the bankability of your actors
a factor in making the film?
Were you at all, like-- - No, no.
I was completely free to cast.
And to be honest, how I cast Jonathon Pryce, I googled,
when I signed the film, I looked for pictures of the Pope,
just to see how he felt.
And there was a lot of pictures of him
next to Pryce because they look alike.
So he was the obvious choice. - Oh, yeah.
- So what I did, I said "I want this guy",
I mean, he's good actor, - Yeah, Jonathon Pryce's great
and I checked his work. - Yeah.
- You're lucky it was Jonathon Pryce. (laughs)
- And then I watched an interview with him,
just him being himself, and I felt he's so humble and funny,
and I said he has the same kind of energy from the Pope.
Maybe this guy look alike and has the same,
that's good from him.
Watchable. - Did you ever meet any,
either of those popes?
- No, well I shook hands with Pope Francis,
and I told him, "I'm making a film on you",
he couldn't care less (laughs).
He said "really?", "yeah, yeah", and then he just, yeah.
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- What do you most like about the filmmaking process
and what do you most dislike?
- I love editing.
- You do? - Yeah.
I think a go-to is the set, well, I like set as well.
But I just, mostly to grab things,
so I can go to the cutting room, quiet, dark,
and experiment, I mean, I--
- We always say, making a movie is the price you pay
to get to the editing room.
All that stuff you go through.
- Yeah, and then you change your total script.
You change the acting,
you change everything. - Everything, yeah. (laughs)
- You start the film, that's where you start the film.
- Well, I think it's because directors
by their nature are control freaks.
It's what kind of leads us to this, and there's nowhere
you have more control than in the editing room.
There's always these variables,
it makes it fun, being on set if fun, casting a movie is fun
but it's a little out of control.
You get to an editing room and you finally control it all.
- But that's the fun though, trying to get control
out of out-of-control. - Yes.
- That's the thing, that's the tensions,
riding those horses.
- Well, when you mention that jazz--
- Jazz not-- - I feel like a jazz director.
So, I have a plan when I go to the set,
but then, I mean, whatever happens,
every opportunity I have to make it different.
When I was shooting "The Constant Gardener",
we were location scout, and there were some camels.
I said, well it would be nice if we had some camels
and we just drove by.
And then two months later, the producer called me
for a meeting because they're bringing camels from Ethiopa.
- Oh, that's right! (laughs)
- Yeah, the guy had the plane and they were showing me,
I mean, this is the camel, we have eight or nine left.
Or, if you want 12, we can bring 12, and I said,
no please, it's just a comment.
(laughing)
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- Fernando, you live outside the Hollywood system.
- Yeah, and I don't depend on it, so it's great for me.
- So, how are those-- - It's true,
I'm in a pretty good position here.
- If you're an international filmmaker, are you in an
easier position, or is it tougher?
Has that world changed too?
- For me, it's been easier.
I mean, because I don't have the involvement,
I don't have to make people like me, you know.
So that can be very, and I'm finding very good producers
that supports what I want to do,
so I'm being very independent in whatever I want to do,
and without having to please people around
because I don't depend on the, do you get this?
- Yes. - I'm really, yeah.
It's very, there's a very good thing about
being an outsider.
And wanting to be an outsider.
- Did you ever think of moving to America?
- No, I have very deep roots in Brazil.
Family, and I like to direct in Portuguese.
What I'm doing the last years,
when I went to direct in Portuguese, I'm doing TV.
TV series and, because it's different.
I mean, I understand English, but I don't feel English.
Like you, if you say mango tree,
in English it is just a tree.
In Portuguese, mangueira, it's my mother, the sense--
(laughing)
It's so much, so I have to direct in Portuguese sometimes.
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