Movies

He’s the visual genius that auteurs like Ari Aster trust. But cinematographer Darius Khondji is chasing a feeling

BBG News

On the day preceding our interview, cinematographer Darius Khondji shared with me that he had visited a Pablo Picasso exhibition in the uptown area of New York City. Although he would never liken himself to the renowned Spanish artist, Khondji expressed a sense of affinity in how he articulated his creative process.

As for his approach, it’s remarkably like a chameleon, shifting entirely from one moment to the next, from one scenario to another – that’s how I resonate. In the company of a director, I fully immerse myself in their creative world.

On a sunlit afternoon, Khondji seemed engulfed in shadow, occasionally resembling a mysterious outline with a corona of sunlight framing his curly hair. The energetic and expressive Iranian-born cinematographer spoke passionately, punctuating each enthusiastic statement with hand gestures.

Occasionally, my speech may come across as abstract, Khondji acknowledges, expressing his regret. However, he strives to maintain sincerity by sharing his genuine feelings openly.

Khondji’s impressive resume showcases a remarkable assortment of collaborative projects, including some visually stunning films that stand out from their respective periods: David Fincher’s grisly yet aesthetically pleasing “Seven,” Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro’s darkly humorous and intricately detailed “Delicatessen” and “The City of Lost Children,” Michael Haneke’s unyielding love story “Amour,” James Gray’s old-school opulent “The Immigrant,” the Safdie Brothers’ tense and dynamic “Uncut Gems,” and now Ari Aster’s edgy, large-scale pandemic drama “Eddington,” hitting theaters this Friday.

Khondji serves as both an experienced veteran and a forward-thinking pioneer in the realm of filmmaking. Previously sought by filmmakers like Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, and Bernardo Bertolucci, he now shares his exceptional cinematography skills with emerging filmmakers whose ideas are equally thought-provoking.

According to Alejandro González Iñárritu’s email, Darius not only grasps the essence of human emotion but also skillfully utilizes various artistic means to convey it. He has the ability to effectively employ framing, color, and lighting techniques in his work, yet he always prioritizes these decisions in line with the director’s vision and, above all, what is best for the film itself.

Khondji received his second Oscar nomination for his work on the surrealist 2022 film “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths,” directed by a Mexican filmmaker. Earlier recognition came when the movie academy acknowledged his talent in the form of a nomination for Alan Parker’s visually stunning 1996 musical “Evita.

As a fellow film enthusiast, I’d say this about Darius over a call from LA: “He’s got a poetic vibe – it’s all about emotions with him. But don’t be fooled, he’s smart as a whip, yet there’s a certain unpretentiousness about him.

Among the significant moments that influenced Khondji’s creative development, you might find several key influences. One such influence was a photograph of Christopher Lee as Dracula, which his brother brought him from London. Another prominent influence was an image of his elder sister, Christine, whom he views as his artistic guide.

In addition, among the memories of his early childhood, one vivid sensory memory he holds is the deep orange hue of squashed persimmons in his family’s garden during wintertime, which he experienced in Tehran before they relocated to Paris when he was approximately 3 and a half years old in the late 1950s.

Occasionally, when I gaze at my grandchildren, aged around 3 and a half, I remark, “At their age, I had roughly the same level of language skills, but since it was primarily Farsi back then.” Khondji visited Iran just once, during his teenage years in the early 1970s, carrying a Super 8 camera along.

Since his infant days, he has been a regular at the movies. His nanny, passionate about films, often took him to cinemas. Later, his father, who was a theater owner in Tehran and had connections for European films, would frequently take him to Parisian film screenings when he was young.

According to Khondji, these are tales shared with me, along with personal recollections and emotions. The unique aspect of his creative process seems to stem from an immediate, intuitive perception of the world – a feeling-first approach to image creation. Essentially, it’s always about capturing the feel of something.

He asserts that cinema is a powerful entity, not confined by aesthetic preferences, personal likes and dislikes, or rigid guidelines. Instead, one should embrace it freely, letting go of control, and approaching it with a great deal of humility. At his last remark, Khondji chuckles.

As a movie enthusiast, I never fully grasped the intricacies of film production when I was a teenager and began crafting my own Dracula-inspired short films on Super 8. However, I soon noticed that the cinematographers behind the movies I admired seemed to be recurring figures.

Khondji reflects, “I realized that certain films had an amazing quality about them – a powerful ambiance. Then I noticed that the same name appeared on multiple movies, leading me to think, ‘This person must be quite significant.’ He specifically mentions Gregg Toland, the renowned cinematographer of Orson Welles’ film ‘Citizen Kane.’

It wasn’t until he enrolled in NYU’s film school that Khondji shifted his ambitions from directing to cinematography. Instead of focusing on storytelling, his film assignments tended to be more experiential. He prefers to call them “emotional frequencies.

According to Khondji, it’s primarily the director and the cast who spark his interest in making a film. While he acknowledges that the script is important, it’s when he has the opportunity to collaborate with the director that he truly trusts their vision.

