WEBVTT - Discussing Julia Jansch's latest project The Academy 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:04.840 Now Then, a story that is as moving as it 0:00:04.880 --> 0:00:08.319 is empowering. The Academy is a brand new documentary that 0:00:08.360 --> 0:00:11.840 follows azile A Rossi, a young woman from Kaileicha who 0:00:11.880 --> 0:00:15.560 finds healing and purpose and confidence through sailing thanks to 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.920 a transformative program based at the Royal Cape Yacht Club. 0:00:19.200 --> 0:00:23.040 Once uncertain of her place in a traditionally exclusive and 0:00:23.120 --> 0:00:26.479 let's face it, white space, Azilee goes on to skipper 0:00:26.520 --> 0:00:30.400 a race around Robin, Ireland, reclaiming her story and redefining 0:00:30.440 --> 0:00:34.040 what it means to belong. Said against the stunning backdrop 0:00:34.120 --> 0:00:38.160 of Table Bay, the film is a powerful portrait of resilience, 0:00:38.560 --> 0:00:42.280 access and hope, and it's directed by Julia Jantz, whose 0:00:42.320 --> 0:00:46.680 previous work My Father The Mover one at Tribeca. The 0:00:46.760 --> 0:00:51.440 Academy really is more than just a documentary. It's a 0:00:51.440 --> 0:00:56.160 cinematic journey that challenges perceptions of race, legacy institutions, and 0:00:56.200 --> 0:00:59.320 also women in sport. It's also notable for being the 0:00:59.360 --> 0:01:03.440 first Fricking commission for Disney Plus, produced in partnership with 0:01:03.560 --> 0:01:07.080 Cape Town's Southern Point Pictures. I got up with Julia 0:01:07.200 --> 0:01:09.520 the director in the week about the making of the 0:01:09.600 --> 0:01:13.760 Academy the impact of Azila's story and why the film 0:01:13.800 --> 0:01:16.080 matters right now. And I do need to apologize and 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:19.800 advance folks that the audio is a little bit tinny, 0:01:20.080 --> 0:01:24.560 I'm afraid, but hopefully you will catch the meaning of 0:01:24.640 --> 0:01:28.360 our conversation. Gi, thanks so much for making time, so 0:01:28.480 --> 0:01:30.560 looking forward to seeing the documentary. 0:01:30.640 --> 0:01:35.200 But first of all, what drew you to the story? 0:01:36.680 --> 0:01:37.759 There's a number of. 0:01:37.760 --> 0:01:42.800 News articles about Oziler that we can you know online 0:01:42.840 --> 0:01:44.560 it from the start of the year, and so I've 0:01:44.600 --> 0:01:47.160 got an overview of a story, but what particularly drew. 0:01:47.040 --> 0:01:51.160 You to it? So before I met Azilie, I actually. 0:01:50.880 --> 0:01:57.440 Was introduced to Lindani Spas and Tuno, who was pioneering 0:01:57.920 --> 0:02:02.720 this movement to transfer the Royal Cape Yacht Club through 0:02:03.160 --> 0:02:04.360 a sailing. 0:02:03.960 --> 0:02:06.480 Academy called the Academy. 0:02:06.600 --> 0:02:13.400 Where the idea was to empower and give an opportunity 0:02:13.600 --> 0:02:20.280 to young men and women from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to 0:02:20.880 --> 0:02:24.200 come and sell and do a sailing program and learn 0:02:24.360 --> 0:02:29.120 all the lessons and meta face of life out at sea. 0:02:29.800 --> 0:02:34.040 So I thought that was very interesting and kind of 0:02:34.040 --> 0:02:35.400 my way into the story. 0:02:35.880 --> 0:02:41.320 But one always needs to find a hero and a protagonist, 0:02:42.040 --> 0:02:44.160 I believe, even if you do a documentary, you want 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:47.600 to follow someone's journey, and you know, if you study 0:02:48.400 --> 0:02:54.279 narrative theory, there's always a hero who has to overcome 0:02:54.760 --> 0:03:00.120 certain stacks. So it was about, well, who's within this 0:03:00.240 --> 0:03:04.200 institution and what stakes are. 0:03:04.120 --> 0:03:07.800 They dealing with? And you know, a Zeale, even though. 0:03:07.639 --> 0:03:11.400 She comes from you know, not not the easiest socio 0:03:11.480 --> 0:03:15.400 economic background, she was dealing with some internal challenges as well, 0:03:16.600 --> 0:03:19.680 and she was a great person to pig the story 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:23.919 to and within our film, see if she could skip 0:03:23.960 --> 0:03:28.799 her around Robin Island, which which is what the obstacle 0:03:28.840 --> 0:03:30.800 of the challenge. 