New Talent: Nur Casadevall
Catalan directing talent Nur Casadevall made waves straight out of film school. Her graduation film ‘Lina’ was a moody exploration of one 15-year-old’s life as she tries to figure out what it means to become a woman. It premiered at 2016’s Málaga Film Festival where it won the Best Director award and soon went on to win at the Young Director Award in Cannes. After a triumphant festival tour it ended up premiering on NOWNESS. Not a bad start...
Barcelona production company CANADA soon signed her up and proceeded to help her build a punchy reel of fashion films for brands and editorial platforms such as Vogue Spain, Número France, Tentaciones el País and Dream Magazine.
CANADA just announced the company will now be representing Nur in the UK too, so LBB’s Alex Reeves caught up with her to find out more about this unique talent.
LBB> Why did you want to sign to CANADA in the UK?
Nur> I work with CANADA in Spain already and knowing one team very well is always nice.
LBB> What is it about the team there that clicks for you?
Nur> It’s an enthusiastic and imaginative team, and I relate to that to a hundred per cent. Their aim is always to elevate projects to the highest possible standard. They are always so keen to support the director with their ideas, no matter how crazy the ideas become.
LBB> Where are you from – where did you grow up?
Nur> I'm from Spain, and I grew up in a small village in the north of Catalonia close to the sea.
LBB> How did you first get into the industry? What was your very first job?
Nur> I did film at university. I started working with Txema Yeste http://txemayeste.es just after finishing. We worked together on fashion films for fashion magazines to begin with.
LBB> What was your first creative milestone in the industry – the project you worked on that you were super proud of?
Nur> ‘Lina’ meant a lot to me. This short film was my final project at university, and it was premiered at the Young Director Award in Cannes.
LBB> And what recent projects are you proudest of and why?
Nur> I recently did a campaign for a perfume brand; it hasn't been released yet but it will be very soon. Fragrances commercials are hazy, dreamlike and mysterious films that usually come paired with a firm aesthetic, and I really enjoyed the creative freedom that gave me.
LBB> Within the industry, who are your heroes? And what work makes you jealous?
Nur> There is a lot of people I admire, there is so much talent out there!
LBB> Outside of work, what are you passionate about?
Nur> I'm always watching films at the cinema and swimming.
LBB> What are your thoughts about the changing role and definition of creativity in the ad world?
Nur> I feel it's an intriguing and stimulating time. There's a very interesting momentum building, especially for women directors.
LBB> What would be your dream brief to work on and why?
Nur> What's more important for me is not the nature itself but the concept behind it. Strong imagery is so important to me, so anything which I can bring this imagery into is a dream!
LBB> What’s exciting you about the industry right now – and frustrating you?
Nur> It's so exciting that there are so many things you can do, so many projects, so many options. On the other hand, those projects you put all your energy into can often disappear in the last moment when you've already visualised them and believed they were going to happen.
