Photography can be a wake-up call for humanity
Cyprien Clément-Delmas is a French documentary photographer and film director. He focuses on socio-political topics such as the war in Ukraine, the US elections, and transgender rights. Switching focus from macro to micro, we can observe Cyprien's fascination with personal stories, struggles, and lives through portraiture work and an authentic interest in his subjects. The theme of identity, personal freedoms, and the place of a human in the connection to society are the main motifs in Cyprien’s work.
In this interview, we speak with Cyprien about his unique career path, which encompasses both photography and film direction. While the medium is different, they complement each other and enable the creation of compelling narratives. Cyprien explains, “As for my work, it’s always related to social issues — from the war in Ukraine and U.S. elections to transgender rights and the migrant crisis. In one way or another, I always try to reflect on the world we live in and our society.” We discuss in depth the photo book Daleside and the slow and steady process of gaining the trust of the community to be able to document their life. We close the conversation by speaking about commercial projects and the collaborative environment that becomes an enabler for personal work.
The photo book Daleside, published by GOST Books in 2020, was a collaborative work between Cyprien and South African photographer Lindokuhle Sobekwa. The book documents the life of an Afrikaner community in a suburban town, Daleside, South Africa. Their work involved four years of observation and engagement with the local people. His documentary short film work, THE LAST TAPE, won the Silver Prize at the German Academy Awards in 2016, and BOY OF WAR won the VFF Documentary Film Production Prize at Dokfest Munich.
Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski
‘I’m a fan of geopolitics, social issues, and history, and I believe film is a powerful medium to reach people’s minds and make them think.’
My Narrative
Hi Cyprien, it’s nice to meet and speak with you!
Your career path is quite unique as you are working in the fields of Film Direction and Photography. You studied Photography with a focus on documentary photography at the International Center of Photography School and Cinema at ESCAC - Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya. In what way does knowledge and experience in photography and cinema help you develop in each of those, working on your voice and language? Tell a bit about your way of working in each sphere.
Sometimes, I think it would be easier to focus on just one career — being a film director or a photographer — but for me, it’s impossible to choose. When someone asks me which I prefer between photography and film, I reply: "What do you prefer, eating or drinking?" It’s clear we need both to function. In my case, I love the solitary work of photography, which balances the team frenzy of filmmaking. In film, you always need a team, money, and you put in a lot of effort and time to make it happen. In photography, you create more easily and directly, and you're rewarded with results much faster.
My film work has been greatly inspired by photography. I would say my main background and inspiration at the beginning was documentary photography. This is evident in the way I compose, portray people, and create films with a sense of improvisation. But now, after so many years of working as a director, I can say that my photography is influenced by film. The two are intertwined, and I’ve always considered my work in both areas as key to understanding my world.
For me, photography is a space of pure artistic freedom. I almost never do commercial work and have preserved photography from external influences. I work on long-term documentary projects that take 4-5 years. I'm currently working on a new series and book project in the U.S. Every time I can finance a trip there, I go for a session and build my series step by step. It makes me really happy to be on my own, in the middle of nowhere, taking pictures.
Film, on the other hand, is both a passion and my livelihood. I direct commercials and branded content for international brands. This gives me the financial means to live and fund my personal projects. I also create experimental short films and features that are deeply personal. I wish I could do 100% personal and artistic projects, but I’m not there yet. That’s fine, as long as I can express myself through my personal work.
As for my work, it’s always related to social issues — from the war in Ukraine and U.S. elections to transgender rights and the migrant crisis. In one way or another, I always try to reflect on the world we live in and our society. I’m a fan of geopolitics, social issues, and history, and I believe film is a powerful medium to reach people’s minds and make them think.
‘In 2015, Lindokhule suggested we visit a small town called Daleside, where his mother had worked for an Afrikaner family. When we first stepped foot there, we were overwhelmed by the place — it was fascinating.’
Daleside
Daleside consists of two books created by you in collaboration with Lindokuhle Sobekwa, a South African photographer, and published by GOST Books (2000), in which you portray the people of Daleside and the location itself. Daleside is a small suburb, an isolated location struck by poverty, close to Johannesburg. What was the reason behind choosing this specific place, and what was the process of working together with Lindokuhle like in terms of collaboration and travel together?
The story behind Daleside and my collaboration with Lindokhule Sobekwa is quite unique. In 2012, a French art foundation asked me to teach photography in a township in Johannesburg. One of my first students was Lindokhule, who was 16 years old at the time. Over the years and through numerous workshops, Lindokhule and I became friends, and he often came with me to take pictures whenever I was in Johannesburg. He was our most motivated and talented student, and he quickly developed into a skilled photographer. He eventually became the first Black African to join the prestigious Magnum agency while working on the Daleside serie.
