T-Port Blog

Luzie Kurth is the creative force behind the short film PÊCHE, which was picked by guest curator Jukka-Pekka Laakso as part of our 2015 Lighthouse Selection. 

In this interview, we chatted to the filmmaker about cinema, food, and the beauty of life. Professional Subscribers can watch PÊCHE here. 

Hi Luzie, could you introduce yourself?

I was born in Cologne in 1997. After studying in Berlin and Vienna, I recently moved to Brussels. As a capital city, Brussels stands for transnational thinking. A city is shaped by its history, its architecture, but above all by its people. People and their stories are what inspire me to make films.

If you could watch one film forever on a loop – what would it be?

That’s a tough one. Today, it might be ‘The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover’ (1989, Peter Greenaway) and tomorrow ‘The Snails’ (1966, René Laloux) – but I’m not sure I’d really appreciate being in the loop – there are plenty of great films out there – some well-known and some yet to be discovered. I wouldn’t want to miss any of them.

How many films have you made before this one, and what did each new film teach you?

I would consider ‘PÊCHE’ to be my second film. Previously, I made the documentary feature ‘BIG FISH – Rumba Rwandaise’, a cinematic portrait of a passionate chef who sets the pace in her own dance of life, even if her freedom to move ends where the European border regime starts. My work is strongly related to the theme of food – it’s a constant learning process, both technically and structurally, but also about life in general. By working with people, I learn about food practices, but most importantly about the beauty of life.

How did you first start working on this film? What was the process like and what first sparked the idea to make it?

It all began with a simple question. One morning, I was having breakfast, enjoying some brown shrimp and wondering: ‘Where do they come from?’ In Belgium, these shrimps are considered a delicacy and there’s something almost unifying about the affection people have for them. Whether in Wallonia or Flanders, most people seem to share a deep appreciation for these little creatures. My curiosity led me to delve deeper into the tradition of shrimping, and that’s how this project evolved, right from my breakfast plate.

What would you like people to take away from your film?

I think what I want to do is raise questions. For me, it’s not about giving answers; it’s about giving the viewer the space to make up their own mind. Sometimes, it’s about that in-between space. In that sense, the film is inspired by poetry – both in terms of space and time. 

We live in an age where information is constantly at our fingertips, and while that offers endless possibilities, I think it’s important to stop sometimes and really pay attention to what’s happening right in front of us. We see the immense amount of work that goes into shrimping for such a modest catch, which naturally raises questions about the state of our environment, climate change and how we value our surroundings. 

Ultimately, it’s about recognising these things, but also understanding that if we want to change the status quo, we need to work together. We create the world we live in.

Once you had the idea – how did you go about the production process?

Once it’s in my head and ready, I just want to dive in and get started as soon as possible. That was definitely the case with this film. I don’t think it took more than four weeks from the moment the concept was clear to the moment the footage was shot. At first, I’m really enthusiastic and eager to get started, and I think that kind of energy is incredibly useful at the beginning of a project – it helps move things quickly.

Coming from a background in radio drama, the sonic dimension of a project is very important to me. During the editing process, I work very rhythmically and really enjoy finding an auditory narrative thread that sets the pace for the film. It’s at this stage that I’m able to carefully refine and adjust the project, aligning the sound with the visuals. It is here that the film begins to take its final shape, as I find the right rhythm and make sure that everything flows together in a way that is consistent with the original vision I had when the idea first sparked.

What were the biggest challenges you encountered during making your film?

I think every project has its own challenges. With ‘PÊCHE’, the biggest challenge was definitely the editing. As I often work from an auditory narrative and rhythm, this project was considerably different. The film is almost silent, with the sounds of the environment – especially the sea – setting the rhythm. It’s the sea itself that guides the editing process. 

This made perfect sense for the project, but it took me some time to fully grasp it. Realising that the ambient sound would set the pace, challenged my way of thinking. But that’s part of the fun – being flexible and letting the process guide you.

Tell us about the sound choices in your film

It took me a while to internalise the narrative power of the sea, but finding the right music was an even bigger challenge. I’d rather do without music than overload a film with it. For me, music and image must work together, not compete. 

Fortunately, I found the magic with ‘Dante’ by Echo Collective. I’m incredibly grateful for their collaboration on this project. The song ‘Dante’ was a stroke of luck – not only did it perfectly capture the atmosphere I wanted to create, but it also ties in with ‘The Divine Comedy’, which has been an inspiration from the very beginning. Sometimes things just come together like that.

Tell us about the visual choices in your film. What were your main goals and techniques in creating the visual style of your film?

This project was created in close collaboration with photographer and cameraman Lars Borges. We have worked together on numerous projects. With his background as a photographer, he has shaped the visual language of the film. A project like this can only be realised through teamwork, where different perspectives flow into the final work.

What did you find (or still find) as especially lacking in the process of distributing and promoting your film? What was especially challenging?

The biggest challenge in distributing and promoting my work is that I have produced my projects all by myself. Having taught myself most of what I know, the thing I miss most is the community. When you’re outside of the established networks that film schools inherently offer, you’re practically starting from scratch with every new connection. There’s no alumni network to fall back on, no professors with industry connections to point you in the right direction and no group of fellow filmmakers to navigate the industry with. This isolation means that you have to open every door with your own strength and determination. 

Nevertheless, I also see this challenge in a positive light. In this position, I have the freedom to really do what I want to do without outside influence – so I can work with focus and independence. It forces me to be resourceful and persistent, and although the distribution process is undoubtedly more demanding, it also offers the opportunity to find my own way and build relationships from the ground up.

What do feel young film talents lack the most today, after graduating from film school? Where are the gaps in the film industry?

I’ve never formally studied filmmaking – my academic background lies in theatre and political science, which I studied at the Free University of Berlin, followed by a master’s degree in applied human rights at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. I’ve been acting since the age of six, which has given me invaluable insights into the inner processes of performances, which has proved incredibly useful when working with people on set. My time as an assistant director in radio drama has also strongly influenced me. However, when it comes to the technical side of production, I’ve taught myself everything I know.

For me, distribution is about connecting with an audience that can relate to the themes of the work – and ideally laying the groundwork for the next project. Finding your own way is just as important for distribution as it is for producing a film.

If you were to have infinite resources – walk us through your fantasy film project

Oh, there are so many interesting stories yet to be told, but right now, I’d really like to start production on my documentary project ‘KA’, which is a deeply personal exploration of my late uncle, the artist Gerhard Naschberger.

‘KA’ tells the story of Naschberger’s life through the lens of my own childhood memories. Born in 1955 in Klagenfurt, Austria, Naschberger was a key figure in the ‘Neue Wilde’ movement. His journey took him from Frankfurt to New York and Cologne, where he co-founded the ‘Mülheimer Freiheit’ group. He died in 2014 in Lima, Peru.

Through a combination of interviews, archival footage and explorations of his former residences, this film aims to fill in the gaps in my memories of him and reveal who he really was. I’m particularly interested in how the paintings themselves can become the main narrative force and would love to work with animation techniques to bring the artwork to life, allowing them to become a living part of the story.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently in the midst of producing my short film ‘CASTING’, my first foray into fictional filmmaking. Structured as a series of interconnected vignettes, the film follows aspiring actors in Los Angeles as they each perform the same emotionally charged monologue – an intimate apology that reflects broader societal tensions in America. As each actor interprets the text, their individual takes blur the lines between personal failure and systemic coercion. 

These separate performances eventually coalesce into what appears to be a single persona, trapped in an industry that demands conformity and distinction in equal measure. We’ve just finished filming and I’m now deep into post-production. I’m really looking forward to sharing this project with you all soon!