Useful tips for writers

Soulful Meditations “You’ll become a better writer and person when you realize how brief and brutal and glorious life is. I promise you’ll develop a filter, and the filter is art, and the art will burn through the brutality; the art will use it as kindling. Look back for the people walking the same path you got through, and extend a hand.” Tennessee Williams Read more

Unveiling the Heart and Soul of Your Story The heart and soul of a story often lies in the emotional resonance and the core themes it seeks to convey. It’s about the connections it forges with the reader—the moments that make them laugh, cry, ponder, or even change their perspective. It’s in the characters who feel alive and the world that draws you in. Read more

The Journey Matters: Writing Your Story Without Cutting Corners While no magic wand can replace the depth and richness of well-crafted storytelling, there are ways to make the writing process more efficient without sacrificing quality. Read more

Ink of Authenticity: Writing What You Know “Write what you know” is timeless advice that encourages writers to draw from their own experiences, emotions, and knowledge. By infusing your writing with the authenticity and depth that comes from real-life experiences, your work will resonate more with readers, creating a sense of genuine connection. Read more

Stories shape our lives in profound ways Imagine a world without stories—it would be a vastly different place. Stories are the threads that weave the fabric of our lives. They enrich our minds, nurture our hearts, and connect us to each other. Without stories, the world would be a much less vibrant and meaningful place. Read more

The Narrator is Absolutely Pivotal in a Story The narrator serves as the lens through which readers experience the world of a story, influencing not just what the audience sees, but how they feel about it. Read more

Explore the inner life of your story A story may boast a clever plot, expertly crafted with intricate twists and compelling complexities. Yet, without a meaningful connection between the External Activity—the events and actions—and the Internal Life—the emotions, motivations, and personal stakes—it risks falling flat. Read more

Exploring the Outer Life of a Story: Unveiling the Journey Beyond the Page. The outer life of a story transforms it into more than a standalone narrative—it becomes a living, breathing entity that interacts with the broader world. Read more

Beyond the First Draft: Mastering the Craft of Rewriting and Polishing It’s remarkable how writers often get confused between rewriting and polishing, sometimes overlooking one in favour of the other, with disastrous consequences. Neglecting either process can result in a piece that lacks depth or polish, ultimately falling short of its potential. Balancing both rewriting and polishing is crucial for crafting compelling, well-rounded writing. Read more

The Writer’s Toolkit: Mastering the Craft of Composition Whether crafting a screenplay, novel, or stageplay, understanding the Art of Composition can help you create a more compelling and engaging story. It’s not just about putting words together; it’s about weaving them into something that resonates with readers. Read more

Embrace the New Year with Writing Ambition Here’s some inspiring advice to help writers embrace the new year with vigour and creativity. Read more

AI: The Secret Weapon Every Writer Needs in Their Arsenal AI has become an indispensable companion for writers, offering invaluable assistance in brainstorming ideas for screenplays, fiction, and non-fiction. Whether you’re in search of a surprising plot twist, an engaging character arc, or a fresh perspective on a topic, AI can provide endless suggestions to fuel your creativity. With AI by your side, the possibilities for storytelling are truly limitless. Read more

AI Conversations: Unlocking the Future of Communication Advanced AI companions are designed to create more meaningful, natural, and intelligent interactions, making them more effective and enjoyable to work with. Read more

Why do we write stories? Stories are a timeless way for humans to connect, reflect, and understand the world around us and the inner workings of our minds. We write stories for a multitude of reasons—each as unique as the stories themselves. Stories hold a profound significance in our lives. Read more

14 Structural Points To Shape Your Story Structure is discipline. It’s where the right-brain subconscious and unconscious writing and thinking are whipped into order by the rigid, uncompromising left-brain consciousness and logic. This is where idealism and realism clash head-on. Read more

Criteria For An Oscar-Winning Idea If you want to build your story on a solid idea, this is what you need to take into consideration when coming up with an idea to write your story. Read more

Master The Art Of Visual Narrative When you craft your story you have to offer a visual experience for the reader, making the story and characters vividly burst to life in their minds-eye. As a novelist and screenwriter, your first reader is not the person purchasing your book or watching the movie, but a professional reader, who will give their approval or dismissal to publishers and studio executives. This is an important decision-maker in the publishing and film/television industries. Read more

Show Don’t Tell The phrase “show, don’t tell” reminds writers to immerse the reader in the story rather than simply telling readers what’s happening. To show rather than tell is the first rule of writing, and for good reason. Read more

The Essentials of Genre: Elevating Your Storytelling Understanding the fundamentals of genre is pivotal for any storyteller. Genre isn’t just a label; it’s the blueprint that shapes your narrative’s framework, guiding the tone, style, and expectations. Think of it as the compass that navigates your creative journey, ensuring that your story resonates with its audience. Read more

Regulate the Heartbeat of your Story If your story has a healthy heart, it will result in happy readers and audiences. Writing is an organic process that needs lots of blank space to grow. Your writing will be at its best if it’s driven by raw emotion, by inspirational personal experiences that shaped your life, reflecting your true self. Read more

Manipulate Emotions The storyteller is the puppet master of emotions. A writer is the puppet master of emotions, the dictator of reason, and can make anything happen in a fictional reality where everything is possible and extreme gratification is your only goal, and the audience’s ultimate payoff and reward. Read more

Don’t Get Stuck On The First Chapter Trying desperately to write the perfect story, it is easy to fall into the trap of only seeing the first chapter, constantly rewriting and rewording it to be word-perfect, and not seeing the story as a whole, complete with a beginning (set-up), middle (confrontation) and ending (resolution). It is not difficult to overcome this blinding obstacle. The first step to completing the story is to write a story outline. Read more

Bring Your Story To Life With The Right Words Word choice is an important aspect of writing that should never be overlooked. It can significantly impact the effectiveness and clarity of your writing. Through the deliberate selection of precise and evocative language, you have the power to craft enthralling and immersive content that captivates your readers / viewers / listeners and leaves a lasting impression. Strong word choice can unlock images, emotions, and more. Read more

Expose The Heart And Soul Of Your Story A story is lifeless without a heart and soul and as its creator, the writer has to bring it to life. The writer is responsible for the birth of a story, its lifespan, and the everlasting emotional impact it must have on its readers and viewers. It all begins with the written word and ends with an emotionally rewarding and fulfilling story that lives on in the minds of those who experience it. It is important for the writer to make the audience experience the story as a visceral and breathing organism. Every story has a life and it’s not simply you as a writer telling the story, but creating its vitality. Read more

Sharpen Your Instinct and Intuition When it comes to expressing inner values and establishing a personal perspective on a story, writers are often guided only by their instinct or intuition and a little luck. Instinct and intuition are essential for getting to the more meaningful, authentic aspects of a story. The starting point for any artistic creation is always at the level of intuition, because its where new ideas are conceived. New ideas seldom rise to the level of consciousness fully formed. Read more

Stop Manipulating Your Characters Everything will fall into place in your story once you allow the characters to be who they are, and not what you want them to be. As a writer, you’re a passenger on your character’s respective journeys, the creator who has to put all the pieces of the puzzle together naturally, instinctively, without too much interference and unnecessary meddling. Once you set your characters free, and allow them to reclaim their authentic selves, your true nature (and function) as a storyteller will gracefully emerge and you’ll fulfill the task of great writers, craft your story to the best of your artistic abilities, without conceit or misinterpretations. Read more

Write Your Story From The Inside Out Stop obsessing over writing a film, bestseller or play and focus your attention on writing the ultimate story. Don’t place your story into a box and smother it with conventions, rules and pre-conceived perceptions. Your story is a living, breathing organism. Let your story breathe. Writing your story is an organic process that feeds off inspiration and is fueled by passion. Read more

Explore The Thematic Purpose Of Your Story Until you know what you are trying to say, your story isn’t complete. The writing process is a search for meaning, a theme, what the story is really about, what gives it meaning and a purpose for being, besides making millions of dollars for stars and movie studios. The theme is a unifying idea or motif, repeated or developed throughout a work. Once you have something you want to write about (Idea), defined the Premise and Concept, and know what your genre is, you need to know what the intention, objective or controlling idea – theme – of your story is. Read more

Avoiding predictability in writing can make a story feel mundane and unengaging because it removes the element of surprise that keeps readers hooked. When readers/audiences can easily anticipate what will happen next, the narrative loses its suspense and intrigue. Read more

Maximise Your Creative Expression All writing is discipline. Writing is a day-by-day job: you write the story scene by scene, page by page, day by day. It is an experimental and learning process involving the acquisition of skill and coordination. When you are in the writing experience, you are near your loved ones in body, but your mind and concentration are a thousand miles away. You cannot break your concentration to deal with snacks, laundry, meals or shopping. You need space, private time, support, encouragement and understanding. Read more

Find Your Voice As A Writer Your writing voice reflects the tapestry of your life—each thread representing a moment, emotion, or insight that only you have experienced. It’s this unique blend that makes your writing stand out and resonate with readers. So embrace your individuality, and let your voice shine through in your words. Read more

Crafting A Screenplay VS A Novel Both screenplays and novels are creative outlets for storytelling, but they have distinct differences and offer unique challenges and rewards. Read more

Sign A Contract With Yourself If you need some motivation, here’s a handy note to paste next to your bathroom mirror so that when you look at yourself in the mirror each morning, you are reminded of why you write. Say it out loud! Read more

Stories shape our lives in profound ways Imagine a world without stories—it would be a vastly different place. Stories are the threads that weave the fabric of our lives. They enrich our minds, nurture our hearts, and connect us to each other. Without stories, the world would be a much less vibrant and meaningful place. Read more

The Significance Of Prequels Prequels are films that chronologically precede existing films in a series, exploring the events and stories that lead up to the original plot. They’re a fascinating way to delve deeper into a character’s background, explore origins, and expand the universe of a beloved story. Read more

22 Lessons From Stephen King On How To Be A Great Writer “I can’t lie and say there are no bad writers. Sorry, but there are lots of bad writers,” says renowned author Stephen King. “I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing,” Writers should throw back their shoulders, stick out their chins, and put their writing in charge. Read more


Beyond themes and emotions, the heart and soul of a story lies in its ability to transport the reader—whether to a fantastical realm or into the depths of a character’s mind.

Storytelling is a dance between the universal and the specific

It’s about weaving vivid details, crafting compelling conflicts, and creating moments that linger long after the final page

At its core, the universal connects with readers—love, loss, triumph, or growth—while the specific paints a unique picture through your lens, making your story one-of-a-kind. Great stories thrive on contrasts: light and dark, stillness and action, hope and despair.

Storytelling’s heart lies in its layers—the textures of conflict, the rhythm of dialogue, and the melodies of emotions that pulse through the narrative.

At the soul of any story is the power of transformation

Characters who evolve, challenges that reshape perspectives, and journeys that echo both in the mind and the heart of the audience.

Then there’s the interplay between voice and silence—the words that leap off the page and the spaces where the reader’s imagination fills the gaps. It’s not just about what’s told, but what’s hinted at, creating a connection where the reader becomes a co-creator, breathing life into the world you’ve designed.

As you delve deeper, think of your story as a living, breathing entity. What heartbeat drives it? Is it the longing of a protagonist, the clash of ideologies, or perhaps the mysteries waiting to be unraveled?

Every story has its pulse, an intangible rhythm that carries readers from the opening line to the last page. It’s in the tension that builds with every decision, the revelations that unravel like whispered secrets, and the humanity—or inhumanity—that beats at the core of your characters. Whether it’s a sprawling epic or a quiet, intimate tale, the soul of a story is found in how deeply it resonates with universal truths while remaining wholly its own.

The most compelling stories are layered with contrasts: moments of tenderness amid chaos, shadows that amplify the light, and triumphs that feel earned after struggles. They ask questions that linger, ignite curiosity, and sometimes refuse to give easy answers.

At its deepest level, a story is an exploration of change

How people, places, or even entire worlds are transformed. It captures the essence of struggles and triumphs, the pursuit of dreams, or the battle between inner demons and personal growth. The heart of a story is not just in what happens, but why it matters.

The soul shines in the details: the quirks of a character that make them unforgettable, the sensory descriptions that immerse readers in the world, and the emotions that leave an indelible mark.

Great stories are often built on contrasts—moments of quiet reflection juxtaposed with high-stakes action, or the mundane colliding with the extraordinary.

The Write Journey course explores the heart and soul of your story

APRIL 2025 CINEMA RELEASES

New Releases

The war drama Warfare follows a platoon of Navy SEALs on a perilous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, during the Iraq War in 2006. The story is told through the memories of the soldiers, capturing the chaos, camaraderie, and emotional toll of war. Directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, the film features an ensemble cast, including D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, and Joseph Quinn. The movie has been praised for its intense storytelling and realistic portrayal of the Battle of Ramadi. Read more /

18 April

25 April

In the supernatural horror Until Dawn Clover and her friends search for answers about her sister’s mysterious disappearance in a remote valley and find themselves trapped in a time loop, stalked by a masked killer, and horrifically murdered one by one—only to wake up and relive the same evening again. Each loop brings new terrors, and the group must survive until dawn to escape. Directed by David F. Sandberg, it stars Ella Rubin, Odessa A’zion, Michael Cimino, and Maia Mitchell. TRAILER

The Penguin Lessons is a poignant dramedy about a disillusioned Englishman who takes a teaching job in Argentina during the political turmoil of 1976. His life takes an unexpected turn when he rescues an oil-slicked penguin from a beach. The Penguin, named Juan Salvador, becomes a loyal companion, helping Tom confront his past and embrace personal and political change. Directed by Peter Cattaneo, it is based on Tom Michell’s memoir and stars Steve Coogan, Jonathan Pryce and Björn Gustafsson. TRAILER

The action-thriller The Accountant 2 is a sequel to the 2016 film and tells of Christian Wolff (played by Ben Affleck), an autistic accountant with extraordinary skills, as he teams up with his estranged brother Brax (Jon Bernthal) to solve the murder of a Treasury chief. Their investigation draws the attention of ruthless killers, leading to intense action and suspense. Directed by Gavin O’Connor, the cast also includes Cynthia Addai-Robinson, J.K. Simmons, Daniella Pineda, and Allison Robertson. TRAILER

Jungle Beat 2 is the sequel to Jungle Beat: The Movie. Directed by Brent Dawes, this animated adventure takes Munki and Trunk on a time-travelling journey. When a dinosaur unexpectedly appears in their jungle, they discover it has fallen through a time hole created by their alien friend, Fneep. As they try to return the dinosaur to its prehistoric home, Trunk gets stuck in the past, while Munki faces challenges in the present, including being trapped in an alien zoo. Together, they must work across time to restore history and teach some cave aliens a lesson about the rhythm of the jungle. The movie promises a mix of humour, action, and heartwarming moments. TRAILER


Streaming

Listed Alphabetically. Click on title for more information about the film


If you’re ready to embark on a storytelling adventure, The Write Journey is here to guide you every step of the way—from the spark of inspiration to developing your ideas, characters, and plot, all the way to writing your first pages.

Grounded in the timeless principles of Classical design, refined over 4,000 years, The Write Journey is both instinctive and universal. It uniquely combines two courses into one, empowering you to transform ideas into a successful narrative while also discovering more about yourself as a writer.

Under the expert mentorship of Daniel Dercksen, the founder of The Writing Studio with 25 years of experience, this comprehensive course provides invaluable guidance. You’ll journey through the art and craft of storytelling, from initial inspiration to completing the first pages of your work.

The Writing Studio has played an instrumental role in shaping the careers of some of South Africa’s leading filmmakers and storytellers. Now, it’s cultivating the skills of future writers and paving the way for new voices in the world of storytelling.

The Write Journey is an interactive course that transforms the voice in your head into a compelling narrative.

Course Structure & Mentorship

The course consists of 12 in-depth units, each with dedicated Self-Tasks that encourage you to research and complete assignments at your own pace. These tasks are submitted to your mentor, who will ensure you’re on the right path. Your mentor is there every step of the way to help clarify concepts and tackle any challenges you face.

This online course is conducted via email correspondence, offering a personalized, one-on-one mentorship experience.

Who Is It For?

The Write Journey is designed for anyone with a story to tell.

The Write Journey is ideal for:

  • Screenwriters: If your narrative takes shape through pictures, you’re creating a screenplay.
  • Novelists: If your tale arises from inner thoughts, you’re creating a novel.
  • Playwrights: Stories rooted in spoken words transform into plays.

Your story determines the best medium for its telling. What begins as a novel might find its ideal form as a film or TV series, while a screenplay could be adapted into a novel to complement and market the visual production. Likewise, some stories come alive as compelling stage plays, brought to life in live theatre.

If you dream of turning your ideas into stories that resonate, The Write Journey will equip you with the tools and guidance to achieve your goals.

TAKE THE WRITE JOURNEY

Over the past 25 years, The Writing Studio has played a pivotal role in shaping the successful careers of many of South Africa’s leading filmmakers and storytellers. Today, it continues to nurture the next generation of writers, honing their skills in the art and craft of visual storytelling, as well as creating marketable screenplays, novels, and stage plays. Read more

With over four decades of experience as a Film and Theatre Journalist, coupled with 25 years of conducting screenwriting and writing workshops both in South Africa and internationally, The Write Journey has become the signature course of The Writing Studio. Founded by the esteemed Daniel Dercksen, this Independent Training Initiative continues to ignite inspiration and cultivate creativity, nurturing writers from all walks of life. READ MORE



The narrator plays a crucial role in shaping how a story is told and experienced. Without this guide, the narrative risks losing focus, emotional impact, or coherence.

A narrator as a “voice of reason or wisdom” plays a guiding, reflective, or moral role in the story. Their purpose is to offer clarity, insight, or balance, often elevating the narrative to a deeper, more universal level. A “voice of reason or wisdom” narrator can ground a story, making it feel timeless and insightful.

A narrator can be either a character actively participating in the story or a disembodied voice that exists solely to guide and explain

Positioning your narrator effectively depends on the story you want to tell and the perspective you wish to emphasize.

Here’s why their role is so important

  • Shaping the story’s tone: The narrator’s voice sets the mood—whether it’s lighthearted, mysterious, dramatic, or reflective—and this profoundly impacts the reader’s experience.
  • Framing the events: A narrator determines what aspects of the story are emphasized, what is left ambiguous, and how events are interpreted.
  • Building trust (or mistrust): A reliable narrator helps readers fully invest in the narrative, while an unreliable one adds complexity, mystery, or tension by forcing the audience to question the truth.
  • Connecting with the audience: A well-crafted narrator creates a bond with the reader or viewer, offering perspective and insights that make the story feel personal or compelling.
  • Adding depth: Through a narrator’s observations, inner thoughts, or reflections, stories can explore themes, emotions, and character motivations in rich, layered ways. Narrators offer commentary, insights, or biases that add depth and complexity to the narrative.
  • Guiding the reader: The narrator helps readers navigate the events, characters, and settings of the story, providing structure and clarity.
  • Providing perspective: Through their voice, the narrator establishes the point of view—be it first-person, third-person, or omniscient—that influences how readers perceive the story’s events.
  • Controlling the flow of information: Narrators decide what details to reveal, when to reveal them, and what to withhold, creating suspense, surprise, or dramatic impact.

In both novels and screenplays, narrators serve as the storytellers, but their functions adapt to the medium.

Narrators in Novels

A novel’s narrator can delve deeply into the characters’ thoughts, emotions, and backgrounds. They often guide readers through complex narratives, adding layers of meaning and perspective. Whether first-person, third-person limited, or omniscient, the narrator’s chosen perspective shapes the readers’ engagement with the story. The narrator’s style and attitude influence the mood of the book and its impact on readers. Narrators manage the flow of events, building tension, resolution, or philosophical reflection.

  • Nick Carraway (The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald): As a peripheral narrator, Nick observes the glamorous yet tragic life of Jay Gatsby, offering reflections on wealth, love, and the American Dream.
  • Scout Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee): Told from Scout’s perspective as a child, her narration brings innocence and honesty to complex themes of racial injustice and morality.
  • Death (The Book Thief by Markus Zusak): A highly unusual narrator, Death offers a poignant and introspective view on human lives during World War II.
  • Humbert Humbert (Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov): An unreliable narrator whose disturbing perspective forces readers to question his motives and truthfulness.

Narrators in Screenplays

Screenplays rarely feature a traditional narrator, as storytelling relies heavily on visuals, dialogue, and actions. However, voiceover narration is used occasionally. In films with narrators, their role is often to frame the story, provide exposition, or reflect on events from a character’s perspective. A narrator’s voiceover can evoke specific feelings or reveal information that complements on-screen action.

  • Red (The Shawshank Redemption): Red’s voiceover narration provides profound insights into hope, friendship, and the human spirit within the confines of prison life.
  • Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver): An unreliable narrator whose internal monologue reveals his descent into alienation and obsession.
  • Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump): Forrest’s straightforward and heartfelt narration brings humor and poignancy to his extraordinary life story.
  • Tyler Durden (Fight Club): The narrator’s perspective plays with reality and perception, leading to one of cinema’s most memorable twists.

Here are some tips for placing your narrator

Positioning your narrator effectively depends on the story you want to tell and the perspective you wish to emphasize.

Choose the Narrator’s Perspective

  • First-person: The narrator is a character within the story, offering a personal and subjective account. This perspective creates intimacy but limits the scope to their experiences.
  • Third-person limited: The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of one character, giving readers focused insight while maintaining some narrative distance.
  • Third-person omniscient: The narrator has an all-knowing perspective, providing a broad view of characters and events. This allows for more complex storytelling.
  • Unreliable narrator: A narrator whose perspective is biased or distorted can add intrigue and depth, encouraging readers to question their account.

Decide on Narrator Placement in the Story

  • Central narrator: The narrator is directly involved in the main events of the story, shaping the plot as it unfolds.
  • Peripheral narrator: The narrator observes the story from the sidelines, offering a unique perspective without being the focus of the action.
  • Detached narrator: A distant observer, often used in third-person narratives, providing an unbiased account of events.

Establish the Narrator’s Role

  • Expository: Use the narrator to explain or clarify events and context.
  • Reflective: A narrator who looks back on events, offering insight and wisdom gained over time.
  • Interactive: In some cases, the narrator can directly address readers or engage with them, breaking the fourth wall for a more dynamic storytelling experience.

Adapt to the Medium

  • In novels, narrators can explore inner thoughts, build a unique voice, and control the pace of the narrative.
  • In screenplays, if using voiceovers, ensure the narrator complements visual storytelling without overwhelming it.

Think about the emotional and thematic impact you want your narrator to have.

When the Narrator is a Character

  • Active participant: The narrator might play a key role in the plot, sharing their perspective as events unfold (e.g., Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby).
  • Peripheral observer: They could be on the sidelines, witnessing the story but not driving the action (e.g., Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes).
  • Reflective: A character-narrator might tell the story from a later point in time, reflecting on past events with the benefit of hindsight.

When the Narrator is a Disembodied Voice

  • Neutral guide: The narrator functions as an impartial voice presenting the facts, often in third-person omniscient or objective viewpoints.
  • Voice of reason or wisdom: The narrator might offer philosophical or moral insights, framing the story’s events in a way that encourages deeper reflection.
  • Stylized device: In some stories, the narrator is an abstract presence, like Death in The Book Thief, or even a playful voice breaking the fourth wall.

Director Christopher Landon returns to the thriller genre with the playful, keep-you-guessing intensity he perfected in the Happy Death Day films with this of-the-moment whodunnit where everyone in the vicinity is a suspect . . . or victim. Drop is jointly produced by blockbuster genre houses Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes.

“The Blumhouse brand has always been about suspense and terror,” says Landon. “One of the things I love the most about them is that they take big swings and try stuff that a lot of other people would shy away from. I’m sure that if I took this script around Hollywood and said I wanted to make a thriller about two people sitting at a dinner table all night, most people would answer, “No, thank you.” But Jason Blum and Blumhouse trust filmmakers and gave us the opportunity to tell a story that we think is personal and worth telling.”

In Drop, Landon saw an opportunity to make a style of film he felt a certain nostalgia for. “I wanted to make a sort of throwback to ’90s thrillers and even further back to Hitchcock and De Palma, but with this very modern conceit at the center of it,” Landon says. “That was really appealing to me. This also felt like my chance to make a love letter to films like Red Eye. That’s a movie I really love, and think is under-appreciated. It is such a tight, contained thriller.”

Landon found an even deeper connection to the material, which involves themes of domestic abuse and the impact of that trauma on survivors. “I’ve had people very close to me who have been victims of abuse, specifically domestic abuse,” says Landon. “This was very personal to me, and something I wanted to handle delicately. But I also wanted to show that there is a path for people, a way out.”

“I think audiences are going to love how fast-paced, suspenseful, exciting and emotional the movie is,” says Landon. “You know, I think it fires on a lot of different cylinders, having a real conversation with the audience about the nature of our highly abusive online culture. I went through something personal prior to making this movie, where I found myself being attacked by a bunch of people I didn’t know, and it’s a scary and bizarre feeling. So, I think audiences are going to relate to Violet and the situation that she’s in, rooting for her to get the upper hand and take back control. And Drop is definitely a must see on the big screen because it’s such an audience experience. There are many twists and turns and surprises, which just hits differently in a movie theater where you can hear everyone reacting together as they try to work out the mystery. That experience is irreplaceable.”

Imagine you are at a restaurant, enjoying your evening, when an unexpected notification pops up on your phone. You have received a drop request from someone in the restaurant, someone you do not know. Assuming the drop must be a prank, you accept. But, instead of funny memes or jokes in return, you begin to receive messages that feel both threatening and personal. You get the eerie feeling that you are being watched, observed, toyed with. In a matter of minutes, your night out has taken a dark, and potentially dangerous, turn.

Director Christopher Landon and Meghann Fahy on the set of Drop. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved

This scenario, which provides the narrative engine for Drop, is also its real-life inspiration.

Platinum Dunes producer Cameron Fuller and his friend, actor Sam Lerner (The Goldbergs), were on vacation overseas with family when they fell victim to a wave of unrecognized drops. “We’re at a beautiful dinner and we start receiving drops from someone in the restaurant,” Fuller says. “Over the course of the meal, they are getting progressively scarier. By the end, we thought we had figured out who it was, but we were never able to confirm it. That was the scariest part. We never knew who the sender of these drops was. And then we said, ‘maybe this should be a movie.’”

The Screenplay

Fuller and Lerner brought that idea back to the states and enlisted the help of screenwriters Jillian Jacobs and Christopher Roach, whom Lerner knew. The writers wrote the screenplays for Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare and Fantasy Island. In addition to Drop, Jacobs and Roach have often collaborate with director Christopher Landon, known for blending genres. Some of their notable work includes writing for films like Freaky (2020), a horror-comedy twist on a body-swap story, and Happy Death Day 2U (2019), the sequel to the time-loop slasher film Happy Death Day. Their screenwriting style frequently mixes suspense, humour, and unexpected emotional depth.

“Usually, a movie doesn’t happen this way,” Fuller says. “This was just a combination of luck and having great people involved.”

“I wasn’t looking for a thriller specifically,” says Landon, “but I tend to gravitate towards things that I feel on a gut level, and I just had such a visceral reaction to this script. In a strange way, it felt a bit like a bookend to me. Early in my career I wrote a film called Disturbia, which was very much my love letter to Alfred Hitchcock by way of John Hughes. Drop felt like an evolution for me—it was nice to work on something a little bit more adult and mature after having made a lot of films that focus on teenagers.”

Not long after this initial meeting, Jacobs and Roach returned to Fuller with a completed script. He was floored by it. “When you read a script that holds you the whole way through, it’s kind of like you’ve struck gold,” Fuller says. Fuller then delivered the script to his father, Brad Fuller—producer of the A Quiet Place and The Purge franchises. “My dad usually doesn’t get excited about things,” Cameron Fuller says, “but he got really excited about this one.”

Brad Fuller immediately saw the potential for a rare kind of thriller. The script expertly blends elements from the ticking-clock thriller and whodunit genres, concocting a single-location story that feels both timeless and relevant in today’s digital world. From the moment Violet steps into the restaurant in the film, the narrative takes place in real time, as the audience experiences every single second of terror with her. “I’m personally attracted to films that feel like they could actually happen, and this was a great realistic thriller,” Brad Fuller says. “The script was a movie the first time I read it.”

The writing process involved crafting a modern thriller that cleverly integrates technology into its suspenseful narrative.

Violet (Meghann Fahy) and Henry (Brandon Sklenar) in Drop, directed by Christopher Landon. © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Finding the right director

As the Fullers set out to find the ideal filmmaker to direct the project, Brad recalled an old friend who seemed the perfect man for the job. “About 20 years ago, my partner Michael Bay and I were developing a movie at Universal, and we hired a young Chris Landon to rewrite the script,” Brad Fuller says. “Chris came in, rewrote the script, and Bay and I loved him, so he was always in the back of my head.” Michael Bay, as both a director and producer, has been responsible for some of the biggest blockbuster franchises of the past 30 years, from Bad Boys to Transformers, The Purge to A Quiet Place. He knows talent when he sees it. “Chris Landon was cool before anyone knew he was cool,” Bay says. “He knows how to tell a killer, entertaining story on screen. You can’t learn that; it’s intrinsic. You either have it or you don’t.”

Landon had come a long way since his rewrite days at Universal, becoming one of the most sought-after horror directors in the industry. Brad called him. “I said, ‘I know we haven’t talked in a long time, but I have a script that you just have to read,’” Brad Fuller says. “He called me the next day and said, ‘I love it.’ And so, Chris committed to it.”

Christopher Landon shares a longstanding relationship with both the Fullers and Jason Blum. Having helmed many of Blumhouse’s signature hits—Freaky (2020), Happy Death Day (2017) and Happy Death Day 2U (2019), Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015), and Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)—the director leaped at the opportunity to work with the company again. “I think the reason I’ve had such a lasting relationship with Blumhouse, and specifically Jason, is the amount of creative freedom they give their filmmakers,” Landon says. “If you can make your movie within a certain budget parameter, you have control. It is an empowering situation, and that is why a lot of filmmakers keep going back.”

Jason Blum was equally happy to be working with Landon again. “Chris has this incredible gift as a director of finding the fun and the pure adrenaline rush in movies that are primarily designed to scare the hell out of you,” Blum says. “You are on the edge of your seat, or curled into a ball, terrified for what is coming, but you are also having a blast. Among his many talents, he is an expert in getting the tone right, and so was a perfect fit for Drop.”

Drop is set almost entirely in one location, the upscale restaurant Palate, located on the top floor of a Chicago skyscraper. But you won’t find it on OpenTable or Grubhub. Production designer Susie Cullen and her team built the entire, fully functional restaurant from scratch at Ardmore Studios just outside Dublin, Ireland.

Cullen embraced the opportunity to tell a story in one location. “When a script is spent largely in one space, it definitely puts pressure on that space to hold interest,” Cullen says. “It’s a huge consideration because with that much time there, the camera is going to be all over the space, and there’s nowhere to hide.”

“One of the things I love the most about Drop is that it’s very much about a woman simultaneously trying to solve a mystery and prevent a crime,” says Landon. “Violet has been tasked with murdering her date, and there is an unseen person in the restaurant who is this sort of puppet master controlling her – watching her every move, listening to her every word – while she’s trying to figure out who it is. So, I loved playing with the mystery elements, casting suspicion on different characters in the movie. Is it the bartender? Is it the hostess? Is it the waiter? Could it even be her date, Henry? There’s at least a hundred people in that room with her; so, it could be anyone. I think it’s fun to watch the audience get into that element of the story, trying to figure out who it is. That’s really the joy of the movie.”

First dates are nerve-wracking enough. Going on a first date while an unnamed, unseen troll pings you personal memes that escalate from annoying to homicidal? Blood-chilling. In Drop, Violet (Meghann Fahy), a widowed mother on her first date in years, arrives at an upscale restaurant where she is relieved that her date, Henry ( Brandon Sklenar) is more charming and handsome than she expected. But their chemistry begins to curdle as Violet begins being irritated and then terrorized by a series of anonymous drops to her phone. She is instructed to tell nobody and follow instructions or the hooded figure she sees on her home security cameras will kill Violet’s young son and babysitting sister. Violet must do exactly as directed or everyone she loves will die. Her unseen tormentor’s final directive? Kill Henry.


From writer-directors Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, arriving one year after Civil War, comes an immersive and electrifying new take on the war movie, created from the memories of real-life Navy SEALs, including Mendoza himself, from a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2006.

Warfare takes place in real-time, using extended takes, meticulously constructed sets, and unmatched
realism to capture the fog and chaos of war, and the indelible brotherhood that develops in its wake.

