Locarno 2023: Baan | Interview of Leonor Teles

Baan is one of the most anticipated films from the multiple award-winning director and cinematographer, Leonor Teles. She delivers a cinematic exploration of acceptance, told in a poignant and ambitious way in her debut fiction film.

Leonor Teles broke through the festival circuit in 2016 by winning the Golden Bear for her short film, Barking Dogs Never Biting. Following up her short with a feature hybrid film, Terra Franca, which won the Scam International award at the Cinema du Réel in 2018. Now in 2023, she presents Baan, a different, but emotionally packed romance blistering with playful filmmaking techniques that are reminiscent of Wong Kar-Wai and Hou Hsiao-Hsien. For a film that’s emotional forward, Leonor balances out hard-hitting scenes with colorful cinematography illuminating the neon signs of nightlight in Thailand to the precise architectural buildings in Portugal. Baan, follows L, a young woman who just moved to Lisbon to start her architecture career. She spends her days leisurely around the city where she meets K, a Thai woman who is also bouncing from city to city. Their worlds begin to blend into each other, from Portugal to Thailand. These locations they call home are not just physical spaces, but as an abstract landscape of emotion.

Premiering at this year’s Locarno Film Festival, we had the pleasure to talk with Leonor on her debut fiction film.

Film Fest Report: How does it feel debut your feature in the main competition at Locarno?

Leonor Teles: It feels great. Especially because Locarno is a very special place for independent filmmakers. They give space to author films rather than commercial or Netflix films at other festivals. I think it’s important that we still have these places to showcase different types of cinemas.

Film Fest Report: How was it transitioning from documentary to fiction filmmaking?

Leonor Teles: It was a natural process. You start with shorts and try to make something big. For me, I took a risk to do something very different from what I’ve done before. I didn’t want to let go of everything, so I included elements from documentary. Even though it’s fiction, I wanted to give the feeling that they are real people and not film characters.

Film Fest Report: This film, Baan (translated to Home) shows a vast difference from your documentary works. It is more emotion-forward and longing. How and why did you choose this subject?

Leonor Teles: I decided to make this after a period of my life after experiencing pain and suffering. I wanted to create to process and do something with the pain, rather than nothing. I wanted to question what happens when and after you lose your home.

Film Fest Report: I am wondering how you found your actress, Carolina Miragaia. She looks eerily like you from her appearance and style. 

Leonor Teles: I actually found her on Instagram. I sent her a message if she was interested in meeting to discuss the film. We talked about the process, films, and music. After talking, it was clear to me that she was visually appearing, but after getting to know her, it was clear that she was perfect for the role.

Film Fest Report: Your film deals with the relationship between location and what a home is. We see L traveling between Portugal and Lisbon in a non-linear timeline. I thought it was a bold choice to do that, can you talk about your idea behind it?

Leonor Teles: My idea was to always work in a mental space rather than a physical space. I want to give space to K on what she is feeling, wishing, or remembering something without a physical construct. Cinema can help us give us the space to go with that mental space into an emotional roller coaster.

Film Fest Report: Were there any challenges or things you found difficult for shooting your first fiction feature?

Leonor Teles: The most challenging thing was balancing the work. Since I worked as the director, cinematographer and co-wrote as well, I struggled to communicate with the cast and crew. At the end of the day, it is difficult to make a film. You must manage many people, your emotions. It’s a really long process (begun production in 2020) and you reach a time when you and everyone are tired, but after it all, it is rewarding.