In his thriller Crossing Lines [+lee también:
entrevista: Jahfar Muataz
ficha de la película], shown at Finland’s Night Visions festival, Jahfar Muataz follows ex-criminal Cairo (Afshin Firouzi), now paying his dues as a gang exit counsellor. But when his nephew suddenly disappears, Cairo has to return to the very place and the very people he tried his best to escape.

Cineuropa: Tell us more about the way you shot the film, because it’s very raw. You come so close sometimes and seem to really enjoy handheld shots.
Jahfar Muataz: I normally use handheld when my characters are stressed, anxious or going through some inner struggle. Handheld creates an intensity in the shot without my character necessarily having to say anything. The closer I push the lens in their face, the more they’re about to break out of some kind of pattern, which made sense for the journey that Cairo had to go through here. In addition to that, my DoP, Anthon Tougaard, and I really delved into the scenes and the visual storytelling of the film. I approach the visual aspect the same way I approach writing a script. The style of the shot must serve a function, one that enhances the meaning of the scene.

You are very interested in the psychology of the characters, almost mirroring their – as you said – anxious state of mind.
I’ve always been interested in the human psyche. Behind every cruel action, there’s a person struggling with their demons. As humans, we are very good at focusing on the action, but never on the person behind it. To understand why a character does what they do, I think it’s important to show the other side of the coin – what led to that moment? I try to make my characters as human as possible, even though their actions are horrific. This way, the audience might relate to them on a human level, even if they don’t approve of what they do.

It’s surprising how much sadness is in this film. Did you want to show how difficult, if not impossible, it is to leave your past behind? Or forgive and forget?
Films set in gang environments often portray cold, emotionless worlds. While that can be true in some cases, it was essential for me to make it authentic. I wanted to show that being in that world doesn’t just affect you; it affects everyone around you. The choices you make and the environment you’re in have a profound impact on your relationships and the people you care about. It’s not just about the violence; it’s about the emotional consequences, the internal struggles and the human toll it takes. I wanted the audience to feel that and to see that even in a harsh, unforgiving world, there are personal, emotional battles being fought every day.

Is it easier, or more effective, to talk about serious topics – grief, violence and redemption – with the help of genre? People appreciate entertaining films. Later, they can also discover their hidden meanings.
Genre films are an essential tool in my storytelling. It’s not just about writing a script and getting the actors to deliver their lines. It’s about using visual style and sound to delve deeper into the story, to evoke emotions that the audience may not immediately see. These elements work together to enhance the narrative, allowing you to convey feelings and psychological depth in ways that go beyond dialogue. It’s about creating a sensory experience that engages the audience on a more intense level, making them feel the tension, the unease or the intensity of the characters’ inner worlds

Do you think it’s a good moment to be making ambitious genre cinema in Europe? What are we still lacking to make them more often and not just wait for the USA?
Shutter Island and Se7en are two of my favourite films. I can watch them repeatedly and enjoy them as if it was the first time. I love cinema that gives you a real experience and leaves you with questions. Those are also the films I find the most entertaining.

I think we’re afraid to take risks in Europe, and we tend to stick to what works for the audience. There are more unique stories told internationally than in Europe, and this could be because we don’t make enough genre films here. Whenever one of them is released locally, it feels like a breath of fresh air. Maybe we should start getting inspired by what’s being done abroad? In other words, we need more filmmakers in Europe willing to experiment with genre films.