KT 101: An interview with Miguel Gomes (Grand Tour, 2024)
Austin Lancaster chats to Cannes' best director
Grand Tour
Miguel Gomes, 2024
DCP Courtesy: Potential Films
Classification: M
Screening in most arthouse cinemas from today. You can find where it’s playing here.
Interview conducted by Austin Lancaster
There’s a good case to be made that over the last two decades, Miguel Gomes has been one of the film festival circuit’s leading lights. Like the corpus of Jean Luc Godard, each of the Portuguese director’s playful, risk-taking films have felt like an attempt to invent a new kind of cinema, each finding new ways to transport viewers along the hidden passageways connecting the world of the everyday and the world of fantasy. His latest, Grand Tour, extrapolates its premise from a joke in W. Somerset Maugham’s travel memoir The Gentleman the Parlour: a cowardly Brit, Edward (Gonçalo Waddington), runs away from his imminent marriage, taking a windy route across East and South-East Asia. Meanwhile Molly (Crista Alfaiate), his determined fiancée, follows him in close pursuit.
Before the film’s script was written, Gomes’ crew went on a Grand Tour of their own, capturing what the director has called “fabricated found footage”: an audiovisual record of interesting sights and sounds across Myanmar, Singapore, Bangkok, Saigon, Manila, Osaka, Shanghai and inland China. The resulting film flows in boldly free-associative fashion between the studio concoction of 1918 and the present-day travelogue.
At the end of a long morning of back-to-back video interviews, Gomes jumped on a call with me from Lisbon to discuss the Grand Tour’s freeform process of creation. He generously offered to answer extra questions after our allotted time was used up, ducking out for a quick cigarette partway through to keep the spirits up.
When you and your collaborators set out on your Grand Tour shoot through Asia, there was a rough idea of the story, but no script was in place. How did you go about deciding what you would capture?
I can only make these decisions of what to shoot by being faithful to my intuition and to what I like. The criteria was very clear: it rocks or it doesn’t. We tried to do the same itinerary that we had from these two pages of a book by W. Somerset Maugham [The Gentleman in the Parlour], and made a lottery between us deciding who will get which countries — so, a very colonial thing.
We worked for two or three months before going into the plane, researching in a very stupid way, Wikipedia, travel guides and things like this. After researching during the morning, we would get lunch — you know, which is a good habit — then would start to say, “Okay, what do I have today?” and try to impress the others with a story, or YouTube images. I remember exactly when one of us showed the ferris wheel turning without a motor in Rangoon, Myanmar. It was impressive, so we put this on the itinerary. It was like a children’s school, when you have to bring something…
We call it “Show and Tell” here.
Yes, exactly.
I was struck when watching the film by this link between tourism and popular cinema, both of which can involve dealing with a world on the level of surfaces.
Some people think that films should be very profound and not superficial. I kind of disagree because I think what should be profound is the experience of the viewer, which is not the film. The film can work with surfaces and stereotypes. But even as tourists, I think we can be a good or a bad tourist — let's hope we are a good tourist. But we’re still a tourist any how; I cannot pretend I'm Vietnamese or I'm Chinese. We assume this surface gaze, but find a way for the viewer to have a not-so-superficial experience.
I’m reminded of a short by Alexander Payne called Paris Je T’aime. An American woman narrates her holiday in Paris in very clunky French, who has absorbed all these touristy clichés. At the start she’s a caricature, but as the film goes on we realise she has these hidden depths of experience we didn’t see at first. There’s a similar dynamic in your film with Edward and Molly, who start out as these two-dimensional screwball archetypes, but get more complicated.
One of the reasons I wanted to have puppets is because, of course, Molly and Edward are puppets. I don’t think they should be like a Bergman character. This is a thing I learned watching classical American cinema: you have these very stereotyped characters, but they offer you the space, like puppets, to have very complex feelings about things. If these characters were more complex, I think you would have less space. In the end, it's not the characters, but you, the viewer, who should be complex.
You’ve spoken a number of times throughout your career about Robert Flaherty, who once said, “One often has to distort a thing in order to catch its true spirit.” I thought about this in moments like the scene in Shanghai where you’ve staged a busker to appear playing guitar on the boat, which is kind of ridiculous, but somehow feels right emotionally.