0:03:32.560 --> 0:03:35.960 It's a it's a really personal story and a really 0:03:36.040 --> 0:03:39.160 personal journey. But but as you said, it also speaks 0:03:39.200 --> 0:03:43.600 to its broader, broader themes as well. 0:03:44.720 --> 0:03:45.720 How does one go. 0:03:45.760 --> 0:03:50.920 About telling a story of the personal but without kind 0:03:50.920 --> 0:03:56.840 of losing sight of that broader story and context. 0:03:57.600 --> 0:04:01.880 Well it's a juggling act and that actually, you know, 0:04:01.920 --> 0:04:05.560 I'm still learning all the time, because if you're following 0:04:06.000 --> 0:04:07.880 an individual. 0:04:07.320 --> 0:04:09.800 Story, you want to stick with the story. 0:04:09.840 --> 0:04:12.640 You don't want to get too sidetracked with the world and. 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:15.960 The system and all the rest of it. So it's 0:04:16.000 --> 0:04:20.960 all about how does that world around said person in 0:04:20.960 --> 0:04:21.800 this case is Zele. 0:04:22.360 --> 0:04:26.240 How is that either providing stakes in her journey? 0:04:26.240 --> 0:04:28.760 How is it either helping her or challenging her? 0:04:29.360 --> 0:04:32.520 And every decision that you know one would make is 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:36.800 a filmmaker in terms of the story is only including 0:04:36.880 --> 0:04:41.720 that which pertains to her individual journey. And it's interesting 0:04:41.800 --> 0:04:45.400 with film because you know, the story kind of rang 0:04:45.480 --> 0:04:46.360 on two chords. 0:04:46.400 --> 0:04:48.240 It was the very intimate story of. 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:53.920 A Zeelee finding herself and finding power and finding belonging 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:59.039 and courage out at sea. But it's also the story 0:04:58.320 --> 0:05:03.600 of the academy me and how the Academy is empowering 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:05.200 all these young sailors. 0:05:06.320 --> 0:05:08.640 And in this particular story, like I say. 0:05:09.240 --> 0:05:13.320 It's all around array, it's all around you know, which 0:05:13.360 --> 0:05:17.000 is pretty metaphorical a race around Robin Island. So it 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:20.880 was about very carefully trying to thread those that intimate story, 0:05:20.960 --> 0:05:24.280 the internal and external together, but only so much as 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:28.120 it pertains to Azila, because she's the person we're following. 0:05:28.920 --> 0:05:32.280 You mentioned that the metaphor, but I mean the sea 0:05:32.360 --> 0:05:36.440 in and of itself is a metaphors. It's the setting obviously, 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:41.640 but also the metaphor. What what does the ocean represent 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:47.480 for you for Azilo for the audience as a story unfold, 0:05:47.600 --> 0:05:49.799 do you think I love this question? 0:05:49.960 --> 0:05:53.320 And the person who speaks about it the best. 0:05:53.720 --> 0:05:57.520 Who's very prolific in the documentary as well as Lynn Dining. 0:05:58.200 --> 0:06:02.800 You know, he's a real philosopher, and he says a line. 0:06:02.720 --> 0:06:05.560 The revolution will be on the water. He says, I 0:06:05.600 --> 0:06:06.480 can feel it. 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:11.880 And he talks about how we're oversubscribed on land and 0:06:11.920 --> 0:06:17.280 how the water is this opportunity to reclaim space and 0:06:17.360 --> 0:06:21.680 to reclaim power. And that's exactly what the water is 0:06:21.720 --> 0:06:26.440 doing for these young sailors. I mean, I myself am very, 0:06:26.600 --> 0:06:30.640 very spiritually and emotionally drawn to water because I feel 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:35.360 like it's a reset. You go underwater and it cleans 0:06:35.400 --> 0:06:39.560 the slate. And I think that's what Lindani was getting too, 0:06:39.720 --> 0:06:43.159 and he said the revolution will be on the water. 0:06:44.680 --> 0:06:45.599 And it's funny. 