“We made this film,” says Mendoza, a combat veteran who worked with Garland to design the battle sequences in Civil War, “as a reminder to the people who make the decisions to go to war that there are people that will answer that call so that others don’t have to — and usually it’s the youth of America.”

Warfare breaks with convention and dispenses with romanticization in its depiction of war and what it feels like to be under fire,” says Will Poulter, who plays an Officer in Charge of the operation. “Playing out like a transcript from found footage, the movie gives people a more authentic understanding of being in a combat environment under intense pressure.”

Warfare is also a moving tribute to wounded SEAL Elliott Miller, whose daring evacuation from a Ramadi apartment building forms the heart of Garland and Mendoza’s pulse-pounding story. Miller, along with several other SEALs who took part in the operation, were on set as the movie filmed, reconstructing their collective experience and offering Miller a glimpse of what he could not see on that fateful day.

“This film is not only an immersive experience of warfare, but also a bridge to communication about the subject of combat,” says Mendoza. “Oftentimes a veteran or active military person wants to talk about war, or a loved one wants to understand it, but conveying the confusion of combat or seeing a friend
wounded — those are hard things to talk about.

“Memories come rushing back, sometimes closure and understanding follow,” Mendoza adds. “We were young when we fought in Ramadi and didn’t have the tools or the dialogue to talk about these things until 20 years later.”


The Art Of Collaboration

Two decades after the Ramadi evacuation, and retired from the Navy, Mendoza found himself in another career, working as a Hollywood stunt man specialising in choreographing gunfight sequences in action movies. Through a stunt coordinator, he met writer-director Alex Garland and became a consultant on
Civil War, designing battle scenes, including the assault on the White House that closes the movie.
While doing preliminary blocking on the final sequence, Garland and Mendoza realized how well they worked together.

The collaborators had become friends, and halfway through filming Civil War, Mendoza shared Elliott Miller’s story, which was never far from Mendoza’s mind.

“After I left the Navy and started making movies, I kept returning to Elliott’s story,” says Mendoza, who carried the unconscious SEAL to the rescue tank that ultimately saved his life. “Elliott doesn’t recall what happened that day in 2006, but his fellow SEALs on the mission do. I wanted to track down and collect everybody’s memories and perspectives from the day in question, to create a living document that would give Elliott the ability to see and experience what happened during the operation.”

Crafting The Screenplay

Garland decided to make Mendoza his co-writer and co-director on his follow-up to Civil War — but first they needed a script.

After Civil War wrapped in 2023, Garland and Mendoza sat down together for a week in Los Angeles to break down Elliott’s story. Garland transcribed while Mendoza recounted, minute by minute, the story of the Ramadi operation.

They conducted a series of interviews with Mendoza’s former SEAL team, building out key memories and incidents until the transcript took the shape of a screenplay. Other characters were also interviewed, with their memories of the operation depicted without editorializing as they were recounted to Garland and Mendoza.

The co-writers set rules for themselves not to embellish or dramatise story events for effect — to make
it as true reportage as possible.

“This was an unusual process and not like any other writing job I’ve been involved with before,” says Garland, whose screenplays include 28 Days Later, Ex Machina, and Annihilation, as well as several acclaimed novels.

“This film is specifically not editorialising — it’s not the job of the filmmakers to make those kinds of decisions because it is from the perspective of the people who experienced the memories. If there was a memory of something happening and the memory could be verified, it went into the story. That’s the goal of this movie — to listen to the people who were able to impart their memories and recount their stories.”

A Forensic Approach

Describing the process as a “forensic approach” to storytelling, not unlike investigative work, Mendoza and Garland rebuilt the story from the ground up, embracing authenticity at every turn.

“Everybody’s got a different perspective — certain memories, especially traumatic ones, became conflicted when other people started joining the interviews,” says Mendoza.

“Memories become compartmentalized over time. Stuff these guys had forgotten for 20 years started pouring out, triggering other recollections, which became a rush of information and recall.”

Creative license has been a hallmark of true-life military-themed movies since the dawn of cinema, most notably in the modern age, in studio spectacles like Saving Private Ryan and Dunkirk, which showcase emotionally heightened moments.

The co-writers debated whether they should categorize Warfare as a true story, acknowledging early in the process that memory is imperfect.

“We were not inventing people or reordering events here,” says Garland. “When you look through the timeline of what the SEALs were saying happened, we had to forensically piece together events — until a point arose when we had enough information from multiple sources to decide how we would tell it onscreen.”

Once the script was complete, the pair set about finding the right actors to fill the roles of Mendoza’s brothers in combat.

“We co-wrote and co-directed Warfare, but my duties on this project became more technical and logistical,” says Garland.

“The heart and soul of the story, including working with the actors, became Ray’s job.”

Warfare filmed in a suburb north of London on a former World War II airfield repurposed as a 100-acre film & TV studio. Unfolding in a close approximation of real-time, and aside from a brief male-bonding prologue in the SEAL barracks and some late-night drone shots, the movie plays out in and around the apartment building where the SEALs are fired upon by Al Qaeda operatives.

Ray Mendoza (l) and Alex Garland on the set of ‘Warfare.’  A24

The Filmmakers

Ray Mendoza joined the Navy in 1997 and served for over 16 years as a Member of SEAL Team 5 and a Land Warfare Training Detachment and BUD/s instructor. Ray was introduced to filmmaking while performing in Act of Valor and went on to serve as a Military Advisor on Peter Berg’s Lone Survivor. Since then he has worked both in front of and behind the camera on multiple projects. He produced the documentary series The Warfighters and The Selection for History® Channel. Ray is especially proud of
The Warfighters for which he employed more than 90 Veterans across multiple military branches on the production. Ray’s vast experiences in entertainment and special operations are the perfect blend to bring authentic stories of our men and women in uniform to the screen. Recently, he was the military advisor on Civil War in which he worked with Alex Garland, which then led to them collaborating on their current film Warfare, which they both wrote and directed.

Alex Garland began his career as a novelist, most famously writing The Beach and The Tesseract. He moved into screenwriting with his debut 28 Days Later, directed by Danny Boyle and produced by DNA Films. Garland made his directorial debut in 2015 with Ex Machina, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award® for Original Screenplay along with a BAFTA award for Outstanding British Film, and
BAFTA’s Outstanding Debut by a British Director. In 2018, Garland released his second film as writer-director, Annihilation, based on the 2014 novel by Jeff VanderMeer. His other screenplays include Sunshine, Never Let Me Go, Dredd, and the video game Enslaved: Odyssey to the West which he co-wrote with Tameem Antoniades in 2010. Garland also executive produced 28 Weeks Later. His original 8-part TV series Devs, for which he is the sole writer and director, was released in 2020 by FX Networks. Men, a psychological horror, and Civil War, a dystopian action thriller, were written and directed by Garland and released by A24 Films. Garland most recently wrote and produced 28 Years Later and wrote and directed Warfare.


Sitcoms, or situational comedies, originated as a form of serialised entertainment designed to bring humour and lighthearted storytelling into people’s lives. Their roots can be traced back to the golden age of radio in the 1930s and 1940s when radio comedies like Amos ‘n’ Andy and The Jack Benny Program became incredibly popular. These shows relied on humorous scenarios and engaging characters to keep audiences tuning in week after week. With the rise of television in the 1950s, sitcoms transitioned from radio to TV screens, gaining widespread popularity. Early television sitcoms like I Love Lucy and The Honeymooners set the template for the genre, featuring recurring characters, laugh tracks, and episodic plots centered around everyday situations. These shows emphasized relatable humor, which resonated deeply with audiences and evolved over time, experimenting with formats, styles, and themes.

The Mid-Century Modern TV series draws inspiration from the timeless aesthetic of mid-century modern design, which emphasizes clean lines, organic shapes, and functional elegance. The creators, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, were inspired by the nostalgic charm of this design era and its ability to evoke a sense of sophistication and warmth. The show’s setting—a chic Palm Springs home—perfectly embodies the style, blending retro elements with contemporary themes.

The series pays homage to classic sitcoms like The Golden Girls, using humour and heartfelt storytelling to explore themes of friendship, loss, and reinvention. The creators aimed to create a show that feels both nostalgic and fresh, appealing to audiences who appreciate the enduring appeal of character-driven comedy.

The cultural impact of Mid-Century Modern lies in its ability to bridge nostalgia with contemporary storytelling. By drawing on the charm and camaraderie of classic sitcoms like The Golden Girls, while weaving in modern themes of ageing, identity, and friendship, the show appeals to a broad audience. It opens up conversations about life’s transitions, finding joy in unexpected moments, and embracing the complexities of relationships—topics that resonate universally.

Mid-Century Modern follows three gay best friends — Bunny Schneiderman (Nathan Lane), Jerry Frank (Matt Bomer) and Arthur Broussard (Nathan Lee Graham) — who, after an unexpected death, decide to spend their golden years in Palm Springs, where Bunny lives with his mother, Sybil (Linda Lavin).

All 10 episodes are available for streaming on Hulu

Max Mutchnick, James Burrows, David Kohan (back) with Matt Bomer, Nathan Lane, Nathan Lee Graham and the late Linda Lavin

The writing process of Mid-Century Modern

When Max Mutchnick and David Kohan set out to craft each episode of their new comedy, Mid-Century Modern, they made sure to include plenty of laughs, but, at the same time, make it feel realistic and heartfelt, emphasising the emotional core of each episode.

To achieve this, they used a guiding principle in their writers’ room called “WITRA”—”What is this really about?”—to ensure that every story was rooted in truth and authenticity.

“In our writing room, we wrote across the top of the dry-erase board, ‘What is this really about?’ That’s the WITRA, and that’s what guides us. It’s about finding the emotional core of the story and when you’re using that as the jumping-off point, you’re pretty sure that you’re going to write something from a place of truth and that’s just the way that we have always written our shows,” says Mutchnick.

The duo has had previous success using this method including with their hit series Will & Grace, which ran for 11 seasons.

With Mid-Century Modern, they’re telling the story of three best friends — gay gentlemen of a certain age — who, after an unexpected death, decide to spend their golden years living together in Palm Springs, in the home the wealthiest one shares with his mother. The series stars Nathan Lane as Bunny Schneiderman, Matt Bomer as Jerry Frank, Nathan Lee Graham as Arthur Broussard, and Linda Lavin as Sybil Schneiderman, Bunny’s mother.

To keep foundational truthfulness in the story, while still injecting as much humor as possible, Kohan says that, “all of the writers are pretty honest with each other to keep anything from getting out of hand, like, we’ll say, ‘is this cringy? Is this too maudlin? Does this feel right tonally?’. When we see the rehearsal process, we can tell if anything feels dishonest and if you’re being hard enough on yourself, you know what you want to get out of a scene, and you know whether or not you are getting that.”

Mutchnick, being true to what Kohan has just said, interjects, ”You just write them all like a negotiation with the spouse, right? Meaning, you know, you’re trying to get what you want, and give them love at the same time, and make them laugh so you get what you want. That’s what every scene is, really.”

Balancing the serious with the funny, while telling a modern, relatable story makes the series both ‘new, but also familiar,’ says Kohan. “That, to me, is one of the strengths of our show. And I think sometimes sit-coms get a bad rap, but really they still work well, and they’re totally enjoyable.”

The team worked to balance the nostalgic charm of classic sitcoms with modern sensibilities, creating relatable and meaningful narratives. They also maintained a collaborative environment, where writers were encouraged to be honest and critical to ensure the tone and humor felt genuine. This approach allowed them to craft scenes that were both funny and emotionally resonant, staying true to the characters’ experiences.

The series also faced unique challenges, such as incorporating the real-life passing of Linda Lavin, who played Sybil, into the storyline. The creators honored her memory by writing her character’s journey with care and sensitivity, reflecting the impact of loss and the resilience of moving forward.

Working with the duo behind the camera is legendary director James Burrows, who’s helmed classic shows such as Cheers, Friends, Frasier, and the entirety of Will & Grace.

“We’ve had almost a 30 year relationship [with Jimmy] at this point. He’s kind of watched us grow up,“ says Kohan. “He always says, ‘I have a fun clause. I have to have fun and if I’m not having fun, I’m going. So our goal has always been to keep him around, and he stayed for all of the episodes so, yeah, he must have had fun.”

Kohan mentions that he and Mutchnick are actually a reflection of this ideal, saying, “I mean, we went to high school together, and we keep ending up working on shows together!”

The sitcom Mid-Century Modern was primarily written by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, who also created the show. Other contributors to the writing include Suzanne Martin, Adam Barr, Dan Bucatinsky, Alex Herschlag, and Tracy Poust.


Producer and writer Max Mutchnick

Mutchnick has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ representation in media. Many of the themes and characters in his shows, like Will & Grace, reflect his personal experiences and his journey as part of the LGBTQ+ community. He is married to Erik Hyman, an entertainment lawyer, and the couple has twin daughters born via a surrogate. Together, they’ve been active philanthropists, supporting various charities and causes, particularly those related to LGBTQ+ rights and education.

Mutchnick has often spoken about the importance of telling authentic stories and creating spaces for diverse voices in the entertainment industry. His work continues to inspire and resonate with audiences around the world.

Producer and writer David Kohan

Kohan graduated from Wesleyan University, where he majored in English and philosophy. He has a reputation for blending humor with heartfelt storytelling, creating shows that resonate with audiences while addressing contemporary themes.

David Kohan’s career reflects his skill in creating heartfelt and impactful television. Beyond his work on Will & Grace, which brought LGBTQ+ stories to mainstream audiences, Kohan has been praised for his talent in developing relatable characters and sharp, engaging dialogue.

He has collaborated with Max Mutchnick on several other shows, including Boston Common and Good Morning, Miami. Their latest project, Mid-Century Modern, showcases their ability to balance nostalgia with contemporary storytelling, drawing comparisons to classic sitcoms like The Golden Girls. Kohan’s creative process often emphasizes humor as a way to explore universal themes, making his work resonate across generations.

Additionally, Kohan’s philosophical background from Wesleyan University has influenced his storytelling approach, often blending comedy with deeper human truths. His ability to adapt and innovate has cemented his place as one of television’s most influential creators.



THE ART OF WRITING AND MAKING FILMS / COURSES FOR WRITERS / 2025 FILM RELEASES


“The film is as much about the silence as it is about the visuals. I wanted the audience to be immersed in a world where the absence of words compels them to feel rather than think,” says writer-director-animator Gints Zilbalodis about Flow, an independent masterwork that moves audiences worldwide, achieving recognition with over 60 awards, including a handful of Annecy Cristals, a Golden Globe for Best Animation, a César, and an Academy Award. Read more

“The Marvel Cinematic Universe is so rich and diverse. We’ve recently seen many cosmic and supernatural stories. Getting back to something that puts these fantastic characters in a relatable world is really powerful. This approach is central. The MCU feels even more palpable. Nigerian American writer and director Julius Onah expresses this about Captain America: Brave New World. Read more / In cinemas

ARCHIVE

Films listed alphabetically. Click on title to read more about how the films were written and made.

TV SERIES

Director Rupert Sanders
Colleen Hoover and director Justin Baldoni.
Ryan Reynolds, left, and Director John Krasinski on the set of Paramount Pictures’ “IF.”
Director Wes Ball on the set of 20th Century Studios’ KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo by Jasin Boland. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.




Andrew Kevin Walker


John Lee Hancock, directing and producing The Little Things from a script he wrote almost 30 years ago, wanted to approach the gritty nature of the job as a means of exploring both the intellectual and psychological sides of solving crimes. MORE


It’s a bit like examining a ripple in a pond: the story is the pebble, but the ripples are its “outer life,” influencing and being influenced by the world around it.

The outer life of a story turns it into more than a standalone narrative—it becomes a living, breathing entity interacting with the broader world.

Let’s dig deeper into the outer life of a story—there’s so much richness to explore:

  • Genre and Tradition: How does the story fit into its genre or challenge it? Is it part of a larger tradition, like Gothic fiction, science fiction, or mythic storytelling? Examining its relationship to genre can reveal how it interacts with or disrupts established norms.
  • Audience Interaction: What role does the audience play in the story’s outer life? Has the audience interpreted the story in ways the creator didn’t anticipate? Is there fan culture or debate surrounding it?
  • Symbolism in the Real World: Sometimes, stories become symbolic or emblematic of broader ideas. For example, “1984” is often referenced as a symbol for surveillance and authoritarianism—its outer life exists in political discourse and cultural memory.
  • Legacy and Longevity: How has the story endured over time? Has it gained new meaning in different eras? Stories like Shakespeare’s plays or classic novels often evolve in relevance, as they’re reinterpreted through fresh cultural lenses.
  • Interdisciplinary Links: Stories can connect with other areas like philosophy, psychology, or science. For instance, a story about artificial intelligence might spark discussions in ethics and tech development.

When considering the outer life of a story in the context of a screenplay versus a novel, the differences become even more intriguing.

Here’s how these formats shape and interact with the “outer life” of a story:

In essence, a screenplay’s outer life is deeply interconnected with the broader ecosystem of the film industry, while a novel’s outer life tends to be shaped by literary traditions and reader connections. Exploring both formats illuminates how the “ripples” from each story reach into different aspects of culture and society. Are you thinking about adapting a story, or analyzing an existing one?

For a writer, understanding both the inner and outer life of a story is crucial for crafting a work that resonates deeply with audiences and leaves a lasting impact.

Screenplay and Its Outer Life

  • Cinematic Influence: A screenplay’s outer life is closely tied to the final film or TV show. The success and cultural impact of the visual medium can significantly amplify the story’s reach and influence. Example: The Godfather began as a novel, but its screenplay (and resulting film) cemented its iconic status in popular culture.
  • Adaptation and Collaboration: Screenplays invite collaboration, meaning the “outer life” includes contributions from directors, actors, and production teams. These interpretations shape how audiences perceive the story. Example: A director’s stylistic choices can elevate a screenplay into a visual masterpiece or even reinterpret its meaning.
  • Audience Impact: Screenplays that turn into films often gain massive audiences, leading to phenomena like fandoms, critical discourse, or even socio-political movements (e.g., Black Panther sparked cultural conversations about representation).
  • Global Reach: The visual nature of a screenplay-turned-film transcends language barriers, broadening the outer life of the story to international audiences.

Novel and Its Outer Life

  • Literary Legacy: Novels often live longer as standalone works of art, existing within literary traditions and continuing to inspire discussions, adaptations, and reinterpretations over decades or centuries. Example: Jane Austen’s novels have a rich “outer life,” influencing countless adaptations and modern takes on her themes.
  • Reader Intimacy: Novels build direct connections with readers, often leaving a personal imprint on them. This individual relationship can lead to cult followings, book clubs, or academic analysis, all parts of the story’s outer life. Example: J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye sparked widespread debate and interpretation among generations of readers.
  • Cultural Reflections: Novels often reflect the time they were written in, and their outer life may include being studied as historical or cultural artifacts, contributing to an understanding of a particular era or place.
  • Adaptability: Many novels live a dual “outer life” as they are adapted into other media, including films, TV shows, or stage plays. These adaptations can sometimes overshadow the original (e.g., Forrest Gump as a movie vs. its novel).

The Inner Life of a Story is where the emotional, psychological, and thematic core resides.

Being aware of this allows a writer to:

  • Create Depth: By delving into characters’ emotions, motivations, and conflicts, the writer adds layers of complexity that engage readers or viewers on a personal level.
  • Establish Themes: The inner life drives the story’s meaning and message. Without awareness of this, a story risks feeling shallow or aimless.
  • Foster Authenticity: Knowing the inner life ensures characters and events feel genuine and relatable. It helps the writer stay true to the story’s essence.

The Outer Life of a Story encompasses the story’s context, connections, and influence.

Awareness of this helps a writer:

  • Situate the Story: By understanding the societal, historical, or cultural backdrop, the writer can weave the narrative into larger conversations, making it more relevant and impactful.
  • Predict Reception: Awareness of the story’s potential outer life can guide the writer in tailoring the work to resonate with intended audiences or spark desired conversations.
  • Shape Legacy: Considering how the story might be interpreted or adapted over time can elevate its significance, ensuring it has a lasting presence in culture or discourse.

Balancing Both

A strong story bridges the inner and outer lives seamlessly:

  • A deeply personal narrative (inner life) may become universally meaningful when it speaks to shared experiences or challenges (outer life).
  • Stories rooted in specific contexts (outer life) gain emotional power when they focus on authentic characters and conflicts (inner life).

Ultimately, when a writer embraces both aspects, they not only create a story that captivates but also one that lingers in minds, conversations, and even history.

Exploring The Inner Life of Your Story


Night of the Zoopocalypse is co-directed by veteran animators and story artists Ricardo Curtis (The Incredibles, Monsters, Inc.) and Rodrigo Perez-Castro (The Book of Life, Ferdinand) whose combined list of credits, in various roles, include hits such as the Ice Age movies, Angry Birds and Rio through animation pre-production studio House of Cool (Paw Patrol, The Peanuts Movie, Despicable Me). The story is inspired by a concept from genre master, Clive Barker, and is based on a script by Steven Hoban and James Kee. The production was made at major international animation studios Mac Guff (Despicable Me)
and L’Atelier Animation (Leap!, Fireheart).

The Nerd Section of Script Development (for Zombie Enthusiast Eyes Only)

Every committed zombie fan knows that the undead come with rules. Screenwriters Hoban and Kee refined the nature of how the zoo animals mutated into zombie-like creatures, understanding that they couldn’t become ‘undead’ because you can’t have a family film where dead creatures stay dead.

Ensuring that the animals could all eventually be changed back to normal, they came up with a novel kind of creature: mutants or as they were affectionately called, “gumbeasts”, creatures seemingly made of a gummy or rubbery kind of substance. This allowed them to have holes in their hides and for their limbs drop off, like classic zombies, but it also meant the body parts could be stuck back on. From there, with Kee, Hoban decided some of the zoo animals would be the survivors, the ones trying to get away from this zombie-like outbreak. And like all family films, it ends on a positive note, so , the survivors not only save themselves, but they figure out how to return all the zoo animals back to their normal, fully intact state, except for Gramma Abigale’s tail (but that turns out to be a good thing).

© 2024 STRANGE ANIMALS (COPPERHEART) PRODUCTIONS INC. – CHARADES PRODUCTIONS SAS – UMEDIA PRODUCTION SA – MIPA (NOTZ) FILM INC. – APOLLO FILMS DISTRIBUTION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Once a solid draft of the script was ready, Hoban and his producing partner, Mark Smith, needed a Canadian director

“We want to build up the ability to do theatrical animated movies here at home. House of Cool was created with such a focus on the creative that it, I think it would’ve been hard to start it anywhere else which is why we started our search with Ricardo Curtis – who had never directed an animated feature film at that point, even though he’s been in demand and offered many animated feature films over the years from the studios – and ended with Ricardo,” said Hoban. House of Cool would also design the film and do the storyboards.

“Zombie animals in a zoo,” recalled Ricardo Curtis. “That’s all it took. It was just so clear. I love zombie movies. I love animated films which usually have a lot of animals together. When you put them together with this idea of animals in a zoo trapped together in a zombie thriller, I thought that was amazing. I immediately had visions of what this could be. But I also knew that I was probably not the zombie/monster movie aficionado, but I did know who the guy who was: Rodrigo Perez-Castro.”

Rodrigo Perez-Castro and Ricardo Curtis have known each other for years, having worked together at The House of Cool. “Ricardo gave me the premise of a zombie apocalypse in a zoo which was a perfect combination of the things I love the most: creepy, weird horror and animals. Put that together and I thought, I gotta make this movie,” said co-director Rodrigo Perez-Castro. “And it was a rare chance because you don’t really get to make films like this in the family space for animated movies. What attracted me to this project was the opportunity to do something very unique and different. I like giving people something they’ve never seen before.”

“What separates Night of the Zoopocalypse from other films,” said Executive Producer Wes Lui, “is that is it not a single character-driven story like Nightmare Before Christmas or Box Trolls. This one has a cast of characters who are very different in their personalities and what they are going through in their individual lives. They are scared of each other, they don’t want to work with each other, but they are forced to work with each other. Through those characters, we are really leaning into that genre space the scariness of what zombies can be but doing it in a way that Gremlins or Ghostbusters does – giving it comic relief.”

Night of the Zoopocalypse sets itself apart from the family animation pack by carving out a fresh genre of family-friendly horror, augmented by the limitless possibilities offered by animation. Tapping into Hoban’s love of animation, something that dates back to his childhood, and combining that with his abiding affection for horror and making it a family film felt like a natural fit.

“Horror is a little bit strong for Night of the Zoopocalypse. but it fits with Ghostbusters and Gremlins which are the movies that inspired this project. Better to think of our film as Madagascar meets The Walking Dead.”

“Animation is a medium, not a genre,” said Curtis. “And as a medium, you can do whatever you want with it: make action films, make stories for preschool, or make stories for teenage girls, it doesn’t really matter. This is a family film with elements from the type of films that we love in the live action world, and the end result is something new, something that no one’s ever seen before.”

“The beauty about animation is that there’s no limit,” added Perez-Castro. “Whatever you imagine in your head can actually be manifested. In this film, we moved the needle a little bit in a direction that’s a little offbeat, a little different, a little unusual.”

The trick to family-friendly frights rests in the pacing of the plot, allowing younger film-going audiences to be a little scared without going so far as to trip over and keep it fun. It is a film for the whole family after all.

Perez-Castro wanted to make Night of the Zoopocalypse an experience: “I remember being a kid and watching movies like Ghostbusters and Gremlins and feeling that there was something a little taboo about it, like I’m not supposed to see this. There’s almost something aspirational about horror for kids. It’s almost like a milestone in your life when you get to actually sit through one of these movies and really survive it.”

For Curtis, watching early scary movies felt like forbidden territory. “We knew we shouldn’t have been there because maybe this is a little too scary for us, but it isn’t because this isn’t for babies. This is for grown kids like us. So that’s the type of film we wanted to make.”

Perez-Castro added, “When you watch those movies as a kid, they stay with you forever. You tend to revisit them. Watching Alien now is not the same as when I watched it the first time. It’s interesting how your relationship with a movie can evolve through time, but I don’t think happens with all movies. Definitely happens with good movies, but with horror movies in particular, yes, that relationship stays with you and evolves.”

© 2024 STRANGE ANIMALS (COPPERHEART) PRODUCTIONS INC. – CHARADES PRODUCTIONS SAS – UMEDIA PRODUCTION SA – MIPA (NOTZ) FILM INC. – APOLLO FILMS DISTRIBUTION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

In making Night of the Zoopocalypse, Curtis hopes kids will have the kind of experience “where they’ll remember the laughter, but also the thrill of getting spooked, not unlike getting into a rollercoaster ride and thinking, why am I doing this? I don’t want to do it. And then you do it and you love it, and then you can’t wait to do it again.”

The idea of a family movie has a double meaning: a storyline the whole family can enjoy and also an experience that can/should/ought to be enjoyed with your family. “The movies that touch the most are the ones parents take their kids to, knowing their kids are identifying with one of the characters, learning something from it, and then at home they can talk about it. That was the genesis of this movie. When the world goes through this craziness of the zombies, the zoo animals are forced to work together, they are forced to use each other’s differences to be able to protect each other. There’s a parental storyline in there that becomes a teachable moment for kids about how to survive in the world,” Lui explained.

The easiest way to make a family film is to create a family dynamic. That is what the characters of Gracie, the young wolf, Dan, the mountain lion, Felix, the proboscis monkey, Ash, the ostrich, Frida, the capybara, Xavier, the lemur, and Poot, the young pygmy hippopotamus, ultimately became.

“We made this movie at this point in the history of the world where we’re very divided as people, ideologically divided in our bubbles,” he said. “In our movie, we wanted to represent this divide through these animals who literally live in their own enclosures where they don’t get out, they don’t know about the other and in one night, they’re forced together to work together to save themselves from the apocalypse.”

© 2024 STRANGE ANIMALS (COPPERHEART) PRODUCTIONS INC. – CHARADES PRODUCTIONS SAS – UMEDIA PRODUCTION SA – MIPA (NOTZ) FILM INC. – APOLLO FILMS DISTRIBUTION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

And this is exactly where the power of animation comes into play. Going back again to films like Night of the Living Dead, stereotypes are used to describe characters very quickly because it would take too long to construct full personalities of an ensemble. The House of Cool strategy was to take the differences in personalities and exacerbate them with animation.

“Animation as a medium is very good at caricature, boiling down human traits to their essence, creating full characters quickly using design, voice and motion that’s difficult to do in live action,” explained Curtis.

When a meteor crashes into Colepepper Zoo, a virus that transforms the animals into slobbering zombie-like mutants is unleashed. Gracie, a young quirky wolf, teams up with a gruff mountain lion named Dan to find a way back to her pack. As the zoo is overrun, they must come up with a plan to get all the animals back to normal. Together with the help of a motley crew of survivors – Xavier, the movie-obsessed lemur, Frida the fiery capybara, Ash the sarcastic, fabulous ostrich and Felix the treacherous monkey – they embark on a perilous mission to rescue the zoo and learn a thing or two about the power of working together. Welcome to… THE ZOOPOCALYPSE!


A story may boast a clever plot, expertly crafted with intricate twists and compelling complexities. Yet, without a meaningful connection between the External Activity—the events and actions—and the Internal Life—the emotions, motivations, and personal stakes—it risks falling flat. Such a disconnect renders the narrative hollow, leaving readers or viewers disengaged and disappointed, no matter how masterful the structure appears.

Without genuine emotion, we lose our ability to truly care. While we may experience fleeting moments of excitement, terror, horror, or even awe, these feelings remain superficial and short-lived. They lack depth and fail to forge a meaningful connection. Authentic emotion—an unfiltered glimpse into the writer’s humanity—is what brings a story to life. Without it, the narrative remains hollow, devoid of the profound resonance that lingers long after the tale is told.

We don’t just follow a character as they journey from their ordinary world into an extraordinary existence; we become deeply entwined in their lives. Their struggles, triumphs, and transformations resonate with us on a personal level. By the time the credits roll, we leave not only with a sense of wonder but also with something meaningful—a piece of their story that stays with us, shaping our own perspective in unexpected ways.

As a storyteller, it’s essential to have a clear strategy or technique for developing the physical, or External, Plotline of a story and crafting a compelling line of dramatic action. In our The Write Journey course we introduce you to 16 structural points that will plot your story effectively.

When it comes to expressing inner values and establishing a personal perspective on a story, writers are often guided only by their instinct or intuition and a little luck.

Creating a rewarding & emotional fictional reality

As a writer, you have to:

  • lluminate the thoughts and inner world of your characters: Show us what a character is thinking, delve into what’s happening inside their mind, and reveal how their perspective shapes a meaningful and rewarding inner life.
  • Reflect on the thematic purpose of your story: If the central theme revolves around ‘Man versus Nature,’ you must subtly integrate it into your dramatic action. Use subplots to deepen the exploration of this theme, allowing it to emerge naturally. Amplify its presence with nuance and balance, steering clear of overt preaching.
  • Reveal the memories or histories of the events and characters in your story: As your character navigates the external plot, juxtapose the physical action with a vivid emotional landscape. Use this to delve into the past, uncovering experiences that shape and inform the present, enriching the narrative with depth and resonance.”

It’s a delicate balance between the Internal Life and External Life of your story that culminates in a complete story that is engaging and emotional.

Building a rewarding and emotionally charged fictional reality

  • Craft Compelling Characters: Create characters with depth and complexity, including strengths, flaws, fears, and desires. Their emotional journeys should feel authentic and relatable. Introduce varied dynamics among characters, like conflicts, alliances, and evolving relationships.
  • Build an Immersive Setting: Design a world that feels alive and meaningful—whether it’s grounded in reality or fantastical. Pay attention to its culture, history, and environment.Use sensory details (smells, sights, sounds) to draw readers into the reality you’ve created.
  • Emphasize Themes and Moral Dilemmas: Explore universal themes like love, loss, identity, or redemption to give the story a resonant emotional core. Include moral challenges or pivotal moments where characters’ choices carry profound consequences.
  • Pace Emotional Highs and Lows: Balance moments of tension with relief. Give readers time to process intense scenes before introducing new drama.Use emotional hooks—scenes that deeply impact characters and readers—to create powerful turning points.
  • Add Unexpected Twists: Surprise readers with plot twists or emotional revelations, but ensure they feel earned and not arbitrary.
  • Involve the Reader’s Imagination: Leave some ambiguity or open questions for readers to interpret and engage with.

Nothing is more rewarding than a story that lives in your heart forever.

Exploring the Outer Life of Your Story

Learn more about the art of structure and dramatic narrative in our The Write Journey course.

A Working Man follows Levon Cade, a former Royal Marines commando turned construction worker, who is drawn back into his dangerous past when his boss’s teenage daughter is kidnapped by human traffickers. As Cade uses his specialized skills to rescue her, he uncovers a deeper conspiracy involving corruption and government agents.

