Michael Faulkner Interview
LV: Lennie Varvarides, MF: Michael Faulkner
LV: How did you hear about DYSPLA?
MF: Being dyslexic and knowing that lots of film directors and artists are dyslexic, I searched out to try to find a dyslexic film festival, and the only one I could find was DYSPLA, which I found on FilmFreeway and subscribed to their mailing list.
LV: What made you want to be involved in the DYSPLA International Moving Image Festival?
MF: I was looking for an avenue to present some of my films through a dyslexic lens, so people could appreciate them in a different sort of way. Being part of a dyslexic film festival frees up my creativity and almost gets rid of any walls or ‘rules’ which could otherwise be present. I think that events like this are important because by facing the stigma of dyslexia and neurodivergence in our society head on, we almost supersede it and turn it into something positive.
LV: Can you describe what the dyslexic aesthetic is?
MF: The keyword is structure. I would say that one of the factors that sets apart a dyslexic filmmaker from the rest is an obsession with specific details, as well as fast-forwarding and re-winding of other elements. This makes the work seem ‘out of sync’ and gives it a very particular feel, kind of like going through things at a speed of light.
LV: Do you think your work is an example of the dyslexic aesthetic?
MF: Yes, because there is a focus of a non-narrative structure to it – it exists in a 3D space and serves to fill this space visually. There’s a certain intuitiveness about it. I like to speed things up and slow things down; not necessarily working with current time. Often certain images are associated with one another, but there is a strong de-fragmented approach throughout.
LV: When did you find out you were dyslexic?
MF: Officially about 5 years ago.
LV: So, you're quite new to the ‘gang’! Would you say life has improved since your diagnosis?
MF: Well I’d say yes and no in some ways, because it actually gives you an emotional crutch so to speak – and now I can just… blame dyslexia! Or maybe I should say thank dyslexia? It only frustrates me to think that had I known about it before, I might have been more equipped for it. But to be honest, I don’t think society was equipped for it anyway, and in many ways still isn’t. Things are changing though, and people now are a lot more open to topics like neurodivergence, which definitely gives hope for more understanding in the future.