The Film Verdict: The Last Ashes is a unique project from Luxembourg, realistically set in the famine-ridden 19th century, but at the same time taking place in a fantasy world
constructed from the building blocks of classic cinema that will be familiar to everyone who watches it. How was the idea born?
Loïc Tanson: The idea to make a movie that is anchored in the Western genre came from Samsa Film producer Claude Waringo. One of the pioneers of the Luxembourgish cinema industry,
Claude Waringo always wanted to produce a Western movie set in our small country, in the heart of Europe. It was a very ambitious idea and a dream come true for me, as the western genre has always been the reason why I fell in love with cinema in the first place. The western genre, that essentially American genre, was my introduction to the language of cinema at a very young age and it stayed with me ever since . Together with screenwriter Frédéric Zeimet we set out to write the movie in 2017, tying all the elements of the genre into a Luxembourgish narrative that was going to be The Last Ashes.
The Film Verdict: The film stands out for it unique and very bold contamination of
genres, particularly its use of tropes from classic American Westerns: the lone rider on
horseback, the covered wagon, the fort, the cavalry… What are the Westerns you
admire the most? Do you find there is a continuation of themes as well as characters in
your film? Are there any contemporary Westerns that influenced you?
Loïc Tanson: The influence of genre films in general has impacted The Last Ashes deeply. All
recurring elements of the Western genre that you have listed shaped the genre
throughout film history and hence were very important to us during the writing process.
As the film is set in Luxembourg we did not want to simply emulate all these tropes in
an artificial way. On the contrary, we wanted it to link them to Luxembourgish history
and anchor them as deeply as possible in the Luxembourgish culture and mythology.
Throughout the process of making the film, subverting the genre, in a way that it could
reflect the times we live in, became an equally important matter for us.
Singling out one movie that I admire the most would be a very difficult, even impossible
task. It is, in large effect, the body of work of different filmmakers that has had a
lasting impact on me as I became, and still are, a student of cinema. The filmographies
of the masters of cinema like Ford, Hawks, Mann, Sturges, Peckinpah, Leone and
Scorsese accompanied me on my path of becoming a filmmaker on my own.
The Film Verdict: You and co-screenwriter Frédéric Zeimet have taken a great deal of
care with the characters, each of whom is very distinct. How difficult was it to bring
individuality to such a wide cast of characters, particularly in your first feature film?
Loïc Tanson: It was one of the many challenges we gave ourselves very early on – to craft a film that
is worthy of the scope of a Western movie on one side, and on the other side, to create
distinctive and ambivalent characters that would give Luxembourgish actors the
possibility to explore an unknown territory. I wanted it to feel at its core like an actor’s
drama, a film that heavily relies on character study and the performance of the actors,
giving these characters their very own and singular dimensions.
As for it being my first feature film it never felt daunting, on the contrary. It was all the more exciting and
challenging to explored every element that makes cinema such a unique artform in
order to build these different characters: starting with the textured and layered designs
of handsewn costumes by Magdalena Labuz, the very detailed and structured set
designs by Christina Schaffer that reflect the inner world of the characters and the
constant divide of light and shadow inspired by paintings of Francisco de Goya, created
by director of photography Nikos Welter.
The Film Verdict: Tell us something about the casting of Sophie Mousel in the leading
role. She gives the figure of Hélène/Oona a very modern cast with her will and
determination to exact revenge, and to prove herself an equal to the men around her.
Loïc Tanson: The very first time I met Sophie Mousel to talk about the figure of this vengeful
character and the possibility of Sophie playing the role, she captured something
very unique in Oona. Her emotional response to Oona’s struggle with herself and her
inner child made it all the more clear that she was the perfect fit for the part. It goes
without saying that Sophie Mousel is not only a very talented and passionate actress,
but a very hard worker as well. She trained for months with her horse in order to do all her stunts
on her own, and her sheer will to take on every physical challenge of the part
made the depiction of the character all the more true and authentic.
The Film Verdict: As an experienced film critic, how do you see the future of
Luxembourgish cinema and the role of The Last Ashes in its development?
Loïc Tanson: Working as a film critic gave me the unique opportunity to study films for the last
twenty years including every single film made in Luxembourg. The industry in
Luxembourg is growing fast in scope and talent with the support of the Luxembourg
Film Fund and an incredible ensemble of actors and technicians who have had the
opportunity to hone their skills on the many co-productions with neighboring countries
that have been shot in Luxembourg. We have reached a point where different local
filmmakers with very different voices are emerging and given the opportunity to express
themselves, in feature films ranging from personal or social dramas to eventually genre
films. So there is a lot to look forward to in that matter.
As far as the role of The Last Ashes in the local industry is concerned, time and film
critics (other than me), or historians, will later tell if the film will have had any kind of
impact on our local industry.
For my part, today, I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to write and
direct a project of this magnitude as my first feature film, with the unwavering support
of Samsa Film and its relentless producer Claude Waringo and the Luxembourgish Film
Fund, who supported the project from the get-go.
