Staff Pick Premiere: "The Tunnel" by Arash Ashtiani
In this week's Staff Pick Premiere, "The Tunnel," BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Arash Ashtiani tells the heartbreaking story of three refugees running to their deaths through the Euro Tunnel connecting France with the UK.
Inspired by true accounts The film remains unaffected in its representation of the bravery and risk not deservedly imposed on the many millions of people fighting for fundamental human rights. "The Tunnel" plunges us into the third and tense act of a larger story Ashtiani is working on with writer Daniel Metz. However, it stands alone as a powerful and terrifying tale about how far three individuals will go to for an improved life.
Ashtiani describes his experiences that he heard while preparing this film in terms of "rollercoasters" of emotional and physical challenges. The film captures this emotion is beautifully recorded through the enveloping construction style of the tunnel and the meticulous editing which fluctuates between the camaraderie that is formed between the characters, the growing fear as the train approaches in the tunnel, and the peaceful eerie silence of the train station.
In advance of the film's announcement, we reached out Ashtiani to learn more about the film as well as his process. Read on for an in-depth review of the process he used to pull of such a compelling and ambitious film.
on the source of inspiration for this film
"'The Tunnel' was an adaptation of a real account. My friends' circle located in London comprises people who came to the UK in many different ways and some in the most heroic and horrific ways in the last 20 years. One of the subjects we discuss is the way we arrived to the UK and some of them are from Calais to Kent with different means of transportation.
As I heard their stories I was compelled to relay their stories. The stories they tell are like a rollercoaster of events and emotions to me. They face challenges, the dreams they have their hearts set on, the determination to get moving and the passion. The film is filled with hardship, physical and mental exhaustion, as well as moments where their humanity is tested. The film is filled with laughter and hope in the darkest moment and these are the things which inspired me to create this film ."
In the process of writing:
"'The Tunnel' is the last scene of the script Daniel Metz and I wrote in collaboration. The two first acts take place following these men in Calais getting ready to manage the Tunnel. We finished the first draft of the feature script back in the year 2015. Since then we made the short and at the moment we are writing the second draft for the script for feature.
We weren't looking to create an empathetic film on refugees However in the course of research and the writing of the script We spoke to refugees who were in Calais and then travelled to the UK. We read memoirs by people who were refugees and wrote their stories, saw plays, documentaries and films that focus on the camps in Calais and the way people live there."
On the production design and cinematography
"From the beginning of the writing process there was a question about where to shoot the tunnel. We were aware of some details concerning the real EuroTunnel however, although we wanted to keep what was unique about the tunnel, we weren't going to restrict ourselves to those details. After months of searching for the perfect location We came to the conclusion that it was best to film at studios. It was a challenge to create extensions to each part of the studio.
Mike McLouglin, our production designer, has done an incredible job in re-creating an area of the tunnel inside the studio. Nick Morris, our DP did a fantastic job in how he shot it. One of the challenges was to create extensions for each side of the stage to view the tunnel as an infinite empty black space. Mike expanded it using the brilliant idea of placing a mirror on each end so when the camera looks at the other end, you can see an endless tunnel. Mike constructed an exact scale model of the tunnel. We made use of the Hornby Eurostar model train with a tiny lens that was attached to the model to record the images of the train moving through the tunnel. It seemed bonkers, but after Static VFX then brought their skills and magic to the post-production everything started to become logical and looked amazing.
We decided to get closer and closer to the main character as time passed by. Each time we make a cut between the station and the tunnel, we are closer to the main character and the tunnel helps in creating a more internal experience of the tunnel and the fearless effort to navigate it ."
When editing the film:
"The editing of this film was among the most fascinating aspects of the entire process. One of the main goals I had was to see how we can build suspense and tension. My co-writer, Daniel Metz and I had thought of it when writing the script but I understood it properly in the editing process and have to acknowledge the film editor Stuart Gazzard for this.
As I edited the film I got to know what kind of details we should add bit-by-bit so that we can build suspense. The film was shot by Gare of Nord Station scenes along with the train model after the rough cut. Editing shaped the story by creating the character of the film, thus adding suspense, and the pace of the film."
A look at the challenges of creating the film
"I consider that in general the process of making films can be challenging. One of the biggest problems filmmakers face is finding the money they need to create their films. It took me a couple of years to locate producers. Anna Seifert-Speck was the director of the program for Berlinale Talent Campus where she heard me pitch the project and introduced me to Anna Griffin. Together , we raised money through The BFI Network and Lush Film Fund.
The mindset for shooting running or action scenes differs than emotional ones. The difference was apparent during the shooting process and the differences was evident to me. When I look back at the shooting days I learned that I invested the exact amount of time in between the action scenes and more emotional scenes that could have been shot more effectively... I could bring the excitement and passion of the escape as well as the run into the scenes through the fastest and most intense time frame and spent more time capturing the moment between the characters."
On hopes for the movie:
"I consider that the issue that continues to increase is the rise of Nationalism as well as populist politicians within British and European governments. It's the government that uses racism and anti-migrant attitudes to gain advantages in politics.
By the new British law, which was passed just several months ago, teenage male refugees, just like those in 'The Tunnel in the Tunnel' will be sent to Rwanda from now on in order to await their cases to be considered. I hope the audience understands those going through the hell of getting to the beloved refuge of the viewers are human beings and have hopes for a better existence as well as a more peaceful and fulfilling life. They are forced to flee their homes or countries either from war and religious fanaticism or the economic hardship. It is essential that they receive humane treatment to be able to join the society rather than being labelled as criminals.
I'm hoping that, by viewing a handful of strangers in an unfamiliar setting, going through a challenge because of basic human requirements, viewers will see their commonality and recognize the characters as individuals."
A word of advice to aspiring filmmakers:
"Filmmaking is not a one-man job , and it's a collaboration. Try to find people that inspire you to do what you're trying to accomplish. The trust they have in your taste is the key to a successful collaboration. It is based on knowing the people you are working with. Spend whenever you require, then listen to what they say and ask them to discuss with you their top five films and see If you relate with them or not. No matter if they are close to the movie you'd like to create or not however it will help you determine if your worlds are close as well as if you share similar visions to make your film.
Don't let the technical aspects of your story bog you down and compromise your narrative due to the technical aspect.
Be respectful to your coworkers and do not make sure you are demanding!"
On what's next:
"Developing The Tunnel movie feature is my next endeavor. The characters' story unfolds from the time they step into the tunnel. Co-writers, Daniel Metz, and myself are developing the feature length script based on the lessons we have learned through the production of the short.
I'm currently working on a feature-length documentary about an Iranian exiled poet Esmaeel Khoei. She passed away in London in 2021. The film is mostly based on the VHS tapes that he had accumulated throughout his initial days of exile. The release date is October. ."