The significance of the film lies in its portrayal of the struggle between personal responsibility and societal duty. It highlights the moral dilemmas faced by individuals trying to reconcile their past with their present while addressing critical issues like human trafficking and systemic corruption. The film also emphasizes the importance of courage and determination in the face of adversity.

With Jason Statham in the lead role, the movie combines intense action sequences with emotional depth, making it a gripping tale of heroism and sacrifice. Its gritty tone and layered narrative offer a compelling exploration of the complexities of justice and redemption.

David Ayer, known for films like End of Watch and Fury, brings authenticity to the storytelling, while Stallone’s legacy of heroic narratives adds a layer of emotional resonance. Together, they crafted a gripping tale that highlights both action and the moral complexities of justice and redemption.

Both Stallone and Ayer have emphasized the film’s focus on gritty realism and emotional depth. Stallone has spoken about the importance of creating characters who are driven by resilience and a sense of duty, while Ayer often highlights the human aspect of his protagonists, grounding the story in real-world struggles such as human trafficking.

David Ayer and Jason Statham have collaborated on multiple projects, showcasing their shared commitment to creating intense, action-packed narratives. Their partnership began with The Beekeeper (2024), a film that combined Ayer’s gritty storytelling style with Statham’s signature physicality and charisma. The success of The Beekeeper paved the way for their reunion in A Working Man.

Ayer has praised Statham’s dedication and encyclopedic knowledge of action sequences, noting how his expertise elevates the realism and intensity of their films. Together, they have crafted stories that resonate with audiences, blending high-octane action with emotional depth. Their collaboration highlights the synergy between a director who excels in raw, visceral storytelling and an actor who embodies strength and determination.


David Ayer is an American filmmaker known for his gritty storytelling and focus on themes like crime, corruption, and urban life. He grew up in challenging circumstances, spending part of his youth in South Central Los Angeles, which heavily influenced his work. Ayer served in the U.S. Navy as a submariner, an experience that inspired his screenplay for U-571. He gained recognition for writing the screenplay for Training Day (2001), which earned Denzel Washington an Academy Award. Ayer transitioned to directing with Harsh Times (2005) and later helmed notable films like End of Watch (2012), Fury (2014), and Suicide Squad (2016). His work often explores the moral complexities of his characters, making him a distinctive voice in Hollywood.

Sylvester Stallone is an iconic actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He rose to fame with Rocky (1976), a film he wrote and starred in, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Stallone’s portrayal of Rocky Balboa and his creation of the Rambo series solidified his status as a Hollywood legend. Despite early struggles in his career, Stallone became one of the highest-grossing action stars, with hits like Cliffhanger (1993), Demolition Man (1993), and The Expendables series. His work often features underdog characters overcoming immense challenges, reflecting his journey in the film industry. Stallone continues to inspire audiences with his dedication to storytelling and his enduring legacy.



The film Flow (2024), also known as Straume, is a visually poetic Latvian animated adventure that has gained international acclaim. It was Latvia’s submission for the Best International Feature Film at the Oscars in 2024. The movie stands out for its unique storytelling approach, as it features no dialogue and relies entirely on striking imagery and atmosphere to convey its narrative

The Story

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Flow follows a domesticated black cat navigating a transformed Earth after a catastrophic flood. The film explores themes of survival, resilience, and the interconnectedness of life. The animals in the story, including a capybara, a ring-tailed lemur, and a secretarybird, symbolize various human traits and approaches to survival. The absence of humans and the haunting remnants of their civilization add to the film’s dreamlike and reflective quality. It’s a meditation on overcoming fears and adapting to challenges. The protagonist’s journey is not about achieving a simple resolution but about learning to live with anxieties and finding strength in companionship and perseverance

Flow is available for streaming on platforms like Max, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+.


Flow began as a high school project

Gints Zilbalodis created a short film about his cat overcoming its fear of water. Years later, he revisited this idea and expanded it into a feature film, focusing on themes of collaboration and overcoming fears. created a short film about his cat overcoming its fear of water. Years later, he revisited this idea and expanded it into a feature film, focusing on themes of collaboration and overcoming fears.

“The entire project took about five and a half years. In the first year, I was writing the script, learning Blender, and looking for funding as Dream Well Studio. That was in 2019. In 2020, we secured some funding, and I moved into a co-working studio space with other artists and developers who were using Blender. That’s where I connected with Mārtiņš Upītis and Konstantīns Višņevskis. Mārtiņš was one of the first people I approached—not specifically for water simulation, but just to see how he could contribute. However, it quickly became clear that he had a deep expertise in water, unlike anyone else. We were fortunate that, in the early stages, it was just me, so the pandemic didn’t affect us much. By the time we moved into full production in 2023, things had stabilized. ‘

The film was largely a solo effort, saying, “When you work alone, every choice becomes deeply personal. It’s an intimate process, and it pushes you to trust your instincts and vision entirely.” This approach allowed him to craft a film that feels singular in its style and storytelling.

“I learned a lot online, but it was great to have someone with more experience next to me (Konstantīns). He did a lot of rigging and was much more technical than me, so I could ask him for advice.”

He drew inspiration from his own personal growth

“The cat’s journey reflects a part of myself—learning to trust, to collaborate, and to find peace in uncertainty. It’s a universal story told in a very intimate way.” Zilbalodis believes that emotions, even the challenging ones, are essential for growth, and this philosophy is embedded throughout the film.

The isolation of the protagonist mirrors the creative process itself: “Creating a film, especially one like Flow, is a solitary and deeply introspective journey. Yet, the moment it connects with an audience, it becomes something shared and collective.”

Flow reflects a blend of inspiration from nature and animation traditions

“I wanted the visuals to feel alive, almost as if they were breathing with the world. The water, the animals, the landscapes—they’re not just settings but characters in their own right.” Zilbalodis has often cited his love for minimalist storytelling and how it connects with the audience on a deeper emotional level.

The silence of the film was also an intentional choice to encourage introspection. He remarked, “In silence, we find clarity. I hoped that viewers would not just watch the story but feel it resonate within themselves.”

The themes of Flow were deeply influenced by his own experiences and emotions

He reflected on the solitary nature of the creative process, saying, “Making this film was like navigating uncharted waters—it was both daunting and freeing.” He compared the protagonist’s journey to the process of artistic creation, where uncertainty is not just a challenge but a vital part of discovery.

The film is a meditation on overcoming challenges and embracing vulnerability, saying, “The journey of the cat is a metaphor for facing fears and discovering strength through connection.” He also noted that the lack of dialogue was a deliberate choice to evoke a sense of timelessness, allowing viewers to interpret the story through their own emotions and experiences.

The transformative power of nature in the narrative

“Nature is both a mirror and a guide in Flow. It challenges the characters, but it also heals them.” The ever-changing water, in particular, serves as a central symbol of life’s unpredictability and beauty.

“Water is a powerful metaphor. It can be calm and beautiful, but also overwhelming and destructive. In Flow, it represents emotions—fear, hope, and everything in between.”

Zilbalodis has expressed his hope that Flow resonates universally, stating, “The story is intentionally open-ended because life rarely offers neat resolutions. It’s about learning to find peace in the currents, no matter where they take you.”

Zilbalodis emphasized the importance of the film’s pacing and visuals in creating an immersive experience: “Each frame is designed to invite the audience to pause, reflect, and connect with the story in their own way. The silence allows for a dialogue between the viewer and their own emotions.”

He also elaborated on the minimalist aesthetic of the film, saying, “Simplicity doesn’t mean less—sometimes it means more. Stripping away dialogue and complex visuals allows the audience to feel and interpret the story in their own unique way.”


Zilbalodis’s love for solitary storytelling

“Creating Flow was a deeply personal process. It was just me, the story, and the art coming alive. Yet, I hope it speaks universally to anyone navigating uncertainty and change.”

Zilbalodis has frequently emphasized the profound emotional connection he hoped to establish through Flow. He described the film as “a story about healing through companionship,” noting that even in solitude, there’s potential for growth, self-discovery, and unexpected connection. He reflected, “Fear can be isolating, but it can also be an invitation—to trust, to collaborate, and to grow stronger.”

The power of visual storytelling

“The absence of words opens up a dialogue between the viewer and their own experiences. It’s less about telling and more about feeling.” This focus on atmosphere and emotions allows the audience to immerse themselves in the story in their own way.

“Storytelling offers infinite possibilities, but sometimes constraints can be beneficial. For example, deciding to use only four characters and a handful of locations can lead to stronger creative choices. Some of my favorite films take this approach. They don’t need an epic scope to be powerful.”

“I wanted to show how the cat does improve on its fears, but it still has these deep down, something that it has to learn how to live with. And I wanted to show how that’s okay, and we can accept those things, and maybe there’s others who can support that.”

Through his thoughtful reflections, Zilbalodis invites viewers to find their own interpretation and meaning in the ebb and flow of life, much like the waters in his film.


Som Van Twee has already garnered attention, winning several prestigious awards, including Best Feature Film at the 2024 kykNET Silwerskermfees. The screenplay, written by Simoné Pretorius and Liani Jansen van Rensburg, draws on the universal experiences of love, loss, and redemption to create a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences

“It’s hard to believe, but it’s based on a true story. My fellow screenwriter, Liani Janse van Rensburg, discovered an article about a woman in the Netherlands, Melissa Kelderhoff, who admitted at a school reunion that she saw her Biology paper before writing the final exam. The story reached the Minister of Education, Culture and Science, who then decided that the country’s 1992 matric group had to rewrite the exam,” says Pretorius. “Of course, we adapted and changed the story extensively. ‘

“It took many rewrites of the screenplay before the characters finally settled and the themes came through adequately, so it was important to drive the process through to the floor before allowing the actors to further breathe life into the characters. While I was writing, I directed all the performances in my head, and while directing, I rewrote the script. It worked out well,” says Pretorius.

The film delves deep into the intricate relationships within a family, particularly focusing on the bond between a father and his son. It explores how grief and loss can either pull family members apart or bring them closer together.

Henk Opperman’s journey is one of self-discovery and redemption. His struggle to connect with his son, Renier, after the tragic loss of his wife is a central theme. The story highlights the process of forgiveness and the importance of making amends.

It aims to resonate with audiences by portraying raw, genuine emotions and the complexities of human relationships. It is a story of hope, reconciliation, and the enduring power of love and understanding.

The story follows Henk Opperman (Louw Venter), a psychologist coping with the emotional aftermath of losing his wife in a tragic car accident. He struggles to connect with his son Renier (Adriaan Havenga), who masks his emotions behind anger and denial. During Nicolene’s funeral, Henk confesses to leaking the Matric Math Paper to Barberton in 1990. An investigation leads to an ultimatum: retake the exam in Barberton or forfeit academic records. Henk and Renier reconcile as Renier tutors him, joined by Henk’s eccentric father and Renier’s friends. Tensions rise with Henk’s classmates, culminating in a pivotal moment where Henk must choose between reconciling with his son and saving his career.

Read more about South African Filmmaking


Simoné Pretorius

“It has been a dream for ten years. Bennie Fourie recommended that I read Judith Weston’s Directing Actors when we worked together on Vir die voëls. At that stage I regarded the book as a guideline to what directors expect from actors, but I became aware that I was reading the book with a director’s eye. Later, with other projects, I realised it was quite tough not to want to direct myself all the time, and with the last role I played, I felt ready to take charge. At the same time, I suffered severely of imposter syndrome and doubted my own abilities. But when I wrote my first screenplay in 2019, I started feeling confident about my journey to becoming a director. It took five years and three undeveloped screenplays on the shelf, but I am grateful that the road led me here.”

Simoné Pretorius (née Nortmann) is a South African actress, director, screenwriter, and producer. She was born on May 18, 1990, in Pretoria, South Africa. Simoné gained prominence for her role as Irma Humpel in the 2016 Afrikaans biographical film “Vir die Voëls,” for which she received both national and international acclaim. She made her television debut in the popular Afrikaans soap “7de Laan” in 2013 as Nadia Croukamp, earning the Best Newcomer award at the Royalty Soapie Awards in 20143. Simoné has starred in several South African box office hits and award-winning films, including “Vuil Wasgoed” (2017), “Stroomop” (2018), “Wonderlus” (2018), and “Vlugtig” (2020). In 2024, she made her screenwriting and directorial debut with the film Som van Twee, which won seven awards at the Cape Town Silwerskerm festival, including Best Director and Best Screenplay. Simoné is also the founder and managing director of Art of Acting South Africa.

Liani Jansen van Rensburg is a South African screenwriter known for her work on Som van Twee (2024), “Blindelings” (2023), the story of René, a brilliant, blind pianist with synesthesia, whose life changes after an assault on the night of her first solo performance, and “Een Keer Om Die Son” (2024), a television drama series depicting a month in the lives of a seemingly happy family, exploring their trials and tribulations over a year.


Disney’s 1937 animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, helped establish the studio as an animation powerhouse. Based on a classic fairy tale by The Brothers Grimm, the film introduced the world to the iconic characters of Snow White, the Evil Queen, and the lovable dwarfs and spawned the iconic songs Heigh-Ho and Whistle While You Work.

The original ‘Snow White’ was a great work of art,” says producer Marc Platt. “It was the first fully narrative animated film, and its animation was beautiful and groundbreaking. And for audiences in 1937, it immersed them in a world and made them feel that they had been transported, with characters that have become through time beloved; songs that have become beloved and a story that remains a classic.”

When the opportunity to create a new live-action musical reimaging presented itself, Platt leaped at the opportunity. The four-time Oscar-nominated producer (“Wicked,” “La La Land,” “Bridge of Spies,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7”) and fellow producer Jared LeBoff, with whom he produced the successful film version of the Broadway musical phenomenon “Wicked,” quickly zeroed in on Marc Webb to direct. The talented filmmaker, who has helmed such hit films as “500 Days of Summer” and “The Amazing Spider-Man,” Webb was eager to take on a property steeped in love and nostalgia.


“It was really important for us to honor the DNA of Snow White,” Webb says. “The original ‘Snow White’ didn’t break the mold…it created the mold. Somehow Walt Disney connects to something inside of us – a kind of childlike wonder and optimism.”

Webb continues, “But there was also an opportunity to re-tell the mythology to reflect the times that we’re in, and I think all good stories evolve over time. They become reflections of the world that we live in and what we want the world to be to a degree.”

“Our story is about a young woman who’s learning to be queen, to be a leader,” Webb says. “And one of the guiding principles for us when developing the script was who is Snow White as a leader? Disney princesses have evolved pretty dramatically in the last century, so we wanted to know what is specific about Snow White. What makes her different? And the idea that she is a princess is easy to gloss over, but the fact is that she has a destiny to lead was something that we really wanted to hone in the script.”

(L-R): Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen and Rachel Zegler as Snow White in Disney’s live-action SNOW WHITE. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The filmmakers brought in Erin Cressida Wilson (“The Girl on the Train”) to pen the screenplay

Wilson continues, “My task was to dive into the character of Snow White and find what second act her story begged for. I massaged the theme of her discovering and trusting her own voice and her own purpose with compassion and strength. Snow White is Disney’s first princess, and it was an honor to be given the gift of bringing her entire story to life.”

Fortunately, everyone was in agreement. And Webb was the ideal person to bring the story to life.

“Marc is so talented,” says Gal Gadot. “He had a clear vision from day one and knew how he wanted to tell this story. The fact that he started as a music video director helped the production become a fully realized musical production. He was wonderful to work with…as an actor, he gives you a lot of freedom. And at the same time, he has his own space, his own range where he has already envisioned everything in his head, and he makes it very easy for us to get there.”

Rachel Zegler adds, “Marc is one hell of a director. I’m so honored that he took on this project and honored that he let me come along with him on this journey.”

LeBoff agrees, saying, “For every single take, Marc was right there with the actors. He loves to be out there going back and forth with everybody. When we do the big dance warm-up’s, he’s actually doing the dances and jumping up and down.”

Rachel Zegler as Snow White in DISNEY’s live-action SNOW WHITE. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Rachel Zegler plays Snow White, the kind, resilient, and courageous title character. She is the daughter of the beloved King and Queen who encouraged her to be fearless, brave, and true.

The actress, who first wowed audiences with her film debut in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and went on to star in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, was primarily drawn to the role because of director Marc Webb’s vision. “From the word go, it was obvious that Marc wanted to make a ‘Snow White’ for this generation,” says Zegler. “That is what is so poignant in our story, and I think people all over the world will be able to resonate with her.”

Producer Marc Platt adds, “Snow White’s superpower is her goodness, her kindness…themes and ideas that are very important in the world we live in today, maybe even undervalued some might say. And it imbues her with an inner beauty and an ability to lead.”

“To be honest, Snow White’s core is exactly the same – goodness, kindness and a belief that you can have your dreams come true without being mean-spirited,” says screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson. “Like other Disney princesses, it’s not that her character changes, it’s that her generosity of spirit becomes threatened and ultimately wins as she saves her kingdom and shows us that kindheartedness is a true leadership quality. It is, in fact, the characters around her that will forever be changed by Snow White’s altruism.”

(L-R) Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as Evil Queen in DISNEY’s live-action SNOW WHITE. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Snow White’s stepmother, the Evil Queen, is hard and unyielding, with an icy calm voice and eyes that are full of rage. She despises Snow White for her beauty and virtue and devises a wicked scheme involving a poisoned apple. Gal Gadot, the Israeli actress and producer, who is best known to audiences as Wonder Woman in the DC Universe and for her role in the “Fast & Furious” franchise, had numerous discussions with Webb early in pre-production, as to what drives her character.

“We talked about what motivates her, and who she really is as a person,” says Gadot. “I loved the fact that this was something completely new for me as an actress, and playing a villain is exciting. It allows you to go to places you can’t when playing a straight character. And on a musical, you can do everything in a more theatrical way and use your body language to be really over the top. She was a very, very delicious character to play.”

Gadot continues, “I wanted to make sure that she is all about power, and her looks are the only way she can mesmerize people and work her magic. Once she has that, she becomes vicious and powerful. The Evil Queen is all about power. She wants to be in control, she is the alpha character, she is a narcissist, and she loves being in control and having people worship her.” 

MARC WEBB (Director) has directed and produced numerous film and television projects of critical acclaim and commercial success. His upcoming film projects include Disney’s live action “Snow White” starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, and “Day Drinker,” an action thriller starring Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz for Lionsgate. Webb has served as an executive producer for the CW series “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” with Rachel Bloom, CBS’ “Instinct,” “Limitless,” “The Code,” and Hulu’s “Death and Other Details.” He also executive produced and directed Netflix’s original series “The Society,” a young adult drama series written by Chris Keyser and starring Kathryn Newton, Rachel Keller, and Gideon Adlon.

Webb directed the feature film “The Amazing Spider-Man” and its sequel, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” each of which grossed more than $700 million worldwide. Following that, he directed “Gifted,” starring Chris Evans and Jenny Slate, which was released in April 2017 by Fox Searchlight. Webb made his feature film debut with “(500) Days of Summer,” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. The film was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards®, including best picture, and The National Board of Review honored Webb with its spotlight award, which recognizes outstanding directorial debuts.

Webb began his career as a music video director. He has been honored with several MTV Video Music Awards including the best director award for Green Day’s “21 Guns,” best rock video in 2006 for AFI’s “Miss Murder,” and best group video for The All-American Rejects’ “Move Along.” Also, the Music Video Production Association honored him as director of the year for his work with Weezer, AAR, and MyChemical Romance.

ERIN CRESSIDA WILSON (Screenwriter) won the Independent Spirit Award for her first screenplay, “Secretary,” starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader. Among her other credits are “The Girl on the Train” (Emily Blunt), “Men, Women, and Children” (co-written and directed by Jason Reitman), “Chloe” (Amanda Seyfried, Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, directed by Atom Egoyan), “Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus” (Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey Jr). For television, she served as writer/producer on the HBO series “Vinyl,” executive produced by Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger. In 2025, Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, “Eleanor the Great,” will be released (production rewrite and executive producer). Current credits include a film for Ron Howard, the biopic of Janis Joplin, and the Madonna biopic (co-writing with Madonna). Wilson mentors at the Sundance Institute Screenwriting Lab and was a professor at Brown, Duke, Stanford, and UCSB. As a recipient of awards from the Guggenheim and the NEA, she is an off-Broadway and internationally produced playwright. She is currently adapting Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler” for the Old Globe.


In September 2012, saturation divers Chris Lemons, Dave Yuasa, and Duncan Allcock embarked on a routine expedition.  Diving hundreds of feet underwater, a computer error set their ship helplessly adrift up above, severing the umbilical cable connecting Lemons to his oxygen, electricity, and communications.  With only minutes of oxygen reserves remaining, Yuasa and Allcock raced against time to retrieve Lemons and bring him to safety. 

The 2019 British documentary Last Breath, directed by Alex Parkinson and Richard da Costa, chronicled the events aboard and below the ship using archival footage, audio, reconstruction, and interviews. 

Stewart le Maréchal and Al Morrow produced the documentary through their company, MetFilm.  Inspired by the success of the documentary, le Maréchal  and Morrow shared their film with the father-son producing team of Paul and David Brooks for consideration as a narrative feature.  “I was totally mesmerized by it,” Paul Brooks recalls.  “It’s about the best of humanity and how people just won’t give up.  I think that’s just incredibly compelling.”

Paul and David Brooks developed the project with producer Jeremy Plager, who anchored the casting process. Plager and Paul and David Brooks joined up with Dark Castle Entertainment producers Norman Golightly and Hal Sadoff. 

“Paul shared Last Breath with us and we immediately responded to it, not only because it’s an exciting movie, but it has these universal themes of humanity, hope, and perseverance,” says Golightly.  “The best stories have the ability to thrill us, entertain us, make us think, and make us feel.  Sometimes they can even inspire us.  Chris’s story manages to do all of those things and then some.”

(l-r.) Actors Simu Liu and Woody Harrelson, director Alex Parkinson and actor Finn Cole on the set of their film LAST BREATH, a Focus Features release. Credit: Mark Cassar / © 2025 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Based upon the strength and ingenuity of the storytelling in the documentary, Paul Brooks sought out Parkinson to co-write and helm the narrative adaptation. 

Paul Brooks explains: “The documentary actually plays as this incredible thrill ride.  We thought, ‘Well, isn’t the logical thing to do here to get Alex to direct the movie?’ He has a great feel for narrative, which is why the documentary was so good.”

Parkinson explains his initial interest in Lemons’ story:  “I immediately connected with what Chris Lemons was going through, which speaks to the power of this story of hope and the human spirit.  When people come together with a common goal, the most incredible things can happen.”

Parkinson, with writers Mitchell LaFortune and David Brooks, worked on a draft of the screenplay: “I aimed to do more than just remake the documentary,” Parkinson says.  “I wanted to tell this remarkable story on the grandest scale possible, and explore new dimensions of the characters’ emotional journeys.”

(l-r.) Finn Cole stars as Chris Lemons, Woody Harrelson as Duncan Allcock and Simu Liu as Dave Yuasa LAST BREATH, a Focus Features release. Credit: Mark Cassar / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

David Brooks embraced an opportunity to explore a world that is unfamiliar to moviegoers.  “It’s so rare to come across such a gripping story that feels truly original,” says David Brooks.  “The world of saturation diving really hadn’t been explored in a narrative feature before, certainly not at this scale.  I was further drawn to the uniqueness of the characters and the intimacy of their dynamics.”

“I felt this responsibility to keep it as true to the reality of what happened as possible.  I want these people to be represented properly, because they did an incredible thing on that night,” adds Parkinson.

A heart-pounding film that follows seasoned deep-sea divers as they battle the raging elements to rescue their crewmate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface. Based on a true story, Last Breath is an electrifying story about teamwork, resilience, and a race against time to do the impossible. It honors the selflessness and perseverance of a team of divers whose lives changed forever when an accident strands one of their own deep beneath the surface of the North Sea.

 


With the script in place, Parkinson and the producers of Last Breath searched for a cast that could accurately represent the heroism of the real-life divers

They found adventurous, willing partners in Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, and Cliff Curtis.

Paul Brooks collaborated with Harrelson on Bobby Farrelly’s Champions, and believed the actor might have an interest in this remarkable story.  Brooks was correct: “Once I saw the documentary, I was already in,” Harrelson remembers.  “I think the documentary speaks for itself.  People love it.  I loved it.  It sure made me want to be a part of this.” 

Barbie and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu reviewed the documentary to familiarize himself with the story.  “When I watched it, I was absolutely taken aback by not only the story but also the introduction to the world of saturation diving, which was unlike anything that I had ever known.  And then I learned that Alex Parkinson, who directed the documentary, was also doing the adaptation, and I thought, ‘Well, I’m definitely in.’”

Liu responded to the screenplay’s themes of personal responsibility and teamwork: “So much of this story is about that camaraderie that develops over time,” Liu says.  “When the stakes are high and an incident happens, these divers are willing to go out and risk their own lives to make sure that nobody gets left behind.”

When Peaky Blinders star Finn Cole received the script, he noticed that it shared its title with the documentary.  “I’d seen the documentary a year or so before and loved it.  I was into diving beforehand, so the doc got me excited for the movie.  I was really intrigued to see how this would translate into film,” says Cole.

Actor Simu Liu and crew members on the set of LAST BREATH, a Focus Features release. Credit: Jon Borg / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

The actors held their real-life counterparts in high regard, and sought to tell their story with integrity.  “There is a responsibility because it’s a real story with these real characters.  And hopefully we are all doing justice to that,” Harrelson says.

“I think that’s just such an incredible story,” adds Liu.  “It’s such an honor to be a part of it and to get to tell it. For me, the enduring message of Last Breath is that of hope, perseverance and never giving up.”

“We ended up with the three actors we really wanted, and the chemistry between them was terrific,” Paul Brooks says.  “They all got along fantastically, and I think you can see the chemistry on screen.  It feels really authentic.”

Production on Last Breath began in February 2023 in the North Sea onboard the ship the real events took place on. 

ALEX PARKINSON (Co-Writer, Director) is an Emmy-nominated director who is making his narrative feature directorial debut with Last Breath.  Parkinson’s other work includes HBO Max and Channel 4’s documentary, Lucy The Human Chimp, which he both wrote and directed. It follows psychologist Janis Carter taking on the seemingly impossible task of giving a chimpanzee raised as a human a new life in the wild. Directing documentaries for more than 20 years, Parkinson has also made films for a number of global broadcasters including the BBC, ITV, National Geographic, Animal Planet, History and Travel.

DAVID BROOKS, p.g.a. (Co-Writer, Producer) earned a BFA in Film Production from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. His feature directorial debut, ATM, was released by Universal Studios in partnership with Netflix and IFC Films and received Comcast’s XFinity On Demand Award for Most Watched Independent Film (2012). While developing directing projects, David has continued to work as a producer on other features including voyeuristic horror film, The Den, released by IFC Midnight, The Boy Downstairs, a modern romantic comedy, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival and was released by Film Rise in partnership with HBO, and Prey for the Devil, a contemporary exorcism story based on true events for Lionsgate. Most recently David produced, Oh, Hi!, starring Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

MITCHELL LAFORTUNE (Writer) is a former intelligence officer who served four deployments to Afghanistan from 2007 to 2013. He started his intelligence career in the Army, developing counterinsurgency strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, where he would be awarded a Battlefield Promotion for extraordinary efforts in a combat zone. After serving, Mitchell worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency, focused on Iranian foreign policy. He authored Presidential Daily Briefings and participated in military operations in Herat and Kabul in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After leaving the Agency, Mitchell attended UCLA’s prestigious film school as a Pat Tillman Scholar. Based on Mitchell’s real-life experiences as an intelligence officer, he penned Kandahar, repping Gerard Butler’s re-team with his Angel Has Fallen filmmaker, Ric Roman Waugh. Open Road released the film wide Memorial Day Weekend in 2023.  Mitchell recently completed Greenland: Migration, the sequel to the disaster thriller Greenland and has signed on to adapt the real-life story of Mike and Carlos Boettcher, father-son war correspondents and multi-Emmy and Peabody winners for Mandalay.



When the girl of his dreams (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped in Novocaine, everyman Nate (Jack Quaid) turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.

“Thematically it’s about what we are willing to risk for love and this was the perfect story of a guy willing to risk everything,” says Jacobson. “He can’t feel anything but once he feels something for Shelley, he wants to make sure he can feel it again. This was a unique story with a complex, diverse, dynamic character at its center. It is a genre film, but it’s really a love story.” Jacobson was also an admirer of bank heist films like Dog Day Afternoon and Killing Zoe and as he developed the scenario to place this character in, he loved the idea of a fast-paced action movie within the walls of a bank.

Screenwriter Lars Jacobson

“When you can take something familiar and add a unique twist, that’s a fun thing to do in storytelling,” Jacobson says. “I wanted to stay true to the genre, but add layers that would hopefully elevate and augment. There is also a superhero element, but it’s about Nate outlasting and outsmarting his opponent because he knows he can’t overpower them. So when he’s faced with guys with military training, his only ability is to be crafty and to persevere. I equated it to Bruce Willis’ t-shirt in Die Hard. It starts white and crisp, and by the end, he’s bare-chested and bloody. Nate is not always winning these fights, he’s surviving these fights, but he’s coming out ahead and overcoming insurmountable odds by applying his smarts and ingenuity. This was such a great writing experience for me because you could have fun with many of the set pieces as well the high-concept element of it.”

Jacobson’s manager, Julian Rosenberg, who also serves as a producer on Novocaine, pitched Safehouse Pictures’ Matt Schwartz with the writer’s idea for the film.

“I read it that night and immediately fell in love,” recalls Schwartz. “Novocaine was the type of film that Safehouse and producers Tory Tunnell, Joby Harold, and myself have always gravitated towards. It was unique and had an awesome high concept but with a relatable, lovely, and sympathetic hero at the center of it. There were also great universal themes. On the one hand, it’s about all the crazy things you’ll do for love. But what struck me about it was that it forces us to think about how we can change the way we see our insecurities and things that make us different, and turn those into positives, spinning them into things that make us special and unique. That felt like such a lovely thing that would resonate with everyone so we immediately leaned into the project.”

“It took a little while to find the right home for the script,” says producer Harold, who knew a little bit about high concept action from his work within the world of John Wick, “but I couldn’t shake the concept of the movie.  The idea of this character was really stuck in my teeth – it felt like such an amazing casting opportunity – and I just kept saying “what’s happening with Novocaine?  What can we be doing that we aren’t doing?”  I just had a real instinct that Nate was going to be a character that audiences would fall in love with.  All we had to do was find the right partner who saw what we saw.”

Fellow producer Drew Simon had recently established Infrared Pictures and as one of Schwartz’s closest friends, it felt like the perfect project to collaborate on. “Drew and I have incredibly similar tastes,” notes Schwartz. “And when we reached out to him, he loved it and we were off to the races.”

“Getting the chance to work with one of your best friends on a movie like this is a special experience that we didn’t take for granted,” says Simon. “Novocaine got me from the very beginning because we watch this man who doesn’t feel pain have to find his identity and break out of the bubble that his life has created for him while falling in love and going through an obstacle course of action. He’s an incredibly relatable protagonist and this special condition allows for set pieces done in inventive, creative ways you haven’t seen before on screen. It felt like a fresh take on a genre that people love.”

The Safehouse Pictures team had an existing relationship with directing partners Dan Berk & Robert Olsen and instantly felt they would be the perfect filmmakers for the project.

Filmmakers Dan Berk and Robert Olsen

“And after our first meeting, I knew these were the directors for the movie,” says Simon. “They had passion, vision, and a style they wanted to bring to it that felt fresh, unique, and special. They wanted to subvert the genre. This was a great script to begin with and then they took it up several notches and made it into something that will stand the test of time as an action movie. The biggest challenge was finding the right balance of action, heart, and humor because we were not trying to make just another action movie. We were trying to make something fun, different and that stands out.”

Though Berk and Olsen have traditionally written and originated the films they direct, when they read Jacobson’s script, they were immediately hooked. “It had a very sticky concept at the core of it,” says Berk. “A guy who can’t feel pain being thrust into this action movie is a protagonist you don’t expect in that situation. We also saw that it had a lot of potential for an infusion of our signature tone so we jumped at it.”

Adds Olsen, “The mix of humor and violence is also what makes this movie special because everybody’s seen an action movie that has a ton of gore in it and a more dour tone. But the image of somebody being punched in the face and smiling right after is the heart of this movie.”

Jacobson, too, was thrilled with the choice of Berk and Olsen to bring his script to the screen.  “As a writer, you’re always hoping that the directors will elevate your material, bring something new, and open it up further,” says Jacobson. “Dan and Bobby did a great job of establishing a tone with Nate by balancing the action with the comedy while also giving it a strong engine. Once the movie gets started, it doesn’t stop.”