I think you’ve brought up one of the directors that got close to this idea of trying to capture the grace and beauty that exists in the world. You can see nowadays that Nanook of the North is completely staged, but this is not a problem because what he's trying to share is the beauty of the gestures. Sometimes to get it right you have to force it, and that’s not a crime.
Have you heard the story of why I got the guy to sing “My Way”?
I admit I have, but I’d love to hear it again…
My cinematographer — there were three, this is the Portuguese one — sometimes I think he's full of shit, you know. Sometimes I'm very suspicious of what he's telling. Like many people in cinema, directors, we tend to manipulate to bring an inner truth, like Flaherty was doing with the family he filmed. But anyhow, he was telling me that one day in Manila he was in a bar and someone pointed a gun in his head, saying, “Okay, we are going kill and rob you if you don't sing ‘My Way’ properly.” And so he was not robbed, because according to him, he sang, got 10 out of 10, the guys pointing the gun at him were pleased, and everyone got a round of beers.
We thought that this was not true. But then seven years later, I was reading in the Portuguese newspaper. The “My Way” gang was put in prison, and so I confirmed this story: they were stealing and apparently killing some people, and they were put in jail, and they were forcing everyone to sing “My Way”. So even now today, I don’t know what to believe. Nothing makes sense. But when we were shooting I asked this guy to sing “My Way” and he burst into tears. So there's something going on.
His performance gives the professional actors a run for their money.
Yeah. Sometimes you get lucky. You can, if you follow these kind of things. I think we should have a radar, and try to sense for things that will lead to something unexpected.
In the Thai shadow puppet show there’s a princess who faces a giantess who has kidnapped her prince. This resonates with Molly’s determination to win Edward back — was this another case of getting lucky?
The way we constructed the film, you can either film something because this resonates with the situation. Or the opposite: we shoot something that was found, and then write the script. It’s kind of like “what is contaminating what?” In this case, it was the fiction that was leading. We were presented with a group of puppeteers from the south of Thailand, and they proposed to us three stories. Without seeing it before, we picked that one because we knew that there would be this kidnapping.
The chicken and rooster hand puppets in Vietnam are also delightful.
So this is the opposite. This is the only puppet show that takes place in a studio. We had filmed all the travel footage, and after this were writing the script. We said, okay, now this part is the moment where the puppets enter the studio, he will have a show for her. There was a moment in Lisbon, they had a street puppet show, so we went by chance to see these guys. And they performed the chicken and the rooster number. It was one of the harder things to negotiate with the production — there was a moment where everything was impossible budget wise. I had to fight a lot to get these guys coming from Vietnam to Rome to do this number. And at the end, I won — I lost lots of battles, but this one I have here.
In fact — I haven’t told this too many times — my first idea to make this film was not to use voiceover, but to have a lot more scenes in the studio. So we would leave the characters in the studio, but we would cut to the wheel, to the Kung Fu masters, to the fortune teller, whatever you see in the film, and we have even more material we could use. In the end, I think this would be like a four hour film, or maybe three. Many things that the voiceover describes are cut scenes, things I didn't shoot, because in the end I didn't have the money. I'm happy with Grand Tour, not complaining. But I would love to have made this other film, maybe another time.
Your next production has been in the works for about a decade — an adaptation of Os sertões (1902), by the Brazilian author Euclides da Cunha.
Yeah, it's Savagery. It'll make for a strange film, I guess, because it's not a novel. It’s a scientific book, part technologic studies, regions, climate, geology, botany, animals. And partially, it’s a war chronicle. No protagonists, nothing like this. Amazing. But it’s one of the best Portuguese texts I know.
