Philippe Audi-Dor is a film-maker who focuses on the inner mentality and psychology in his new film, RUBY RED, which tells of a young male who has a rather unusual obsession when he meets a girl at a party.
Film And TV Now spoke with the director about his work.
FILM AND TV NOW The short is a story of ambiguity, both in terms of the two characters in the film, but also the fetish that the male character has towards lipstick. What was the start-off point for the short in conception?
PHILIPPE AUDI-DOR: These past few years, I’ve noticed that my straight male friends are more and more inclined to act in ways aren’t traditionally masculine – in the way they dance, dress and interact with one another – in part due to the sipping of LGBTQI+ culture into the mainstream.
There is a shift in young men’s understanding of masculinity, and I wanted to express that through a short. How easy or difficult could it be for a young straight man to explore an inner desire that goes against his idea of how a straight man should behave?
The short explores that moment when two opposites clash: desire and control, masculinity and femininity, stiff tradition and liberal modernity.
FTVN: It could also be seen as an analysis of mental health, with the troubled mindset of the male. How much research did you do into the film before writing the screenplay?
PAD: Most of it comes from my experience of dealing with desires that I wouldn’t accept about myself. The inner divide you feel between what you want to do, and who you feel you should be can be really harrowing. Even though I eventually accepted these desires, it took me years. As this was going to be a short piece, I wanted to focus on that first feeling of being divided inside.
FTVN: Tell us about your cast.
PAD: I met Amelia (Bennett, who plays Ruby) a few years back, while studying directing at Drama Centre London. I happened to see her play Juliet (in Secret Cinema’s Romeo + Juliet) just as I was casting Ruby Red, and it felt like a sign I shouldn’t ignore!
As for Basil (Eidenbenz, who plays Theo) I also knew him from a few years back. I love actors, and whenever I meet one I always try to keep an eye on what they do. When looking for a ‘Theo’, I remembered the work I had seen Basil in and I knew he would be great. Asking him to play the role was a no-brainer.
The two were truly wonderful to work with. We rehearsed the short many times which meant we were able to rework some of the script together (As a writer, there is always so much to gain from reworking scripts with actors). Hard-working, friendly and fully committed, they were amazing. I really hope to work with them again.
FTVN: Tell us about your production team.
PAD: I’ve worked as an assistant director for several years, which has given me an opportunity to meet many talented people in all departments. As this was a passion project done without any public funding, I was free to work with whomever I wanted. As a result, I contacted all the people I had been dreaming to work with for years, we put together an awesome team and we set off to make Ruby Red!
FTVN: Where did you shoot and for how long?
PAD: We shot over two nights, in the London flat where I used to live. We emptied the entire living room and turned it into a little studio, where we built the set we wanted for the story.
FTVN: Looking on your website, you describe the background and context of RUBY RED, asking ‘How can film explore the young, straight male in a new relevant way?’. The film focuses on one particular aspect with the lipstick being a turn-on for the male in the film. What other aspects of this did you look at before coming to using a lipstick as a point of reference?
PAD: For a brief while I thought about Theo wanting to wear a dress, but I felt I could find something more visual and intimate.
Lipstick is something I find fascinating. I remember being able to play with it when I was a child, but it quickly become off-limits as soon as I became a pre-teen. My sister could continue playing with it, and I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t allowed to. The boundaries between masculine and feminine were being drawn.
When searching for an everyday item that truly feels off bounds for men, I thought about lipstick again. It’s just adding a little colour to your lips, but this harmless gesture is nonetheless filled with sensuality and power.
I knew it would visually translate onto the screen in a really alluring way, all the while conveying the right message.
FTVN: Seven minutes is a little brief, but competent in the case of RUBY RED, to analyse a very interesting subject matter. Would you like to expand on the theme in RUBY RED into a broader focus within the context of a feature?
PAD: I was actually looking to shoot a 15 minute version of this story when I got accepted onto a screenwriting course in Paris. Being abroad slowed things down, then Covid brought everything to a halt. Hopefully once things come back to normal this is something I can get back to.
FTVN: The film’s visual style is very colourful and sparkly. Who and what were your cinematic references when creating the visual look?
PAD: My director of photography Pablo Rojo and I really wanted to create a unique atmosphere for this film, so we spent ages sending each other ideas for inspiration. We knew we would film on 16mm film, so watched a lot of films shot on film.
In the end, I would say that the main references that inspired us most were ‘Pink Narcissus’ (by James Bidgood), ‘Lawrence Anyways’ (by Xavier Dolan) and Laura Marie Cieplik’s hauntingly beautiful photography.
FTVN: Is there a particular actor or film-maker you would love to work with in the future to create your vision?
PAD: I am in awe of Julianne Moore and the way she flickers so seamlessly between vulnerability and strength. I would happily drop everything for a chance to work with her.
As for film-makers, I am a huge fan of Xavier Dolan and would dream to work on a project with him someday.
FTVN: Are there plans to show the film to psychologists and sex therapists as a reference tool for people who have unorthodox sexual desires?
PAD: That’s not something I’ve actually thought about! If this film could help anyone with feeling better with themselves, that would be great.
FTVN: How has COVID-19 affected your creativity and evolution as a film-maker?
PAD: I am lucky enough to spend this year developing a feature script at the FEMIS school in Paris, so I am spending most of this unexpected year writing.
I do miss being on set though!
FTVN: Finally, what are you most proud of about RUBY RED?
PAD: That this is a short that truly celebrates the craft of film-making. Ruby Red came to life thanks to all the different departments working closely together: the set design, the make-up, the sound, the music, the editing, the acting, the visual. All these elements were weaved together in such a way that Ruby Red became a fully sensorial experience.
