Phase Space, a new feature-length movie filmed in a single sequence shot, sees Iranian director based in Paris Mehdi Fard Ghaderi continuing his exploration of extreme cinematographic forms. In this first film, which is openly anchored in sci-fi and shot in Spanish, he’s less interested in visual effects than perception, time and the fragility of our conscience.

Cineuropa: What draws you to the sci-fi genre and what were you looking to explore with Phase Space?
Mehdi Fard Ghaderi: In my mind, science-fiction isn’t about the future, it’s about the present. I use this genre to question the world we live in, a world full of existential questions and rapid change. Science-fiction allows me to observe reality from another angle, like through a distorting mirror which reveals certain aspects of it which we often forget about in everyday life. It’s a space where human, philosophical and moral issues can be seen more clearly, free from the noise of real life.

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In Phase Space, I explore the frontiers between time, memory and perception — the way our mind constructs the very idea of reality. I think about what would remain of human beings if this mental construct collapsed: our conscience, emotion, identity? I’d like for viewers not to just follow the story but to ask themselves to what extent the reality they’re seeing is a creation of their own minds.

European sci-fi offerings are still in the minority compared to American output. What do you think about its evolution and its place nowadays?
European sci-fi has always taken a more reflective, intimate and poetic approach. Hollywood leans more towards the spectacular and visual effects, whereas European filmmakers are interested in the philosophical, social and emotional sides of human beings. They’re films which are often slower and more contemplative, but which invite viewers to think and actively participate in the cinematic experience. In Europe, science and fiction blend readily with philosophy, politics and psychology, not with a view to telling the future but to analyse the present. I think that nowadays, European audiences are ready to accept a new form of science-fiction — films which don’t offer ready-made answers, but which open up new perspectives, call things into question and stimulate thought.

How can budget films rival American productions when it comes to special effects?
I think imagination is more important than any budget. When resources are limited, directors and their teams become more inventive: they have to find other ways of conveying emotions and ideas. In Phase Space, we wanted to create a sense of infinity, mystery and the unknown using real spaces, light, sound and camera movements. It’s not about creating an artificial world, it’s about using reality to offer up a poetic and sensorial experience. The camera’s gaze is the most important tool in my eyes: it has the power to transform a wall, a face or even a silence into a metaphor. Technology and special effects are only a means, they’re never an end. The real strength of film lies in the way it sees and interprets the world. Imagination can make up for a lack of resources and turn a small film into a colossal experience.

The influence of artificial intelligence on audiovisual creation is growing. What role does it play in your work?
Artificial intelligence can be useful in certain aspects of film creation, even though it’s still in its infancy. My fear isn’t about AI itself but about a world where humans stop dreaming. What’s important, in my mind, is safeguarding the human approach, its sensitivity, its room for imagination, which machines could never replace.