SIYU AWARD
SIYU AWARD

Matthias Joulaud
Derrière la Grange à Baba

For several years, using a 6x9 Nettar folding camera, I have been capturing portraits of people I meet during my travels. I archive these images in a notebook that now contains more than a hundred, each treated with the same level of care. I see this work as an archive of encounters. As a creative documentary filmmaker, my work led me to Cantal (France), a region deeply rooted in its agricultural traditions. This land, faithful to its heritage, seems to evolve at its own pace, separate from the frantic rhythm of our times. Though I am not originally from this area, I worked there for two years after completing my Master’s degree in cinema at ECAL/HEAD, co-directing my first film, “La Grange à Baba”. Many photographs became part of my archive. It is precisely this series that I am presenting for the SIYU Award. This series of photographs was truly developed in parallel with the making of the swiss and french produced documentary La Grange à Baba. The film is an immersive exploration of the daily life of Didier (nicknamed Baba), who invented his own sign language to compensate for his total deafness. Though solitary and isolated, Didier relies on his connections with those around him to survive. In his village, he helps everyone, and in return, everyone helps him. Through this photographic series, I aim to share these human bonds and this network of mutual aid—people deeply marked by a life of labor. There is Pécano, whose hands are crippled by arthritis, and Robert, suffering from generalized rheumatism. Their survival depends on helping each other. The same applies to animals—cows, dogs, horses—whom I have included as part of this community. For instance, Didier, being deaf, watches his dogs to detect the presence of people or vehicles approaching from behind him. Ultimately, my artistic practice revolves around constructing alternative representations to the relentless flood of images we are bombarded with today. There is increasing distrust toward images, as cameras are often seen as “stealing” moments. Choosing an old technique—medium format film—helps to rebuild trust. It restores the importance of the portrait ritual: a conscious, shared moment where no image is taken without the subject’s awareness. Each photograph becomes a mutual gift—offered by the person who reveals themselves and reciprocated by the photographer. I appreciate the relationship this process fosters.

After studying photography and drawing at the Beaux-Arts in Paris, I went on to pursue a Master’s degree in directing at ECAL and HEAD (Lausanne-Geneva). My attraction to the visual arts defines my sober, intimate graphic style. The practice of analog photography and color film has deeply influenced my aesthetic research in both landscape and portraiture. For me, photography and filmmaking are intrinsically linked—I see no rupture between the two, but rather a continuous dialogue that shapes my artistic approach. My final film, Ramboy, co-directed with Lucien Roux, received the Best Youth Film Award at the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam in 2022 and was acquired by The New York Times Op-Docs platform. My next feature film, La Grange à Baba (produced by Akka Films), once again co-directed by our duo, is set for release in the second quarter of 2025.

Matthias Joulaud
Derrière la Grange à Baba

For several years, using a 6x9 Nettar folding camera, I have been capturing portraits of people I meet during my travels. I archive these images in a notebook that now contains more than a hundred, each treated with the same level of care. I see this work as an archive of encounters. As a creative documentary filmmaker, my work led me to Cantal (France), a region deeply rooted in its agricultural traditions. This land, faithful to its heritage, seems to evolve at its own pace, separate from the frantic rhythm of our times. Though I am not originally from this area, I worked there for two years after completing my Master’s degree in cinema at ECAL/HEAD, co-directing my first film, “La Grange à Baba”. Many photographs became part of my archive. It is precisely this series that I am presenting for the SIYU Award. This series of photographs was truly developed in parallel with the making of the swiss and french produced documentary La Grange à Baba. The film is an immersive exploration of the daily life of Didier (nicknamed Baba), who invented his own sign language to compensate for his total deafness. Though solitary and isolated, Didier relies on his connections with those around him to survive. In his village, he helps everyone, and in return, everyone helps him. Through this photographic series, I aim to share these human bonds and this network of mutual aid—people deeply marked by a life of labor. There is Pécano, whose hands are crippled by arthritis, and Robert, suffering from generalized rheumatism. Their survival depends on helping each other. The same applies to animals—cows, dogs, horses—whom I have included as part of this community. For instance, Didier, being deaf, watches his dogs to detect the presence of people or vehicles approaching from behind him. Ultimately, my artistic practice revolves around constructing alternative representations to the relentless flood of images we are bombarded with today. There is increasing distrust toward images, as cameras are often seen as “stealing” moments. Choosing an old technique—medium format film—helps to rebuild trust. It restores the importance of the portrait ritual: a conscious, shared moment where no image is taken without the subject’s awareness. Each photograph becomes a mutual gift—offered by the person who reveals themselves and reciprocated by the photographer. I appreciate the relationship this process fosters.

After studying photography and drawing at the Beaux-Arts in Paris, I went on to pursue a Master’s degree in directing at ECAL and HEAD (Lausanne-Geneva). My attraction to the visual arts defines my sober, intimate graphic style. The practice of analog photography and color film has deeply influenced my aesthetic research in both landscape and portraiture. For me, photography and filmmaking are intrinsically linked—I see no rupture between the two, but rather a continuous dialogue that shapes my artistic approach. My final film, Ramboy, co-directed with Lucien Roux, received the Best Youth Film Award at the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam in 2022 and was acquired by The New York Times Op-Docs platform. My next feature film, La Grange à Baba (produced by Akka Films), once again co-directed by our duo, is set for release in the second quarter of 2025.