After helming five features together, the directing duo is a well-oiled machine when it comes to their communication, something that was noticed by every member of the cast and creative team.

“We’ve learned to get on the same page before even stepping onto the set so no one has to come and get the check mark from both of us,” shares Olsen. “What makes our partnership work, is that we were best friends way before we ever started to work together so we have that foundation of brotherhood.” Adds Berk, “It’s taken a long time to perfect our process. We spend months and months and months before we ever get to the sound stages mapping out every single possible eventuality so that when something comes up on set, we already have the answer. It may seem effortless from the outside, but we spend a lot of time on it.”

Casting Novocaine

As Berk and Olsen further developed the film and began their directors’ pass at the shooting script, they found themselves writing with one actor in particular in their thoughts. “It was months before we brought up Jack Quaid to anyone else but we always had his voice in mind,” recalls Berk. “Jack was our dream casting for this role. We were huge fans of his from The Boys and felt he was an actor with massive potential. We pitched the idea to our producers and the studio, and they were into it. Jack is an atomic bomb of charisma and there’s nobody as likable as him. In our first Zoom meeting with him, it felt like we had known him for 20 years.”

“And it wasn’t easy to find the right person for this role,” adds Olsen. “It’s hard to find somebody who has that nerdy quality to them to play the introverted parts of the role, but then still has the oomph to go in there when it turns into an action movie and to sell it and be a movie star. Jack’s ability to shift into those different roles is something you can’t find easily.”

For Jacobson, Quaid couldn’t have been more perfect to portray the anti-action hero, Nathan Caine. “With Nate, you want someone who is inherently sympathetic, likable, and an everyman and someone you don’t necessarily think would win a fight,” he says. “Jack played it to a T. He understood the anxiety, the neuroses of this character and also that he was willing to risk it all to save the woman he loved.”

As for Quaid, the actor counts himself as a huge fan of action movies, “especially the fun ones of the 1980s and ‘90s,” which was a large reason he leaped at the chance to play Nathan Caine. “I find these movies so impressive when they’re done right, especially if they can make you feel something or elicit a reaction,” he says. “So what I loved about this movie is that it’s very much inspired by older action movies where the focus is on the fun of it all.”

In preparing the actor for the role, the directors provided Quaid with a list of movies to view. “Firstly, Dan and Bobby are two of my favorite people I’ve ever worked with,” says Quaid. “Their passion and joy about this entire experience was so infectious, and it created an amazing environment on set. They recommended films like Lethal Weapon 1 and 2, Die Hard, and Hard Boiled, which is an incredible movie. I also watched romance movies like Before Sunrise. Hopefully, if we did our jobs right, Novocaine will fit into the pantheon of both genres in such a fun and unique way.”

Quaid also says he thoroughly enjoyed bringing his character’s hero’s journey to life over the course of the film. “At his core, Nate is a really big sweetheart, an extremely nice guy, and a big nerd, which I loved about him,” he says. “He’s also quite lonely as he hasn’t ever connected with anyone romantically in his life. And now that he’s turned 30, he’s realizing that he’s living on borrowed time. It’s been hard to go out there and meet people when you’re a balloon in a world of pins.”

Amber Midthunder as “Sherry” and Jack Quaid as “Nate” in Novocaine from Paramount Pictures. © 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

“Amber Midthunder was ideal casting for Sherry,” raves Jacobson. “And the chemistry between Jack and Amber is perfect. Sherry is a very complex character. At first, she’s this object of affection and admiration for Nate, but once he gets to know her, she’s very upfront, honest, and direct. They form a deep and fast connection.”

Midthunder says she was captivated by the beautiful complexity of their relationship given that Sherry initially doesn’t expect to form such genuine feelings for Nate. “I think what makes their relationship so special is that they bring out this true version of the other person,” she shares. “Dan, Bobby, and I talked a lot about how Nate sees Sherry in a way she’s never been seen before. To Sherry, that is both alarming and disarming and that’s what makes her feel so drawn to him and feel safe with him, especially so quickly. She’s affected by that because she’s never felt that kind of safety before in her life.”

Jack Quaid as “Nate” in Novocaine from Paramount Pictures. Photo Credit: Marcos Cruz. © 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Creating the visually arresting, action-packed world of Novocaine

To land the perfect visual aesthetic for Novocaine, the filmmakers spent considerable time discussing the possibilities with the film’s cinematographer, Jacques Jouffret. Novocaine marks the first action film for Berk and Olsen after helming several thrillers and horror films, so they were set on finding a director of photography who had experience in the genre and Jouffret’s previous credits include Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Gran Turismo, and American Primeval.

The impressive and imaginative non-stop stunts, fights, and gags in Novocaine were brought to the screen by Bulgarian-born Stanimir ‘Stani’ Stamatov who served as the film’s stunt coordinator, alongside co-stunt coordinator Kerry Gregg, and their team. “Stani and Kerry have done an incredible job and their team was so professional,” raves Simon. “We don’t know how they pulled it off. There were so many stunts with these bone-crunching hits.” Stamatov’s specialty has been producing brawler-type fights in projects including The Expendables and Game of Thrones, making him the natural fit for developing the specific style of fighting in Novocaine.

Like many filmmakers, Berk and Olsen have always strived to do things practically as much as they could, without relying too heavily on visual effects. “It looks more authentic and it’s also more authentic for the actors when there’s something tangible there to touch and perform with,” shares Berk. “So this movie is very prosthetics-heavy. There’s so much violence, gore, wounds, breaks, and all this wild stuff. We were really lucky to find Clinton, who has a great resume including Guardians of the Galaxy and Resident Evil. What he does is very scientific. The prep process is massive and there is so much technology behind it. He had to break Nate’s journey into the 52 different steps of physical degradation and have a plan for every one of those. He would look at the 3D scans of Jack at various times and be able to say, ‘It looks a little too messed up there’ or ‘That’s a little too scary.’

Recreating San Diego In South Africa

When Novocaine’s creative team was searching for a shooting location that could believably stand in for San Diego, California, they were drawn to the similar landscape and climate found in Cape Town, South Africa. “As we started getting into the logistics of how we were going to create the biggest feeling, most event-worthy and cinematic movie possible for our budget, we started looking all over the world,” recalls Simon. “Our story takes place over the Christmas season, but we set it in San Diego which opens the movie up in such a great way. Cape Town is a near-perfect replica of San Diego. But more than that, it also provided so much more scale to the movie. Our climactic set piece which was once set in a tunnel, became a scene at a shipping port with giant shipping crates and boats everywhere. Cape Town provided so much scope, in addition to having some of the best crews in the world. Every department, every crew, every person who worked on this movie was better than the next. It was a pleasure.”

As Novocaine explodes onto cinema screens, audiences can look forward to experiencing dynamic characters in a high-concept story that blends a variety of genres with a wildly specific action language, separating it from anything ever seen on screen before.

“This movie delivers incredible action, tons of humor, and great heart,” says Simon. “It’s a nonstop action thrill ride that will have audiences on the edge of their seats. They’re going to be laughing and crying, and in a really fun way, they’re going to be looking away from the screen at times. It’s a movie that belongs in the theaters as it feels like such a cinematic experience. When you watch a movie like this with an audience, it’s going to feel like an event and that is what movies are all about.”

Agrees Berk, “There are certain scenes you shoot and based on the reactions of those around you, you know this is what makes a theatrical experience. Novocaine will still be fun to watch on your couch, but it will be nowhere near as much fun as watching it in a dark theater with several hundred other people.”

Quaid says he’s most excited for people to experience the film’s singular tone and the journey Nathan Caine goes on over the course of the movie. “I love that Nate is ultimately a very positive character and he’s happy-go-lucky despite all of the horrific stuff that happens to him,” says the actor. “This film blends all these genres in a cool, unique way that I’ve never seen before. I hope audiences will enjoy that. It’s going to be a wild ride, and I’ll be so excited to hear the reactions inside the theater.”

Novocaine’s screenwriter agrees, adding that in addition to the non-stop action and comedy, he hopes audiences also find this to be a compelling and unique love story. “That’s how I always looked at it,” concludes Jacobson. “It’s about two very broken characters who come from different sides of the spectrum of pain. Nate can’t feel pain and feels disconnected from humanity because of it. Sherry uses pain as a way to feel connected to life and to remind herself that she’s alive. When these two characters meet, they have instant chemistry, but then they’re torn apart until they ultimately sacrifice for one another. That’s what this story is about at the end. Nate’s not just saving Sherry. Sherry is saving Nate.”

DAN BERK & ROBERT OLSEN

After meeting as roommates during their freshman year at NYU, Dan Berk and Robert Olsen quickly bonded over their mutual love for genre films. They began honing their craft in commercial work, music videos, and comedy sketches, developing a distinct visual style and a knack for blending suspense with dark humor.

Their feature filmmaking journey began with BODY (2015), a minimalist psychological thriller that gained attention on the festival circuit before securing a limited theatrical release through Oscilloscope. This was followed by The Stakelander (2017), a sequel to Jim Mickle’s cult vampire film Stake Land, which further solidified their ability to work within established genre frameworks while injecting their own voice.

In 2018, they wrote and directed VILLAINS, a darkly comedic thriller starring Bill Skarsgård, Maika Monroe, Jeffrey Donovan, and Kyra Sedgwick. The film premiered at the 2019 South by Southwest Film Festival to strong reviews and was later released theatrically by Gunpowder & Sky, earning praise for its sharp writing and unpredictable twists.

Continuing their momentum, Berk and Olsen directed Significant Other (2022), a sci-fi thriller starring Maika Monroe and Jake Lacy. Released by Paramount+ to critical acclaim, the film showcased their ability to blend intimate character drama with high-concept storytelling.

Most recently, they directed the action-comedy Novocaine starring Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder, set for a Spring 2025 theatrical release by Paramount Pictures.

Throughout their careers, Berk and Olsen have demonstrated a keen ability to subvert genre conventions while maintaining a deep appreciation for classic horror, thriller, and sci-fi storytelling. Their films are marked by tension, sharp dialogue, and an ever-present sense of unpredictability, positioning them as two of the most exciting voices in modern genre filmmaking.

LARS JACOBSEN



Since they first met over 30 years ago, Steven Soderbergh and David Koepp have become two of the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood, with a string of critical hits and commercial blockbusters that has rarely been matched. Their latest film, Black Bag, the third time they have teamed up as director and writer, respectively, is an unconventional spy drama that takes audiences behind the scenes of a top-secret search for a double agent and into the personal lives of two elite espionage operatives, who are also passionately in love.

The key to their successful collaborations is what Soderbergh describes as the same amount of healthy respect and disrespect for each other. “David is obviously very good at his job and I think he generally likes my directing,” he says. “Knowing that, we’re comfortable being honestly critical with each other. Neither of us feels any need to obfuscate.”

That idea for Black Bag stuck with Koepp

“Think about it,” he says. “If you want to have an affair, it couldn’t be easier. You just say, ‘I’ll be gone for three days and you can’t ask me where I’m going because you don’t have clearance.’ You can’t trust people and people can’t trust you. For George and Kathryn, the confidential information they can’t share goes into what they call their ‘black bag.’”

Soderbergh is always looking for a script that is intelligent and has the potential to be a star-driven, commercial movie. “I love that it’s smart, like so many of David’s scripts,” he says. “And I want as many people as possible to see my work. Black Bag seemed to be the same kind of opportunity that the Ocean’s films presented.”

One of Soderbergh’s best qualities as a director is his decisiveness, in Koepp’s eyes. “Otherwise, you could drown in possibilities. He’s also not afraid of contradictions. In the world of espionage, everything’s ambiguous. Everything’s a puzzle.”

The most significant change Soderbergh suggested during development was moving the story from the U.S. to the U.K., where the main characters are all employed by the NCSC. A division of the country’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the NCSC focuses on intelligence drawn from technology as opposed to their partners MI5 and MI6 (the latter famously the home of James Bond), which gather information from people. “It just felt like a fresher location for this story, if only because there seem to be so many series and movies set in the American intelligence world,” he says. “London is a city I find very cinematic. David agreed to that.”

As the film begins, George is given a list with five names on it, all of whom are suspected of being the traitor. All of them come from the agency’s most elite ranks. “Each of them is aware of Severus,” says Soderbergh. “Each of them has the security clearance that allows them access. There’s nobody else that knows about it. They are the suspects simply because they have knowledge of it.”

“There is a traitor high up in the organization,” adds Koepp. “Nobody’s above suspicion. Remarkably, one of the suspects is Kathryn. That’s a story I hadn’t seen. I wanted to know how two people who are supremely devoted to each other might deal with that.”

Both partners remain elusive, perhaps even mysterious to each other at times, which feeds their passion. “It is an interesting context in which to explore the idea of betrayal,” the director says. “The source of most conflict in the world is somebody feeling they have been betrayed or that a trust has been broken. In this situation, both main characters hold a kind of get-out-of-jail-free card because not only are they not obligated to share everything, in some cases they are forbidden to.”

The center of the conspiracy that George has been asked to investigate is Severus, a piece of malware with the ability to completely destabilize a nuclear facility. “Severus is a bit of dirty tricks that the agency wants kept under wraps,” explains Koepp. “In fact, many countries have already developed destructive software that can be introduced into an opponent’s infrastructure with devastating results. Perhaps most famously, a worm called Stuxnet was introduced into Iranian nuclear reactors and caused some of their components to fail.”

Conventional political thrillers often place a potential large-scale incident at the center of the story, as Soderbergh points out. “Severus functions as an inciting incident, but more importantly, it’s a way to talk about what you do if you think your spouse is violating the unspoken agreement that you made with each other,” he adds.

Koepp readily admits that spy movies are among his favorite genres to write. “People are lying,” he says. “The stakes are astronomical. There’s nothing more fun to write than that. We have all the action, suspense and tension that audiences want from a spy story, plus characters that are compelling and layered.

At times, Black Bag becomes more like Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? than Mission: Impossible. That’s a big part of what audiences will respond to. It brought me back to some of the great 1970s films like Klute and All the President’s Men, which were steeped in paranoia and deceit. The feeling of being lied to was very strong in that era and it’s pretty strong in this story as well.”


Fassbender and Blanchett are authentic movie stars at the top of their professions, in Koepp’s opinion

“Both Michael and Cate bring exceptional acting skill, which is easy to say, but difficult to find,” he notes. “They both have a powerful understanding of screen acting and how to do more with less. George’s job is to withhold, to be steely. Michael’s performance is a masterpiece of minimalism. Cate’s role is much more expressive, but you often wonder what’s really going on behind her eyes.”

Soderbergh worked with Fassbender on the 2011 film Haywire and had wanted to work with him again for years. “He’s always under consideration. I knew he wouldn’t be afraid to play the interiority of George. He burrowed in deep while creating a calm surface that masks a lot of turbulence. Michael can imply a great deal without being flashy.”

Michael Fassbender stars as George Woodhouse in director Steven Soderbergh’s BLACK BAG, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

The actor was equally eager to work with Soderbergh again, Fassbender says. “I read the script and said I’m in. We talked about details like what kind of spectacles George would wear and that he might have a stainless-steel kitchen. George is a very traditional, old-school character and quite an obsessive guy, so the small things were very important.”

Kathryn is a character that requires a bit of old-fashioned Hollywood glamour in addition to extraordinary acting skills. “Cate just has both these qualities,” says Soderbergh. “Over the years, she’s always kept in touch to find out if there is anything we might work on together, which I’m flattered by. When there is, she gets it immediately.”

Fassbender says that Blanchett took a note from the script to heart that is essential to the character. “It said Kathryn is the head of the table, wherever she sits. But Cate also brings something that I didn’t see on the page. There’s a lot of ambiguity in her performance. Kathryn has built a sturdy exterior wall even for George, but there is vulnerability within her as well. As their colleague Freddie says, the one thing that you can count on is that they’ll do anything for one another.”

Cate Blanchett stars as Kathryn St. Jean in director Steven Soderbergh’s BLACK BAG, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

Black Bag marks Blanchett’s third go-round with Soderbergh. She says she did not even read the script before saying yes to it. “I just said, ‘Who am I playing?’ It was written by David and directed by Steven.

That’s all I needed to know. Steven’s got amazing panache and range as a filmmaker. He doesn’t stay in the same lane. He understands the outsider’s perspective these characters have, the way they can move almost panther-like through the world.

“David knows how to make great, propulsive narrative dramas that are also really fun,” she continues. “He understands how to play with audience expectations in a delicious way, and then he delivers something even more satisfying than what you were expecting.”

The script did not disappoint her. “Black Bag has a truly satisfying thriller aspect,” she believes. “But it doesn’t use any tricks or withhold information to get your attention. The audience learns things quickly and in unexpected ways. It’s also a psychological study that will make you want to fall into their world. The marriage was something I had not seen before. George and Kathryn would literally kill for each other, which is a good premise for a movie, particularly one dealing with spies.”

The filmmakers were able to reach out directly to the real-life spies at GCHQ/NCSC’s parent organization, who agreed to help with some unclassified elements of their trade. Some cast members, including Fassbender, Burke, Abela, Brosnan and Page, met with real-life GCHQ and NCSC operatives, most of whom could only give their first names — assuming those names were even real.

Fast-moving, clever and surprisingly funny, Black Bag should first and foremost be entertaining, according to its creators

“When Cate saw the movie, she emailed me,” remembers Soderbergh. “The first three words were, ‘That was FUN!’ It would be great if the audience has fun watching it. To be good and to be smart and also fun is a worthy goal — but nowhere near as easy as it sounds. A lot of people worked hard in the aid of creating something that we thought would be really entertaining. That was always our goal.”

Koepp hopes it piques the curiosity of moviegoers. “I’d love people to come out of this movie wondering if the spy world really is like this,” he says. “Myself, I have reason to believe that it is. Anybody who has ever worked in a group situation knows that the personal lives of the people involved will bleed all over it. Then of course we all will want to talk about things like who’s sleeping with whom.”

Soderbergh emphasizes the importance of having what he calls a brain trust to collaborate with.

“You need people who will speak openly and ask questions,” he says. “I’ve been working with producer Greg Jacobs for 30 years. Casey Silver, who is also a producer, was one of the first people I met in the film business. He gave me my first screenwriting job.”

Working alongside Soderbergh is always an exciting creative experience for the producers. “Steven’s natural inclination is to be thoughtful and considerate,” says Silver. “He is totally prepared, technically proficient and completely reliable. His confidence, born of experience, allows for a productive back and forth to solve any issues. He engages gracefully and effectively with both cast and crew.”

Jacobs agrees enthusiastically, adding “Black Bag is a smart, sleek, entertaining and extraordinarily well acted film. With the breadth of experience that Steven has and the working history that we have, everything went smoothly — as usual.”

People like Jacobs and Silver help Soderbergh make sure that the ideas behind the film become the best possible version of themselves, he explains. “There is always a lot of trial and error that grows out of conversations among the brain trust and keeps improving the work and making it clearer,” the director says. Whenever I complete a film, I’m reminded of where we started and how much movement came because of those kinds of conversations. I’d rather not feel like I did it all myself. I want to know I’ve considered everything, pursued every avenue to improve it.”


Director Steven Soderbergh on the set of BLACK BAG, a Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

STEVEN SODERBERGH (Director, Cinematographer, Editor) is a writer, director, producer, cinematographer and editor. This marks his third collaboration with screenwriter David Koepp, following the 2022 thriller KIMI and this year’s horror film Presence. In 2001 he won the Academy Award for Best Director for Traffic, with a rare second nomination in the same year (for Erin Brockovich). In 2013 he won the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for his HBO film “Behind the Candelabra.” Soderbergh previously received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for sex, lies, and videotape, his feature film directorial debut. That film also won the Palme d’Or at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.

Up next for Soderbergh is the comedy The Christophers, starring Ian McKellen and James Corden. The film is now in preproduction.

Soderbergh’s previous directorial credits include Magic Mike and Magic Mike’s Last Dance, No Sudden Move, Let Them All Talk, The Laundromat, High Flying Bird, Unsane, Logan Lucky, Side Effects, Haywire, Contagion, And Everything Is Going Fine, The Informant!, The Girlfriend Experience, Che, the Ocean’s trilogy, The Good German, Bubble, Equilibrium, Solaris, Full Frontal, The Limey, Out of Sight, Schizopolis, Gray’s Anatomy, The Underneath, King of the Hill and Kafka.

Also a prolific producer, Soderbergh’s film credits in this capacity include documentaries Citizenfour, Naqoyqatsi, Is That Black Enough for You?!?, The Exiles, The King, Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out, Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired and Who Is Bernard Tapie? as well as scripted features Divinity, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Report, Pu-239, Beats, Ocean’s Eight, Pleasantville, Magic Mike XXL, Wind Chill, Criminal, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Rebecca H. (Return to the Dogs), Keane, Solitary Man, I’m Not There, Far From Heaven, Michael Clayton, Good Night and Good Luck, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, A Scanner Darkly, Rumor Has It…, Syriana, The Jacket, Insomnia, Welcome to Collinwood, Once Within a Time, The Daytrippers and Suture.

For the small screen, Soderbergh helmed the HBO (now Max) series “K Street,” “Mosaic” and “Full Circle” as well as web series “Command Z” and the Cinemax series “The Knick.” In addition, Soderbergh has produced or executive produced the Max unscripted series “Finding Magic Mike,” the Starz series “The Girlfriend Experience” (inspired by his own 2009 film), “Now Apocalypse” and “Leavenworth,” the Netflix limited series “Godless,” Douglas McGrath’s HBO documentary “His Way,” the Amazon series “Red Oaks” and the 2021 Academy Awards ceremony.


DAVID KOEPP (Writer, Executive Producer) has written or co-written the screenplays for more than 30 films, including notable titles such as Apartment Zero, Bad Influence, Death Becomes Her, Carlito’s Way, Jurassic Park, The Paper, Mission: Impossible, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Snake Eyes, Panic Room, Spider-Man, War of the Worlds, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Angels & Demons and Inferno.

Most recently, Koepp penned two other films directed by Steven Soderbergh, thriller Kimi and the haunted house movie Presence. Gareth Edwards’ Jurassic World: Rebirth will be released in July. Also coming this year is the thriller Cold Storage, which Koepp adapted from his debut novel. His second novel, Aurora, was published by HarperCollins in 2022 and his story “Yard Work,” narrated by Kevin Bacon, was released by Audible Originals in 2020.

As a director, Koepp’s feature credits include The Trigger Effect, Stir of Echoes, Secret Window, Ghost Town, Premium Rush and You Should Have Left. Ghost Town and Premium Rush were co-written with the enigmatic John Kamps. Koepp was born in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and graduated from UCLA’s film school in 1986.



Athol Fugard was inspired to write Master Harold…and the Boys based on an incident from his own youth. The play is partly autobiographical, drawing from Fugard’s experiences growing up in South Africa during the apartheid era. Fugard’s relationship with Sam, a black man who worked for his family, served as the foundation for the story. The play explores themes of racism, friendship, and the complexities of human relationships in a racially divided society.

“I wrote Master Harold…and the Boys as a way to confront the pain and injustice of apartheid, using my own experiences to shed light on the human cost of racial segregation. The play is a testament to the strength of human relationships and the enduring power of love and understanding in the face of adversity,” said Fugard.

The screenplay for the 2010 film adaptation of Master Harold…and the Boys was written by Nicky Rebelo. The film was directed by Lonny Price, who had played Hally in the original Broadway cast.

The film stars Freddie Highmore, Ving Rhames, and Patrick Mofokeng. The story is set in 1950s South Africa and revolves around Hally, a white South African adolescent, and his complex relationships with two black waiters, Sam and Willie. Seventeen-year-old Hally has a strained relationship with his biological father, who is a violent alcoholic. Hally finds solace and guidance in his friendships with Sam and Willie, who work at his mother’s tea room. Sam, in particular, serves as a positive role model for Hally, exposing him to new experiences and teaching him valuable life lessons.

“To know nothing about yourself is to be constantly in danger of nothingness, those voids of non-being over which a man walks the tightrope of his life.” Athol Fugard.

Master Harold…and the Boys is a significant work for several reasons, both in the context of its historical background and its thematic depth

Written by Athol Fugard during the apartheid era, the play exposes the harsh realities of racial segregation and the profound impact it had on individuals and relationships. The setting of the play, a tea room in 1950s South Africa, serves as a microcosm of the larger societal tensions of the time.

The play directly addresses the systemic racism entrenched in South African society. Through the interactions between Hally, a young white boy, and Sam and Willie, two black men, Fugard illustrates the deeply ingrained prejudices and the societal hierarchies that were prevalent.

At its core, the play is a poignant exploration of friendship. The bond between Hally and Sam is complex, reflecting both deep affection and painful betrayal. The play examines how societal pressures and ingrained biases can fracture even the strongest of relationships.

Hally’s character is a portrayal of a young boy caught between the innocence of youth and the corrupting influences of the racist society he is growing up in. His journey is a poignant reminder of how societal norms can shape and sometimes distort a person’s identity and values.

The play is partly autobiographical, drawing from Fugard’s own experiences growing up in South Africa. This personal connection adds an authentic and heartfelt layer to the narrative.

Fugard’s use of dialogue is powerful, with every word carefully chosen to reflect the tension and the emotional landscape of the characters. Symbolic elements, such as the kite-flying episode, serve to underscore the themes of hope and shattered dreams.

Since its premiere in 1982, the play has received critical acclaim and has been studied widely for its unflinching portrayal of apartheid and its human cost. It remains a staple in discussions about South African literature and theatre.

Master Harold…and the Boys is a poignant reminder of a painful past and a call to reflect on the ongoing struggles for equality and justice. It highlights the transformative power of theatre to challenge, educate, and inspire.

Athol Fugard (1932 – 2025)

Athol Fugard, born Harold Athol Lanigan Fugard on June 11, 1932, in Middelburg, Cape Province (now Eastern Cape), South Africa, was a renowned playwright, novelist, actor, and director. He is widely regarded as South Africa’s greatest playwright and a significant figure in the world of theatre.

Early Life and Education

Fugard’s mother, Marrie (née Potgieter), was an Afrikaner who operated a general store and later a lodging house. His father, Harold Fugard, of Irish, English, and French Huguenot descent, was a former jazz pianist who had become disabled. In 1935, the family moved to Port Elizabeth, where Fugard attended primary school at Marist Brothers College. He later studied Philosophy and Social Anthropology at the University of Cape Town but dropped out in 1953, a few months before his final examinations.

Career

Fugard’s career began with his early plays, “No-Good Friday” and “Nongogo,” but it was “The Blood Knot” (1961) that established his reputation. This play, dealing with brothers who fall on opposite sides of the racial color line, was the first in a sequence Fugard called “The Family Trilogy.” The series continued with “Hello and Goodbye” (1965) and “Boesman and Lena” (1969).

Fugard’s works often addressed the injustices of apartheid, and he insisted on producing his plays in venues where audiences were not segregated. His notable works include “Sizwe Banzi Is Dead,” “The Island,” “Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act,” “A Lesson from Aloes,” “Master Harold…and the Boys,” and “The Road to Mecca”.

Impact and Legacy

Fugard’s commitment to social justice extended beyond theatre. He used his platform to bring attention to the atrocities of apartheid and insisted on inclusivity and equality in his productions. His works have been adapted into films, including “Boesman and Lena,” “Master Harold…and the Boys,” “Tsotsi,” and “The Road to Mecca”.

Throughout his illustrious career, Fugard received numerous accolades, including the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver from the South African government in 2005 and a Tony Award for lifetime achievement in 2011. The Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, opened in 2010, stands as a tribute to his contributions to the arts1.

Personal Life

Fugard was married to Sheila Meiring Fugard, a novelist and poet, from 1956 until their divorce in 2015. He later married Paula Fourie in 2016. Fugard passed away on March 8, 2025, at the age of 92.

Athol Fugard’s legacy as a playwright and activist continues to inspire generations. His works remain a powerful testament to the human spirit’s resilience and the enduring fight for justice and equality.


BACK TO PA MOVIE CLUB


Film, like speech and writing, has a unique language

Writing, speech, and visual images all communicate within their own particular spheres.

Film Is A Visual Art

Visual art expresses its subjects in space. The art in visual art consists of how those subjects are composed in space. A painter composes with colour, shapes, and tones. A sculptor composes with shapes and spaces. A photographer composes with real and sometimes unreal objects of light.  The visual side of the film is primarily in the hands of three members of the production team:

  • Production Designer/ Art Director: Responsible for designing sets and the total visual concept of the film.
  • Cinematographer: Who decides the lighting, and in some cases the composition of the shot to be photographed.
  • Director: Who supervises the mechanics of filming.

Film Is Also A Temporal Art

A temporal art expresses its subjects in time. The art in a temporal art consists of how those subjects are composed in time. A playwright composes with characters’ behaviour and dialogue. A poet composes with the juxtaposition of words and phrases. A novelist composes with dialogue and descriptions of words and phrases.  The temporal side of the film is the responsibility of:

  • Director: Who must keep in mind how each action relates to the actions that come before and after it.
  • Film Editor: Who puts the pieces of film into interesting and coherent rhythms. His work often influences the structure of the scenes and may change the structure of the film.
  • Screenwriter: Who works out the temporal organisation of the film, which normally precedes the visual organisation. Working from the screenplay, the art director, director, and cinematographer then create the visual organisation.

The Art Of Collaboration

The art of collaboration in filmmaking is essential for creating compelling and memorable films. Effective communication among team members ensures that everyone understands the vision and goals of the project. Building trust and respect among team members fosters a positive working environment. A unified vision helps keep everyone on the same page. It’s essential for the director and key creatives to clearly articulate the desired outcome and ensure that all team members are aligned with this vision. Filmmaking involves balancing different perspectives and ideas. By embracing the Art Of Collaboration, filmmakers can create a cohesive and dynamic team that produces exceptional films.

Have a look at this terrific scene from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and see how he masterfully manipulates the senses through visual storytelling


Visual dynamics are important in Novels as well

Here’s how J.R.R Tolkien’s used Visual Dynamics in his novel The Hobbit:

Now if you wish, like the dwarves, to hear news of Smaug, you must go back again to the evening when he smashed the door and flew off in rage, two days before. The men of the lake-town Esgaroth were mostly indoors, for the breeze from the black East and chill, but a few were walking on the quays, and watching, as they were fond of doing, the stars shine out from the smooth patches of the lake as they opened in the sky.

J.K. Rowling – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.

F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby

In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. At high tide in the afternoon, I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam.

The Visual Dynamics of Film

Films are created in bits and pieces and put together in an order that the filmmaker hopes will make sense to the viewer. When the filmmaker begins to create the film itself, he or she has a choice of a great variety of techniques to tell the story or communicate the ‘bits and pieces’.

Camera Work

The basic element in all films is the shot. This is a single piece of film that may be as short as one frame or as long as the entire film. The shot continues until the filmmaker decides to change to another shot.  In a finished film, the shot becomes a scene. Scenes are the building blocks of sequences, which make up the entire film. They can be compared to sentences which make up paragraphs that create an entire story. The filmmaker uses different kinds of shots to create variations. An establishing shot often comes at the beginning of a sequence to orient the audience with the general surroundings. Other shots are the medium shot, the close shot, the point of view shot. These different shots are used to create various feelings and moods in the audience.

Another series of shots used by filmmakers involves camera angles. There are three basic angles: High-angle shots look down on the subject; low-angle shots in which the camera looks up; and flat-angle shots or eye-level shots.

Here’s Terrence Mallick’s Tree of Life, where the film becomes a meditative visual experience.

The camera can also move; there have been several developments in the area: the steadicam, the fly-cam; remote head cameras and different cranes.

Here’s the flight scene from Man Of Steel, capturing the thrill, excitement and adventure of Superman’s first flight, something we all dream about. 

Optical Effects

Filmmakers use optical effects to influence how audiences see films.

  • Fade in: At the beginning of a new segment, the scene starts out black and grows brighter until it reaches the proper exposure.
  • Fade out:  At the end of several sequences, telling us that a segment has ended; the image grows darker until it is black.
  • Dissolve: A fade-out and fade-in overlapped to create the image that appears to mix one into the other. This is used to show the passage of time from one scene to the next.
  • Slow-motion: This is used to describe details better, to emphasise violence and action sequences, to show the beauty of a subject and to highlight the emotional impact of a scene.
  • Wipes: When one scene ‘wipes’ or moves another scene off the screen.
  • Freeze frame: To emphasise a particular frame or image.
  • Swish pan: The camera pans rapidly from one character to another in a scene, creating rapid pacing and increasing tempo.

Here’s the classic fight scene from The Matrix Reloaded, using optical effects to plunge us into the action.

