Joanna Hogg - Notes on Film, A Conversation

Notes on Film, A Conversation with Joanna Hogg

Eye will be speaking with the versatile filmmaker Joanna Hogg about her oeuvre, working methods, inspirations, and collaborations. Using excerpts from her films, ranging from her first (previously unseen) cinematic experiments to her most contemporary work, recurring themes in her work will be explored.

It's not without reason that the Flemish newspaper De Standaard called Joanna Hogg's work "the best-kept secret of European cinema." Her films, often based on her own life, are characterized by the profound yet subtle exploration of (often painful or uncomfortable) human interactions. Small, individual stories represent larger, universally relatable relational dynamics inherent in love relationships, families, and friendships. The frequent discrepancy between what people say (or don't say) and what they actually mean is almost a given in all of Hogg's films.

Struggles

The cool, almost detached, observational style in both the camerawork and sound design amplifies the discomfort and struggles of her characters. Recurring, more abstract elements like space or memory undeniably play a crucial role in how she views and portrays the world around her. Spaces function as characters, determining how people relate to each other or themselves, and events, and even the memories of them, change over time.

With each film, Hogg demonstrates how such memories—those of sadness, happiness, or otherwise—change and persist over the years, losing their accuracy but never their emotional impact. On a meta-level, exploring and giving meaning to formative emotional experiences is also a reason Hogg makes the films she does. What previously lacked words, film has become a way to reflect on earlier periods in her life.

Joanna Hogg Retrospective

From January 8th to February 4th, Eye will highlight the oeuvre of British photographer, screenwriter, and filmmaker Joanna Hogg.

During these four weeks, all of Joanna Hogg's films will be screened. There will also be two talks with Hogg: on January 27th, a body of work discussion about her working methods, inspirations, and collaborations. On January 28th, she will discuss with Swinton how their lives, particularly the relationship between mothers and daughters, influenced the films they made together, such as The Souvenir and The Eternal Daughter. On January 28th, Swinton and Hogg will give an introduction to The Souvenir.