Fanny Cerdan-Roy – “I've learned to develop my own way of filmmaking”

What I thought would be a limitation turned out to be an incredible opportunity, as we bonded very personally with each other. I felt supported and motivated. Changes happen, and you have to adapt to them, and AUB was able to handle this difficult task.

After a BA in Anthropology, I decided to come to AUB to do my MA in Film Practice because I knew that it was a university that promoted excellence and gave its students the freedom to express themselves artistically. During our year, we worked on different exercises and workshops that pushed us to develop our own creative identity.

I always wanted to make films; before anthropology, I studied visual arts and then got a diploma in cinematography. But I wanted something else and that's why I chose anthropology, to open myself to something wider. I don't regret it because I think it has brought me a lot personally, and for the film production course. In anthropology, you learn to be patient, to observe, to listen, to be curious. Collaboration is very important for me, and this is something I like to bring out when I work with someone and hope to keep in my future projects. Also, by studying other societies, cultures, beliefs, I was able to learn more about myself. Making films is, first, telling a story, and during my process I left ego aside, looking for the best story to tell and concentrating on what was around me.

In film, my interests point more towards directing and cinematography, and so I’ve been working for a year on a film that’s intended, in the future, to be a live performance. A film that’s directed, filmed, and edited live on a stage in front of an audience. For this project, I worked in close collaboration with one of my classmates, and our collaboration went far beyond what I expected. This project wasn’t a traditional film, and neither was the process. The process is what interested me most about filmmaking, as well as the people you share it with. I love the concept of bringing an idea to life and watching as it grows and evolves into something you never thought it would and sharing that sense of accomplishment with those who helped along the way. Our professors supported us and gave us the tools to accomplish this project, of which both my collaborator and I were more than proud.

Throughout my MA Film Practice degree, I learned that all creative processes start from the same point. Shaping ideas, not being afraid to share them with someone, and working to create a more cohesive and beautiful object. This year, I brought a project to life that I would never have had the space to develop elsewhere.

With the confidence I gained at AUB, I’m still working on my live film project alongside some of the creative allies I made during my Master’s course. People who’ve become more than just classmates. Not only have I developed my skills; I learned something that I’ll carry with me for life and will continue to grow. I’ve learned to develop my own way of filmmaking, based on trust and collaboration. From that, I’ve learned to see the importance of never taking anything for granted, and that you have to accept failure and not be afraid to try in order to succeed.