It took eight years for Malaury Eloi Paisley, a native of Guadeloupe, to complete her first feature film, “L’Homme Vertige: Tales of a City,” which is set to premiere at Berlin’s Forum. In this debut documentary centered on her hometown of Point-à-Pitre, Paisley portrays the raw and often challenging realities of living in isolation on the French Caribbean island.
In “L’Homme Vertige,” Paisley delves into the lives of solitary and predominantly impoverished individuals meandering through the city. She engages them in conversations about life, human connections, and their perspectives on the island against the backdrop of the urban concrete jungle and contaminated surroundings. According to Paisley, the individuals featured in the film symbolize a collective unspoken human experience, emphasizing that they are not merely victims of a system but possess profound insights into societal realities and personal freedom. She aims to showcase the profound connection between the characters and the city. Throughout the documentary, Paisley also sheds light on the desolate and deteriorating infrastructure on the island, highlighting the absence of beaches until the conclusion, to illustrate the sense of seclusion and confinement she experienced while growing up there.
Initially trained in fine arts at Sorbonne University in Paris, Paisley never envisioned herself becoming a filmmaker. However, upon her return to Guadeloupe after three years of traveling, creating “L’Homme Vertige” became a form of personal redemption. Reflecting on her artistic background, she expressed a sense of desolation due to the lack of artistic institutions on the island, which made her reluctant to return. The opportunity to participate in the French filmmaking workshop Ateliers Varan in Guadeloupe in 2016 prompted her return. Under the guidance of directing mentors Alice Diop (“Saint Omer”) and Sylvaine Dampierre (“Paroles de nègres”), Paisley began exploring themes such as Guadeloupe’s intricate colonial legacy, solitude, and the interactions between humans, urban landscapes, and nature through visual storytelling.
The positive reception of Paisley’s short film “Chanzy Blues” at Atelier Varan led to one of the jurors supporting its expansion into the full-length feature “L’Homme Vertige.”
As “L’Homme Vertige” secures a spot at the Berlin Film Festival, Paisley expresses her gratitude for the opportunity to showcase a piece of her Caribbean island to esteemed filmmakers and audiences who may be unfamiliar with Guadeloupe. She aspires for viewers to recognize the universal essence within the film’s characters.
Looking ahead, Paisley envisions further projects exploring solitude in Guadeloupe, particularly in collaboration with local island artists. Additionally, she plans to delve into her patrimonial Indian roots and the colonial narrative of Indian migration to the island in her future works.
Enthusiastic about her upcoming endeavors, Paisley anticipates delving deeper into filmmaking, aiming to craft cinematic pieces with a poetic perspective.