From listening to Khondji talk about directors, it’s evident that he holds them in high regard and goes the extra mile to foster a supportive environment – almost treating them as part of his family. This extends to making sure the director is at ease with key crew members such as the gaffer, dolly grip, and key grip, so no one on set feels like an outsider.

Through Aster, their connection blossomed over a mutual passion for cinema. Prior to any work assignment, they had already spent numerous times together. Khondji is an advocate for the controversial “Beau Is Afraid,” which happens to be his favorite of Aster’s films. With “Eddington”, they collaborated for the first time as partners in this project.

According to him, Ari and I share a mutual language. It turns out that our affinity for cinematography leans towards the dramatic, not just visually but also in terms of plot.

Whilst exploring locations in Aster’s hometown New Mexico, he and Khondji stumbled upon the tiny town where the Coen brothers’ movie “No Country for Old Men” was shot. Despite admiring that dry 2007 thriller immensely, they aimed to distance themselves from anything associated with it. Consequently, they shifted their focus towards the town of Truth or Consequences instead.

Khondji remembers Aster labeling his film as a “psychological thriller with Western roots, set in America.” To the cinematographer, it’s more like a contemporary take on a classic Western.

Khondji describes his desire for an extremely vibrant exterior look, bordering on excessive brightness, as if the light was about to bleach out some of the colors and reduce contrast due to its intensity. However, he clarifies that it should never be too bright.

For Khondji, working alongside Aster brought back memories of his two collaborations with the acclaimed and strict Michael Haneke. During these projects, they produced an American adaptation of “Funny Games” and “Amour,” the latter being where he encountered a unique style of filmmaking that required every prop and set piece to exude authenticity.

According to Aster, the color in “Amour” was unusually vibrant compared to how it appeared in any of Haneke’s other movies, thanks to Khondji’s unique contribution.

Despite his extensive experience collaborating with renowned filmmakers on films, music videos, commercials, and a TV show (he worked on Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2019 “Too Old to Die Young” and developed a fascination for the San Fernando Valley), Khondji finds inspiration in working with emerging artists who are pushing boundaries.

For me, ‘Uncut Gems’ felt like a fresh chapter in filmmaking, and I want to acknowledge the Safdie brothers for their innovative approach. It was inspiring to find myself on par with these talented young directors, especially since they are in their thirties. This experience boosted my confidence psychologically.” Additionally, Khondji is set to shoot Josh Safdie’s upcoming film “Marty Supreme,” scheduled for release in December.

Review

Doomscrolling is a disease in ‘Eddington,’ a fever dream about COVID conspiracies

In the dark, twisted satire of director Ari Aster, a sheriff, a mayor, and an ominous virus enter a bar. This chilling tale unfolds with Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone delivering captivating performances.

Does Khondji’s work have a distinctive visual style, whether intentional or subconscious? It could be characterized by richness, a strong affinity for deep olive greens and incredibly dark shadows, as well as an obsessive focus on color. During their collaboration on “Eddington,” Aster observed certain aesthetic choices that were particularly striking.

Aster mentions that both he and Darius dislike aimless camera movement,” she says. “However, there are certain aspects that used to not bother me compositionally but now irk Darius, which has left an impression on me. For example, Darius strongly dislikes scenes where a person’s leg is cut off, even at the ankle. Many of Darius’s preferences have seeped into my thinking.

Khondji concedes to these particularities, yet he doesn’t think in rigid absolutes.

He notes that, similar to how some films by French director Maurice Pialat and actress Harriet Andersson in Ingmar Bergman’s “Summer with Monika” (1953) deviate from established rules, there are instances where he chooses to disregard a rule as well.

More recently, he saw Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster movie “Sinners” without having any idea about its plot beforehand. “Those who are familiar with me understand that I dislike spoilers,” he stated. “I take film reviews seriously, but at the same time, I prefer not to learn the storyline.

Khondji hadn’t watched any of Coogler’s movies before, yet he was taken aback. “I truly appreciated it,” he expressed. “Following my viewing, I found myself curious about who was behind the camera, but I was so captivated by the actors and simply relished being a genuine spectator.

It’s interesting to note that what draws Khondji to a movie initially has nothing to do with its visual appeal or the cinematographer behind it.

He mentions that when watching a movie, others often comment on its cinematography with phrases like ‘Wow, look at how it’s filmed.’ However, his focus is more on appreciating the director’s work.

As a passionate cinephile, my current aspirations revolve around two key goals:

1. The chance to direct a truly chilling supernatural horror film, perhaps even collaborating with Aster for added brilliance.
2. Encouraging a film company to develop a contemporary model of the classic film-stock camera. While I’m not dogmatic about the format, I strongly believe that film should remain an option due to its inherent connection to the essence of cinematic art.

He expresses his strong affection for visiting the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. To him, it feels almost like a sacred place. He reminisces about watching “Vertigo” by Alfred Hitchcock there in its original VistaVision format.

He continues, “The feeling was profoundly moving, reminiscent of the emotions I experienced growing up with my father. We’d go to cinemas with star-studded ceilings that stirred dreams even before the movies began.

That dream is what Khondji is still chasing, in the cinema and on set.

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2025-07-18 01:01

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