“Christmas Inventory”
The cinematography premises of “Christmas Inventory” lays, as the tittle suggests, in a certain iconographic enumeration and an afective look to Christmas.
Along with small events, and in an overlapping logic, the film has moments which appeal to a cultural and intemporal memory of Christmas in strong contrast (or not) with played moments of magical happiness in household Christmas. A certain “naturalist” look was intended in the visual approach, in an almost documentary style, in strong contrast with evocative sequences of Christmas Nativity scene with some intemporal and mythical atmosphere, where I tried to appeal to the memory of epic and biblical based films of the Technicolor era. Although both family representations belong to the Jewish-Christian imaginary, they're situated in to distinctive worlds : the contemporary portrait of the city bourgeoisie family (located more specifically in the 80's decade), and the mythological representation of the sacred christian family. Both coexist in the the film on the same physical space and share the same moral, cultural basis and fundamental principles. - The film starts with an introduction on this concept of intercession, with spiderman playing with miniaturized holly figures in the Nativity scene .
Miguel Gomes acting direction had in mind getting the most on the improvisation process (mostly due for having a non-professional cast), particularly in the scenes with kids. The difficulty of this working method, (having in mind that we were not dealing with an actual documentary but with recreated christmas situations), is to give room to the maximum extend as possible to a certain spontaneity. On the far end, the nativity scene sequences with its solemn visual treatment ( I must recall of the scale matter) should take the audience into a different dimension. They were intended as another approach to Christmas and work as a complement to the "real life" ones. And, after all, belonging to the very same cultural imaginary. I am very pleased with the result.
Miguel, as a director, is very concerned about the subtext purposes of his films and that requires from the dp a very demandind work on the formal treatment, which is exactly what the dp profession is all about and what makes it so interesting.
Rui Poças
"Christmas Inventory" / “Inventário de Natal”
director : Miguel Gomes; dp : Rui Poças; cam.assistants : Pedro Cardeira, Maria João Shreck; gaffer and electrician : Mário Soares, Jorge Mergulhão; grip Manuel (dos Cavalos) Ramos;color timing : Dora Rolim.
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