Ente Ummante Peru zoomed in on some splendid locations of North Kerala and captured the sounds and sights of the bustling Hindi heartland that Lucknow is. But, how many knew that we actually saw it all through the perceptive eyes of a Spaniard who efficiently and evocatively called the shots with his camera work. Jordi Planell Closa, the brains behind the film’s frames, is basking in the movie’s success. Justifiably, the Spaniard is now taking a breather in his home country after a memorable two-and-a-half months in India that has gifted him some “special moments” to cherish.
Alhough facing a language barrier, Jordi says he soon took to his task like a duck to water. “It was a challenging experience for me. But the crew and the great work of the actors gave me a lot of confidence, and, after a few days, all the pieces started to fall in the right places,” he says in an e-mail interview.
Born in the Catalonian city of Manresa, Jordi studied Telecomunications engineering, specialising in sound and image, in Barcelona. He then did a course in cinematography at the International Film School of Sydney, where he became friends with Jose Sebastian, who helmed EnteUmmantePeru .
Jordi Planell Closa
So, how did the début director convince Jordi to come aboard? “He told me about his script and I really loved it. I felt it contained a universal message. Even if the screenplay embedded a lot of Malayalam tradition and cultural aspects that I didn’t understand at first, I connected with the characters from the beginning.” He adds that Jose helped him understand a lot of the subtext and a bit of Malayalam culture as well even before he set foot in India for the first time. Ente Ummante Peru is Jordi’s second feature film, having previously worked in a yet-to-be-released, untitled movie in south Spain a year ago with a Mexican director. The 35-year-old lensman also has done commercials for several brands in Mexico, the US, Panamá and Colombia, apart from music videos and short films.
The sultry tropical weather in Kerala and Lucknow sometimes made it difficult, but Jordi says he credits his crew for “making my life so much easier.”
“I found it difficult to start very early to get the best light of the day. To work mainly with the sun high in the sky makes a cinematographer’s life always challenging,” he says.
Jordi Planell Closa explaining a shot during the shoot of Ente Ummante Peru
But there have been plenty of delectable positives too, like the spicy local cuisine, which Jordi relished. “I loved the Keralan cuisine, especially the fish. All kinds of fish wrapped in banana leaves, curries, masala... I loved porotta and the desserts too. The food was not a problem for me as, though I am obviously not used to Indian cuisine, Mexican food uses a lot of spices,” says Jordi, who has made the Central American country his “base for work” for the last seven years.
The cinematographer has a word of praise for some of the Malayali artistes, saying “their wealth of experience” came in handy during the shoots. “Even if I couldn’t comprehend the lines at the time they were delivered, their performance made me understand pretty much every situation,” he recalls. As Ente Ummante Peru is more “dialogue-driven”, Jordi felt “the camera shouldn’t be the protagonist” and endeavoured to make it “as invisible as possible” to the audience.
So, apart from the lovable cuisine and the courtesy of the people, what would be the key takeaway from his Kerala outing? “I think I finally got to understand the Indian headshake. Obviously a big reason for many funny misunderstandings during the whole shoot,” says Jordi, punctuating his reply with a couple of laughing face emoji.
In focus
Jordi shot Ente Ummante Peru with an Alexa mini and a set of old Russian anamorphic Kowa lenses. “They come with some imperfections and distortions but they’re also somehow soft and possess a characteristic flare on the highlight. Moreover, they have a glare on the skin tones that I love. Also, they’re small and great to work hand-held or with a gimbal,” he says.
