I’m writing movie for a brave film.
I accepted to write the music for the film because the subject of the film and the story are excellent. The film is full with emotions and events that inspired me; says Zamfir, who is currently in Skopje, recording music for the film Georg Zamfir, the virtuoso on a Panov Flute, is one of the most famous musicians in the world. He was born in Romania, and is a graduate from the Music Conservatory in Bucharest. He attained world fame in the last twenty years, and since then he’s been living in Paris. In 1976, his “Summer of Love” was one of the most successful European singles which sold more then million copies. Zamfir also works for film music. His most famous film music work is his cooperative work with the composer Enio Moricone on the music for the Sergio Leone’s film, “Once upon a time in America.”
This days he’s been working in Skopje, where he’s been recording the music for Antonio Mitrikeski’s film, Across the Lake, which is a tragic love story happening around the year of 1948.
I What made you decide to accept the offer to write the music for the film Across the Lake?
When the director made the film, he realized that I’m the only one that can make the music that the film needs. The subject of the film and the story are excellent. The film is full with emotions and events that inspired me. It’s a first time after 1989, one film to talk about the destiny and the fall of the Communist regime in the east bloc. It’s a first time after the fall of the Berlin wall to have a chance to see such a courageous film, who is examining from a psychological aspect the fate of the people, who leaved in that regime.
I What is the emotion that touched you the most in the film and that inspired you to transform it in your music?
The film, which is full of emotions and emotional scenes, inspired me in whole for the music. The life most of the people of the Communist world, was not destroyed by a single event. It was destroyed from the beginning to the end. Imagine, life of a person who is sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison is not more destroyed that the life of the people who have a conditional freedom. Even more, the one that were convicted to a life in prison had an advantage: their life was destroyed faster, with less suffering. The one that are free are still living with the consequences of that kind of life.
That system destroyed the soul of the people, and in a long term, turned them into animals without culture, God, church and religion.
I Did you do any research about the Macedonian music before you started to work on the music for the film?
No. What I saw in the movie was enough for me to learn about the Macedonian culture and soul.
The fact that Mitrikeski chose me to write the music, talks about the connection between me and the Macedonian people. He didn’t choose an Englishman or a Chinese, but a Romanian, because of the connection between the two groups of people.
I Why did you choose the Panov Flute for you instrument?
The answer is clear: I didn’t choose it, it choose me. There are many musicians that are using that instrument without knowing how to express themselves through it. Because, from the moment the instrument chooses you, you are carrying that instrument in you, and that is what differentiate you from the rest of the people. I discovered that I was chosen when I was 14 years old. At that time I was attending the school for musical instruments in Bucharest and I met the real virtuoso on this instrument. He understood my dedication and he did everything for me to play.