Jasper, directed by Julien Nicaud, hit theaters in August 2017 and went on to rack up numerous awards.

© 2017 J'Arrête de Respirer SA & Imago Films

Somewhere in an undefined time and place, Jasper, a solitary soul, roams his port town. One day, he stumbles upon a young woman, left for dead and dressed in an evening gown. He takes her in, tending to her wounds, unaware that this encounter will change his life forever...

Disguised as a dark fairy tale, this film throws us headfirst into a world of madness. The director, Julien Nicaud, wanted to explore personality disorders from the inside out, literally putting us in the mind of a guy spiraling through his own personal hell. To pull this off, the whole world of Jasper was carefully designed; nothing was left to chance. The colors, sets, and props? All chosen to mess with your head. The grainy texture, chromatic glitches, and claustrophobic cinematography? Yep, also on purpose.

Everything was tweaked to make Jasper feel raw, immersive, and just a little unsettling. And if you think the story is going to hold your hand, think again. The non-linear structure is there to keep you just as lost as Jasper, slowly piecing things together alongside him. It's a film full of symbols, a puzzle to unravel.

If I remember correctly, this movie entered production around 2005. It began as a small, passionate project; a group of us meeting up on Sundays, trying to put together a short film. No big studios, no external funding, it was entirely self-financed. Just a bunch of volunteers fueled by sheer enthusiasm. Julien Nicaud, the director, is a good friend of mine. We've done a lot together over the years: making comics (check out Jus de Chaussette), playing way too many video games, and watching even more movies. I also had a great connection with Gilles Perret, the film's lead actor. My role in all this? Holding the camera and helping out wherever I could.

Our main filming location was Montreux, Switzerland, right by the stunning Lac Léman (Lake Geneva). That's where Jasper's apartment was set. Another key location was Neuchâtel, inside a (then) abandoned factory. That place had character; it housed many of the movie's creatures and that eerie room with a giant hole in the wall. The team put a crazy amount of effort into the set design, furniture, and otherworldly visuals to bring the atmosphere to life. I also have to mention Ismaïla Mokadem, who played Milena; every Sunday, she had to lie motionless in Jasper's bedroom, stuck in bed for hours. Talk about dedication!

As time passed, the project evolved, and so did the story, becoming more and more ambitious. What was originally planned as a short film eventually expanded into a full 82-minute feature!

Fun fact: Between takes, I spent a lot of time buried in Mad Movies, a French magazine dedicated to sci-fi and fantasy films since 1972. Gotta keep the horror vibes alive!

Looking back, I'd say the production had two distinct phases: In the first phase, we were a small, tight-knit team of volunteers, like a little filmmaking family, meeting up every weekend (and sometimes more) to put this story together. Then came phase two; bigger ambitions, bigger cameras, bigger lights, bigger everything. A more professional team stepped in, and with it came a larger cast, including Carlos Leal, the Swiss rapper and actor known for Casino Royale (2006) and Better Call Saul (2018), the incredible Breaking Bad spinoff.

All in all, I probably filmed around half of the movie, and it was an unforgettable experience. Seeing how far it came from those early Sundays to a full-fledged feature film was pretty amazing!

Fun fact: At the very, very beginning of the project, Jasper was supposed to be played by... me! Back in 2001, I played some kind of weird, deranged guy in a short film, and Julien figured I'd make a great Jasper. In the end, I'm so glad Gilles Perret took the role; honestly, I wouldn't have been able to pull off even 1/10th of what he did!

Fun fact: During one of the sequences, I found myself in a tiny helicopter piloted by David Germann, who also played the Russian bad guy, Voslov. There I was, camera in hand, doors wide open, trying to film a speeding car below. The wind that day was absolutely brutal, tossing us around like a toy. Eventually, we had to land for safety, but for a while, it was just David and me, battling the gusts, swaying left and right in this little airborne rollercoaster. Insane experience, but totally worth it!

Jasper made its way around the world, lighting up festival screens and earning a surprising number of awards! From Best Feature Film to Best Editing, Best Lead Actor, Best Score, Best Original Concept, and Best Special Effects, it was an incredible ride. Looking back, I've counted at least 25 awards, which is pretty amazing for a project that started as a small passion film.

For every filmmaker, artist, and dreamer out there: if you've got a story to tell, tell it. Whether you have a big budget or just a big heart, whether you're working with a full crew or a handful of friends on Sundays - passion, persistence, and a little bit of madness can take you further than you ever imagined!