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Articles The son of avant-garde filmmaker Ken Jacobs, US director Azazel Jacobs has learned a lot from his father. In particular he cherishes one of his sayings, which he often repeats when he is filming - "bad taste is no minor sin." It was not so much bad taste as growing up in a New York film environment among cameras- especially the $100 b&w devices he bought along Canal street- that inspired NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW, his feature debut which has its world premiere in Rotterdam. A graduate of the State University Of New York (Purchase College), like Hal Hartley, Nick Gomez et al, Jacobs directed an award winning short, KIRK AND KERRY, in 1996. At that stage he was already trying to figure out a story that would match the pictures he wanted to make. While still studying at the American Film Institute in LA, where his final work was another short ON WEE!, he started filming NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW, building up the set of a New York apartment at a local cafeteria which was available. "There is a beginning an end to the story, so we knew where we were heading, but there are so many elements in each frame that some audience may go on a detour in a totally different direction, seeing their own movie," he explained. "NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW was more influenced by reggae music and The Clash than traditional filmmaking, where a director shoots some scenes that he has rehearsed with the cast. Although there is one director I am really excited about- Finland's Aki Kaurismaki." One of the themes of the film is fame and how pursues those who run from it, and runs from those who pursue it. After an appalling audition Iris decides she probably does not want it after all, clashing with her roommate Mira, who will do anything to get there. At the same time in Manhattan- which plays a major role itself- a young man explores behind the camera and outside the frame. The director continues his search for the right actress. "And the camera battery dies," Jacobs concluded. DAILY TIGER, Rotterdam 1.23.03 - Jorn Rossing Jensen |
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