3.02.2006
The Day I Was Born
This conversation with brilliant new age director Bernard Weber took place on a day he decided to open up about his movie "Hotel Locarno" - it also took place - belive it - on the same day I was to be brought to life- July 22nd 1978
-What is Bernard Weber doing this evening?
“I do not know what
I’ll be doing this evening. I like improvising, even if in Rome
the maximum that can be done is to go to dinner with friends. In fact
I’m gaining weight. Perhaps I’ll remain at the hotel.
-How sad.
“You say that because you do not know my hotel. I’ve been
living there for two and a half years”.
-What’s so special about it?
“Everything! The atmosphere, people, the rooms: Imagine, none of
which is the same as the other in size or furnishing”.
-I don’t think it’s right to open all the rooms.
“I would never do such a thing. The fact is that in these two and
a half years, I’ve traveled a lot and everytime I returned they
gave me a different room”.
-Haven’t you ever thought of renting an apartment?
“I couldn’t. Living in Rome isn’t easy for a foreigner:
this hotel has been my island, the place of my human experiences…”.
-In a word, your mother.
“…and it’s also the star of my first film, that will
be projected in the next few days at the Taormina review”.
-What’s it called?
“The same: Hotel Locarno”.
-You’ve mentioned that you’re a foreigner. Are you Swiss by
any chance?
“I was born in Geneva, but lived in Zurich until I went to America
to make movies. I met Fellini and came to Rome”.
-What’s the movie about?
“What I’ve seen in the hotel over the past two and a half
years. I had to adapt he scenario a little bit to suit the actors I could
be using”.
-Who are they?
“Some are Italian, others American, Austrian, English, Swiss, French
and there’s also an Australian”.
-Haven’t you brought some confusion to the hotel transforming it
into a set? You must have moved around or drove the customers to flee.
“That wasn’t necessary. My plan was to shoot one room per
day”.
-And the owner?
“The management collaborated with enthusiasm. When we filmed in
the hall they made the clients use the service entrance”.
-I have to say, that’s a rather good service.
I’ll be doing this evening. I like improvising, even if in Rome
the maximum that can be done is to go to dinner with friends. In fact
I’m gaining weight. Perhaps I’ll remain at the hotel.
-How sad.
“You say that because you do not know my hotel. I’ve been
living there for two and a half years”.
-What’s so special about it?
“Everything! The atmosphere, people, the rooms: Imagine, none of
which is the same as the other in size or furnishing”.
-I don’t think it’s right to open all the rooms.
“I would never do such a thing. The fact is that in these two and
a half years, I’ve traveled a lot and everytime I returned they
gave me a different room”.
-Haven’t you ever thought of renting an apartment?
“I couldn’t. Living in Rome isn’t easy for a foreigner:
this hotel has been my island, the place of my human experiences…”.
-In a word, your mother.
“…and it’s also the star of my first film, that will
be projected in the next few days at the Taormina review”.
-What’s it called?
“The same: Hotel Locarno”.
-You’ve mentioned that you’re a foreigner. Are you Swiss by
any chance?
“I was born in Geneva, but lived in Zurich until I went to America
to make movies. I met Fellini and came to Rome”.
-What’s the movie about?
“What I’ve seen in the hotel over the past two and a half
years. I had to adapt he scenario a little bit to suit the actors I could
be using”.
-Who are they?
“Some are Italian, others American, Austrian, English, Swiss, French
and there’s also an Australian”.
-Haven’t you brought some confusion to the hotel transforming it
into a set? You must have moved around or drove the customers to flee.
“That wasn’t necessary. My plan was to shoot one room per
day”.
-And the owner?
“The management collaborated with enthusiasm. When we filmed in
the hall they made the clients use the service entrance”.
-I have to say, that’s a rather good service.
Goodbye, my
friend.
5:16 PM
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5:16 PM
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