Uprising: Speaking the Language of Filmmaking with Rumi Kaul

Balancing between energetic and excited, and calm and pondering, Rumi Kaul’s childhood harboured both sides of his personality and Indian-Dutch upbringing. As many creatively-inclined children experience, he was “a dreamy and curious kid,” which he likens to his current career as a filmmaker, commenting on the connection between dreaming and directing. 

Part of Rumi’s passion for directing came from his love of films. “I grew up watching films from many great directors like Jim Jarmusch, Jacques Tati and Michael Mann,” he says as he explains how his parents were involved in the industry. At a formative age, those films tended to err on the side of boring, so he ended up watching Disney classics. But, the more mature films had an effect in the long run. He explains, “Because I was so young I definitely feel like they’re burnt into my soul and played a big influence for the rest of my life. I still remember some shots from films from when I was eight years old.”

Of course, there were other passions and interests Rumi held as a child, such as playing basketball and dabbling in poetry – though his name held a bit of weight behind it. “Because I’ve been named after the best poet to ever exist, I feel there’s no room for two poet Rumi’s,” he jokes. 

It was during his teenage years that filmmaking became a job Rumi wanted to pursue and so when it came time to decide, he applied to the Netherlands Film Academy and studied production. “I found out quite fast that producing was not my destined profession,” he says. “I wanted to direct.” 

Though he carried on with the four-year course in production, Rumi took up directing on the side, assisting and leading to his very own short film. However, his academic experience wasn’t wasted either, “I learned a lot about producing, and I feel like it is an advantage to have the knowledge about that part of filmmaking.”

Through his studies and as a movie buff, he learnt a lot about what makes a story tick. “Watching films and discovering (also in real life) what you find interesting, what touches you is, in my opinion, a very important part of the craft. Your taste – like a sword that needs sharpening –  is what shapes your identity as a filmmaker. It creates a certain foundation.” With this in mind, Rumi tries his best to watch a film a day, and while that’s often difficult to achieve, he says “It’s like a gym for the mind.” 

When it came to creating his first piece of work, it was a dance film made with 16mm rolls and “a group of enthusiastic people” that really kicked off his career. He says, “It won a prize at a festival and gave me more jobs as a director,” and since then, Rumi has gone on to create many other pieces of work, including ‘Kooi’ (Cage), the piece that he deems most significant to his career so far. 

“The last film, ‘Kooi’ was again made with a great group of people. Together with producers Lisa Hagenbeek and Cleo Duijvelshoff, and written by Demian van der Wekken, I learned a lot and it also made it possible to make more short films, meet cool new people and be a part of the CZAR roster. I just got funding for my next short film from the Dutch Film Fund as well.”

With so many exciting aspects to consider and different processes for each piece of work, there’s one thing that remains his favourite part of the job: the casting process.  “Finding the right people, working with a casting agency and also street casting - I really like this part of the process,” he says. “I’m always on the look for new people.” 

And when that aspect of things is all sorted, his passion for fashion then comes in. “The wardrobe process in a film or commercial is something I really enjoy. Clothes tell a whole story!”

Working across a range of clients and brands in the advertising world comes, with it, the opportunity to share a story with a specific audience, something Rumi finds interesting. “What gets me excited is that a lot of brands refer to films and use film culture to communicate,” he says. “We share this passion with each other. Film is a language. I like that we all speak that language.”

Sharing this language, Rumi spends time teaching children about the industry and giving film and photography workshops to those who wouldn’t ordinarily have access. “I think that when it comes to representation. it helps to involve people from all demographics at a young age.” 

To this end, he believes that while there is an effort behind made to bridge the accessibility gap, there are still strides to be made.“One of the organisations I work for; Bekijk’t, sends us to do workshops at schools with a demographic that has less connection with the film industry,” he explains. “We motivate the kids to know that it’s possible to become a good filmmaker, regardless of your background. I [also] teach at the Foam photography museum as well. I would say it’s another passion, although I would never aspire to be a full-time teacher.” 

And, while film is Rumi’s passion, teaching is something he finds invaluable. “I learn much from them as well. Teaching is similar to filmmaking in a way. You have a bunch of people who need your ear individually but also have to move forward in a group, to eventually tell a story.”

Explaining why it’s important to welcome a diverse range of perspectives, he says, “There are many interesting stories I hear while teaching. I see them everywhere, with anyone. If we learn that everyone is welcome and has a voice in this industry from a young age, it becomes more normalised in society. There is no culture, gender, class or background that has nothing interesting to say.” 

He also encourages looking at art, travelling, listening to music and communicating with people to learn more about the world around us. Specifically, on a personal level, he refers to Spike Jones, “who directs good films and also makes cool ads,” by making passion transpire through the screen. “Also, Valentin Petit, (rest in peace) who recently died. He made stylish, energetic and fiery work which was thrilling to watch. He was changing the commercial industry, and it’s really sad he passed away. Ian Pons Jewel is another cool director. His inventive style is interesting and he creates these absurd universes. I’m curious as to what kind of feature-length film he would make.”

As of now, Rumi is wrapped up in the films of Claire Denis and Sean Baker, as well as Spike Lee. Seasonally, his favourites change as he delves into different genres and directors, but he also looks into the TV side of things too. “I saw ‘I May Destroy You’ by Michaela Coel, I think she’s cool.” He continues, “Also ‘The Wire’ will always be one of my favourite pieces of art ever made. That TV show is so important. It teaches us a lot about The US, but also about western societies in general.”

With his love of all things filmmaking, it’s no surprise that photography is high on his list of passions too. “I just saw an exhibition of Ara Güler, a Turkish photographer. I would recommend anyone in Amsterdam to see his work, which is displayed at Foam right now. He is a versatile photographer. He shows us a part of Turkey we don’t know, in a raw and beautiful way, but also shot the biggest stars in the ‘70s. Fellini, Baldwin, Hitchcock and Bridgitte Bardot.”

Much like his younger days, sports are still a part of his interests, though basketball has turned into football, UFC and tennis. “In sports, it’s great to watch the characteristics of people unfold in such high-pressure environments. That’s a big reason for me to enjoy these sports - even in UFC, which is really violent. They are particular individuals who are brave and talented.”

Ultimately, while many people inspire Rumi in his craft, and generally in life, he has a motivating factor of his own that keeps him eager to create. “To tell stories and create experiences that touch people in whatever way,” he explains. “It’s a beautiful process. And you never stop learning. That’s great. You stay curious forever.”