ABOUT
JOACHIM DEJONGHE
Born in Ghent, Belgium, on June 23, 1990.
Ever since my early childhood I have been fascinated by the human condition and society. Through constant observation I tried to make sense of reality. At the same time I felt an intense urge to give shape to those newly acquired insights. Film proved the most natural way to express myself.
I studied Fine Arts at Sint-Lucas, a secondary Art School in Ghent where I learned to draw, paint and sculpt. Not only did it prove an ideal environment to develop myself, but also my visual awareness. In the meantime I became more and more passionate about both philosophy as well as film. No wonder I divided almost all my spare time between reading and film analysis. Film school was the obvious next step.
I studied Film at RITCS (Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema and Sound) in Brussels. My fellow student, Pieter De Saeger and I created a documentary. A successful project that was at once awarded the prize of Best Documentary by Belgian National Television. This fruitful cooperation resulted in the foundation of production company De Saeger-Dejonghe IMAGING. We banded together to form a powerful team in full control of a film’s artistic and production aspects.
I steadily try to improve my skills until I finally master every single stage in the filmmaking process. So far I have worked on multiple short films and documentaries. Professionally growing as a filmmaker, I keep on searching for the right way to reflect upon the world.
ON FILM
MAJOR ROLE MODELS
To me, Stanley Kubrick is the greatest filmmaker ever. His entire oeuvre is an example of perfection in terms of content, form and technique. The influence of his legacy is beyond compare.
Charlie Chaplin’s playful simplicity is a showcase of visual storytelling, the essence of filmmaking. Hitchcock in his turn added psychological suspense. So, in my opinion, the two of them together paved the way for modern cinema.
Film theorist Rudolph Arnheim, ‘Sculpting in Time’ by Tarkovsky and Krzysztof Kieslowski’s cinematographic poetry have strongly influenced me.
I consider Peter Jackson my one true teacher in film. As an 11-year-old I was completely overwhelmed by Jackson’s first film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I enjoyed all three films and I daily watched the extensive making-of footage for many hours. Clearly revealing all film parameters contained in this distinct cinematographic genre, it helped me become more aware of them.
In the works of contemporary film artists such as Terrence Malick, David Lynch and Martin Scorsese I found narrative and poetic refinement.
Among the new generation of filmmakers I feel most related to Joel & Ethan Coen, Paul Thomas Anderson, Andrei Zvyagintsev, & Ruben Östlund.
Last but not least… according to me, the filmmaker who comes closest to the perfection of Kubrick, must be Matthew Weiner, the creator of the unsurpassed TV series Mad Men.
STYLE
All of the filmmakers I mentioned have had a huge impact on me. ‘Personal style’ is a relative concept anyway, let alone my work could live up to theirs. Inspired yet humble I try to find my individual audio-visual style.
It is crystal clear that content-wise my films always reflect my personal search into the human condition, both within a contemporary as well as a universal context.
Form-wise I like to flirt with the thin line between real and surreal. As I believe film grammar uses the language of dreams.
That is also why I attach great importance to the use and supervision of all film parameters so as to have a maximum impact on my viewers.
In my work I pursue a strong visual language combined with a search for psychological profoundness.