Point Of View (P.O.V)

The filmmaker, similar to the author of a novel, can use various points of view. 

In Witness, an 8-year-old Amish boy whose father has just died is exploring the Philadelphia Amtrack station. We see him glance towards his mother, waiting on a bench, an unfamiliar sight in her black coat and bonnet. Then the camera moves at child’s-eye level, letting us see what the boy sees. We ‘walk’ as he walks, looking at a gigantic gold-covered statue. Next, the camera cuts to an overhead shot, looking down from high up the rafters, at the statue and the small boy. We, the audience, become involved and identify with the boy.

In Road to Perdition, Sam Mendes brilliantly uses point of view to accentuate a young boy’s realisation that his father is a killer.

Editing

Next to the actual photography, editing shots into the order a filmmaker wants is perhaps the most important part of creating a film.  A group of scenes that are edited together make up the sequence. The cut is used to change our attention from one scene to another. The joining of one scene with another scene, how scenes follow one another, may seem a simple notion, but the cut in a film is one of the most powerful of the filmmaker’s techniques.

Creative editing involves cutting scenes so the action flows smoothly.

  • Matching action: We see a character walk to a door, open it, and start to go through to the other side. The viewpoint changes to inside the room, and we see the character continue on into the room. The action is smooth. There is one continuous flow of movement from outside to inside.
  • Montage: Each of the scenes passes quickly, but each scene is connected by similar ideas. One classic montage occurs in Citizen Kane. Orson Welles and Ruth Warrick, playing husband and wife, start the sequence by having breakfast at opposite ends of a conventionally sized dining table. As the sequence progresses, the table becomes longer and more stretched out. By the end of the scenes, we see the couple reading separate newspapers and obviously paying no attention to each other. The montage gives viewers a quick understanding of the couple’s growing indifference, to tell without dialogue the reason behind the marriage break-up.
  • Blind Editing: When the editor joins to scenes so that you cannot see where the cut is made. In The Color Purple several scenes are masterfully linked with visual and sound-editing.

The editor must be aware of the rhythm, tempo and pacing of the film.

  • Rhythm: The beat that we feel as we see the edited images pass by.
  • Tempo: The rate of the rhythm, or how fast the rhythm moves.
  • Pacing: The various changes in tempo and rhythm that take place in the film.

The film editor uses two basic techniques:

  • Cut-ins: Some detail of the main action is cut into the middle of another scene. For instance, a medium shot shows several characters talking. Suddenly one of them steps back in terror. At this point there is a cut-in of the actor’s face. The cut-in is also a close-up.
  • Cut-away: Cuts to another bit of action which involves the first scene. In the same shot as in the example above, one of the characters turns and looks off screen in terror. What she sees is what we see next – a cut-away to a man entering a room, holding a gun.

By juxtaposing bits and pieces of film that have been carefully planned and shot, a film editor can do all sort of tricks.

Here’s the classic shootout in Brian de Palma’s The Untouchables, an ultimate feat in editing to manipulate the physical and emotional action.

Lighting

Lighting placed low can give actors a sinister look. If it is dimmed it may make the same actors look depressed or sad. A shadow of a knife across a face and the shadow of a murderer stalking his victim are examples of shadow techniques.

Stanley Kubrick filmed Barry Lyndon using only natural light, drawing us into the world of the story.

Colour

Filmmakers can use the intensity or brightness of colour, as well as the lack of colour to paint a story.

Colour is a powerful tool in filmmaking, influencing the visual storytelling and emotional impact of a film.

  • Setting the Mood and Atmosphere – Colour can create a specific mood or atmosphere in a scene. For example, warm colours like red and orange can evoke feelings of warmth, passion, or tension, while cool colours like blue and green can create a sense of calm, sadness, or detachment.
  • Conveying Emotions – Colour can be used to represent the emotions of characters or the overall emotional tone of a scene. For example, a character experiencing anger might be surrounded by red hues, while a character in a melancholic state might be depicted in muted or desaturated colours.
  • Enhancing Visual Storytelling – Colours can be used to highlight important elements in a scene, guide the viewer’s attention, and enhance the storytelling. For example, a bright colour might be used to draw attention to a key object or character.
  • Symbolism and Themes – Colours often carry symbolic meanings and can reinforce themes within the film. For example, the use of white might symbolize purity or innocence, while black might represent evil or mystery. Filmmakers can use colour symbolism to add depth and layers of meaning to the narrative.
  • Creating Visual Contrast – Contrasting colours can create visual interest and highlight differences between characters, settings, or time periods. For example, a character dressed in bright colours might stand out against a dull background, emphasizing their uniqueness or importance.
  • Establishing Time and Place – Colour palettes can be used to distinguish different time periods, locations, or realities within a film. For example, a sepia tone might be used to represent a historical setting, while vibrant colours might indicate a futuristic world.
  • Continuity and Cohesion – Consistent use of colour can help create a cohesive visual style and enhance the overall aesthetic of the film. A carefully chosen colour palette can create a sense of unity and harmony throughout the film.
  • Eliciting Audience Reactions – Colour can evoke specific psychological responses from the audience. For example, the use of red can create a sense of urgency or excitement, while blue can have a calming effect.
  • Supporting Character Development – Colours can be used to represent a character’s journey or transformation. For example, a character might start the film dressed in dark, muted colours and gradually transition to brighter colours as they experience personal growth or change.
  • Creating Memorable Visuals – Striking use of colour can create iconic and memorable visuals that leave a lasting impression on the audience. Colourful and visually distinctive scenes can become iconic moments in film history.

Here’s the classic ‘girl with the red jacket’ scene from Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, brilliantly showing the effect war has on children. 

Composition

There is no rule in composition. Usually, the frame or image is composed so that it pleases the eye, emphasises something, or so that it will describe a tension between colours, shapes, and vertical and horizontal figures.

Composition in filmmaking is a fundamental aspect of visual dynamics, shaping how scenes are framed and presented to the audience. It involves the deliberate arrangement of elements within the frame to create a visually compelling and coherent image.

Examples of Effective Composition in Film

  • Wes Anderson: Known for his meticulous use of symmetry and color palettes, Anderson’s films like “The Grand Budapest Hotel” showcase precise and visually striking compositions.
  • Stanley Kubrick: Kubrick’s use of one-point perspective, as seen in “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “The Shining,” creates a sense of depth and visual impact.
  • Alfred Hitchcock: Hitchcock’s use of framing and leading lines, particularly in “Vertigo” and “Psycho,” guides the viewer’s eye and enhances suspense.

Composition is a powerful tool in filmmaking, allowing directors and cinematographers to craft visually engaging and emotionally resonant scenes. By mastering the principles of composition, filmmakers can create memorable and impactful visual storytelling.

Tim Burton is a master when it comes to composition. Here’s a scene from Sweeney Todd. Every frame is carefully composed to contribute to the theme of passion and desperation. 

Sound

Sound design has become an integral part of filmmaking. With the development of sound design, filmmakers can fully involve audiences in the visual action.

Sound plays a crucial role in filmmaking, significantly impacting the audience’s experience and emotional engagement.

  • Setting the Mood – Sound design, including background scores, ambient sounds, and effects, helps set the tone and mood of a scene. For example, suspenseful music can create tension, while a serene soundtrack can evoke calmness.
  • Enhancing Realism – Natural sounds like footsteps, rustling leaves, or city noises contribute to the authenticity of the film’s environment. These sounds immerse the audience in the setting, making the experience more believable.
  • Supporting the Narrative – Dialogue is a primary means of conveying the story and character development. Clear and well-executed dialogue helps the audience understand the plot, motivations, and emotions of the characters.
  • Creating Emotional Impact – Music and sound effects can evoke strong emotional responses from the audience. A powerful score can amplify the emotional intensity of a scene, whether it’s joy, sorrow, fear, or excitement.
  • Guiding the Audience’s Focus – Sound can direct the audience’s attention to specific elements within a scene. For example, a sudden sound can draw attention to a particular action or object, enhancing the visual storytelling.
  • Building Atmosphere and World-Building – Sound design helps create a unique atmosphere and world within the film. For instance, the futuristic sounds in sci-fi films or the eerie ambiance in horror movies contribute to the overall world-building.
  • Supporting Transitions – Sound bridges can smoothly transition between scenes or sequences. Music or sound effects can help maintain continuity and flow, making the film more cohesive.
  • Reinforcing Themes and Motifs – Recurring musical themes or motifs can reinforce key elements of the story. For example, a character’s theme music can signify their presence or emotions, adding depth to the narrative.
  • Creating Immersion – Surround sound and spatial audio techniques can create a more immersive experience for the audience. These techniques make the viewer feel like they are part of the action, enhancing the overall impact of the film.
  • Adding Layers of Meaning – Sound can add subtext and layers of meaning to a scene. For example, the use of contrasting music can create irony or highlight underlying emotions that are not explicitly shown on screen.

In summary, sound is an integral part of filmmaking, contributing to the overall storytelling, emotional impact, and audience engagement. It works in harmony with visual elements to create a memorable and immersive cinematic experience.

What better example than the opening from Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, where sound and image collide

Special and Visual Effects

With the advent of more realism in films of the 90s, and especially computer-generated effects,  Special Effects companies now take audiences where they have never been before.

Visual Effects (VFX)

Visual effects are created using computer-generated imagery (CGI) and other digital techniques to enhance or create scenes that cannot be achieved through traditional filming methods. VFX are often used to create fantastical elements, extend environments, or simulate complex actions.

Special Effects (SFX)

Special effects are practical effects created on set during filming, using physical methods rather than digital techniques. SFX include makeup, prosthetics, animatronics, pyrotechnics, and more. Special effects involve real physical elements, such as explosions, squibs, and fire. These effects are created and captured on camera, adding a sense of realism and tangibility. Mechanical effects include animatronics, puppetry, and mechanical rigs that create realistic movements and actions. These effects are often used for creatures, vehicles, and other dynamic elements. Stunt coordinators and performers use SFX to safely execute complex and dangerous actions, such as fight scenes, car chases, and falls. This adds excitement and authenticity to action sequences. Physical sets, miniatures, and props are created to enhance the visual storytelling. These tangible elements provide a sense of scale and detail that can be captured on camera.

Modern filmmaking often involves a combination of VFX and SFX to achieve the desired visual impact. This collaboration allows for the best of both worlds, blending digital and practical techniques to create visually stunning and immersive experiences.

Visual and special effects are integral to filmmaking, expanding the creative possibilities and enhancing the visual storytelling. By mastering these techniques, filmmakers can create memorable and impactful cinematic experiences

Exposition as a Visual Dynamic

Exposition is usually, but not always achieved through dialogue; characters talk about what happened in order to establish the next direction in the storyline. Primary exposition is the telling and showing to the audience the time and the place of the story, the names and relationships of the characters, and the nature of the conflict.

Exposition, in the context of visual storytelling, is the technique used to convey background information about the characters, setting, and plot to the audience. It’s essential for providing context and helping the audience understand the story. While exposition is often delivered through dialogue or narration, it can also be conveyed visually, making it a powerful tool in filmmaking.

  • Visual Clues and Symbols -Using visual elements to provide information can be more engaging than traditional exposition. For example, showing a character’s worn-out shoes and cluttered room can hint at their struggles and personality without needing explicit dialogue.
  • Props and Set Design – The objects and environment around the characters can tell a lot about their history and situation. For instance, a room filled with family photos and mementos can convey a character’s attachment to their past and loved ones.
  • Costume and Makeup – A character’s appearance can provide insights into their background, status, and personality. For example, a character wearing an old, patched-up uniform might suggest they have been through many battles.
  • Montages – A sequence of images or scenes edited together can efficiently convey a significant amount of information in a short period. For example, a montage showing a character’s childhood, training, and journey can provide context for their current situation.
  • Flashbacks and Flash-forwards – Using visual flashbacks or flash-forwards can reveal crucial information about a character’s past or future. These sequences can be visually distinct, using different color palettes or styles to indicate the time shift.
  • Environmental Storytelling – The surroundings and setting can provide context and background information. For example, a post-apocalyptic world can be conveyed through desolate landscapes, destroyed buildings, and scattered remnants of civilization.
  • Character Actions and Behaviors – How characters interact with their environment and other characters can reveal important information. For example, a character’s hesitation before entering a particular location can suggest past trauma associated with that place.
  • Visual Metaphors – Using visual metaphors can convey complex ideas and themes. For example, showing a character trapped in a small, confined space can symbolize their feeling of being trapped in their life or circumstances.

Examples of Effective Visual Exposition in Film:

  • Up: The opening sequence of Pixar’s “Up” is a masterclass in visual exposition. Through a montage of images, it tells the entire life story of Carl and Ellie, their dreams, struggles, and love, all without a single word of dialogue.
  • Blade Runner 2049: The film’s set design, including the futuristic cityscape and decaying environments, provides rich context for the world and its social dynamics.
  • Mad Max: Fury Road: The visual storytelling in this film conveys the harshness of the post-apocalyptic world and the characters’ desperation through environmental details and character designs.

By using visual exposition effectively, filmmakers can create a more immersive and engaging experience for the audience. It allows for storytelling that is both subtle and powerful, making the information feel organic and integral to the visual narrative.



Babette’s Feast is a beautiful and thought-provoking film based on a short story by Isak Dinesen, also known as Karen Blixen.

It tells the story of Babette Hersant, a French refugee who finds herself in a small, austere Danish village. Babette, a skilled chef, prepares a lavish feast for the villagers, which brings about unexpected transformations in their lives and relationships. The film features strong performances from its cast, with Stéphane Audran delivering a standout performance as Babette. The film als stars Birgitte Federspiel as Martine, and Bodil Kjer as Filippa as two elderly sisters who live a pious and austere life.


The film adaptation of Babette’s Feast was released in 1987. It has received wide acclaim and is considered a classic. Winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988, it was also honored with several other prestigious awards and nominations, solidifying its status as a significant work in cinematic history.

Gabriel Axel was also motivated by a desire to showcase Danish cinema on the international stage. The success of Babette’s Feast contributed to the recognition and appreciation of Danish filmmaking and opened doors for other Danish films in the global market. By drawing from these inspirations, Gabriel Axel created a film that not only stayed true to Blixen’s novella but also elevated it to new heights through the power of cinema.

Axel’s direction, along with the cinematography by Henning Kristiansen, creates an atmospheric and immersive experience. The film’s use of lighting, composition, and pacing effectively conveys the story’s mood and themes.


A deeply moving and thought-provoking film that offers a unique perspective on the role of food in our lives.

The film’s depiction of the feast is a testament to Axel’s appreciation for culinary art. He understood the significance of food as a medium for storytelling and transformation.

The film stands out among food-themed films for its unique blend of culinary artistry and profound storytelling. Set in a remote Danish village in the 19th century, the film has a quiet, contemplative atmosphere that reflects the austerity and simplicity of the villagers’ lives.

Exploring themes of sacrifice, grace, and the transformative power of art and food, it delves into the spiritual and emotional impact of a shared meal. The characters undergo significant emotional and spiritual growth as a result of the feast. Babette’s generosity and skill challenge their preconceived notions and bring about unexpected changes. The film highlights the meticulous preparation and artistry involved in creating a lavish French meal. It showcases the power of food to convey love and appreciation.

The film is known for its exploration of themes such as sacrifice, grace, and the power of art and food to bring people together. It’s a deeply moving and visually stunning work that has resonated with audiences since its release,

Set in a remote 19th-century Danish village, the film offers a glimpse into a different time and place, appealing to those who appreciate historical and cultural narratives.

The movie invites viewers to reflect on philosophical and spiritual questions, making it a thoughtful and intellectually stimulating experience.

The film, like the novella, explores themes of generosity, transformation, and the interplay between the spiritual and the sensual. It delves into the cultural and religious dynamics of the village, and how Babette’s feast becomes a catalyst for change and renewal.

Gabriel Axel, born Axel Gabriel Erik Mørch on April 18, 1918, in Aarhus, Denmark, was a renowned Danish film director, actor, writer, and producer. He spent much of his childhood in Paris before returning to Denmark at the age of 17 following his family’s economic collapse. Axel initially trained as a cabinet maker before being admitted to the acting school at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen in 1942.

After graduating in 1945, Axel returned to France, where he spent five years on stage in Paris, including at the Théâtre de l’Athénée under theatre director Louis Jouvet. He returned to Denmark in 1950 and broke through as a stage director in the early 1950s. Axel started directing for television in 1951 and directed numerous television dramas over the years.

His debut feature film, “Nothing But Trouble” (1955), was highly praised, and he gained further recognition with the TV film “A Woman Not Wanted” in 1957. Axel directed a variety of films, including comedies, farces, and the epic Nordic saga “The Red Mantle” (1967), which was selected for competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

Gabriel Axel is best known for his masterpiece “Babette’s Feast” (1987), which he wrote and directed. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988 and received widespread acclaim. Axel continued to work on various projects, including directing for French television, until his retirement. Gabriel Axel passed away on February 9, 2014, in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the age of 95.

BACK TO PA MOVIE CLUB


True Lies stands out as a significant film for its innovative genre blending, cultural impact, and exploration of relatable themes. It’s a movie that has left a lasting legacy in the world of cinema.

James Cameron was inspired to make the film True Lies after Arnold Schwarzenegger introduced him to the 1991 French spy farce La Totale! Cameron and Schwarzenegger wanted to create an American version of the film, with the idea of blending the action and intrigue of a James Bond movie with the complexities of modern marriage.

“When Arnold brought me the French film La Totale!, I saw the potential to create an American version that combined thrilling action with the dynamics of a modern marriage. It was an opportunity to explore the balance of a spy’s life with family responsibilities.”

Cameron described True Lies as a metaphor about modern marriage, exploring the balance between a spy’s double life and familial duties.

“At its core, True Lies is about the balance between a spy’s double life and familial duties. It’s a metaphor for modern marriage, exploring the complexities of trust and communication.”

The collaboration between James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger, two titans of the action genre, brought considerable star power and drew a wide audience, helping to cement the film’s legacy.

James Cameron’s ability to excel in different genres, from the high-octane action of True Lies to the epic romance and tragedy of Titanic, demonstrates his exceptional storytelling and directorial skills. His dedication to pushing the boundaries of technology and visual effects has left a lasting impact on the film industry.

True Lies holds significance in several aspects:

The film masterfully combines elements of action, comedy, and drama, creating a unique hybrid genre. This blending of genres helped pave the way for future films that mix action with humor and personal storytelling.

Released in 1994, True Lies was notable for its high production value and groundbreaking special effects. It set new standards for action films of its time, influencing subsequent blockbuster movies. Cameron pushed the boundaries of visual effects, incorporating cutting-edge technology to create spectacular action sequences.

The seamless blend of high-octane action with sharp comedic elements was relatively rare at the time. This fusion set a new benchmark for action-comedy films, influencing future productions.

The movie delves into themes that resonate with many, such as the complexities of marriage, the struggle to balance work and family life, and personal transformation. These themes add depth to the film, making it more than just an action spectacle.

Both Harry and Helen undergo significant character growth. Harry learns to prioritize his family and be more honest, while Helen discovers her inner strength and confidence. Their personal journeys make the characters relatable and memorable.

The performances of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis, along with the supporting cast, were widely praised. Curtis’s portrayal of Helen, in particular, showcased her versatility and earned her a Golden Globe Award.

“I’ll Be Bond”: Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron’s Everything or Nothing Shot at the James Bond Title

True Lies Tests Cinema’s Limits

James Cameron is a renowned Canadian filmmaker, known for his expansive vision and innovative special-effects films.

James Francis Cameron was born on August 16, 1954, in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada. He is the eldest of five children. His father, Philip Cameron, was an electrical engineer, and his mother, Shirley (née Lowe), was an artist and nurse.

Cameron moved to the United States in 1971. He studied physics at California State University, Fullerton, but eventually dropped out to pursue a career in filmmaking. He worked various jobs, including as a truck driver, while honing his skills in screenwriting and directing.

Cameron’s breakthrough came with the 1984 film The Terminator, which he wrote and directed. The film’s success established him as a prominent filmmaker and led to further successes with Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).

Cameron directed, wrote, co-produced, and co-edited Titanic (1997), which won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He also directed Avatar (2009) and its sequels, which became some of the highest-grossing films of all time.

Innovations: Cameron is known for his pioneering work in special effects and 3D technology. He co-founded the production companies Lightstorm Entertainment, Digital Domain, and Earthship Productions. He also contributed to underwater filming and remote vehicle technologies.

In addition to filmmaking, Cameron is a National Geographic explorer-in-residence. He has produced documentaries on deep-ocean exploration, including Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) and Aliens of the Deep (2005). In 2012, he became the first person to do a solo descent to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Deepsea Challenger submersible.

James Cameron’s films have grossed over $8 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing film directors of all time. His contributions to the film industry and his passion for exploration have left a lasting legacy.


James Cameron was inspired to make Titanic due to his deep fascination with shipwrecks and ocean exploration. He had a long-standing interest in the Titanic disaster and saw the film as an opportunity to combine his passion for filmmaking with his love for underwater exploration. Cameron once mentioned that making Titanic allowed him to fulfill a “boyhood fantasy” of diving to the wreck of the Titanic.

The work of Jacques Cousteau, a renowned oceanographer and filmmaker also influenced Cameron. Cousteau’s documentaries about the ocean and underwater exploration captivated Cameron as a child and inspired him to pursue scuba diving and oceanography.

“Imagination is a force that can actually manifest a reality. Don’t put limitations on yourself. Others will do that for you.”

Titanic is significant for several reasons:

Box Office Success: Titanic became the highest-grossing film of all time at its release, earning over $2 billion worldwide. It held this record for over a decade until it was surpassed by James Cameron’s own Avatar in 2009.

“I had to balance a fictional love story with the actual events of the disaster. This way, the film could resonate emotionally while staying true to the history.”

Critical Acclaim: The film received widespread critical acclaim and won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for James Cameron. It tied with Ben-Hur (1959) for the most Oscars won by a single film at the time.

“I never thought the film would have the cultural impact that it did. I just wanted to make the story of this shipwrecked love affair. The audience’s response surpassed all expectations.”

Cultural Impact: Titanic became a cultural phenomenon, with its iconic scenes, memorable quotes, and the unforgettable love story between Jack and Rose. The film’s soundtrack, featuring Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” also became a massive hit.

Historical Interest: The film rekindled public interest in the actual sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. It brought the story of the Titanic to a new generation and highlighted the human stories behind the disaster.

“The Titanic disaster was real; it occurred, and that’s why people are fascinated by it. If you talk about the human experience, it’s a way to bring history to life.”

Technological Innovation: James Cameron’s dedication to historical accuracy and groundbreaking special effects set new standards for filmmaking. The film’s realistic sets, meticulous attention to detail, and advanced CGI techniques were revolutionary for their time.

“I’ve always pushed the limits of technology to tell stories in more immersive and impactful ways. With Titanic, the special effects weren’t just about spectacle; they helped bring an epic, emotional journey to life.”

Legacy: Titanic continues to be a beloved and influential film. Its blend of romance, tragedy, and historical drama has inspired numerous parodies, references, and discussions in popular culture. The film’s success also solidified James Cameron’s reputation as a master filmmaker.

“Great stories have characters you can empathize with, obstacles they must overcome, and high stakes that make their journey compelling. Titanic had all of these elements.”

James Cameron is a renowned Canadian filmmaker, known for his expansive vision and innovative special-effects films.

James Francis Cameron was born on August 16, 1954, in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada. He is the eldest of five children. His father, Philip Cameron, was an electrical engineer, and his mother, Shirley (née Lowe), was an artist and nurse.

Cameron moved to the United States in 1971. He studied physics at California State University, Fullerton, but eventually dropped out to pursue a career in filmmaking. He worked various jobs, including as a truck driver, while honing his skills in screenwriting and directing.

Cameron’s breakthrough came with the 1984 film The Terminator, which he wrote and directed. The film’s success established him as a prominent filmmaker and led to further successes with Aliens (1986), The Abyss (1989), and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).

Cameron directed, wrote, co-produced, and co-edited Titanic (1997), which won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He also directed Avatar (2009) and its sequels, which became some of the highest-grossing films of all time.

Cameron is known for his pioneering work in special effects and 3D technology. He co-founded the production companies Lightstorm Entertainment, Digital Domain, and Earthship Productions. He also contributed to underwater filming and remote vehicle technologies.

In addition to filmmaking, Cameron is a National Geographic explorer-in-residence. He has produced documentaries on deep-ocean exploration, including Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) and Aliens of the Deep (2005). In 2012, he became the first person to do a solo descent to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Deepsea Challenger submersible.

James Cameron’s films have grossed over $8 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing film directors of all time. His contributions to the film industry and his passion for exploration have left a lasting legacy.

READ MORE ABOUT TITANIC


Constantin Werner, a German producer and screenwriter, brought the story to Anderson, who had optioned three stories from George R.R. Martin even before “Game of Thrones” was made. “That was before George became the biggest thing on television,” Anderson offers. “All three stories are about love, but the George R.R. Martin version of love, a twisted form of love with unhappy endings.”

Of said three stories Anderson felt that In The Lost Lands was by far the strongest. It tells the story of a witch who is hired by a queen to go hunting for a werewolf. The filmmakers put their heads together and spent about three years developing a screenplay and then started on the production.

“What I really liked about the short story was just that – that it’s a twisted love story with a quite surprising ending,” Anderson says. It reminded him of movies he loved as a kid, especially spaghetti westerns of the sixties and seventies. “I love the stories of people being forced on an adventure together, even though they don’t trust each other, like for example in The Good, The Bad And The Ugly or Two Mules For Sister Sarah.

Also, there from the start was the movie’s star, Milla Jovovich, who is married to Anderson and has quite some experience in the action genre, having starred in her husband Paul W.S. Anderson’s franchises like Resident Evil, Monster Hunter or The Three Musketeers. So, who better to tell what In The Lost Lands is about than Jovovich, who asserts herself as one of the great female action actors of our time as Gray Alys, the witch.

In The Lost Lands is a very dark fairy tale, but it’s an action adventure as well. It’s like the Brothers Grimm meets sci-fi. We tell the story of a witch that hires a guy to take her to the Lost Lands to hunt down and kill a werewolf, to take possession of his magical skin,” says Jovovich.

Jovovich says the film is set in a unique landscape all of its own: “The Lost Lands, a wasteland that’s alive with magic and just takes people and drives them mad. It’s alive, really, full of these monsters and creatures that can get you and kill you. It’s a very dangerous place: If you go out into the Lost Lands, it’s very rare that people come back alive. I would describe it as very beautiful and stylized, a true fairy tale story at its heart.”

Also, it tells a love story. “Paul has given George R.R. Martin’s short story his own very special spin, turning this not very long book into a quite epic and grand action adventure like only he can do. It has all the elements you need to make a story like this work: very romantic imagery, beautiful dialogue, great character, but always told with the punch and the impact of a Paul Anderson movie. It’s a lot of fun.”

Jeremy Bolt, Anderson’s long-time producing and business partner, got involved early on as well. “His wife, the actor Milla Jovovich, had shown the script to him two years before that,” Bolt remembers. They both liked what Constantin Werner, the original writer, had made of the story, so Paul approached him, “and told him that he loved the idea of the project and that he would love to work with him on the script, work out its kinks, make it bigger and more cinematic.”

That’s when Anderson brought In The Lost Lands to Bolt and told him that he would love to make this movie. “It was something special, something he had never done before, based on a short story by George R.R. Martin no less,” Bolt remembers. “I was very confident we would be able to make the movie work and raise the budget. So, I took the project to our friends at Constantin Film, and they got on board. Next, we approached FilmNation, the sales company.”


Adapting the Short Story

As Bolt explained, to make In The Lost Lands into a feature film, a lot had to be added to the story. It was important to Paul W.S. Anderson to keep to the basics of the short story.

“First Gray Alys is hired by the Queen to go get the power to become a werewolf. Then she is hired by Jerais, who is the Queen’s protector, to fail the Queen. So, she’s given two separate quests, two separate wishes she has to grant. And she agrees to both of them, even though the two of them are mutually exclusive. “If she does one, how can she possibly do the other?” Anderson says. “That’s one of the great things about the movie because the audience have to ask themselves exactly that question: How is she going to achieve this?”

 “In many ways Gray Alys is the human version of the monkey’s paw. It’s the basis of George’s short story, but it is a theme that goes back all the way to the Brothers Grimm, to the Bible. It’s a classic story, only now we have a completely fresh landscape and a completely fresh set of characters to tell that story,” Anderson adds.

“Alys is a witch, a mystical creature,” she says. “She has the ability to grant people their wishes, their greatest desires. It is a very special gift but also a curse because people come to her and for a price she will give them what they want. But sometimes you don’t really know what it is that you wish for. So, you can get whatever you want from Gray Alys but it’s better not to ask.” Jovovich goes on to describe Alys as a “really lonely character. She hides from people in these dark in-between places. Only the truly desperate can find her. If you are able to find her it means that she has to give you what you want. But it’s also very dangerous and sometimes the price is not worth getting what you want.”

“Gray Alys is a very interesting character,” Anderson posits. Alys is a witch, and she is obliged to grant wishes. But she warns everyone that comes to her that they may not like what they get. In many ways the people that come to her and make these wishes are people that would be better off not wishing for things. “They are often driven by their own self-interest, their own hubris,” Anderson says. “The Queen is asking for power that she really shouldn’t have. She basically wants to buy the love of a man who doesn’t love her. And Jerais is also in love, he’s in love with the Queen,” the director and producer points out.

He continues, “But he sees that the Queen loves somebody else. So, there is someone competing for the Queen’s love.” He hires Gray Alys to fail the Queen, so the Queen will eventually fall in love with him. All of these people get what they want. “And all of them get what they deserve at the end,” states Anderson. “Which is pretty dark because, you know, it’s a George R.R. Martin story. Ironically the only person who really gets what they want in the end, because they are quite selfless, is Gray Alys.”

Enter Boyce. Boyce is a hunter, an expert in the Lost Lands. The Lost Lands are basically the eradiated wastelands that surround the one remaining city that’s left on earth which is called the City Under the Mountain.

“Very few people travel out there, it’s very dangerous, filled with creatures, filled with bandits,” declares Anderson. “The few hunters that are out there are very prized and very tough. Boyce is one of them, and Gray Alys hires him as a guide on her quest to find and kill the werewolf. The werewolf lives in the far stretches of the Lost Lands in a place called Skull River.”

Boyce is a mysterious man; one doesn’t really know anything about his backstory. He’s a loner. “That’s the great thing about the story,” says Anderson. “Gray Alys and Boyce are essentially very similar. They’re both extremely good at what they do, but they are lonely people. They don’t really trust anybody. They don’t really love anyone. They don’t get close to anyone. Because getting close to somebody usually results in their death. These are two people who don’t have anyone in their lives”. And they realize they have this in common when they go on this journey together. In The Lost Lands shows them slowly starting to fall in love with each other, even though at the end of the movie there’s a big surprise waiting.”

To play that imposing role, the filmmakers turned to Dave Bautista, the former wrestling superstar who has made a name for himself in films as an action hero, but also as a very interesting actor. “Boyce is a hunter with a secret. He’s kind of a free spirit, an animal, a gambler and a drinker. He’s a cowboy, a gunslinger, which was what really drew me to the character. It’s really fun to play him,” Bautista says about his character. “When we first meet Boyce, he’s a bit of a womanizer but I think he is just trying to have fun. Actually, he is looking for something else, his equal, and I think he finds that once he is guiding Alys into the Lost Lands. He becomes quite obsessed with her, and she also develops feelings for him. They have a connection. At the same time, both are hiding things from each other.”

Bautista immediately was taken by the story. “I am a big fan of the fantasy genre,” he explains. “We have werewolves, vampires, demons. I love that. But what I particularly liked was the fact that In The Lost Lands basically is a western, and I always wanted to be in a western.”

He had actually told his agent that he was looking for a western. “Next thing I know they send me the script with a note saying it’s not exactly a western but it reads like one. I loved it from the word go, especially my character, who reminded me of Clint Eastwood.” Also, he was intrigued by the story, which he describes as “really fun and dark and twisted. I then took a deep dive into Paul’s work and was immediately taken by his feel for visuals and atmosphere. And of course, I was a massive fan of Milla’s work through the years. In fact, on our first day of shooting I couldn’t stop pinching my arm because I couldn’t believe I was shooting with Milla Jovovich.”

A world you’ve never seen before

The world depicted in In The Lost Lands is populated by characters created by George R.R. Martin. Anderson finds, “So, they are well drawn characters, they are very dark, they are very surprising. They all have hidden depths, which is a hallmark of George’s writing. In the short story the original world was very much a ‘Lord of the Rings’, post-medieval style world. It really reminded me a lot of the world of Westeros. But that world is very well established. It’s on television an awful lot. So, I felt for this story I wanted to take all the George R.R. Martin tropes but set them against a different kind of background.”

