The Magic of Movement, Music and Picture: Alim Sabir Lays Himself Bare for Creative Consumption
I meet Alim Sabir when he is in town shooting his latest film, Born From Water. In the works for almost 3 years now, this latest project tackles material close to his heart, making this his most important work to date. Writer, director and star of the film, Alim tells me how, earlier that day, he had set himself on fire for one particularly crucial scene. Alarmed, I ask why on earth he would do such a thing, to which he replied: “It felt like the appropriate visceral representation of the hero's journey…”
This sums up the Kazakh-born, Toronto-based filmmaker. When Alim Sabir is working on a project, he embodies the creative, quite literally becoming the brief. For him, this is a non-negotiable aspect of the process. He has a fire in his belly which casts a guiding light that leads him towards the completion of his creative endeavours.
Alim has been working in film since the age of 15. His first official role in the industry was as a 2nd AC, which gave him access to the industry as well as vital on-set experience. Although helpful, he tells me how being on-set made him realise he was more invested in the creative intricacies of filmmaking - conceptualising, script writing - than the technicalities.
Despite this, for a long time, the role of director seemed so mysterious to him. “I actually first wanted to become a cinematographer, then I worked on a few commercials and music videos as a DOP, but the more time I spent in the industry the more I was drawn towards directing,” he tells me. “Over time I learned about directing beyond the role's technicality, allowing me to tap into a flow state and create from an authentic place that resonates with me."
"Directing is about how you make the people around you feel, it’s synergistic. Directing is about having a vision and staying true to it which, in turn, should result in others’ trusting you. Directors must guide a project and become its heartbeat – they are the film’s source of life.”
Once he came to terms with this philosophy, Alim began to view being on set as a form of schooling that permitted him the chance to finetune the practical skills that would translate dreams into film.
Sitting across from Alim, it’s hard not to be moved by his unrestrained love for the craft. He is full of creative zeal, so open to sharing his ideas, inspirations and innermost filmic desires. At times he appears almost relieved to have an outlet whereby he can get it all off his chest, seemingly plagued by the magnitude of his creative ideas.
He tells me about his preferred artistic environment: nesting, alone or with his creative collaborator, friend and muse, Eric Cheung, uninhibited and thinking freely about his next “premise”. This was exactly the setting where, at the tender age of 19, he was struck by the idea behind his first film, E_GO.
Living in Calgary at the time, the two friends would often engage in philosophical discussions about the creative scene, both online and in-real life. Struck by the distinct “lack of consciousness of the soul” that surrounded them, the pair started spitballing ideas for a film that explored the ego. Detaching themselves from any hypothetical goals, they began to formulate a concept that would later become their first collaborative project.
“It felt like such a simple idea and it came together so naturally,” Alim tells me. “Two angles, a wide shot and a closer shot. Solid frame, shot on film, with a focus on movement, music and picture.” These three aspects - movement, music and picture - are the key distinguishing features of the film: strategically placed mirrors reflect Eric’s movements back at us, as we, the audience, surrender to the transcendent story playing out through music and picture.
Dance, afterall, is a form of expression that transcends any language, and in his debut, Alim marries Eric’s choreographic dialogue with strategically placed, static camera shots, and a haunting score - composed by fellow Vancoverite, Noah Johnson. The fluid convergence of the human body is captivating, drawing the viewer in as they suspend all thought beyond the next sequence of shots.
As “simple” as the concept may have seemed to Alim, his execution struck a chord with the filmmaking community. Exceeding performance expectations upon its release, the film was selected as a Vimeo staff pick - a major accomplishment for any budding filmmaker.
Bolstered by this debut achievement, Alim pushed on, trying his best not to overthink his success. It didn’t take long for his innate ability to immerse himself in a creative brief to catch the attention of the commercial world. In the last five years he has shot branded content and campaigns for the likes of OVO, Canon, Nobis and Native Instruments. For this most recent campaign, Alim returned to his natural habitat, embodying the role of creative conduit of movement, music and picture.
Despite his impressive success in the commercial realm, Alim feels drawn to explore more sentimental subject matter, and is determined to reach an equilibrium. Two new short films, Null and Born From Water, due to be released in early 2024, mark his return to the “egoless filmmaking” that got him here in the first place.
Produced by Spy Films, whom he signed with in 2023, the short films have afforded Alim the opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities, distilled in their purest form. Laying himself bare, for creative consumption, Alim has been grinding non stop.
Although clearly excited and proud of this work, Alim appears conflicted, reluctant to simplify the premise of these labours of love by providing a simple synopsis. Instead, he tells me: “These projects have presented a way for me to embrace all aspects of myself, including the dark parts and all. Lighting myself on fire is a good metaphor for it. The process of making this film has made me feel sad but it’s cathartic and I’m not shying away from it - I’m embracing it.”
Alim's reluctance to simplify the essence of his latest endeavours speaks volumes, as he embraces the complexity of his artistic journey. In his own words, these films become a metaphorical self-immolation, a process that may evoke sadness but ultimately proves cathartic. For Alim, the intersection of commercial and art filmmaking is not a compromise but a harmonious dance of creativity, allowing him to delve into the darker corners of his soul. As we eagerly anticipate the unveiling of his latest works, we witness a filmmaker who not only refines his craft through the lens of art but, in doing so, elevates the landscape of commercial cinema. Alim Sabir's cinematic odyssey beckons, promising audiences an immersive experience that transcends the boundaries of convention and embraces the profound beauty found in embracing one's true self.