Listings | Thursday 6 Feb - Wednesday 12 Feb
Notable Screenings
Hard Truths (with virtual Q&A)
Mike Leigh, 2024
Screening Wednesday 19 at NOVA
Showgirls
Paul Verhoeven, 1995
Screening Thursday 13
Widow Clicquot
Paul Verhoeven, 2023
Screening Thursday 13
Grand Tour
Miguel Gomes, 2024
Screening Daily
Europa! Europa! Film Festival
Lido and Classic Cinemas
Program here
New Films in Release
Grand Tour
Miguel Gomes, 2024
Screening Daily
Soundtrack to a Coup D ‘État
Johan Grimonprez, 2024
Screening at Nova (exclusive)
Black Box Diaries
Shiori Ito, 2024
Screening at Nova (exclusive)
Focus on Peter Weir
Gallipoli
Peter Weir, 1981
Screening Thursday 13
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Peter Weir, 1975
Screening Friday 14
Focus on Andrea Arnold
Bird
Andrea Arnold, 2024
Screening Friday 14
Focus on David Lynch
Lost Highway
David Lynch, 1997
Screening Saturday 15
The Straight Story
David Lynch, 1999
Screening Saturday 15
Mulholland Drive
David Lynch, 2001
Screening Sunday 16
Inland Empire
David Lynch, 2006
Screening Monday 17
Art + Film
The Future & Beyond: Reclaiming Tomorrow
You, Me and the Machine
Survival and Resilience
Myth and Modernity
All Screening Sunday
Artist Film Workshop: Annual Showcase
Various Artists, 2024-2025
Screening Monday 17
Matinees
Red Island
Robin Campillo, 2023
Screening Fri to Sat
No screening this week
Artist Film Workshop: Annual Showcase
Various Artists, 2024-2025
Screening at ACMI Monday 17
Showgirls
Paul Verhoeven, 1995
Screening Thursday 13
The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Live Shadow Cast by the Pevlic Thrusts
Jim Sharman, 1975
Screening Friday 14
The Brutalist
Brady Corbett, 2024
Screening Saturday, Sunday
Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back
D.A Pennebaker, 1967
Screening Saturday 15
Double Feature: Seven + Zodiac
David Fincher, 1995 + 2007
Screening Saturday 15
Seven (35mm)
David Fincher, 1995
Screening Sunday 16, (4K on Wednesday 19)
Queer
Luca Guadanigno, 2024
Screening Sunday 16
The Substance + The Neon Demon
Coralie Fargeat, 2024 / Nicolas Winding, 2016
Screening Monday 17
The Last Journey (Live Q&A)
Filip Hammar, 2024
Screening Tuesday 18
Becoming Led Zeppelin
Bernard MacMahon, 2025
Screening Wednesday 19
BBBC CINEMA (GALLERYGALLERY BRUNSWICK)
Closed until further notice
No screening this week
CHINATOWN CINEMA
Shut for the week!
Coming back in some variety soon
No screening this week
Events
Hard Truths (with virtual Q&A)
Mike Leigh, 2024
Screening Wednesday 19
Bird
Andrea Arnold, 2024
Screening Fri, Sat, Sun
Macbeth
Max Webster, 2025
Screening Thursday 13
The Last Journey (Live Q&A)
Filip Hammar, 2024
Screening Tuesday 18
Im Still Here
Walter Salles, 2024
Previewing Fri, Sat, Sun
Release
Soundtrack to a Coup D ‘État
Johan Grimonprez, 2024
Screening Daily (excl Mon, Tue)
Black Box Diaries
Shiori Ito, 2024
Screening Daily (excl Mon)
Grand Tour
Miguel Gomes, 2024
Screening Daily
Queer
Luca Guadanigno, 2024
Screening Daily
Babygirl
Halina Reijn, 2024
Screening Daily
A Complete Unknown
James Mangold, 2024
Screening Daily
The Brutalist
Brady Corbet, 2024
Screening Daily
Maria
Pablo Larraín, 2025
Screening Daily
Presence
Steven Soderbergh, 2025
Screening Daily
Becoming Led Zeppelin
Bernard MacMahon, 2025
Screening Daily
Conclave
Edward Berger, 2024
Screening Daily
September 5
Tim Fehlbaum, 2025
Screening Daily
Nosferatu
David Eggers, 2024
Screening Daily
Anora
Sean Baker, 2024
Screening Daily
We Live in Time
John Crowley, 2024
Screening Daily (Excl Friday)
Sing Sing
Greg Kwedar, 2025
Screening Daily
Emilia Perez