The filmmakers pushed the movie into a postapocalyptic world where it’s quite recognizably our world, the remnants of our world. “But our world has been destroyed by a war, a long time ago, so long that people don’t really remember who fought it and what it was about,” explains the director and producer. “They only remember the old world because they live in the shattered remnants of it. There are pieces of technology that are left over. And there are also these mythological creatures that could well be creatures that have been with us throughout time.” They were hiding when mankind was strong. And now that mankind has become weak, they are coming out of the shadows and taking their place in the world. “So, it’s everything that people like from George R.R. Martin,” Anderson declares. “You have the dark, twisted characters. You have the mythological creatures. But it’s against a totally fresh backdrop, a postapocalyptic world that is filled with fabulous imagery.”

“We shot this movie in a very different way,” says Anderson, talking about his directorial vision for In The Lost Lands. “I didn’t want to go out and shoot on a real location. The last movie I did, Monster Hunter, was set entirely on location. We never went indoors, we never went on a soundstage. And I felt I had pushed practical location photography as far as I could. And I was looking for a completely different look for the world of In The Lost Lands.” He got very into the idea of building this world entirely digitally and giving the audience something, they have never seen before.

Paul W.S. Anderson finally states, “I think the movie above anything else is incredibly theatrical. It’s got everything you could want from a theatrical movie: the big imagery for starters. I don’t think any movie looks like this. It’s got a very unique look. You can’t see anything like it on television. It’s got an amazing sound, it’s got big action, big emotion, big visual effects. I think that’s what the cinema needs right now. We need to make movies that make people want to leave their homes, to stop streaming. I’m not knocking streaming, but there is something to be said about the experience on the big screen. When the right movie comes along. And I feel that In The Lost Lands is just that, the right movie for a great experience at the movies.”

PAUL W.S. ANDERSON (director, screenwriter, producer) has made a name for himself internationally as a director of action-packed and extremely exciting films. Together, his works have grossed more than two billion dollars worldwide, often opening at number one in the cinema charts in every conceivable territory – an achievement that not many filmmakers can claim for themselves. Anderson turns epic stories into must-see events. He has already launched four successful franchises and has tackled genres as diverse as classic literature, science fiction, video game franchises and historical fiction in his films. He also puts his talents at the service of the advertising industry. He has directed award-winning commercials for the likes of Audi, Volkswagen and Deutsche Telekom.

Anderson was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England, where he also grew up. He graduated from the University of Warwick with a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Literature; he went on to study further and was the youngest student at the university ever to complete an MBA.

Anderson’s first film was the 1994 low-budget hit “Shopping,” which he wrote and directed and which starred Sadie Frost and Jude Law (as well as a guest appearance by legendary singer Marianne Faithfull). This gritty film about British teenagers who steal cars to use for their daring heists was not shown in some cinemas in the UK, but made Anderson a name for himself as an exciting filmmaker with a penchant for high-impact action.

“Shopping” also paved Anderson’s way to Hollywood. “Mortal Kombat” was his first number one cinema hit in the USA in 1995. It was also the first successful film adaptation of a video game. The triumph of “Mortal Kombat” established Anderson as a man who could take games from the TV screen and translate them into successful franchises on the big screen. Nevertheless, he turned down offers for a sequel, preferring to focus on science fiction for the time being. His next directorial projects were “Soldier,” written by David Peoples as a “sidequel” to his dark screenplay for “Blade Runner”, as well as “Event Horizon,” starring Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Jason Isaacs and Joely Richardson, which has long since been considered a classic.

Anderson returned to adapting video games for the big screen with the survival horror film “Resident Evil,” starring Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez. Anderson wrote, directed and produced the film, which proved to be a worldwide commercial success, Anderson’s second successful franchise, which also included “Resident Evil: Apocalypse,” “Resident Evil: Extinction,” “Resident Evil: Afterlife,” and “Resident Evil: Retribution”. Anderson wrote and produced the sequels with his partner at Impact Pictures, Jeremy Bolt. He also returned to the director’s chair himself for “Afterlife” and “Retribution”.

Anderson doubled down on his box office power with “AVP: Alien vs. Predator,” which proved to be his third successful franchise. The film opened at number one and became the highest-grossing film in both the “Alien” and “The Predator” series.

In 2008, Anderson’s “Death Race” starring Jason Statham and Joan Allen was released in cinemas, a remake of the cult classic “Death Race 2000,” which was released by Universal and produced by Anderson with Bolt through Impact Pictures. In 2009, Anderson also produced the science fiction horror film “Pandorum” with Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster with Bolt, another Impact Pictures production.

“Resident Evil: Afterlife,” the fourth installment in the increasingly successful series, was released in 2020, with Milla Jovovich once again playing the lead role in the film, which used the Vincent Pace 3D system developed for James Cameron’s “Avatar”. The film was Anderson’s first global number one and remained at the top of the international box office for a month.

Anderson followed up this highpoint in the relentlessly evolving “Resident Evil” franchise with something completely different, announcing a stylish and action-packed update of the Alexandre Dumas classic “The Three Musketeers” for Constantin Film and Summit Entertainment. Shot in 3D, the historical epic boasts an all-star cast including Milla Jovovich, Orlando Bloom, Christoph Waltz and Logan Lerman as well as Luke Evans, Ray Stephenson and Matthew Macfadyen as the charismatic title characters. The film was celebrated worldwide and grossed 150 million dollars.

That same year, Anderson returned to his blockbuster franchise, writing, producing and directing “Resident Evil: Retribution”, the highly anticipated fifth installment in the “Resident Evil” brand. The clever metamorphosis of the series mixed familiar faces with hot newcomers and grossed a whopping $240 million worldwide after its cinema release in September 2012.

In 2014, Anderson launched “Pompeii” with an outstanding cast including Kit Harington from “Game of Thrones”, Kiefer Sutherland, Emily Browning, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Carrie-Anne Moss and Jared Harris. “Pompeii” tells a classic story of love, friendship, greed and betrayal against the backdrop of the spectacular eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The visually stunning extravaganza grossed more than 120 million dollars.

Paul W.S. Anderson then turned his attention back to his flagship franchise and tackled the conclusion of the billion-dollar “Resident Evil” saga, “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” (2016). The plot threads of the last 15 years are brought together in an intelligent way, and the beloved characters have to face new monstrous adversaries in order to give the incomparable Alice a worthy farewell. Shot in South Africa, the eagerly awaited, action-packed finale was released in cinemas in January 2017 and grossed more than 315 million dollars worldwide. This made “The Final Chapter” the highest-grossing of all “Resident Evil” films, which grossed more than 1.2 billion dollars in total.

In 2018, the sci-fi horror series “Origin” was launched on You Tube Red, with Anderson serving as executive producer. He also shot the pilot film and a few other episodes. Left Bank Pictures was co-producer. The main roles are played by Tom Felton and Natalia Tena from “Game of Thrones”.

2021 saw the release of Anderson’s next epic game adaptation: Milla Jovovich starred in “Monster Hunter” opposite an international star cast including martial arts legend Tony Jaa as well as Ron Perlman.

Paul W.S. Anderson is one of the select few directors to have scored #1 US theatrical openings with his films over each one of the last four decades, from “Mortal Kombat” in 1995 to most recently “Monster Hunter” in 2020, with AVP and several Resident Evil films in between.

CONSTANTIN WERNER (screenwriter, producer) is a multihyphenate talent, a German artist who has worked as a writer, director and producer of film, TV, theater and music videos.

Constantin Werner’s first feature film “Dead Leaves” had its premiere at the 1998 AFI International Film Festival in Los Angeles. This was followed by “The Pagan Queen” (2009), a historic drama with fantasy elements based on the legend of Libuše, the Slavic queen of 8th century Bohemia.

His producing credits include the action TV series “Puma,” directed by martial arts legend Donnie Yen, for the German network RTL, the independent film “Fireflies,” starring Kate Mara, Dan Frazer and Isabel Glasser, as well as “Bettie Page: Dark Angel”. His stage directing credits include his play “Box” for La MaMa ETC in 1996, and the 2002 West Coast premiere of Pulitzer Prize nominee Adam Rapp’s play “Blackbird” at Theater Theater, Los Angeles.

His music video credits include works for the LA bands Scarling, Versailles (musician), Gliss, The Deep Eynde, Punk Bunny, Jasmine Ash and the Sixth Chamber. He is the creator and writer of the graphic novel “One Night in Prague,” which was illustrated by Tadd Galusha.


South African Filmmaking

Directed and written by husband-and-wife duo Carla Fonseca Mokgata and Nthato Mokgata, A Scam Called Love promises a blend of romance, comedy, and heartfelt moments set against the stunning backdrop of Cape Town.

The inspiration behind A Scam Called Love comes from the directors’ desire to create a film that is both funny and deeply rooted in South African culture. Nthato Mokgata shared that they wanted to make a “cleverly chaotic, deeply South African, and effortlessly stylish film—a romcom that hits with both sharp wit and real heart”.

Their goal was to create a film that resonates with audiences, making them laugh, think, and feel seen. The film’s unique blend of romance, comedy, and cultural representation aims to capture the essence of South African life and humor.

The film is deeply South African, celebrating the country’s humor, resilience, and reinvention. It aims to create a film that is not just funny but also “cleverly chaotic, deeply South African, and effortlessly stylish”

The film explores themes of love, family, and deception, making it relatable to a wide audience. It highlights the complexities of relationships and the lengths people go to for love and survival.

A Scam Called Love is poised to captivate audiences with its perfect blend of romance, comedy, and relatable charm.

Zola (Didintle “Didi” Khunou), an ambitious chef with big culinary dreams, and Julian (Tobi Bamtefa), a free-spirited line cook who thrives on risk, find themselves in a financial bind. To solve their problems, they hatch a wild plan: a green-card marriage. What starts as a simple scheme quickly spirals into a web of hilarious mishaps, tangled emotions, and unexpected family drama. With government officials on their tail and their own families growing suspicious, Zola and Julian must keep up appearances without catching real feelings.


Carla Fonseca Mokgata and Nthato Mokgata, also known as Spoek Mathambo, have worked on several notable projects: The indie full-length dramatic feature Burkinabe (2019) and Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (2023 )directed and written by Nthato Mokgata (Spoek Mathambo).

Carla Fonseca-Mokgata is a multi-disciplinary artist hailing from the rich cultural tapestry of South Africa and Mozambique. She is a director, writer, actress, and musician, known for her audacious and thrilling ideas that have captivated audiences worldwide. Carla graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2010 with a BA in Theatre and Performance. She also attended Pro Arte High School of Arts, where she matriculated with additional drama subjects. Carla is a tireless advocate for cultivating a vibrant storytelling and artistic culture within South Africa. Her creative arsenal spans a diverse range of mediums, all meticulously wielded to achieve her visionary objectives. She draws inspiration from personal experiences, African history, traditions, and global affairs. Carla’s work is deeply rooted in exploring the historical and contemporary societal traumas of South Africa. She has transported her storytelling prowess to numerous countries, leaving her mark on audiences globally. Co-writer and co-director of this highly anticipated South African romantic comedy A Scam Called Love.

Known by his stage name Spoek Mathambo, Nthato Mokgata is a multifaceted South African artist, producer, singer-songwriter, and rapper. Mokgata grew up in Rockville, Soweto, and later moved to Sandown, Sandton. He attended St John’s College in Johannesburg and initially studied medicine at the University of Cape Town before switching to graphic design. Mokgata’s musical career began in the local rap and electronic music scene in Cape Town. He collaborated with artists like Waddy Jones (Die Antwoord), Simon Ringrose (SiBot), and Markus Wormstorm. Mokgata was named the 2020 Standard Bank Young Artist for Music at the Virtual National Arts Festival. He directed “Future Sounds of Mzansi,” a documentary exploring South Africa’s cultural landscape 20 years into democracy.


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A scene from Beethoven’s Fidelio. Photo by Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera.

Screening dates: Livestream – 30 March and 1 April 2025  (184 minutes)

Conductor and Cast: Susanna Mälkki (Conductor), Lise Davidsen (Leonore), Ying Fang (Marzelline), David Butt Philip (Florestan), Magnus Dietrich (Jaquino), Tomasz Konieczny (Don Pizarro), René Pape (Rocco), Stephen Milling (Don Fernando)

Following a string of awe-inspiring Live in HD performances, Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Leonore, the faithful wife who risks everything to save her husband from the clutches of tyranny in Beethoven’s Fidelio. Completing the distinguished cast is British tenor David Butt Philip as the political prisoner Florestan, Polish bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny as the villainous Don Pizarro, veteran German bass René Pape as the jailer Rocco, Chinese soprano Ying Fang and German tenor Magnus Dietrich as the young Marzelline and Jaquino, and Danish bass Stephen Milling as the principled Don Fernando. Susanna Mälkki conducts the performance.

A scene from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. Photo by Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera.

Screening dates:  11 and 13 May 2025  (235 minutes)

Conductor and Cast: Joana Mallwitz (Conductor), Federica Lombardi (Countess), Olga Kulchynska (Susanna), Marianne Crebassa (Cherubino), Elizabeth Bishop (Marcellina), Joshua Hopkins (Count), Michael Sumuel (Figaro), Maurizio Muraro (Dr. Bartolo)

Mozart’s timeless comedy returns to cinemas worldwide with a live transmission from the Metropolitan Opera. Conductor Joana Mallwitz, in her Met debut, takes the podium to conduct a stellar ensemble cast including American bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as the clever valet Figaro, Ukrainian soprano Olga Kulchynska as the wily maid Susanna, Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins as the skirt-chasing Count, Italian soprano Federica Lombardi as his anguished wife, and French mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa as the adolescent page Cherubino.

Soprano Elza van den Heever

Screening dates: Livestream – 1 and 3 June 2025  (135 minutes)

Conductor and Cast: Yannick Nézet-Séguin (Conductor), Elza van den Heever (Salome), Michelle DeYoung (Herodias), Gerhard Siegel (Herod), Piotr Buszewski (Narraboth), Peter Mattei (Jochanaan)

Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium on 17 May to conduct Strauss’s one-act tragedy, which will be transmitted live from the Metropolitan Opera stage to cinemas worldwide. Leading the company’s first new production of the work in 20 years, Claus Guth, one of Europe’s leading opera directors, gives the biblical story a psychologically perceptive Victorian-era setting. South African soprano Elza van den Heever leads a celebrated cast as the abused and unhinged anti-heroine, with Swedish baritone Peter Mattei as the imprisoned prophet Jochanaan; German tenor Gerhard Siegel as Salome’s lecherous stepfather, King Herod; American mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as his wife, Herodias; and Polish tenor Piotr Buszewski as Narraboth.

A scene from RossiniÕs ÒIl Barbiere di Siviglia. Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera

Screening dates: Livestream – 31 May, 29 June and 1 July 2025  (213 minutes)

Conductor and Cast: Giacomo Sagripanti (Conductor), Aigul Akhmetshina (Rosina), Jack Swanson (Count Almaviva), Andrey Zhilikhovsky (Figaro), Peter Kálmán (Dr. Bartolo), Alexander Vinogradov (Don Basilio)

The Metropolitan Opera’s 2024–25 Live in HD season comes to a close with a live transmission of Rossini’s effervescent comedy on 31 May. Russian mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina headlines a winning ensemble as the feisty heroine, Rosina, alongside American tenor Jack Swanson, in his Met debut, as her secret beloved, Count Almaviva. Moldovan baritone Andrey Zhilikhovsky stars as Figaro, the ingenious barber of Seville, with Hungarian bass-baritone Peter Kálmán as Dr. Bartolo and Russian bass Alexander Vinogradov as Don Basilio rounding out the principal cast. Giacomo Sagripanti conducts Bartlett Sher’s madcap production.



REVIEW: Anora draws from real-life experiences and societal themes to add depth and authenticity to their narratives. By incorporating elements from real-world scenarios, filmmakers can create stories that resonate on a deeper emotional and intellectual level, making their work relatable and thought-provoking. It’s always fascinating to see how creative minds interpret and present the complexities of human life and societal issues through the medium of film. It challenges societal norms and perceptions, making viewers reflect on their own biases and understanding of these issues. It’s a thought-provoking film that doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, and it does so with a sense of empathy and realism. The story is a reflection on how genuine relationships can emerge from brokenness and the struggle for self-worth in a society that often devalues certain professions. It won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes in 2024.

The origins of Anora lie in Baker’s career-long collaboration with actor Karren Karagulian, who has worked with the filmmaker since his debut feature, Four Letter Words (2000). He knew that Karagulian is married to a Russian-American woman from Brooklyn, which gave him a starting point for Anora. “I’ve wanted to find a vehicle for Karren Karagulian for a while now,” Baker affirms. “I knew I wanted to do a story about Russian-speaking populations in the Brighton Beach/Coney Island area, being that Karren has ties to the community. Eventually, I came up with this story and it developed approximately over a year.”

4 Time Oscar winner: writer-director Sean Baker

The centerpiece of the film would be a home invasion overseen by Karagulian’s character, Toros, who is acting on orders from his boss, a powerful Russian oligarch. The operation goes spectacularly, chaotically off the rails for Toros and his two back-up men. Says Baker, “I knew that I wanted to show the home invasion taking place in real time in the middle of the film, so the screenplay was structured around that. It was all about how we got there and how it resolved.”

That was where Ani – short for Anora – came in. Baker conceived the character as a Russian-American dancer and sex worker from Brighton Beach who impulsively marries the oligarch’s son, Ivan. The clock starts ticking on the newlyweds when Ivan’s parents in Russia get wind of the union and decide to come fetch their errant child. Meanwhile, Toros has dispatched his friend and associate Garnick and a Russian named Igor to stand guard on the couple. That plan backfires when Ivan escapes and Ani proves to be a ferocious combatant who is defiant in the face of a threatened annulment.  With Ivan’s parents en route, Ani is forced to join Toros, Garnick and Igor in an all-night hunt for her fugitive husband, all the while fighting to hang on to her new life.

Before Baker has a script, he typically casts his lead roles.

Mikey Madison, best known for playing Pamela Adlon’s eldest daughter in “Better Things”, first caught Baker’s eye in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019). “Although Mikey’s screen time in Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood was brief, she made such a big impact,” Baker comments. The development process began to gain speed in January 2022, when Baker and Samantha Quan, his producing partner and wife, went to see the horror reboot Scream V which cemented the decision that Mikey was perfect to play “Ani”. Baker continues, “Seeing her playing different roles, her ability to change her emotions on a dime, her sense of humor, her ability to make brave choices, and her amazing SCREAM. It was at that point that we reached out to her. After meeting with Mikey, finding out she was a budding cinephile with similar tastes and her expressing interest in my idea, the character was then written with her in mind.”

Madison was thrilled by the outreach – and surprised. “I was floored that Sean wanted to meet me, but I wasn’t about to question it,” she recalls. “I’m a big fan of his work. Sean asked my opinion and if I’d be interested in making the film. I immediately said yes. I felt like the luckiest actress in the world that he wanted to work with me.”

With Baker at the helm, she had no hesitation about taking on the role of a sex worker. Sex work has figured in half of Baker’s films, the iPhone-shot Tangerine (2015) is about a pair of Los Angeles trans sex workers out to avenge a cheating boyfriend, in The Florida Project (2017) a single mother turns to sex work to support herself and her daughter in an Orlando motel, and Red Rocket (2021) comically captures a washed-up porn star.

For Madison, what stands out in those films – and in Baker’s work as a whole – is a clear-eyed, nonjudgmental, non-condescending, non-exploitative gaze. Says Madison, “Sean has dedicated his career to destigmatizing sex work and telling stories about marginalized people. And he’s always done it in a very honest way – and in a  funny  way, too. He deals with a lot of dark subject matter, but he’s constantly flipping that on its head and  injecting it with humor. So I trusted Sean completely and knew he would be a true collaborator with me.”

Ani isn’t necessarily looking for a prince to come to rescue her from her job at a Manhattan gentlemen’s club; she certainly isn’t expecting him to arrive in the form of a coltish Russian who has asked for a Russian-speaking dancer. She takes the assignment reluctantly, putting on her game face as she’s introduced to Ivan Zakharov, played by Mark Eydelshteyn. “There’s a little trepidation on Ani’s part,” Madison says. “She’s been told that Ivan has money, which is unusual for a young person coming into a club. A lot of dancers and sex workers told me that young men are not big spenders and are generally trying to get the most out of their buck. But Ivan turns out to be this refreshing character. He’s not threatening at all; he’s fun and he’s funny and also around Ani’s age. And Mark plays his character so sincerely at first that she’s just charmed by him.”

Eydelshteyn put himself in Ivan’s blithely confident, throwaway mindset. “For Ivan, life is very easy because he is rich. If he wants it he can have it. So I thought like that and I did the tape totally naked in bed,” the actor recalls. “I smoked vapes and wore a Russian hat. I tried to mix English and Russian, mostly I talked in Russian. I did some rap. And then I sent it to Sean. It didn’t seem possible that he would choose me, but I was very happy when he said he wanted me in the movie.”

Eydelshteyn’s take on Ivan was not only convincing, it shaped how the film took shape. As Baker explains, “Once we met Mark and saw his tape, there was NEVER any other choice for Ivan. He is incredibly funny, sensitive, energetic and intellectually facile. The character of Ivan was fleshed out more than originally intended after Mark got involved in the project because I wanted to see more of Mark on screen.”

Ivan has been living in the United States for about six months, ostensibly so he can study. But he mostly spends his time partying with his friends, playing video games and enjoying all the perks his parents’ vast wealth can buy. Eydelshteyn sees his character as somewhat adrift, even if Ivan doesn’t fully realize it. “Ivan is living a very fast life in Brighton Beach, drinking, smoking, doing drugs. But there’s nothing interesting in this kind of life after three months. I think he’s tired of it but he hasn’t found anything to pick him up. Nothing has really focused him, until Ani. When he meets her, life becomes brighter. I think he wants to be with Ani from the very beginning but he can’t be honest with himself and he’s scared of responsibility. So he asks her to be his honey-girlfriend for a week. It’s a strange form of love.”

While writing the script, the two stayed in regular connection, talking through and gradually forming the central character with the help of consultant Andrea Werhun, author of the memoir “Modern Whore.” Baker, whose work apartment includes a kitchen stocked with Blu-rays in the cabinets, also gave Madison a handful of movies, including Federico Fellini’s “Nights of Cabiria.”

Meanwhile, Baker looked at things like “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” for shooting New York at night. Later, he shot on the same stretch of Brooklyn road beneath the elevated subway immortalized by the chase scene in “The French Connection.” He and his production designer, Stephen Phelps, decided to put a hint of red in every shot, a nod to films like Jean-Luc Godard’s “Contempt.” In the credits, Baker thanks the director Jesús Franco for the red scarf and colors of “Vampyros Lesbos.”

“Even though my films are taking place pretty much now, they’re contemporary stories, I want it to feel like it’s shot in 1974,” Baker says.

During production, Baker would sometimes lean into guerrilla filmmaking techniques, sending Madison into a pool hall or restaurant to interact with those inside. (“The scene could go in any direction because it’s not really a scene,” says Madison.) For the sex scenes, Baker and Quan would themselves model the movements for Madison and Eydelshteyn.

“He was really dedicated to creating a safe space for us to be able to do those scenes and feel comfortable,” Madison says. “He wanted us to see what the positions would look like, so they would show us — obviously fully clothed and everything. It was funny and kind of broke the tension a little bit. Sean’s a one-of-a-kind director.”

© Universal Pictures

By the time Baker finished the screenplay, he had a film sense of how he wanted Anora to look and feel. Among the key decisions: he wanted to shoot the film in 35mm using anamorphic lenses. “Primarily I was influenced by cinema of the 70’s,” he explains. “Not only the New Hollywood films but also from the Italian, Spanish and Japanese films of the era – in both style and sensibility.  This mash-up is what I found inspirational—a formal and controlled aesthetic with choreographed camera moves caught with anamorphic wide-screen images, a deliberate color scheme and unobtrusive but stylish lighting.  Essentially I wanted to give a polished presentation to a story that hasn’t really gotten one in American cinema since the 70’s.”

To help him achieve that goal, he re-teamed with his Red Rocket director of photography, Drew Daniels. Daniels had shot Red Rocket on 16mm film and was excited to join Baker on a fresh creative adventure. “This project felt right up my alley from the beginning,” he comments. “I was hooked in by the story and the setting and the fact that Sean wanted to shoot on 35mm with anamorphic lenses. I feel like it’s a rite of passage as a filmmaker to make a New York City film, and that’s what this was for me. It was a dream come true.”

He goes on to describe the overall strategy they developed: “Sean and I were going for a cold, gray version of a New York winter contrasted by the saturated reds and flashy colors of the club and Vegas. We were not very dogmatic about our approach and we tried to stay open to what was happening in front of us, so being able to adapt and follow the feeling of the scene was important. That said, we tried to be very deliberate about our compositions and camera movements and we tried to avoid handheld unless the scene called for it. We generally aimed for an objective point of view and realism but we also let the camera have fun and tried to bring a sense of humor to the film. The film eventually does take a turn towards the subjective so I don’t think you can pin this movie down and describe it easily as one thing. As the story and feeling changes, our approach and the language changes also.”

Sean Baker and DP Drew Daniels on the set of ANORA. © Universal Pictures

The cinema of the 1970s was a touchstone for practical choices and specific references. Says Daniels, “In general, I tried to approach the film the way an independent filmmaker would have in the 1970s. I kept the tools very simple. The camerawork was grounded; we pushed the film, flashed it, pulled it, underexposed it, used Russian 70s anamorphic prime lenses and zooms. We  shot out in the streets with the actual light of New York City and Brooklyn, and I particularly tried to channel the way Owen Roizman shot The Taking of Pelham 123 and The French Connection.  From Italian cinema I tried to borrow the use of zooms and from films like Jean Luc Godard’s Contempt, we were inspired by the use of color and composition.”

Locations and production design underscore the themes of class and access that are subtly woven into the film. Everything about Ivan’s lifestyle is worlds away from how Ani lives and works. On her first private engagement with Ivan, a town car is sent to pick her up at the typical Brighton Beach duplex she shares with her sister. Gliding past ordinary homes on a residential street near the water, she arrives at a huge concrete-and-glass structure with a security booth just past its gated entrance. It’s Ani’s introduction to a level of privilege she could scarcely have imagined before meeting Ivan. And there’s more to come.  When Ivan decides on a whim to take Ani and his friends to Las Vegas, they travel by private plane and make themselves at home in their hotel’s most expensive penthouse – the guest who occupied it having been relocated. In contrast, the search for Ivan that unfolds in the second half of the film is carried out in the accessible-to-all spaces of Brooklyn and Manhattan; that is, the places Ani already knows. 

When production designer Stephen Phelps first met with Baker, they discussed a color palette that was primarily white, black and gray, with pops of red punctuating the interiors. Often Phelps had to work with existing decor, as in the case of the club location on the far west side of Midtown Manhattan. While the club’s two levels of public spaces had defined, visually interesting aesthetic styles, other areas were quite spare, with little to attract the eye. “There were a lot of dead spaces, so I brought in red tinsel to liven up those areas. For the panning shot that opens the film, I put the red tinsel across that section of the club. When Drew did the shot on the dolly, the mirrors in the room and lights reflected all that red.”

In outfitting the location that served as the Zakharov mansion, Phelps focused on a handful of rooms where the action would take place. He used some of the large on-site furnishings, like the sprawling camel-colored sectional in the open plan living space near the entrance. Then he brought in key pieces – tables, artwork, lamps – which would tell a story about the home’s owners, who want to telegraph their wealth and status with furnishings they consider tasteful and stylish. “I wanted there to be a cold kind of feeling to the interiors – big  empty  spaces and a lot of space  between people,” he remarks. “It feels more like a showplace than a home. There’s a lot of glass and neutral colors. That kind of expensive, austere style worked with the outside of the building, which is almost Brutalist in its architecture.”

The Las Vegas getaway portion of the film was shot at The Palms Hotel and Casino. The production was able to film multiple scenes within the one building. The kitted-out, glass-filled penthouse did give Phelps a moment’s pause, however. As he explains “I was a little nervous about it because it looked kind of like the inside of the mansion. But that actually made sense and it was funny – they go all the way across the country to then hang out in a very similar-looking  space.”

© Universal Pictures

Anora began production in January 2023 and shot for 37 days in New York City and 3 days in Las Vegas. The logistics of the shoot were challenging – there were many different locations, a multilingual story and characters, an ambitious schedule and the vagaries of winter weather. Nonetheless, everyone involved describes it as an extraordinary experience. Says Madison, “Every single person – every actor, every crew member as well as Sean – poured their heart and soul into making this movie. It was amazing to be around that kind of energy.”

Karagulian has known Baker for nearly 30 years, having met him when he was a student at NYU. Reflecting on their long collaboration, he says, “Every time Sean finishes a film, I tell him it’s his best one yet. During the years we’ve worked together, I’ve seen how he matures from film to film. For one of our first projects, Prince of Broadway, he was behind the camera, directing, editing, and producing everything. Then came Tangerine, with his genius use of the iPhone to shoot that project for pennies. Sean is a filmmaker from head to toe – he breathes it, he lives for it. He has become one of the true masters of this craft.”

Adds Tovmaysan, “With every step, you could feel the film getting better and better, and that was because of Sean’s passion. I also enjoyed how he mixed three different cultures (American, Russian, and Armenian) in this film and worked with actors from totally different backgrounds. It’s very challenging to work with actors from such diverse backgrounds, but Sean was able to get the best out of everyone. He created a synergy among the actors that was very beneficial for the film.”

Baker was grateful for the unwavering commitment and creativity of the cast. Says Baker, “This cast was primarily comprised of seasoned, professional actors. They gifted me on a daily basis with nuance, ideas and inspiration. It was a joy to work with all of them.”

Sean Baker and the cast during the filming of Anora. © Universal Pictures

The actors also found joy in working together, onscreen and off. Madison and her co-stars Eydelshten and Borisov spent many hours together, getting to know one another, talking about their characters and establishing the rapport that would fuel their scenes. Madison is effusive in her praise for the two actors. “Mark and Yura are incredibly dedicated, talented actors and just very kind people,” she comments. “It was important for Mark and me to build this trust together in order to shoot some of the things we did. When I first met Mark, we were not able to communicate very well because of the language barrier. But we were still laughing together because I think we already had that kind of chemistry. Mark’s a very adventurous actor, very clever and quick. He has a way with physical comedy that reminds me of Charlie Chaplin. He’d come up with fantastic, crazy ideas, like doing the backward somersault onto the bed in the first sex scene. There’s a lot of real laughter in the movie – and that’s all Mark, because of the bond that we built and how far he was willing to go to make me laugh.”

“Mikey!,” Eydelshteyn exclaims when asked about working with Madison. “Mikey is a brilliant partner, a brilliant actress, a brilliant girl. She’s one of the best people I’ve ever worked with, and very professional. At a certain point I realized that Mikey and I are kind of the same. I mean, we are from different cultures and speak different languages, but we have the same sense of humor. She’s joking and I can understand her, and it’s very funny. And she can understand my stupid jokes and she’s laughing. I remember the first time she laughed at one of my jokes, I was so happy.”

Madison’s onscreen interactions with Borisov naturally had a different tenor. Ani spends much of the film either physically fighting with Igor or slinging profanity and insults at him. Igor doesn’t lose his temper and in Borisov’s hands, the character was both funny and soulful. Comments Madison, “I  would turn to Yura in a scene and the emotion in his eyes would almost shock me. He  brought so many interesting personality traits to Igor, and was always surprising me. As an actor, Yura has an interesting relationship with time. He never sacrifices the integrity of the character during a scene, even if the camera is running out of film. He takes his time, which adds so much to the character because Igor ponders. And he has this dry sense of humor, which he brings to the character. ”

Borisov was equally impressed by his co-star. “Mikey is very powerful as an actress, as a woman, as a human. I could look over at her and see she was ready for anything. She gives very deeply of everything she has to the scene, to the film. She was like a sister to me during the making of the film. I have so much respect for her.”

Ten of the film’s 37 shooting days were spent filming the pivotal home invasion/fight sequence, approximately 25 minutes of nonstop action that plays out in real time. It was an enormous undertaking, with any number of shifting variables to be accommodated in the pursuit of seamlessness. As Daniels explains, “I had to make it look like everything was happening in continuity. This was made harder by the fact that we were very daylight dependent, our house had windows and huge mirrors in every direction, and we were shooting in the winter with only about 8 hours of shootable light at best. We had to be very clever about shooting order, looking towards windows or away from them; making daylight from scratch when the light faded; and finding scrappy low budget ways to control the daylight as much as we could – because of course during the 10 days we had every weather imaginable and it had to look like 25 continuous minutes. It was very stressful but we pulled it off and I’m really proud of the sequence.”