In 2015, Lindokhule suggested we visit a small town called Daleside, where his mother had worked for an Afrikaner family. When we first stepped foot there, we were overwhelmed by the place — it was fascinating. It felt like the town was falling into decay. We were exploring themes of white poverty and social struggles. We spent four years documenting this place, which culminated in a book (Daleside, GOST Books, 2020), along with numerous exhibitions and articles.
How did you work on overcoming challenges, such as gaining the trust of the community to get closer to the people and learn about them to make images for the book?
Trust was a real issue at the beginning in Daleside. People weren’t very open to us taking pictures. Initially, we told them we were practicing for a photography workshop and that I was the teacher. It was almost true, but it helped people understand that we were there with good intentions. After each session, which lasted one or two weeks, we would return to Daleside with small prints to give to the people. They were very happy to have pictures of their relatives and started asking us to take more photos of them. We somehow became the unofficial photographers of the community.
A great way to meet people was by going to the local church. We met the priest, who introduced us during a service. After that, people knew who we were, and our work was more or less approved. Word started spreading, and sometimes people would approach us in the street, saying their uncle or cousin had told them about us and that we should visit them. In the final year, we were invited to parties, baby showers, barbecues, and more. That was the easiest and most productive time for us.
It took us years to gain their trust, but it was truly worth it. Time is a key factor. You need to spend time to really get deep into a community. It’s amazing to witness children growing up, births, and deaths. You really get to know them and share in their lives, both the happy and the sad moments.
‘Behind a portrait, I believe you can read a person’s story: did they have a happy life? Did they suffer? Are they rich or poor? In good health or sick?’
Photography
With photography, you focus on portraits of people in their immediate environment. One can identify portraits of people being part of the middle-lower class based on this exact environment, while what is striking is the emphasis that is given to relationships, families, and day-to-day life. What is important for you to shed light on with this work, and what would you like the viewer to take away with them?
I’ve noticed over the years that I’m truly obsessed with portraits. Almost in an anthropological way, I photograph people facing the camera in quite sober compositions. My photography is quite straightforward and raw: it shows things as they are without trying to embellish them. That’s the style I’ve developed over time. I would say I’m fascinated by humans — by their lives, by their faces. Behind a portrait, I believe you can read a person’s story: did they have a happy life? Did they suffer? Are they rich or poor? In good health or sick? I try to convey all of this through their portrait, sometimes playing with their surroundings.
Having said that, one of the themes I work with most is decadence — the decadence of a capitalistic society, inequality, social violence, and addiction. Through these portraits, I try to reflect a side of our society that is important yet difficult for some to confront. It’s not just about poverty. For example, in my new project, I explore the theme of global warming and the human impact on landscapes. I’m working on a book that will illustrate a world that has gone totally wrong, both socially and environmentally. I believe photography can be a wake-up call for humanity.
‘I’ve come to realize over time that identity is a recurring theme in my work.’
Quest for Identity
Let’s discuss your short documentaries, like My Red Side, which unveils a narrative about freedom of self-identification. Diosa that speaks about the life of a drag person and the path towards self-identification in connection to their family and society. And then short films that have to do with war, such as Boy of War, shot in Russian and Ukrainian about a person who wants to become a soldier and defend Ukraine, or Intrusion, a film about Donald Trump becoming the president of the US, while the film’s atmosphere creates tension and urgency. What is important for you when working on documentaries between shooting, editing, and working on sound to create the narrative and the point of view you want to share?
I’ve come to realize over time that identity is a recurring theme in my work. In Diosa, Joan Galo, a queer icon from Barcelona, is on a quest for their gender identity. In Boy of War, a 16-year-old boy builds his identity around war, dreaming of becoming a soldier. Then, Intrusion and Day One are part of my exploration of U.S. politics and society. These short films also serve as experiments for me in the documentary genre. These last two projects are deeply personal, and I work on them alone to ensure I have full artistic freedom.
Branded Films
When working on content for brands or music videos, what is the approach that allows you to keep your voice and connect each project to your vision in terms of leaving a mark and making this film look like yours? What is most exciting for you in this process?
Over time, I’ve learned to enjoy working for brands and artists. What I like is solving their problems or expressing their ideas through film. I’m always very involved in the creative process and the script. The good thing about commercial work is that you have the resources to make bigger films. The speed and pressure are also a great training ground for learning how to react quickly and adapt your ideas. You also get to meet many talented people, some of whom I later work with on my personal projects. Music videos are more closely related to my personal work, as I usually have more artistic freedom. For example, War Dance (Thylacine) explores the idealization of war, Ah Thalassa (Marina Satti) addresses the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, and Easy Prey (Moderat) deals with our dependency on technology.
Upcoming Projects
What theme or narrative are you researching, and what can we expect from you in the upcoming months?
I’m working on two short films in the U.S., experimental projects focused on American society. I’ll also continue traveling through the U.S. for my photography series. Hopefully, I’ll discover the subject of my next feature documentary or fiction. I’m still searching for the right idea.