Jacques Audiard, 2025
Screening Daily
Better Man
Michael Gracey, 2024
Screening Daily
All We Imagine As Light
Payal Kapadia, 2024
Screening Daily
The Room Next Door
Pedro Almodóvar, 2024
Screening Mon-Wed, Thu, Fri
Wicked
John M. Chu, 2024
Screening Thurs, Sun-Wed
Heretic
Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, 2024
Screening Daily (Excl Sunday)
A Different Man
Aaron Schimberg, 2024
Screening Mondays
Memoir of a Snail
Adam Elliot, 2024
Screening Daily
Memory
Michel Franco, 2023
Screening Daily
There’s Still Tomorrow
Paola Cortellesi, 2024
Screening Daily
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat, 2024
Screening Daily
Kneecap
Rich Peppiatt, 2023
Screening Daily
DOGMILK DEGUSTATIONS: @ Miscellania
No screening this week
No screening this week
GAY24 (Bar Flippy’s)
Next screening on Feb 26
HITLIST (9 Gertrude St, Fitzroy)
No screening this week
LIDO / CLASSIC / CAMEO
Events
Europa! Europa! Film Festival
Lido and Classic Cinemas
Program here
General Release
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Michael Morris, 2025
Screening Daily
A Complete Unknown
James Mangold, 2024
Screening Daily
Queer
Luca Guadanigno, 2024
Screening Daily
Babygirl
Halina Reijn, 2024
Screening Daily
Grand Tour
Miguel Gomes, 2024
Screening Daily
Widow Clicquot
Paul Verhoeven, 2023
Screening Daily
Conclave
Edward Berger, 2024
Screening Daily
The Brutalist
Brady Corbet, 2024
Screening Daily
Nosferatu
David Eggers, 2024
Screening Daily
Anora
Sean Baker, 2024
Screening Daily
We Live in Time
John Crowley, 2024
Screening Daily
A Real Pain
Jesse Eisenberg, 2024
Screening Daily
Emilia Perez
Jacques Audiard, 2025
Screening Daily
Better Man
Michael Gracey, 2024
Screening Daily
Becoming Led Zeppelin
Bernard MacMahon, 2025
Screening Daily
OVA CLUB
No screening this week
David Lynch Retrospective
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (FREE)
Program from 7pm | Screening from 8.30pm
THE MELBOURNE CINÉMATHÈQUE (ACMI)
A Touch of Zen,
King Hu, 1971
Screening Wednesday 19
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY: SCREENING IDEAS
No screening this week
PALACE BALWYN / BRIGHTON / COMO / KINO / PENTRIDGE / MOONEE PONDS / WESTGARTH
General Release
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Michael Morris, 2025
Screening Daily
A Complete Unknown
James Mangold, 2024
Screening Daily
Queer
Luca Guadanigno, 2024
Screening Daily
Babygirl
Halina Reijn, 2024
Screening Daily
Grand Tour
Miguel Gomes, 2024
Screening Daily
Widow Clicquot
Paul Verhoeven, 2023
Screening Daily
Presence
Steven Soderbergh, 2025
Screening Daily
We Live in Time
John Crowley, 2024
Screening Daily
Conclave
Edward Berger, 2024
Screening Daily
Nosferatu
David Eggers, 2024
Screening Daily
Emilia Perez
Jacques Audiard, 2025
Screening Daily
Anora
Sean Baker, 2024
Screening Daily
A Real Pain
Jesse Eisenberg, 2024
Screening Daily
Better Man
Michael Gracey, 2024
Screening Daily
Wicked
John M. Chu, 2024
Screening Daily
The Room Next Door
Pedro Almodóvar, 2024
Screening Daily (Kino)
Paddington in Peru
Dougal Wilson, 2024
Screening Daily
All We Imagine As Light
Payal Kapadia, 2024
Screening Daily (Kino)
Next screening in March
Queer
Luca Guadanigno, 2024
Screening Daily
Becoming Led Zeppelin
Bernard MacMahon, 2025
Screening Thu, Sat, Wed
Two Homelands + Q & A
Kay Pavlou, 2024
Screening Sat, Sun
The Brutalist
Brady Corbet, 2024
Screening Wednesday 19
Wild at Heart
David Lynch, 1990
Screening on Monady 17
Party Girl (Sold Out)
Daisy von Scherler Mayer, 2024
Screening Tuesday 18
UNKNOWN PLEASURES @ Thornbury Picture House
No screening this week