In a candid interview with Henry Barnes for the UK release of SIde by SIde, Keanu Reeves framed some points in a way we have not heard before.
Keanu starts off with his reason for making the documentary:
I grew up with film. I understand how it can make you feel nostalgic. It stands for a halcyon past, like memories of your mother’s cooking. Celluloid is a fantastic, romantic medium. But technology is evolving fast, and in exciting ways. And that’s the reason I wanted to produce and present Side by Side, a documentary that asks how film-making is changing in the digital age.
He discusses some advantages of digital technology in terms of his experience filming Linklater’s A Scanner Darkly. In speaking about the digital vs. celluloid debate, Keanu frames it as the filmmaker’s choice and it is clear that in many cases he is speaking from experience.
Another great read the article is here.