0:06:45.640 --> 0:06:50.679 It also talks about how when Nolson Mandela was locked 0:06:50.760 --> 0:06:53.760 up in prison, they always spoke about, you know, the 0:06:53.880 --> 0:06:57.440 land on the other side, and it wasn't about the water, 0:06:57.600 --> 0:07:00.360 but the water, and the story is what. 0:07:01.800 --> 0:07:05.920 Is what's being reclaimed, not land. I'm fascinated to know. 0:07:06.880 --> 0:07:08.960 You know, they say never work with children or animals, 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:11.000 and I imagine that water could probably be added to 0:07:11.040 --> 0:07:14.400 that because it's incredibly powerful and quite unpredictable. From a 0:07:14.440 --> 0:07:18.720 production standpoint, What were some of the challenges that you faced. 0:07:19.880 --> 0:07:24.400 It was very challenging because you're dealing with the elements. 0:07:25.400 --> 0:07:28.800 And you're dealing with the schedule and actually on the day. 0:07:28.720 --> 0:07:32.040 That Azila was supposed to do this race around. 0:07:31.800 --> 0:07:36.040 Robin Island, a huge, huge wind I mean, you know 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:41.160 the cake doctor that the southeaster it's unforgiving and it 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:44.200 pitched up on the day and we actually got to 0:07:44.320 --> 0:07:47.000 film a whole discussion about whether the race should go 0:07:47.080 --> 0:07:48.400 on or shouldn't go on. 0:07:49.960 --> 0:07:54.880 But you know, one then decides do we continue to 0:07:54.920 --> 0:07:55.840 shoot or do we not? 0:07:56.120 --> 0:07:59.600 And we actually decided, I mean as Ela said that 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:02.520 she was keen to go, and it was the feeling 0:08:02.560 --> 0:08:05.480 of the yacht club that, you know, each skipper, because 0:08:05.520 --> 0:08:09.040 Azilia was skippering for the fur first time, each skipper 0:08:09.080 --> 0:08:12.240 should decide whether they feel that they can you know, 0:08:12.360 --> 0:08:16.320 master the storm. 0:08:13.880 --> 0:08:15.600 And she did. 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:21.000 We did have the help in terms of filming of 0:08:21.120 --> 0:08:25.000 the frog squad, which is an amazing you know, a 0:08:25.280 --> 0:08:27.920 hand when you're dealing with anything to do with water 0:08:28.000 --> 0:08:31.480 and production, which you know, I was able to track 0:08:31.560 --> 0:08:33.320 the race on a rabbit duck. 0:08:34.080 --> 0:08:35.400 But I've spoken. 0:08:35.080 --> 0:08:39.000 Before about our DP Ross Hellier very quickly finding his 0:08:39.120 --> 0:08:42.120 sea legs. He was on the boat with Azila and 0:08:42.200 --> 0:08:44.800 her crew and it was an adventure. 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:45.600 I mean, it was a. 0:08:45.559 --> 0:08:49.720 Total adventure because you're out at sea and like I say, 0:08:51.520 --> 0:08:56.439 underwater casing for cameras and safety, and you know, it 0:08:56.520 --> 0:08:58.080 was a whole experience. 0:08:58.520 --> 0:09:02.400 I would imagine that the the editing process is both 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:06.119 fraught and exciting and rewarding. 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:10.320 How do you know when a project like this is done. 0:09:10.559 --> 0:09:12.720 You've got all your raw footage and then the editing 0:09:12.760 --> 0:09:13.600 process begins. 0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:15.200 But how do you know when it's a case of 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:17.720 hands off and let and let it be? 0:09:18.600 --> 0:09:19.319 It never is. 0:09:21.160 --> 0:09:26.640 What's funny somebody I was actually a sound design at 0:09:26.640 --> 0:09:30.839 Skywalker Studios, obviously working on my next project, and we 0:09:30.840 --> 0:09:31.960 were laughing about with. 0:09:32.200 --> 0:09:36.760 Film, you know, it's only done until someone else, you know. 0:09:36.920 --> 0:09:39.240 Says to you, Okay, it's done now, and you have 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:39.880 to finish it. 0:09:39.960 --> 0:09:42.200 I mean, you can keep going and going and going, 0:09:42.880 --> 0:09:46.959 I believe, especially if you see your film as an 0:09:47.080 --> 0:09:50.400 art piece, you know you can keep going. So I 0:09:50.440 --> 0:09:54.480 think in this case, you know, it was about adhering 0:09:54.520 --> 0:09:58.880 to a certain schedule and you know, a delivery date. 0:09:59.800 --> 0:10:03.319 But I actually, you know, watched the film again recently 0:10:03.960 --> 0:10:06.200 and I was like, oh, okay, that's that. That could 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:08.080 have been like that, and that could have been like that. 0:10:08.320 --> 0:10:11.280 But at some point you just have to, you know, 0:10:11.760 --> 0:10:15.000 just let let your baby go and breathe and be. 0:10:15.040 --> 0:10:15.600 In the world. 