Improvisation is an important part of Baker’s approach to filmmaking. Sometimes improvisation is a matter of going off-script and making up dialogue. It can also entail building out a scene from a brief description of a character’s actions. Explains Madison, “The way that Sean writes, there might be a paragraph that says, ‘Ani’s at the club and she walks up to customers.’ And I would then bring that to life. I’ve  never experienced anything like that – a 10-minute-long scene where I’m just going from customer to customer and talking to them in character, and they’re recording me. It’s a completely live set and feels absolutely real. That’s just how Sean Baker does it. That’s how he’s able to create these incredible moments of reality.” 

Those kinds of interactions also happened out in the world, in Las Vegas, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. While filming the extended search for Ivan, Madison, Borisov, Karagulian and Tovmaysan shot scenes in the venerable Brighton Beach restaurant Tatiana’s, a pool hall and video arcade, among other locations. “Those docu-style scenes were exhilarating to do,” says Madison. “To  bring a camera into a restaurant or a street full of unsuspecting people and shoot  a scene in character is something I will never forget.”

Of course, the search for Ivan eventually ends and Ani’s soon-to-be ex-husband is brought to heel by his implacable parents. Baker’s films often have ambiguous conclusions, ending with scenes that are startling in their beauty and emotional heft. That is certainly true of Anora, and its final moments that find Ani sitting in a car with her erstwhile captor, Igor, who has driven her back to her Brighton Beach home.

Recalls Madison, “In the script there was a paragraph describing that scene. It changed a bit; the story evolved as we were shooting because of what everyone was bringing to the film. It’s such an important scene and Yura and I really wanted to do it justice. What I love about it is that each audience member will be able to decide what they think.”


SEAN BAKER, Director, Writer, Producer, Editor

Sean Baker is an award-winning writer, director, producer and editor who has made eight independent feature films over the course of the past two decades. Baker, the son of a patent attorney, grew up in New Jersey outside New York City. He attended film school at NYU. When he began, he envisioned himself making “Die Hard.” But as his exposure to arthouse and international film expanded, so did his interests as a filmmaker. Still, his Richard Linklater-influenced first feature, 2000’s “Four Letter Words,” drew heavily from his suburban upbringing.

Baker, a resolutely independent filmmaker, is less comfortable at center stage than he is behind the camera. His movies, likewise, relish the communities of seldom-chronicled American subcultures. Samantha Quan, a producer of “Anora” and Baker’s wife, says he has always been interested in “people and situations that are always there but people choose not to see them.” He is an unconventional path for a filmmaker. He has no interest in television or franchise movies, remaining devoted to the big screen. He makes scrappy indie movies built from real-life experience and research that balance both screwball comedy and social realism.

© Universal Pictures

His most recent film Red Rocket (2021) premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival and was distributed by A24 in the U.S. and by Focus Features internationally. His previous film The Florida Project (2017) premiered in the Director’s Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival to widespread critical acclaim. Among the many accolades the film received — including an Oscar nomination for Willem Dafoe for Best Supporting Actor — Sean was named Best Director by the New York Film Critics Circle. Sean’s previous film Tangerine (2015) premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won an Independent Spirit and two Gotham Awards. Starlet (2012) was the winner of the Robert Altman Independent Spirit Award and his previous two features, Take Out (2004) and Prince of Broadway (2008), were both nominated for the John Cassavetes Independent Spirit Award.


Elizabeth Seldes Annacone’s screenplay captures the essence of her aunt’s experiences, particularly her dedication to the craft of acting and her struggles with dementia in her later years. The character of Lillian Hall is a fictional representation, but many aspects of her journey are inspired by Marian Seldes’s real-life challenges and triumphs.from a screenplay by Elisabeth Seldes Annacone, following the story of Lillian Hall, a legendary Broadway actress grappling with dementia while preparing for her final performance in The Cherry Orchard , exploring themes of memory, identity, and the passage of time.

Lillian Hall is a fictional character from the film The Great Lillian Hall.portrayed by Jessica Lange and is inspired by the life of American stage actress Marian Seldes.

Marian Seldes was an esteemed American actress known for her remarkable career in theater, film, and television. Making her Broadway debut in 1948 in a production of Medea, she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for A Delicate Balance in 1967. She received subsequent nominations for Father’s Day (1971), Deathtrap (1978–82),”Ring Round the Moon (1999), and Dinner at Eight (2002). She received the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2010. Seldes brought a profound emotional depth to the character of Lyubov Ranevskaya, capturing the complexities of a woman facing the loss of her family estate and the changing social landscape. Her performance received critical acclaim, with reviewers praising her for her skillful interpretation of Chekhov’s work and her ability to bring the character to life in a compelling and authentic manner.

The Great Lillian Hall is loosely inspired by the life of American stage actress Marian Seldes. It is not a biopic but rather a fictional story that captures the essence of Marian Seldes’s life, her love for theater, and the challenges she faced.

Writing the Screenplay

Annacone, the niece of the renowned stage actress Marian Seldes, drew inspiration from her aunt’s life and career while writing the screenplay for The Great Lillian Hall. The film is a tribute to Marian Seldes’s legacy and her contributions to the world of theater.

Annacone’s screenplay captures the essence of her aunt’s experiences, particularly her dedication to the craft of acting and her struggles with dementia in her later years.

The character of Lillian Hall is a fictional representation, but many aspects of her journey are inspired by Marian Seldes’s real-life challenges and triumphs.

In an interview, Annacone mentioned that she wanted to honor her aunt’s memory and share her story with a wider audience. She aimed to highlight the emotional depth and resilience of a legendary actress facing the inevitable decline of her mental faculties while preparing for her final performance.

The screenplay blends elements of drama and poignancy, creating a narrative that resonates with audiences and pays homage to the indomitable spirit of Marian Seldes. Annacone’s personal connection to the story adds authenticity and emotional weight to the film, making it a heartfelt tribute to her aunt’s remarkable life and career.

Directed by Michael Cristofer, the drama film paints a poignant picture of Lillian’s fight against herself and others for a final chance to do what she loves. She looks back at her life and legacy, tries to make amends with her daughter, and asks friends to remind her who she truly was. The vivid and heartfelt portrayal of Lillian’s journey generates questions about the possibility of a real story behind the HBO movie.

Cristofer expressed his admiration for the cast and the story, highlighting the emotional depth and complexity of the characters.

“Directing ‘The Great Lillian Hall’ was a deeply personal and fulfilling journey. The story of Lillian Hall, inspired by the incredible Marian Seldes, allowed us to explore themes of memory, identity, and the passage of time. Jessica Lange’s portrayal of Lillian was nothing short of extraordinary, and her dedication to the character brought a profound emotional resonance to the film.”

Cristofer also emphasized the importance of capturing the essence of the theater world and the challenges faced by aging actors. He aimed to create a visually and emotionally compelling narrative that would resonate with audiences and honor the legacy of Marian Seldes.

Legendary Broadway actress Lillian Hall (Jessica Lange) faces her final performance as she grapples with the onset of dementia. Preparing to take the stage in a production of “The Cherry Orchard,” Lillian’s journey is a poignant exploration of memory, identity, and the inevitable passage of time. With the support of her devoted friends and colleagues, Lillian confronts the challenges of her fading mental faculties while holding onto her passion for the theater. Directed by Michael Cristofer and written by Elisabeth Seldes Annacone, the film pays tribute to the indomitable spirit of Marian Seldes, capturing the emotional depth and resilience of an aging actress determined to leave her mark on the world of theater.


Jessica Lange, a theater legend and a real-life Broadway star, portrays Lillian Hall in the film.

Jessica Lange described the role as one of the most challenging and rewarding of her career. Lange mentioned that portraying a legendary actress grappling with dementia required her to delve deep into the character’s emotional and psychological complexities.

“You see her coming up to the brink of that [dementia] and her struggle of trying to keep going, do what she’s always done, do what she loves more than anything in the world and the struggle, the courage and her fortitude and perseverance. Those were the main elements that I really had to find with this character”

The character was earlier slated to be played by Meryl Streep but was ultimately taken on by Lange. ‘The Great Lillian Hall’ is a heartfelt fictional work that bears resemblances to Marian Seldes’s life. Through its vivid portrayal of Lillian’s journey, the film tells its own story while using personal experiences as a jumping-off point.


Michael Cristofer is an accomplished American actor, playwright, and filmmaker. Cristofer began his theatrical career as an actor, primarily on stage. He transitioned to playwriting and achieved significant success with his play “The Shadow Box,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 1977. He has written numerous screenplays, including “Falling in Love” (1984), “The Witches of Eastwick” (1987), “The Bonfire of the Vanities” (1990), and “Gia” (1998), which earned him a Directors Guild Award. Cristofer directed several films, including “Gia,” “Body Shots” (1999), and “Original Sin” (2001). He also directed stage adaptations of classic films like “Love Me or Leave Me” and “Casablanca”. Cristofer served as artistic advisor and co-artistic director of River Arts Repertory in Woodstock, New York, where he produced and directed numerous plays. He collaborated with trumpeter Terence Blanchard to write the libretto for the boxing opera “Champion,” which premiered in 2013. After a hiatus, Cristofer returned to acting, appearing in productions such as “Romeo and Juliet” (NY Shakespeare Festival), “Three Sisters” (Williamstown Theater), and the Broadway revival of “A View from the Bridge”.

Elisabeth Seldes Annacone is an accomplished screenwriter and producer with a diverse career in the film industry. She received her M.F.A. in screenwriting from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. Annacone began her career working with notable filmmakers such as Oliver Stone, Francis Ford Coppola, and Caroline Thompson. She served as a senior vice president at MGM, overseeing films like “Moll Flanders,” “Mulholland Falls,” “Get Shorty,” and “Two Days in the Valley.” As a producer, she was responsible for films like David Nutter’s cult thriller “Disturbing Behavior,” Caroline Thompson’s “Buddy,” and Bruce Wagner’s “White Dwarf.” Annacone co-wrote the screenplay for “The Great Lillian Hall,” a film inspired by her aunt Marian Seldes. The film was released by HBO in 2024 and received critical acclaim. She created a one-hour drama for Universal TV called “Weekends,” with Debra Martin Chase producing.



Rule Breakers follows the journey of a group of young Afghan girls who, against all odds, pursue their passion for robotics and innovation. Led by a visionary woman, these girls defy societal norms and challenges to participate in international competitions, showcasing their talent and determination.

It was inspired by the true story of the “Afghan Dreamers,” Afghanistan’s first all-girls robotics team. The film highlights the journey of these young women who, under the guidance of their visionary teacher Roya Mahboob, defied societal norms and pursued their passion for science and technology. Despite facing immense challenges and opposition, their determination and ingenuity captured global attention and sparked hope for a better future.

The story of the Afghan Dreamers is a testament to the power of education, resilience, and the importance of breaking barriers to create positive change. The film aims to inspire audiences by showcasing the courage and unity of these young women as they navigate obstacles and strive to make a difference in their community and beyond.

The film highlights the importance of empowering young girls and providing them with opportunities to succeed. The story emphasizes the transformative power of education, especially for girls in regions where it is often undervalued. The film showcases the resilience of the girls and their mentor as they navigate through obstacles and opposition and celebrates the strength of unity and teamwork in overcoming challenges and achieving greatness.


The idea for the film was sparked by the real-life story of the Afghan Dreamers.

Director Bill Guttentag and screenwriters Jason Brown, and Elaha Mahboob worked together to craft a screenplay that would do justice to the incredible journey of these young women. They focused on capturing the essence of their struggles, triumphs, and the impact they made on the world.

Once the script was finalized, the pre-production phase began. This involved assembling a talented cast and crew, scouting locations, and planning the logistics of the shoot. The filmmakers aimed to create an authentic portrayal of Afghanistan, so they paid close attention to cultural and historical details.

The casting process was crucial in bringing the characters to life. Ali Fazal, Nikohl Boosheri, and Fahim Fazli were selected for their ability to embody the spirit and resilience of the real-life figures they portrayed. The cast underwent extensive preparation to understand their roles and the context of the story.

Principal photography took place in various locations to authentically depict the setting of the story. The filmmakers faced challenges such as recreating the environment of Afghanistan and ensuring the safety and comfort of the cast and crew. Despite these obstacles, the team remained dedicated to capturing the essence of the story.

Rule Breakers stands out for several compelling reasons

Based on the real-life journey of the Afghan Dreamers, Afghanistan’s first all-girls robotics team, the film highlights the importance of education, gender equality, and the power of dreams. It serves as an inspiration to audiences around the world, showing that with determination and support, individuals can break barriers and achieve greatness.

By focusing on the experiences of young women in Afghanistan, the film sheds light on the challenges they face and the resilience they exhibit. It brings attention to the broader issues of women’s rights and access to education in regions where these opportunities are limited.

The story of the Afghan Dreamers resonates with audiences worldwide. It emphasizes the universal themes of hope, perseverance, and the importance of supporting and uplifting each other, regardless of geographical or cultural differences.

Rule Breakers is significant because it tells a poignant and inspiring true story that highlights the power of education, resilience, and the importance of breaking barriers to create positive change. It’s a film that not only entertains but also educates and inspires, leaving a lasting impact on its audience


Bill Guttentag directed Rule Breakers. He is a seasoned filmmaker and two-time Academy Award winner. His previous works include acclaimed documentaries and films such as Soundtrack for a Revolution and Nanking. Guttentag is known for his powerful storytelling and ability to bring compelling true stories to the screen.

The Screenwriters

Jason Brown is one of the screenwriters. He has worked on several notable projects, blending drama and inspirational themes in his writing.

Elaha Mahboob, co-writer of the screenplay, brings a personal touch to the story. She is the sister of Roya Mahboob and has been closely involved with the Afghan Dreamers and their journey. Her insights and experiences add authenticity and depth to the script.


“The story of the Afghan Dreamers is not just about robotics; it’s about breaking barriers and challenging societal norms. It’s about showing the world what young women can achieve when given the opportunity. Through this film, we aim to highlight the importance of supporting and empowering young women, especially in regions where their potential is often overlooked. Their success is a testament to the strength and determination of girls everywhere.”

Mahboob’s personal connection to the story adds an extra layer of authenticity and depth to the screenplay. She is the sister of Roya Mahboob, who played a pivotal role in guiding and mentoring the Afghan Dreamers. Elaha’s first-hand experience with the challenges and triumphs faced by the team provided invaluable insights that shaped the narrative of the film. Elaha has been deeply involved in the efforts to promote education and technology for girls in Afghanistan. Her understanding of the cultural, social, and educational landscape in the region enabled her to bring a nuanced and heartfelt perspective to the script. By incorporating her personal experiences and observations, Elaha ensured that the film accurately represents the spirit and resilience of the Afghan Dreamers. This personal connection helps the film resonate on a more intimate level, as it captures the genuine emotions and struggles of the characters. Elaha’s contribution to the screenplay highlights the importance of telling stories that come from a place of authenticity and lived experience. Is there anything specific you would

Together, these talented individuals have crafted a film that aims to inspire and shed light on the incredible achievements of the Afghan Dreamers.


Read more about Parasite

Mickey 17 is a groundbreaking, original film that seamlessly weaves together sci-fi, action, and audacious humour to deliver a genre-defying big-screen event – as only Director Bong can do. Robert Pattinson reinvents himself as Mickey in a film that offers an entertaining, insightful, and subversively humorous look at the expendability of life; revealing a deeply human story of an ordinary man who unintentionally becomes the extraordinary hero his world needs.

The story is based on the 2022 novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. It follows Mickey Barnes, a clone worker on a human colony who undertakes dangerous assignments. The film explores themes of identity, survival, and the nature of being expendable.

Bong Joon-ho’s unique approach to filmmaking often involves blending and subverting genres, which is part of what makes his work so compelling.

“I have a complex feeling about genre. I love it, but I hate it at the same time. I have the urge to make audiences thrill with the excitement of a genre, but I also try to betray and destroy the expectations placed on that genre.”

Bong Joon-Ho and Robert Pattinson on the set of Mickey 17. A Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley

It’s a science fiction black comedy, blending humor with social commentary, a hallmark of Bong Joon-ho’s work. Bong Joon-Ho travels to the future – and outer space – to tell the story of Robert Pattinson’s title character… or rather, to tell the story of Robert Pattinson’s at least 17 title characters. Because, see, Mickey is a clone.

Bong cites “so many, so many” when asked what his favorite sci-fi film is, but John Carpenter’s The Thing and Ridley Scott’s Alien are at the top of the pile. (He also shouts out a low-budget indie about giant insects called Infestation: “I love that film.”) As for the future of the genre, he’s optimistic.

“The masters of the sci-fi genre are getting old, and it would be great to see new up and coming sci-fi directors make a splash,” he says. “I definitely see directors continuing that lineage, like Alex Garland, and [Fede Álvarez’s] Alien: Romulus was great. There’s a particular excitement that comes from sci-fi, and I would love to just see more of these traditional sci-fi films, because if you look at my films, I’m kind of an exception [as a] sci-fi filmmaker. It’s sci-fi, but it doesn’t really feel like sci-fi. I kind of like to pull down the genre to the realm of pit stains and sweat stains!”

Sitting Down With Bong Joon Ho (Writer / Director / Producer)…

Q: You continue to create thoughtful, singular films that explore culture in ways that feel wholly original. What inspires you, and more specifically, what do you look for when you set out to choose your projects?

BONG JOON HO: To seek inspiration, I think you have to keep your antennas up in your personal life. Of course, you can get inspiration from films, comic books and novels, but I try to stay receptive to my everyday surroundings. That’s where I get most of my inspiration, so I try to stay alert.

Q: Once you’ve chosen a project, can you tell us a bit about your writing process and how you know when your script is ready to shoot?

BONG JOON HO: The writing process? It’s very lonely and very painful. [Laughs] Sometimes I don’t want to do it at all. It’s tough. But of course, I have to do it. I’ve been a writer-director for many years now, and I write all my scripts myself, so you could say it’s fate. But I always know it’s going to be over in six or eight months, so I face it head-on with that in mind. I try to make myself as lonely as possible. I tend to write better when I’m isolated. 

Q: What drew you to the story of Mickey 17 and made you decide to make this movie?

BONG JOON HO: Just from the summary of the original novel, I was instantly captivated. And of course, as I read page by page, I was even more engrossed in the story, because I thought that it had such a unique concept, which is human printing, and that’s very different from human cloning. It’s like you’re printing out humans as if human beings are just pieces of paper, documents to be printed out. And I thought that human printing—even in the expression itself—we could sense the tragedy of that condition and that profession. And so, I started thinking about what it would be like to actually be that person being printed out. All these thoughts came to me and I was completely in that world instantly.

And I also found the character of Mickey Barnes so captivating and appealing. Even in the original novel, Mickey is quite an average person… but I wanted to make him even more average, even lower class, even more of a loser. And so, all these ideas for adapting the story came to me instantly. I was fascinated by the concept of human printing and just captivated by the character of Mickey, who is not a superhero, who is this everyman, normal, average man going through this crazy journey.

Q: A hallmark of your work is blending, bending and defying that idea of genres when you take on a new project. Can you tell us about the tones you’re balancing in this film? And maybe the tools that you use to accomplish that balance?

BONG JOON HO: I get this question a lot during interviews. They say my films are a mix of various genres and wonder how I plan all that. Or they ask how I plan all the tonal shifts that happen in my films. But actually, I don’t make those decisions consciously. I just depend on my instincts when I write, and once I’m done, even I end up wondering what genre the story could be.

Q: Can you tell us about Robert Pattinson—when did he first catch your attention?

BONG JOON HO: We’ve all known him since “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” but I started seeing him under another light as an actor through “Good Time” with the Safdie brothers and his riveting performance in “The Lighthouse” with Willem Dafoe. He became an actor on another level with those two works. Same goes for “The Batman,” when I saw him take on such an iconic character and make it completely his own with a refreshing take. I thought playing both Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 would ignite his ambitions as an actor and we’d be able to have fun and inspire each other.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about how Robert added to the character you’d written—the voice, the demeanor? How did he breathe life into this Everyman character?

BONG JOON HO: As I was adapting the story into my script, I added a lot of detailed descriptions about the character. But no matter how detailed they are, in the end, they’re just words on a page. It’s really up to the actor to breathe life into these characters. And really, Rob brought in so much of his own creativity and so much of his own ideas to add detailed nuances to the characters. I was so surprised and impressed by everything he contributed to the characters and the film.

With Mickey 17, it was more like he was great at actualizing the detailed ideas I had for the character—but it was really Mickey 18 that Rob just took to a whole new dimension. He really surpassed the boundaries I had set for this character, added so many specific ideas and brought such a new energy, things that I never even imagined, really. So, he would improvise a lot of really quirky dialogue and fun moments on set, and it was just great watching him bring Mickey 17 to life on set. And I’m really grateful, especially for what he did for Mickey 18.

Q: The rest of the cast is quite incredible as well. Can you tell us a little bit about Mark Ruffalo, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, Naomi Ackie?

BONG JOON HO: Mark plays a very key character, the villain and dictator, you could say. But he’d never really played that kind of villain before, so he was quite surprised when I first sent him the script. He was like, “Why are you sending this to me? I’m not familiar with this!” But eventually, he found it refreshing and enjoyed the process. He was happy to take on a villain role. His character’s tied to the political satire and comedy aspects of this film. It’s a side of him we haven’t seen before, so it was great to watch his performance and I think he had fun, too. Toni Collette plays his wife, Ylfa, and there’s a specific dynamic between the couple that’s another small engine that drives the story. Steven Yeun plays Timo. As I mentioned earlier, this film is sci-fi, but it doesn’t really feel like sci-fi. And Steven really adds to this not sci-fi aspect. He makes this film feel very unique, and he’s like this special sauce that really adds to the film’s tone and texture. The character’s very funny. And Naomi brings the heart. She has such an explosive energy as an actor. Of course, she plays Nasha, a role who Mickey really relies on throughout the story. And it’s the opposite of the traditional female-male relationship that we’re used to seeing onscreen. Nasha is actually the more powerful, the more charismatic and valiant character.

Q: Can we talk a bit about the world building? ​​Can you discuss working with your creative team to create and craft things like the world, the characters, the creatures and the invented, future tech?

BONG JOON HO: I was already experienced with creating VFX creatures from my previous film “Okja.” In this film as well, the creepers aren’t just creatures, but one of the main characters that also has a lot to do with Mickey. We had to invent a new creature that would feel alive, so we assembled the best VFX team for the job. I got to work with Dan Glass, a supervisor I’d worked with on “Okja,” and two amazing VFX vendors, Double Negative and Framestore. We also had the great cinematographer Darius Khondji, a true artist who also did “Okja” with me, and production designer Fiona Crombie, who’d recently done amazing work with Yorgos Lanthimos. I was very happy to depend on these great artists. Our composer’s Jung Jaeil, who did “Parasite” and “Okja” with me. This is our third film together, so it was an opportunity to explore familiar but new territory. And costume designer Catherine George—she’s a longtime colleague. We did “Snowpiercer” and “Okja”together. She has her own unique approach in understanding characters, so it’s always a joy to see all the costumes she comes up with. 

Q: A theme that seems to recur in your work is an exploration—or satirizing—of the inequities and hypocrisies that exist in our world… shining a light on the corrupt or hegemonic society. Do you want to say anything about that and how that may have shaped your telling of this story?

BONG JOON HO: I don’t make films just for the sake of political satire. I’d never want films to just become propaganda. So, I try to make films that are beautiful and entertaining on their own. “Mickey 17” is just part of that effort. But I think all the things that happen to Mickey, his situation, and the way he gets treated in the film are political in themselves. It has to do with how we treat and respect a human being. It’s not that there’s this separate grand political layer to the story. If you just watch all the struggles Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 go through, you naturally get a sense of the political context. 

Q: And in terms of your process for shooting and editing, there is a lot of preparation with storyboards and concepting—then, you only shoot the performance necessary for the shot, no extra coverage. Can you talk a bit about that technique and how you are able to get the performances this way?

BONG JOON HO: Yeah, I’m very obsessed to make my own storyboards with my own drawing. Of course, it’s a lot of hard work mentally and physically. But I can’t make films without it. I have to have all the shots composed in my head to feel safe and then actually shoot the film. When I’ve completed the storyboards, personally I feel like the film is completed. My storyboards are quite exact in the way shots are framed and camera movements are noted. And I tend to stick with it 99 percent of the time, so the finished film isn’t that different from the storyboards. But in terms of the actors’ performances, I try to stay as open as possible. I always welcome improvisation from the actors. So, it’s a contradiction, in a way. I have the camera placement and framing firmly established from my storyboards, but I tell the actors to be as comfortable and as free as possible within that. It’s a paradox, but that’s how I work.

Q: Can you tell us anything about the tone and the aesthetic of the film and if there’s anything you’ve been able to accomplish with “Mickey 17” that you haven’t done before?

BONG JOON HO: Overall, there are many familiar elements that I’ve dealt with before, but actually it’s the first time I’m delving into just how silly and foolish people can be, and how that foolishness can actually make them more lovable. People have been commenting on how warm this film feels, compared with some of my previous works. My films have always been received as being quite ruthless and cynical. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but it’s not so bad hearing these new reactions. This is a sci-fi film where people go to alien planets, and there’s a spaceship and everything, but it’s about a lot of silly people. So, it’s very funny. It’s not a big space epic where people shoot laser beams. It’s more about these silly losers. [Laughs] The film’s packed with people who are endearingly silly.

Q: From your perspective, what makes this story so pertinent to the moment we’re living in right now?

BONG JOON HO: Because it’s a story of young people, working class people. It’s about someone who’s powerless, but he unexpectedly becomes a hero. You can say it’s a story about an average person who unintentionally becomes a hero all of a sudden. And the way he becomes that hero is also unique. I thought, “That’s the kind of story contemporary audiences would want to see.”

Q: The story takes place in a future that probably none of us wants to live in. Can you tell us a bit about this cautionary tale—about the Earth, the state of it and the people—from your perspective?

BONG JOON HO: Well, it’s not that the Earth goes extinct—it just becomes a harsh place to live in, so people end up leaving. It’s an everyday matter. They get on a spaceship like it’s a red-eye flight from LA to New York. It’s not a mass migration or exodus. The film’s tone and mood make it feel quite matter-of-fact. Leaving Earth and migrating to another planet seems like quite a common choice. So, people in this film roam around without a destination in life, and they’re lonely. They don’t have families, but they still find love. This film’s also a love story between Mickey and Nasha. This aspect of wandering people finding relationships is a big part of the story.

Q: This film has garnered much fan attention and excitement. Why do you think it resonates with people and what do you hope audiences will love about it?

BONG JOON HO: First of all, [Laughs] Robert Pattinson is a very charming actor, so I think that’s why people are interested. But I’m not joking. We really see a new side of him in this film, a side we’ve never seen from him. And that naturally blends with the film’s story and theme. It’s one of the best parts. This is a sci-fi film, but it’s also a comedy and a very human story, so I hope the audience enjoys it for what it is. And when they go home after watching it, I hope they spend a brief moment thinking about what makes us human, what we must do to stay human. Just briefly, three minutes maybe [Laughs].

Q: And why is it important that they see the film on a big screen with a great sound system?

BONG JOON HO: We live in the streaming era, but there are still certain things you can only feel when you watch a film on a big screen in the theater. Of course, a big screen is great for watching spectacular extraterrestrial spaces and creatures, but I think it’s a powerful experience to watch the actors’ delicate expressions and big closeups on the big screen. The human face carries its own landscape. As I mentioned, we have such a great cast. Rob, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie and all these actors show such rich expressions and nuanced performances that will be great to watch on a big screen. Rob Pattinson in IMAX, that’s a great experience to have. 

© 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.


© 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

In Conversation with Robert Pattinson (Mickey Barnes)…

Meeting and working with Director Bong…

ROBERT PATTINSON: I think nowadays there are very few directors in the world who are on Bong’s level, and have the audience that Bong has as well. He’s living in very rarified air. I’ve just been such a huge fan of his. And it just came out of nowhere—“There’s a Bong project.” I met him and really loved him. Then the script came in, and it is one of the craziest things I’d ever read. It felt risky, but in a really nice way, and it was wonderful to do it with someone by whom you’d feel supported as well. I walked into it not knowing what to expect. And it’s funny, because you wouldn’t be able to judge his personality from his filmography at all. He’s a really sweet guy, very funny, very engaging, very self-deprecating. Not really what I expected. But, he has a very powerful aura. You don’t really realize how powerful it is at first. It spreads to every level of production, which is very, very impressive.

Describing the story of “Mickey 17”…

ROBERT PATTINSON: I think that it’s a combination of things. I could feel it from the first read, there are elements of enormous scale, for one thing. And then extremely niche humor at the same time. And a lot of elements that at first glance, you’re like, “How can these things go together?” And some parts that feel almost like a dare. [Laughs] It’s one of those scripts where I haven’t read anything like it in a long time, and I don’t think I’ll ever read anything like it again. Then to know that it’s someone with his level of pedigree coming to this script which, in some ways, is also like a sci-fi farce. Actually, I have no idea how to describe it to people at all. Even just the beginning: “So, it’s about a pastry chef in the future. He has a macaron shop. And he takes out a very risky loan with loan sharks and then he gets onto a mission to space, where he gets reprinted over and over again.” [Laughs] You go off the rails almost immediately trying to describe it. At first, I thought it was a risk, but as soon as I started doing it, it didn’t feel like a risk at all. Bong just has such extreme certainty about what he wants to shoot and so much confidence that you get into his rhythms really quickly.

The character of Mickey Barnes…

ROBERT PATTINSON: Mickey is a deceptively complicated character. At first glance, he kind of seems like a sort of simpleton, but he’s not. He has quite specific desires. He’s quite innocent and naïve in lots of ways. He comes from a place of extreme hurt and he’s trying to deal with a lot of trauma, but it manifests itself looking quite silly to other people. But it’s not silly to him. It does read sort of innately comedic, and very heightened to me. He’s an orphan who’s protected by his best friend he met in the orphanage when he was a kid. Mickey’s been following him his entire life and doesn’t really have a lot of self-confidence. It’s kind of a story about him finding his own autonomy in some ways. I guess it’s an extreme version of taking a good look at yourself in a mirror. [Laughs]

The deaths of Mickey…

ROBERT PATTINSON: You know what? It was pretty funny in the script when I was reading it, and then I saw some of it put together and it’s horrific. [Laughs] But it’s just like, “Well, it’s just one of those things.” It felt like we were shooting it for laughs, and then you watch it… Bong does that tone really well, where’s it deceptively painful, and then—you can never see it coming. It is a horrendous story for Mickey. An absolutely horrendous life. [Laughs] But, I think you need that level of extremity and their treatment of him to highlight the heroic aspects of the character. It’s just interesting having a hero who is incapable of seeing himself as a hero. He literally doesn’t value himself at all. It’s to the point where it’s a pretty extreme fault in his personality—he doesn’t even recognize he’s being tortured—because he wants to be accepted by the group so much and have purpose. I think the audience will see that as the story goes on.

Mickey 17, meet Mickey 18…

ROBERT PATTINSON: It’s almost like Mickey 17 doesn’t realize that he’s alive. He’s accepted the situation. I guess, in the simplest terms, it’s a ‘you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone’ kind of thing. And then, Mickey 18 comes along and really wants to live, and can’t stand the way Mickey 17 has been devaluing himself. It forces 17 to actually see his worth, because he’s going to be exterminated by the next iteration, even though he already has been killed many, many times before. It’s strangely complicated to explain to people. In my mind, it’s just two parts of your personality, where one is trying to progress and develop, and that progressive part is looking at the kind of lazy, procrastinating part and is just absolutely disgusted. But you don’t realize that they’re both you. And you just can’t decide to torture and murder that other part. [Laughs]

Differentiating 17 and 18…

ROBERT PATTINSON: I came to London a few months before it started, and experimented with so many different voices for both of them. It’s a strange thing, because you’re playing two characters who have to be very much delineated, but at the same time, no one else can tell that they’re actually different. It’s a delicate line to walk. But it’s also starting with, “Who is Mickey Barnes?” You’re a macaron chef in the future, so you’ve somehow got to take that into account. Plus, a million other things. It’s incredibly complicated. But I started out doing an extremely different performance. Then, when we did the read-through, Bong came up to me and said, “That voice you’re doing. Don’t do that.” [Laughs] And I was like, “Okay, dropping it right now.” Then the makeup department came up with these cheeks, because Bong initially wanted 18 to have chubby cheeks. So, we experimented with all these cheek plumpers, which I never would have thought of in a million years. And then it ended up being just a snaggletooth. We made it so small, and it slightly tilted my face. I thought, “That’s just enough.” You just have basically nothing. You can’t tell that anything’s really even there. Then, it made me speak differently. Which made me walk differently. Which made me behave differently… just having a tiny little tooth in. So, tons of experiments, and it looks like a shadow self could come from having a snaggletooth.

