Chai Vasarhelyi on In This World
Chai Vasarhelyi on In This World
The Oscar winning filmmaker recalls Michael Winterbottom's tale of two refugees and their journey towards a better life.
I first met Chai about ten years ago as she was directing two films, one on the elections in Senegal, and the other with her husband Jimmy Chin on the extreme climbers of Mount Meru. The strapline of Meru was “Believe in the Impossible” and I think this could probably apply to all of her films and perhaps her worldview as a whole. It is also moving to think of that line in the context of the film that blew her mind, Michael Winterbottom’s In This World, in which two young Afghans embark on a journey from a refugee camp in Pakistan to find a better life in London.
Chai brings her infectious belief in the impossible to our wide-ranging conversation as we cover it all — from the two Oscar nominations for her most recent project (and first foray into fiction) Nyad, to her somewhat surprising preoccupation with counting toes. - T.J.
From Yosemite’s El Capitan to Tham Luang Nang Non cave in northern Thailand and Meru Peak in the Indian Himalayas, Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (her partner in filmmaking and in life) have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide with intimate, non-fiction portrayals of outdoor athletes pushing themselves to extremes. Free Solo, their 2018 film, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary. Their first scripted project, Nyad, boasts Oscar-nominated performances from Annette Benning and Jodie Foster.
Chai joins Cooper and Tabitha to explore the finer points of Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 film In This World, the story of two Afghani boys and their journey from Pakistan to London. They dive into questions of documentary vs. fiction, the nuances of working with real-life characters, and how the relationships Chai cultivates with her participants are an essential component of her filmmaking craft.
About the Film
In This World. The story of 16-year-old Jamal, an Afghan boy who travels with his friend Enayat from a Pakistani refugee camp to London. Blurring the lines of fiction and documentary, Michael Winterbottom’s film conveys the truth of Jamal’s experience, if not the literal facts. 2002.
Credits
Directed by Michael Winterbottom
Written by Tony Grisoni
Principle Cast
Jamal Udin Torabi (Jamal)
Enayatullah (Enayat)
Music by Dario Marianelli
Cinematography by Marcel Zyskind
Editing by Peter Christelis