Clubhouse Conversations — Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

Cinematographer Darius Khondji, ASC, AFC is joined by interviewer Caleb Deschanel, ASC for this episode about his work on Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths — director Alejandro González Iñárritu's portrait of a Mexican filmmaker in the throes of an existential crisis.

Bardo, False Chronicles of a Handful of Truths tells the tale of Silverio Gama (Daniel Giménez Cacho), a renowned journalist-turned-documentarian whose struggles with his own identity and sense of place begin to manifest in hallucinatory visions. By shooting actors at extremely wide angles with their faces close to the lens, and through his varied approaches to camera movement, Khondji's first collaboration with Iñárritu steeps this story in a singular surrealistic style.

In this interview, Khondji discusses why it's important to talk to a director about a project before you read the script; shares how he approached Bardo's meticulous long takes; explains the ethos of the film's visual language; and reflects on some of the most important aspects of cinematography that are seldom taught in film school.

Darius Khondji, ASC, AFC is a French-Iranian cinematographer known for his work on such features as Delicatessen (1991), Se7en (1995), Evita (1996), The Beach (2000), Amour (2012), The Immigrant (2013), Okja (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019). He has earned ASC and Academy Award nominations for his work in Bardo, and will also be honored with the 2023 ASC International Award.

Caleb Deschanel, ASC is an cinematographer whose work has been recognized with six Academy-Award nominations for Best Cinematography — for The Right Stuff (1983), The Natural (1984), Fly Away Home (1996), The Patriot (2000), The Passion of the Christ (2004) and Never Look Away (2018). In 2000, he received the ASC Award in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for The Patriot. He was honored with the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

You’ll find all episodes in our ASC Clubhouse Conversations discussion series here.