Staff Pick Premiere: "The Tunnel" by Arash Ashtiani
This week's Staff Pick Premiere, "The Tunnel," BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Arash Ashtiani unfolds the terrifying tale of three refugees battling for their lives through the Euro Tunnel that connects France with the UK.
Informed by real-life accounts, the film is unflinching in its representation of the bravery and risk not deservedly imposed on the thousands of people who seek basic human rights. "The Tunnel" takes us to the tense third section of a bigger story Ashtiani is writing along with his co-writer Daniel Metz. The short is, however, a stand by itself as an enthralling and terrifying tale about the extent to which three characters are willing to go for an improved life.
Ashtiani describes his experiences he heard in preparing for this film by describing them as "rollercoasters" of physical and emotional tension. In the film, this emotion is beautifully captured through the immersive visual style of the tunnel and the precise editing that is a whirlwind of camaraderie by the two men, the growing fear when the train is approaching, and the eerie calm of the station.
In advance of the film's launch, we spoke to Ashtiani for more information about the film as well as his method of making it. Take a look for a deeper review of the process he used to pull of such a compelling and ambitious film.
The inspiration behind the movie:
"'The Tunnel' was the result of an actual tale. My friends' circle in London comprises people who came to the UK with a myriad of different methods and some in the most heroic and horrific ways in the past two decades. One topic we speak about is how we each arrived in the UK and how some came via Calais to Kent by different modes of transportation.
After hearing their tales I was compelled to share them. Their tales are like a rollercoaster of feelings and experiences to me. They face challenges, the dreams they have and the desire to be active and the passion. The film is filled with hardship, physical and mental exhaustion, and moments when their humanity is tested. The film is filled with laughter and hope even in the most difficult of times and these are the things that inspired me to make this documentary. ."
On the writing process:
"'The Tunnel' is the last act in the film script that Daniel Metz and I wrote with Daniel Metz. The first two acts follow these men who are in Calais getting ready to manage the Tunnel. We finished the initial draft of the feature script back in the year 2015. Since then we made the short and currently are writing the second draft of the script for feature.
We weren't looking to create an empathetic film on refugees However when we were researching and script writing we spoke with refugees who were living in Calais and reached the UK. We read the memoirs of refugees who have written their tales, and played plays, and documentaries. We also watched films that focus on the camps in Calais as well as the lives of people who reside in the camps."
On the production design and cinematography
"From the stage of writing We had this concern regarding where we should shoot the tunnel. We had some information concerning the real EuroTunnel however, although we wanted to preserve its true character of the tunnel, we did not want be restricted to these particulars. After months of searching for the perfect location and scouting, we made the conclusion that it was more efficient to shoot in the studio. The challenge was how to design extensions to each part of the studio.
Mike McLouglin, our production designer, did a fantastic job of creating a new section of the tunnel in the studio and Nick Morris, our DP did a fantastic job in how he shot the scene. One of the biggest challenges was creating extensions on both sides of the set to see the tunnel as an endless blank space. Mike added an extension using the idea of using the mirrors on both ends to ensure that when you look at the other end, you can see an endless tunnel. Mike then built the scale model of the tunnel. Then we made use of a Hornby Eurostar model train with tiny lenses connected to it. This allowed us to capture footage of the train moving across the tunnel. The concept was a bit bizarre at first, but when Static VFX then brought their expertise and magic into the post-production, everything began to make sense and look amazing.
We decided to move closer and closer to the principal character over time as the years went by. Each time we cut from the station into the tunnel, it brings us closer to the main character and it helps to create an experience that is more personal to the tunnel, and also the fearless effort to navigate it ."
When editing the film:
"The edit process for this film was among the most fascinating aspects of the entire procedure. One of the most important objectives I had was the ways we could create tension and suspense. My co-writer, Daniel Metz and I had thought of it when writing the script but I understood it properly when editing the script and have to acknowledge director 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 de Nord train station scenes along with the train model after the final cut. The editing process helped shape the film by defining the main character, making suspenseful and also the speed of the film."
A look at the challenges of creating the film
"I believe that, generally the process of making films can be challenging. One of the biggest challenges filmmakers face is getting money to make their films. It took me several years to identify producers. Anna Seifert-Speck had been leading the program for Berlinale Talent Campus where she was able to hear me talk about the project and I was introduced to Anna Griffin. Together , we raised money through The BFI Network and Lush Film Fund.
The approach to shooting running and action scenes is different from emotional scenes. This became more evident during the shoot and the difference was evident to me. In looking back over the shooting days I learned that I used the same amount of time in between the action scenes and more emotional parts which could have been shot differently... It would have been better to bring the excitement and passion of the escape and the run into the scenes through an earlier and faster time frame and spent more time capturing the moment between the actors."
With hopes for the film:
"I think what continues to get worse is the growth of Nationalism and populist politicians in British and European governments. The government is the one who uses the anti refugees and xenophobe views for benefit in the political arena.
According to the latest British law approved just several months ago, teenage male refugees similar to the characters of 'The Tunnel in the Tunnel' will be sent to Rwanda beginning from today in order to await the cases of refugees to be processed. I hope the audience understands the people who go through the hell of getting to the adored refugee camp of viewers are human beings and have dreams for a better life that is peaceful and meaningful life. They escape their homes and their countries due to conflict and religious fanaticism or economic difficulties. They better get humane treatment to be able to be accepted into society, instead of being labeled as criminals.
I'm hoping that, by viewing a handful of strangers in unfamiliar surroundings and facing challenges due to human basic requirements, viewers will see their familiarities and see them as individual humans."
On advice for filmmakers who are aspiring:
"Filmmaking is not a solo task and requires teamwork. Look for people who inspire you to do what you're trying to accomplish. A trust in their tastes is essential for creative collaboration. It is based on knowing the people you are working with. Spend time with them whenever you have to, and then take note of what they have to say Ask for them to talk about their five top movi,es and then see if you can connect with them or not. It doesn't matter if they're close to the film you want to make It will allow you determine if your worlds are close and you have the same vision of the film.
Don't let the technical aspects of your story bog you down, don't compromise your story due to the technical aspect.
Respect your coworkers and do not be insistent!"
The next step:
"Developing and making 'The Tunnel' feature film is the next thing I'm working on. The tale of the characters from the time they walk into the tunnel. Co-writers, Daniel Metz, and me are currently working on the feature-length script using the knowledge we gained during the making of the short.
I've just finished a feature-length documentary about the Iranian exiled poet Esmaeel Khoei, who died in London in 2021. The film is mostly based on the VHS tapes he had collected in his first years of exile. It'll be released in October ."