Samson Sun—Producer
Mohammed Al-Jumani—Actor / Himself
Mohammed Tabbi—Actor / Himself
Mohammed Zafrullah—Actor / Himself
Jean Renaud—Directeur du Festival
Jean Renaud:(Introduction)The Raft of the Medusais a film of extraordinary compassion that chronicles one of the most terrible tragedies of the last twenty years, brought to life not by professional actors but by the very individuals who suffered through it and survived. You are all familiar with the story. Today, I am proud to stand beside the team behind this magnificent work of art. Dare I say, “a masterpiece of its kind.” With us are Thor Axelsson, the director, Samson Sun, the producer, and three of the principal leads, who play themselves. None of the actors speaks English or French, so please direct your questions to either Mr. Axelsson or Mr. Sun.
New York Times:I was hoping you could comment on your development process. Most independent films take years to come to the screen, yet you’ve boasted about going from concept to completion in eighteen months. Considering this is your first film, that’s quite a feat. How did you do it?
Samson Sun:As you know, everything begins with the story. When I received the screenplay, I immediately knew that it could be not only an important film that speaks to one of today’s most urgent issues but also an exciting thriller and box office smash. There was no reason to delay. When Samson Sun decides to do something, he does it.
New York Times:This is the screenwriter’s first film. It is safe to say she is an extraordinary talent. How did she find you, or vice versa?
Sun:You know Hollywood. It is all about connections. A mutual friend knew that I was searching for the right film to be my first. He put us in contact. As you said, she is an extraordinary talent. Of course, I had my own comments about the script. We worked together to bring it to the screen as quickly as possible.
Der Spiegel:Whose idea was it to use the real survivors of the ordeal rather than professionally trained actors?
Sun:It was the screenwriter’s idea from the beginning. She had first approached the subject as a documentary. But very soon she realized that the story could be more fully told if dramatized. When she asked what I thought of the idea, I said it was brilliant.
Der Spiegel:Of the survivors who appeared in the film, only three were granted asylum in the European Union. The others were sent back to their home countries. How did you find them?
Sun:It wasn’t easy. (Laughter.)
The Guardian:How did the actors hold up during the filming? Given the emphasis on re-creating the events as accurately as possible, did any suffer from post-traumatic stress by reliving such a terrible experience? I’m referring specifically to the graphic depiction of cannibalism.
Thor Axelsson:They are remarkable human beings. I can answer for them and say that to a man they have put the events behind them. Remember, a movie set is a busy place. While what you see on film is harrowing, the actors are surrounded by a crew of professionals. So much is going on out of sight of the camera that the men were able to maintain a division between fiction and reality.
The Guardian:A follow-up. It had been reported that there were naval vessels from France, Spain, and Italy all in the area at the time of the ship’s initial fire and sinking. None responded to calls for search and rescue when theMedusawas reported missing two days after it had sunk. Do any of your actors harbor ill will toward those governments?
Sun:We are here to discuss the film. We know of no proven, purposeful actions taken by any of those governments not to come to theMedusa’s assistance. As we show in the film, no distress call was sent. This is not a political statement but a humanitarian one.
The Guardian:Does Mr. Al-Jumani wish to comment?
Sun:No. He does not.
Le Figaro:Two of the actors were among those survivors not granted asylum due to their past affiliation with terrorist organizations, namely Al-Shabab and Ras-al-Islamiya. Did you feel any responsibility—one way or the other—about hiring them?
Sun:Film is art, not politics. Whatever ties these men might have had in the past with any such organization are just that: in the past. During the course of shooting, I came to know all of them. They are remarkable human beings. As I mentioned, we had a hard time finding a few of them. Two were in Egypt and one in Sudan. Several had scattered across Europe. All had gainful employment and had started families. Enough talk of politics.
Le Figaro:And two of them were not given visas to come to France…even with the festival’s backing—
Sun:A travesty.
Le Figaro:—amid ongoing concerns about their current activities.
Sun:Enough.
Variety:Much has been written about the financing of the motion picture, namely that you yourself paid the entire fifty-three-million-dollar budget.
Sun:Not me personally. My production company, Black Marble. But you are correct. We financed the picture on our own. When I believe in a project, I am not afraid to prove it.
Variety:So little is known of your background, Mr. Sun. You are a young man. Can you let us in on the secret of your vast wealth?
Sun:Hard work, plenty of play, and Samson Sun a very happy boy.
