Photographer: Vinh Pham

Bringing a story to life on film is no small feat, especially when the narrative weaves complex themes of identity, ambition, and societal challenge. Divertimento, directed by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, is an intricate tale of twin sisters—Zahia and Fettouma Ziouani—who navigate the competitive world of classical music in 1995 Paris. Capturing the true story’s emotional depth and layered visual textures required a unique approach to cinematography, as shared by the film’s French cinematographer, Naomi Amarger.

In this behind-the-scenes insight, Naomi takes us through the creative journey that transformed Divertimento from script to screen. From her path in cinematography to her meticulous lens selection and visual strategies, Naomi reveals how she shaped Zahia’s world. With tools and techniques that captured both the harshness of prejudice and the dream-like world of music, she brought the characters' struggles and dreams vividly to life.

Naomi shares her background: "I am a French cinematographer living between Paris and New York. After starting out as an actress, I studied cinematography at the Louis-Lumière National Film School in Paris and honed my skills working at Panavision in New York while assisting cinematographers I admire. My first narrative feature, Divertimento, directed by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, won the Jury Special Award at the Cinémania Film Festival in Montréal and the Audience Award for Best Feature at the Washington DC International Film Festival. My first documentary feature, The Disappearance of Shere Hite, premiered at Sundance International Film Festival in the US Documentary Competition and was nominated for three Critics Choice Documentary Awards. I am a BAFTA Connect Member, ASC Vision Mentee, and a member of the collectives of female cinematographers Femmes à la Caméra and ICFC."

Reflecting on Divertimento, Naomi explains the challenges of bringing the story to life visually. The film tells the true story of Zahia Ziouani, a young conductor, and her twin sister Fettouma Ziouani, a cellist, who confront prejudice to earn their place as young immigrant women in the classical music scene of 1995 Paris. “I was very honored when Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar, whom I had known since my early days as an actress, trusted me to help her tell this story.”

Naomi and Marie-Castille sought ways to visually express Zahia's musical perception, developing two distinct atmospheres that merge as the story progresses: the austere, desaturated, and contrasted look of the institutions where Zahia fights for acceptance and respect, contrasted with a softer, dreamy aesthetic for her family and conservatory, spaces of support and inspiration. The film also includes several scenes in which Zahia’s imagination takes over, blending sounds like the rhythm of the subway, a fire siren, and the rustle of bird wings to create an immersive world.

From the rooftop of her building, at dusk, we see her dancing, orchestrating the city, without knowing if it is a dream or reality," Naomi describes. "To express this sensitivity, I wanted lenses with character—subtle aberrations or deformations, but versatile enough to adjust if needed. Sometimes a scene required a sober aesthetic, sometimes a slightly crazier look, but we could only afford one set of lenses."

Bokeh comparison during lens test

To communicate the shift between dream and reality, Naomi used the Cinefade VariND filter, which allowed for depth-of-field adjustments during a shot by compensating iris adjustments with a motorised variable ND filter. “When Zahia’s inspiration took over, I could narrow the depth of field, making the real world fade away to leave only the music,” Naomi says. “We’d initially considered a dolly zoom for this, but Cinefade’s effect seemed more subtle—you feel it more than you notice it.”

This scene features an iris pull from T8 to T1.4 on the K35 55mm, compensated by the Cinefade.

Naomi further notes that the versatility of the K35 lenses allowed her to create this bridge between Zahia's imagination and the reality of her world. “At T1.4, the image is milky, with edges blurring into softness, but from T2.8, these imperfections disappear. I sometimes added a 1/4 Glimmer Glass filter to soften the look further."

Through rigorous testing, Naomi also discovered the Kowa Cine Prominar lenses rehoused by TLS, which she later used for a short film. “These lenses taught me how unpredictable, yet incredibly reliable lenses can convey emotions through their unique characteristics. Discovering such lenses and figuring out how to use them to express something so specific is one of my favourite parts of the job.”

With her background and carefully selected tools, Naomi Amarger brought Divertimento to life through a refined vision, blending stark realism with musical fantasy to honour the resilience and artistry of two young women who dared to challenge convention. This attention to both emotional and technical detail makes her approach a fitting tribute to the story's timeless themes.

You can find out more about Naomi's productions on her website - https://www.naomiamarger.com/ or her Instagram page https://www.naomiamarger.com/.