0:10:16.559 --> 0:10:20.240 What conversations are you hoping Julia will will come from 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:24.160 from the film, because people, once it's out there, you 0:10:24.200 --> 0:10:27.040 have no control over I guess how people receive it. 0:10:27.720 --> 0:10:29.640 What is your hope for the piece? 0:10:30.400 --> 0:10:33.360 I mean, the primary hope is that girls out there 0:10:33.400 --> 0:10:37.880 who have had a similar experience to Aziel will be 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:43.640 inspired by her and and will find an outlet that 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:48.520 you know, helps them find their own power and their 0:10:48.559 --> 0:10:52.400 own you know, and overcome, just like Azelle has and 0:10:52.440 --> 0:10:56.240 Azila has sailed to Rear Degeneiro twice, which. 0:10:56.040 --> 0:10:59.120 Is just I mean, I could never do that. It's incredible. 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:02.720 So I hope they'll be inspired by a Zeelan as 0:11:02.800 --> 0:11:08.400 much as I was. I hope institutions who need to 0:11:08.440 --> 0:11:14.320 transform and evolve get inspired by what the rold Cape 0:11:14.360 --> 0:11:17.520 yacht club is doing with the Academy, And I hope 0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:24.200 that Lindni's very philosophical messages just bring true to audiences 0:11:24.360 --> 0:11:27.199 because he's I mean, he's. 0:11:26.559 --> 0:11:28.960 Wonderful to listen to. He's kind of like a. 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:34.800 Doctor of philosophy and a doctor of social social change. 0:11:34.960 --> 0:11:40.760 And yeah, I think it's a thesis project for transformation 0:11:41.080 --> 0:11:42.480 and I hope that's that. 0:11:42.520 --> 0:11:45.920 Institutions and individuals experience in that way. 0:11:46.920 --> 0:11:50.600 You said that you rewatched the documentary again recently. Is 0:11:50.640 --> 0:11:54.680 there a moment either that we can see on screen 0:11:54.800 --> 0:11:56.640 or a moment that you're aware of, maybe an in 0:11:56.720 --> 0:12:01.280 production that still gives you chills or sheep. 0:12:02.360 --> 0:12:07.280 Yeah, it's at the very end of the documentary, once 0:12:07.520 --> 0:12:11.199 Azelee has kind of made her way around Robin Island. 0:12:11.200 --> 0:12:13.920 I don't want to give too much away about what happens. 0:12:14.120 --> 0:12:18.760 And she's sitting wrapped her hand on the rudder the helm. 0:12:18.600 --> 0:12:23.319 Of the boat, and she says, my name is Azilee, 0:12:23.800 --> 0:12:27.360 and she says a sentence afterwards which I won't give away. 0:12:27.720 --> 0:12:30.040 I've been told not to give away too much about 0:12:30.120 --> 0:12:32.760 the film because I want everybody to watch it, But 0:12:32.880 --> 0:12:36.160 it's just it makes me choke up every single time. 0:12:36.280 --> 0:12:42.920 Because it's this embodiment of presence and power and surety 0:12:43.000 --> 0:12:46.000 and herself and her place in the world, and it's 0:12:45.559 --> 0:12:47.640 it's it's so, it's so wonderful. 0:12:47.760 --> 0:12:51.160 She's so wonderful. I was so looking forward to seeing it. Wonderful. 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:52.080 Thank you so much. 0:12:52.440 --> 0:12:55.440 That was my conversation with Juliet Yance, who is the 0:12:55.520 --> 0:12:59.880 director of the Academy, which you can stream now on 0:13:00.520 --> 0:13:06.200 Disney Plus. Beautiful tells the story of Azulee A Rossi 0:13:07.040 --> 0:13:13.040 from Kayleecha and her story on the water. It's a 0:13:13.080 --> 0:13:14.960 beautiful piece, so do go and check it out.