“The Narrative is Expressed through Faces”: Darius Khondji Discusses the Cinematography of Marty Supreme and His Productive Year

      As mentioned in my overview of the finest cinematography of 2025, "If there were an award for the most diverse cinematography of the year, it would undoubtedly go to Darius Khondji, who has worked on three markedly different projects. From capturing the whimsical sci-fi elements of Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17, to tackling the western genre with striking immediacy in Ari Aster’s Eddington, and culminating in his standout work of the year by filming the chaotic narrative of Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme with remarkable kinetic grace, the Iranian-French cinematographer demonstrates that he is among the foremost talents in the field today."

      Ahead of Marty Supreme's release, starting this Friday in NY/LA and becoming widely available on Christmas Day, I had a conversation with the acclaimed cinematographer about collaborating once again with Josh Safdie following Uncut Gems, the challenge of capturing a large ensemble (including Abel Ferrara!), Timothée Chalamet’s commitment, filming the conclusion, his busy year, and why cinema remains vibrant.

      The Film Stage: After collaborating with Josh Safdie on Uncut Gems, what aspects did you discuss that influenced this project, and what was approached differently?

      Darius Khondji: We discussed the actors and their characters extensively. Of course, I read the script, which I fell in love with upon reading it in Paris. It was incredibly exciting. I’m not typically a fast reader, but I devoured this script in one sitting. The story really captivated me.

      Following that, I reached out to Ronnie [Bronstein] and Josh, and our discussions often centered on the actors and their roles. This time, he spoke about how to adapt a period piece set in the 1950s, which poses significant challenges, particularly in New York.

      Early in our talks, he mentioned the music, indicating that the film's soundscape would draw more from the '80s and contemporary styles, providing a distinct atmosphere. Knowing Dan [Lopatin] and his contributions to Uncut Gems, I had some insight into the direction they wanted to take.

      We also explored visual representations of the '50s and how to achieve that. We aimed to return to what we cherish, employing a classic anamorphic style with vintage lenses. We predominantly used very long lenses—more than in Uncut Gems. At yesterday's screening, it was incredible to see how consistent we were in that approach. We captured the story through the actors' faces.

      We conducted film tests that aligned with this vision, creating an exhilarating process for executing a period piece. I don't perceive "period" in terms of time; it feels timeless. Collaborating with Josh inherently brings a modern sensibility to the film through its characters, dialogue, music, and sound, which integrates seamlessly with the vintage imagery, old glass, and anamorphic techniques. This synthesis results in a powerful final product that I was thrilled with. I took part in the color correction, but I only recently experienced the film in a screening, and I was struck by its impact.

      With more than 150 speaking roles and considerable overlapping dialogue, does that add excitement or challenge from a cinematographer's perspective when capturing everything happening simultaneously?

      I absolutely love that aspect! The overlapping dialogue is exhilarating. We filmed most of the movie with two cameras simultaneously, which added to the excitement of the overlaps. The collaboration with Josh is truly unique—I can't recall anyone I've worked with who operates in such an urgent and obsessive manner. He pushes to fully realize scenes that he feels are incomplete.

      Our cast was primarily made up of non-actors, apart from Timothée, Gwyneth [Paltrow], and a few others. You can see the variety of over 100 non-actors involved. While we sometimes required more time with them, Josh and Ronnie consistently achieved their vision, which was fantastic for me. Working with a determined director like this is the best experience.

      What was your experience working with Abel Ferrara? I've just finished reading his memoir, which was fascinating. He's quite a character in the film.

      I want to read his memoir! It's interesting you brought this up because when I was thinking about all these faces, Abel's face immediately came to mind. It was a remarkable experience. I must admit it was slightly intimidating as a cinephile; I had always envisioned him as this wild, destructive persona. When you meet him, however, he's incredibly kind, calm, and polite—quite the contrast to his filmic characters. While he maintains an intense focus, he’s also very gentle.

      Timothée Chalamet delivers an outstanding performance. As a producer on the film as well, I'm curious to know if he spoke to you about the cinematography or if those discussions were mainly with Josh. What contributions did he make? He seems deeply committed to this project.

      Yes, he was immensely dedicated and focused on the film. It was somewhat intimidating for me because he functions