Shooting in the Bong style…

ROBERT PATTINSON: Bong kind of warned me at the beginning, saying that it’s quite a shock to the system for actors when you don’t shoot coverage… which is like every movie you’ve ever worked on. It’s quite a particular way of working. And it’s right from Day One. We were shooting one line and moving on—and genuinely like one line from the middle of the scene. You really have to get with the program pretty quickly. This way is really good for energy levels, when you know it’s going to be shot like that. You can pace yourself. And Bong edits at the same time, and he was very open with showing me. You can really watch what you’re doing, if it’s fitting into the scene. It’s an extremely collaborative process, and you don’t feel disconnected from it at all.

How you would describe Director Bong’s films…

ROBERT PATTINSON: I definitely see the wittiness. I think he’s an extremely witty director. And the themes? Definitely the brutality of humans towards each other. It’s strange, because it’s not comedic… Take “Memories of Murder.” The thing that appeals to me the most, really outside of the themes and stuff, is what he does with the performances. He manages to capture the duality of these characters so well that you find yourself rooting for people your instincts are telling you not to root for. Someone is presented as a good character and then the rug is suddenly pulled out from underneath you. I think that becomes a theme itself in his work: nothing is what it seems.

© 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Mickey 17 is the eighth feature film from the acclaimed Bong Joon Ho (Writer / Director / Producer), following on from BARKING DOGS NEVER BITE (2000), MEMORIES OF MURDER (2003), THE HOST (2006), MOTHER (2009), SNOWPIERCER (2013), OKJA (2017) and PARASITE (2019). The modern-day classic MEMORIES OF MURDER delves into the investigation behind a well-known serial murder case that was never solved, depicting the authoritarian era of the time with satire and sharp insight. THE HOST takes as its basis the abduction of a young girl by a strange creature that crawls out of the Han River, turning the monster movie genre on its head while also issuing stinging social commentary. MOTHER, the story of a woman trying to protect her son from a murder charge, is a dark portrait of motherly love taken to the extreme, while the sci-fi film SNOWPIERCER portrays the last remnants of humanity in a future world that has been frozen over due to mankind’s overdone efforts to fix global warming. OKJA tells of the country girl Mija’s adventure to rescue the genetically engineered “super pig” she raised from the profit-driven corporation that owns it. Finally, PARASITE, which won the Palme d’Or and the Academy Award for Best Picture, among many other accolades, follows the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan. Known for his cutting, socially incisive wit and twisting of genre conventions, Bong Joon Ho has continually raised questions about the system and societal inequalities with his unique blend of humor, emotion and suspense. MICKEY 17 marks a continuation of these themes for Dir. Bong, blending biting and character-driven social satire with high-concept tentpole science fiction. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures exhibition, “Director’s Inspiration: Bong Joon Ho,” opens to the public on March 23, 2025, and runs through January 10, 2027. This is the first-ever museum exhibition dedicated to the Oscar-winning director, tracing his creative development through his films and the films that most influenced him.  


Directed by the Coen Brothers and released in 1987, Raising Arizona is significant for its innovation, memorable performances, and lasting impact on both audiences and the film industry.

The film’s blend of zany humor, quirky characters, and heartfelt moments set it apart from traditional comedies of its time. The Coen Brothers’ distinctive storytelling style, with its blend of absurdity and sentimentality, is on full display.

“At its core, Raising Arizona is about the lengths people will go to for family and love. It’s a story about redemption and the idea that even the most flawed individuals can find a sense of purpose and belonging,” says Ethan Coen.

“Making Raising Arizona was a chance for us to experiment with different genres and styles. We wanted to push the boundaries of what a comedy could be, both visually and narratively,” says Joel Coen.

The film tells the story of H.I. “Hi” McDunnough (Nicolas Cage), a small-time repeat offender, and Edwina “Ed” (Holly Hunter), a former police officer. The unlikely pair fall in love and get married. Despite their desire to start a family, they discover that Ed is infertile, and they are unable to adopt due to Hi’s criminal record. Desperate to have a child, they hatch a plan to kidnap one of the Arizona Quints, the newborn quintuplets of wealthy furniture magnate Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson). They hope that the large family won’t miss just one baby. The couple successfully snatches Nathan Junior, and chaos ensues as they attempt to raise the baby while evading law enforcement, a pair of escaped convicts (John Goodman and William Forsythe), and a relentless bounty hunter (Randall “Tex” Cobb) who is determined to return the baby for a hefty reward.

Joel and Ethan Coen’s inspiration for Raising Arizona

Raising Arizona is a product of the Coen Brothers’ creative vision, blending their personal experiences, cinematic influences, and desire to experiment with different genres to create a memorable and beloved film.

The Coen Brothers have mentioned that their own lives and experiences influenced the characters and themes in “Raising Arizona.” For example, they were inspired by the idea of people trying to start a family and the lengths they would go to for their loved ones.

They were inspired by the screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, such as the work of Preston Sturges. They wanted to create a film that combined fast-paced, witty dialogue with slapstick humor and absurd situations.

The Coen Brothers have cited various literary influences, including the works of Flannery O’Connor, whose darkly comic stories often feature eccentric characters and moral dilemmas. This influence is evident in the film’s blend of humor and poignancy.

After the success of their debut film, “Blood Simple,” which was a dark and gritty thriller, the Coens wanted to explore a completely different genre. They aimed to showcase their versatility as filmmakers by creating a light-hearted, comedic film that contrasted sharply with their previous work.

The Coens were interested in creating a film centered around unique, larger-than-life characters. The eccentric and endearing personalities of H.I. and Ed, as well as the colorful supporting cast, allowed them to explore human nature and relationships in a humorous and heartfelt way.

Raising Arizona explores several significant themes

Family and Parenthood: At its heart, the film is about the desire for family and the lengths to which people will go to create and protect their own. H.I. and Ed’s journey to become parents, despite their unconventional methods, reflects the deep longing for family and the challenges of parenthood.

Redemption and Transformation: The characters in the film, particularly H.I., undergo personal growth and transformation. H.I.’s journey from a repeat offender to a dedicated husband and potential father highlights themes of redemption and the possibility of change.

Moral Dilemmas: The film presents characters with complex moral choices, such as the decision to kidnap a baby in the hope of providing it with a loving home. These dilemmas force the characters and the audience to grapple with questions of right and wrong.

Absurdity and Humor: The Coen Brothers use absurd situations and humor to explore the chaos and unpredictability of life. The film’s quirky and exaggerated scenarios highlight the absurdity of human behavior and the often unpredictable nature of life’s events.

Love and Commitment: The relationship between H.I. and Ed is a central focus of the film. Their love for each other and their commitment to building a life together, despite numerous obstacles, underscore the importance of loyalty and perseverance in relationships.

Societal Expectations: The film also critiques societal expectations and norms, particularly regarding family and success. H.I. and Ed’s non-traditional approach to starting a family challenges conventional views and highlights the pressure to conform to societal standards.

These themes, combined with the film’s distinctive humor and storytelling, make Raising Arizona a thought-provoking and entertaining exploration of human nature and relationships

In Raising Arizona, humor plays a crucial role in exploring and softening the impact of moral dilemmas

Alleviating Tension: Humor helps to diffuse the tension surrounding the serious and sometimes dark situations the characters find themselves in. For instance, the absurdity of H.I. and Ed’s decision to kidnap a baby is highlighted through comical scenes and over-the-top characters, making the moral dilemma more palatable for the audience.

Humanizing Characters: By using humor, the Coen Brothers make their characters more relatable and endearing. H.I.’s bumbling nature and Ed’s intense determination are exaggerated for comedic effect, but they also reveal the characters’ genuine desires and flaws. This humanization allows the audience to empathize with the characters, even when they make questionable choices.

Highlighting Absurdity: The film’s humor often underscores the absurdity of the situations and the characters’ actions. For example, the chaotic chase scenes and the exaggerated behavior of the bounty hunter, Leonard Smalls, highlight the ridiculousness of the circumstances. This use of humor prompts the audience to question the logic and morality of the characters’ decisions.

Balancing Serious Themes: The Coen Brothers skillfully balance the film’s comedic elements with its more serious themes. While the humor provides entertainment, it also serves to emphasize the underlying messages about family, redemption, and societal expectations. The comedic tone ensures that these themes are explored in a way that is engaging and thought-provoking without becoming overly heavy or preachy.

Satirical Commentary: The humor in “Raising Arizona” often includes satirical commentary on societal norms and expectations. The film pokes fun at the idealized image of the American family and the pressures to conform, using humor to critique these conventions while also exploring the characters’ struggles to navigate them.

Overall, the humor in Raising Arizona enriches the film’s exploration of moral dilemmas by making the characters’ experiences more relatable, highlighting the absurdity of their actions, and balancing the serious themes with a light-hearted and engaging tone.

Relevance of the film today

Raising Arizona remains relevant today for several reasons:

Timeless Themes: The film’s exploration of family, love, and redemption are universal and enduring themes that continue to resonate with audiences. The desire for family and the challenges of parenthood are experiences that many can relate to, regardless of the era.

Unique Style: The Coen Brothers’ distinctive storytelling, with its blend of humor, absurdity, and heartfelt moments, still stands out in the landscape of contemporary cinema. Their ability to balance dark comedy with emotional depth makes “Raising Arizona” a unique and memorable film.

Character Depth: The quirky and endearing characters, such as H.I. and Ed, remain relatable and engaging. Their struggles, flaws, and growth reflect the human condition, making them timeless and relevant to modern audiences.

Cultural Impact: The film has left a lasting mark on popular culture, influencing subsequent comedies and filmmakers. Its memorable quotes, distinctive style, and cult following have solidified its place in the pantheon of classic films.

Satirical Commentary: The film’s satirical take on societal norms and expectations continues to be relevant. The critique of the idealized American family, the pressures to conform, and the absurdity of certain social conventions are themes that still resonate in today’s world.

Rewatchability: Raising Arizona has a high rewatchability factor due to its humor, clever writing, and visual style. Audiences can continue to find new layers and nuances upon repeated viewings, keeping the film fresh and relevant.

More about the Coen Brothers

The Coen Brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen, are an iconic American filmmaking duo known for their distinctive style and versatility. Here’s a bit more about them:

Early Life and Education

  • Joel Coen was born on November 29, 1954, and Ethan Coen on September 21, 1957, both in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.
  • Joel studied film at New York University, while Ethan studied philosophy at Princeton University.

Career Highlights

  • They made their directorial debut with the neo-noir thriller “Blood Simple” in 1984.
  • Some of their most acclaimed works include “Fargo” (1996), “The Big Lebowski” (1998), “No Country for Old Men” (2007), and “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013).
  • The Coen Brothers have been nominated for 13 Academy Awards together and have won several, including Best Original Screenplay for “Fargo” and Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay for “No Country for Old Men”.

Distinctive Style

  • Their films often blend genres and subvert traditional storytelling conventions.
  • They are known for their dark humor, quirky characters, and intricate plots.
  • The Coens frequently collaborate with a regular group of actors, including Frances McDormand, John Goodman, and Steve Buscemi.

Solo Projects

  • In recent years, the brothers have also pursued individual projects. Joel directed “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (2021), while Ethan directed “Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind” (2022) and “Drive-Away Dolls” (2024).

Contributions to Other Films

  • Besides their own films, the Coen Brothers have written and produced for other directors, including Sam Raimi’s “Crimewave” (1985) and Steven Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies” (2015).

Their unique vision and storytelling prowess have left an indelible mark on the film industry, making them one of the most influential filmmaking duos of our time.

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The film’s symbolism and surreal imagery invite viewers to interpret and find deeper meanings within the story. Arizona Dream stands out for its artistic approach and the way it challenges conventional storytelling, making it a significant film in the indie and cult cinema landscape.

“Making movies is a dangerous job. Because you are always the one who stands at the center of the universe when making movies.”

The story follows Axel Blackmar (Johnny Depp), a young man who works tagging fish in New York City. He is coaxed by his cousin Paul (Vincent Gallo) to attend their uncle Leo’s (Jerry Lewis) wedding in Arizona. Axel encounters two eccentric women: Elaine (Faye Dunaway), who dreams of building a flying machine, and her stepdaughter Grace (Lili Taylor), who dreams of being reincarnated as a turtle.

Emir Kusturica’s inspiration for Arizona Dream was multifaceted.

One significant influence was his time teaching at Columbia University, where he met David Atkins, a student who provided the basic storyline for the film. Kusturica’s perceptions of America, filtered through his experiences and position in the Balkan War, also played a crucial role. The film reflects his unique perspective as a European auteur, offering a cultural and political analysis of the United States.

Kusturica’s fascination with dreams and surrealism is evident in the film’s narrative and visual style. The film explores themes of dreams, reality, and the human condition, which are recurring motifs in Kusturica’s work.

He experienced a significant breakdown during the filming of Arizona Dream. The intense pressure and challenges of making the film, combined with personal and professional stress, led to a difficult period for him. After completing the film, Kusturica took a break from filmmaking and focused on his music career with his band, The No Smoking Orchestra.

This period of his life highlights the immense pressure and emotional toll that filmmaking can have on directors, especially those with a strong personal and artistic vision like Kusturica. Despite these challenges, he returned to filmmaking and continued to create impactful and memorable films.

Arizona Dream often blurs the lines between dreams and reality

Creating a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere that is a signature of his storytelling, Kusturica’s characters often have dreams and aspirations that drive their actions.

One of the memorable surreal sequence that exemplifies his unique narrative style involves Axel Blackmar (played by Johnny Depp) and his eccentric love interest, Elaine (Faye Dunaway). During a fantastical dream sequence, Elaine imagines herself flying in a propeller plane built by her late husband, a manifestation of her grief and desire to escape her reality. The plane crashes, symbolizing her own emotional struggles.

Axel dreams of a world where Eskimos live in the Arizona desert and fish swim through the air. This surreal vision reflects his longing for adventure and a life beyond the confines of his mundane reality. Later in the film, Axel builds a fantastical flying machine, embodying his desire to break free from societal norms and explore new horizons.

These dreamlike sequences, though filled with whimsical elements, serve a deeper purpose by highlighting the characters’ inner turmoil and aspirations. Axel’s transformation throughout the film demonstrates how pursuing one’s dreams, however fantastical, can lead to profound personal growth and a better understanding of oneself.

Kusturica uses whimsical and surreal imagery throughout the film to reflect the inner worlds of his characters, merging reality with fantasy in a way that challenges viewers to interpret the deeper meanings behind these fantastical elements. The dreamlike quality of Arizona Dream creates a unique and immersive narrative experience.

While Kusturica’s films often delve into dreams, they also confront harsh realities. When Father Was Away on Business deals with political repression, and Underground explores the complexities and tragedies of war in the Balkans.

Emir Kusturica’s film process and screenplay writing are deeply intertwined with his unique vision and storytelling style

Kusturica often collaborates with other writers and artists to bring his vision to life. He worked with David Atkins on the screenplay for Arizona Dream and with Dušan Kovačević on Underground.

He places a strong emphasis on visual storytelling. His films are known for their rich and imaginative visuals, which often include surreal and fantastical elements.

His films are deeply rooted in the cultural and historical context of the Balkans. This adds layers of meaning and authenticity to his work.

Kusturica is known for allowing a degree of improvisation during filming. This approach helps capture spontaneous and genuine performances from his actors.

His screenplays often explore themes such as dreams, reality, identity, and the human condition. These themes are woven into the narrative and visual elements of his films. His screenplays focus on complex and eccentric characters. The characters’ journeys and interactions drive the plot and provide emotional depth.

Kusturica uses symbolism and metaphor to convey deeper meanings. This adds layers of interpretation and invites viewers to engage with the film on multiple levels. Many of his films incorporate elements of magical realism, blending the fantastical with the mundane. This creates a unique and immersive cinematic experience.

His approach to filmmaking and screenplay writing is a blend of meticulous planning and creative spontaneity. His films are a testament to his ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with audiences on both an emotional and intellectual level.

Emir Kusturica is a renowned Serbian filmmaker, screenwriter, actor, and musician

Born on November 24, 1954, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, he is celebrated for his unique and surreal storytelling style, which often blends elements of comedy and drama. Kusturica graduated from the prestigious Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) in Prague in 1978. His student film “Guernica” won an award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. He has directed several acclaimed films, including “Do You Remember Dolly Bell?” (1981), “When Father Was Away on Business” (1985), “Time of the Gypsies” (1988), “Arizona Dream” (1993), “Underground” (1995), and “Black Cat, White Cat” (1998)2. Kusturica has won numerous awards, including two Palme d’Or awards at the Cannes Film Festival for “When Father Was Away on Business” and “Underground”. He also received the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for “Arizona Dream” and the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival for “Black Cat, White Cat”. Kusturica built a traditional village called Drvengrad (also known as Küstendorf) in Serbia for his film “Life Is a Miracle” (2004). The village has since become a cultural hub, hosting the annual Küstendorf Film and Music Festival. He is also a musician and the founder of the band “The No Smoking Orchestra,” which has gained international recognition. Kusturica published his autobiography “Smrt je neprovjerena glasina” (“Death Is an Unverified Rumour”) in 2010.

How does Kusturica’s approach compare with other directors?

Emir Kusturica’s approach to filmmaking can be compared to other notable directors in terms of style, themes, and narrative techniques.

  • Both Kusturica and Federico Fellini incorporate surreal and fantastical elements into their films. Fellini’s “8½” and “La Dolce Vita” are known for their dreamlike sequences and vivid imagery, similar to Kusturica’s work. Both directors focus on eccentric and deeply flawed characters, exploring their personal journeys and inner worlds.
  • Like Kusturica, Terry Gilliam (known for “Brazil” and “The Fisher King”) uses a distinctive visual style that often includes exaggerated and whimsical elements. Both directors blur the lines between reality and fantasy, creating a unique cinematic experience that challenges conventional storytelling.
  • David Lynch, known for “Mulholland Drive” and “Blue Velvet,” also employs surreal storytelling techniques and explores the darker, more enigmatic aspects of human nature. Both directors create atmospheric films with a strong sense of mood and tone, using visual and auditory elements to immerse the audience.
  • Wes Anderson (known for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Moonrise Kingdom”) and Kusturica share a love for quirky, eccentric characters and settings. Both directors use distinctive stylistic choices, such as meticulous set designs and unique color palettes, to create a visually cohesive and recognizable aesthetic.
  • Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, known for “The Man Without a Past” and “Le Havre,” often blends humor and pathos in his films, similar to Kusturica’s approach. Both directors focus on the lives of ordinary people, highlighting their struggles, dreams, and resilience.

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Brave the Dark is inspired by the true story of Stan Deen, a compassionate high school teacher, and his transformative relationship with a troubled teenager named Nate. The film delves into the impact of mentorship, resilience, and the power of empathy in overcoming personal struggles. Stan Deen’s unwavering support and belief in Nate helped him navigate through his dark past and find hope for a better future.

The story champions the idea of standing up for the underdog. It’s a theme we all can relate to—whether it’s in our communities, schools, or workplaces. Brave the Dark reminds us that being a hero doesn’t always mean wearing a cape. Sometimes, it’s about standing beside someone who feels invisible and letting them know they’re not alone.

Nicholas Hamilton as Nate in Brave The Dark .© 2025 by Angel Studios, All Rights Reserved

The story, set in 1980s rural Pennsylvania, is based on true events and explores the transformative relationship between a compassionate high school teacher, Stan Deen, and a troubled teenager, Nate. Stan discovers that Nate has been living out of his car and decides to bail him out, offering him a place to stay and helping him graduate high school. As their relationship develops, Stan becomes increasingly involved in uncovering the dark secrets of Nate’s past, which include witnessing a tragic murder-suicide involving his parents.

The story highlights the importance of small acts of kindness and the profound difference they can make in someone’s life. It serves as a reminder that everyone has the potential to make a positive impact on others, even in the face of adversity.

One of the film’s most profound messages is the importance of getting to know someone’s story. Brave the Dark reminds us that understanding breeds empathy. When we take the time to truly listen to others and understand their experiences, barriers begin to break down, and we see the humanity in one another.


True Heroism Is Selfless

Perhaps the most powerful takeaway from Brave the Dark is this: a true hero is someone who gives without expecting anything in return. In a culture that often celebrates self-interest, the film serves as a timely reminder of the quiet strength in selflessness.

Based on a true story, Brave The Dark powerfully portrays the transformation of a 1980s small-town teacher as he is drawn into the mysterious past of a student suddenly arrested outside his classroom.  Long sustained by a quiet belief that no student is a lost cause, Stan Deen (Jared Harris, Chernobyl, Mad Men)) discovers the profound and direct impact he can have on another life.  But as Stan attempts to figure out how troubled, secretive Nate (Nicholas Hamilton, Captain Fantastic, It) wound up living alone in his car, without any family, their relationship will test his deepest convictions and become a life-changing journey through doubt and betrayal towards trust and redemption.


Director Damian Harris shares his thoughts on the film

The film clearly benefited from having Nate there. It was helpful for me personally to have Nate as the touchstone. I think it was an emotional experience for him at times. He was essential in setting up the infrastructure, such as the Garden Spot School where Nate went to and Stan taught, getting us access to filming in the school and many of the locations. It was all hands on deck, pulling together.

We were making a period film with two timelines: one set in 1985 and the other in 1973. That was a lot to do. He was instrumental in getting as many resources out of the community as he could. Derek Dienner, the producer – without whom there would be no film – gathered the community together, brought them in to raise the money for the film. It was the epitome of an independent movie in that it had no money from the industry whatsoever. It was a ‘little train that could’ type production.

Harris mentioned that having Nate involved in the production was emotionally significant. Nate served as a touchstone for the film, helping to ensure the authenticity of the story. Harris noted that it was an emotional experience for Nate at times, but his presence was invaluable in setting up the infrastructure for the film, such as gaining access to filming locations like the Garden Spot School where Nate attended and Stan taught.

Nicholas Hamilton as Nate Jared Harris in Brave The Dark .© 2025 by Angel Studios, All Rights Reserved

Nate Deen shares his thoughts on the film

When Nate was 17, he found himself in a courtroom standing in front of a judge. If he didn’t straighten out, the judge said, Nate would be spending the next 10 years in jail. Thirty years later, Nate was back in front of a judge: this time, to change his last name from Busko to Deen, to honor Stan, who died in 2016 after suffering a stroke. 

Nate and Stan had discussed telling their story before Stan passed away — and, with writer John Spencer, worked on a script. Nate told Spencer his story and after hearing it, Spencer went home and immediately began work on the script. 

Spencer and Nate continued work on the script and eventually sent it out to Hollywood. They didn’t get a response. Then, one day, a movie producer from Inspiring Films was at Sight & Sound, and randomly inquired if anyone happened to know anyone with a good story. Nate’s name came up. 

Grant Bradley, one of the producers for Inspiring Films, was working out in London and actually moved to Lancaster for a while. After the COVID-19 pandemic began, Bradley, out of convenience, decided to partner with Make/Films. Now, the two companies will produce the film.

The script has gone through a few changes, and other script writers have gotten involved to flesh out the story. They have the challenge of condensing a narrative that spans 30-years into two hours, but Spencer will receive the screenwriting credit.

honour“I don’t want to do this project for credits, or money or fame or any of that stuff,” Nate says. “I’m doing this because I want to tell Stan’s story and the Lancaster County story. I can never repay Stan, but this is my honor to show what type of man he was.” 

“A small act of kindness changed my whole trajectory. I’m the person I am because of him, and the things that I’m doing moving forward are because of him and the things that he did for me. He never gave up on me. He always encouraged me. What an honour, to change my name, to have a real name that feels like mine…to be Nate Deen; I’m proud of that. I’m just so excited to get this story out into the world, even though it’s very difficult at times. It’s an important story that I think the world needs to hear.”

Nate and Stan Deen

INTERVIEW WITH SCREENWRITER NATE DEEN AND DIRECTOR DAMIAN HARRIS

READ MORE ABOUT THE NATE DEEN FOUNDATION


The screenplay for Brave The Dark was written by Dale G. Bradley, Lynn Robertson-Hay, Nathaniel Deen, John P. Spencer, and Damian Harris

  • Dale G. Bradley is a film and television producer, director, and screenwriter. He has worked on various projects, including “Lost Valley,” “Terror Peak,” and “The Lovers.” Dale has established one of New Zealand’s largest film production companies, Daybreak Pacific, and is now active in Queensland, Australia, with his production company, Limelight International.
  • Lynn Robertson-Hay is a writer and actress known for her work on “The Impact,” “Brave the Dark,” and the TV series “Doctors.” She has also written over 15 professional theatre productions and won the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain award for Best Children’s Theatre in 1995 for her stage adaptation of “The Borrowers”
  • Nathaniel Deen is a screenwriter and producer whose personal story inspired the film Brave the Dark. He has faced significant challenges in his life, including homelessness and trauma, but found hope and support through the mentorship of Stan Deen. Nathaniel’s journey is a testament to the power of compassion and resilience.
  • John P. Spencer is a writer, director, and assistant director known for his work on “Frayed,” “High Stakes,” and “Den of Lions.” He has contributed to various film projects and has a background in storytelling and filmmaking.
  • Damian Harris is a British film director and screenwriter. He is the son of the famous actor Richard Harris and socialite Elizabeth Rees-Williams. Damian has two brothers, Jared Harris and Jamie Harris, who are also actors. Damian Harris began his career in the film industry in the 1980s. He is known for directing and writing several films, including “The Rachel Papers” (1989), “Deceived” (1991), and “Gardens of the Night” (2008). His work often explores complex human relationships and emotional struggles. In addition to his work in film, Damian Harris has also directed television episodes and documentaries. He continues to be an influential figure in the film industry, known for his unique storytelling and ability to capture the intricacies of human emotions.

The film showcases the bond that develops between James and Bob as they navigate life’s challenges together. Bob becomes not just a companion, but a source of hope and inspiration for James, ultimately helping him to turn his life around.

The impact that a small, unexpected encounter can have on a person’s life

James Bowen was a homeless busker and recovering drug addict living on the streets of London. One day, he encountered an injured stray cat, whom he later named Bob. The bond that formed between James and Bob had a profound impact on James’s life. Bob provided companionship, motivation, and a sense of purpose, helping James to overcome his addiction and rebuild his life. Their story gained widespread attention when James wrote a memoir about their experiences, which became a best-selling book titled A Street Cat Named Bob.

The book’s success and the heartwarming tale it told inspired the creation of the film, bringing their story to an even wider audience and highlighting the transformative power of friendship and compassion.

The screenplay was written by Tim John and Maria Nation who were drawn to the heartwarming and transformative journey of James and Bob, as depicted in James Bowen’s memoir.

Tim John and Maria Nation have worked on various screenplays throughout their careers. Tim John is known for his work on films such as “The Railway Children” and “The Railway Children Return.” Maria Nation has worked on several screenplays, including “The Two Mr. Kissels” and “The Gabby Douglas Story”

Bowen and Bob’s story is one of overcoming adversity, finding hope in unexpected places, and the extraordinary bond between a human and an animal. The screenplay aimed to capture the essence of this relationship and the impact it had on both their lives. The authenticity and emotional depth of James and Bob’s story provided a rich foundation for the film’s screenplay.

Actor Luke Treadaway with Bob The Cat and James Bowen

Filming Bob the cat in A Street Cat Named Bob was quite an interesting process. Director Roger Spottiswoode and his team used a combination of techniques to capture Bob’s scenes effectively.

One of the challenges was that animals, especially cats, don’t always perform the same action twice. To address this, they used several cameras to capture different angles and moments simultaneously. This allowed them to get the best shots without needing Bob to repeat his actions.

For most of the filming, only one cat was playing the role of Bob, and he didn’t work long hours. In some scenes, like when Bob had to jump off a bus, they used a cat stunt double because the main Bob didn’t want to do that.

The filmmakers’ approach ensured that Bob’s natural behavior and charm were captured authentically on screen, making the film even more heartwarming and genuine.

Luke Treadaway and Bob with director Roger Spottiswoode during the filming of A Street Cat Named Bob.

The significance of A Street Cat Named Bob extends beyond its heartwarming storyline. It highlights several important themes and messages:

  • Redemption and Recovery: James Bowen’s journey from homelessness and addiction to finding hope and purpose through his bond with Bob serves as a powerful testament to the possibility of redemption and recovery. It underscores the impact that companionship and responsibility can have on someone’s life.
  • Companionship and Connection: The film emphasizes the profound connection that can exist between humans and animals. Bob provides emotional support and a sense of purpose for James, demonstrating how animals can play a crucial role in our well-being.
  • Awareness of Homelessness and Addiction: By showcasing James’s struggles and triumphs, the film raises awareness about the challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction. It encourages empathy and understanding toward those going through similar situations.
  • Inspiration and Hope: The story of James and Bob serves as an inspiration to many, showing that even in the darkest times, hope can be found in the most unexpected places. It reminds us that positive change is possible and that we all have the strength to overcome adversity.

Overall, A Street Cat Named Bob is significant for its ability to touch hearts, raise awareness, and inspire positive change. It’s a testament to the transformative power of love, friendship, and compassion.

Bob the cat, also known as A Street Cat Named Bob, was a remarkable feline who played a significant role in the life of James Bowen. Bob was a stray cat who James found injured and in poor health in the hallway of his building in London.

James, who was a homeless busker and recovering drug addict at the time, decided to take care of Bob, nursing him back to health and eventually adopting him.

Bob’s presence had a profound impact on James’s life. The bond between them provided James with companionship, motivation, and a sense of purpose. Bob would accompany James while he busked on the streets and sold the Big Issue, becoming a familiar and beloved figure in the community. Their story gained widespread attention when James wrote a memoir about their experiences, which became a best-selling book titled A Street Cat Named Bob. Bob’s story continued to inspire many, leading to the publication of several more books, including “The World According to Bob,” “A Gift from Bob,” and “The Little Book of Bob”. Their story was also adapted into two films, “A Street Cat Named Bob” and its sequel, “A Gift from Bob.”

Sadly, Bob passed away in June 2020 after being struck by a car. He was believed to be around 14 years old at the time of his passing. Despite his untimely death, Bob’s legacy lives on through the books, films, and the countless lives he touched with his story of hope and resilience.

James Bowen is an English author and street performer, best known for his memoirs about his life with his cat, Bob. Born on March 15, 1979, in Surrey, England, James had a challenging childhood. After his parents’ divorce, he moved to Australia with his mother, where he faced bullying and struggled to make friends. He eventually dropped out of school and returned to the UK in 1997, where he experienced homelessness and addiction.

In 2007, James encountered a stray ginger cat, whom he named Bob. This meeting marked a turning point in his life. James took care of Bob, and the two formed a strong bond. Bob began accompanying James while he busked and sold The Big Issue in London. Their story gained attention, leading to the publication of James’s first book, “A Street Cat Named Bob,” in 2012.

The book became an international bestseller, and James went on to write several more books about his life with Bob, including “The World According to Bob” and “A Gift from Bob.” A film adaptation of the first two books was released in 2016, with a sequel following in 2020.

James now dedicates his time to supporting various charities related to homelessness, literacy, and animal welfare.

Back to Showroom Movie Club


Jamie Uys wrote, produced, edited, and directed The Gods Must Be Crazy. The film was an international co-production between South Africa and Botswana.

Uys saw this as an opportunity to explore themes of cultural clash and the impact of foreign objects on indigenous cultures. His goal was to create a lighthearted yet thought-provoking film that would entertain audiences while also shedding light on the challenges faced by traditional societies in the modern world.

The film was a commercial and critical success, particularly in South Africa, where it broke several box office records. It was later released internationally by 20th Century Fox in 1984. The film’s success led to several sequels, including The Gods Must Be Crazy II (1989), which continued the story of Xi and his encounters with modern society. The series expanded to include several unofficial sequels, further cementing its place in cinematic history.

“I didn’t expect the film to be so successful. I thought it was just a small, funny film, but it seems to have touched a lot of people around the world. I think it’s because it shows that even in our crazy world, there is still room for kindness and innocence.”

“It’s just slapstick comedy, with no message. I’ve been making comedies most of my life, and I’ve never put a message in – it’s bad for business. It’s arrogant to put messages in. You rob your audiences of putting in their own messages.”


Jamie Uys was inspired to make The Gods Must Be Crazy in 1980 by his fascination with the San people of the Kalahari Desert and their unique way of life

He wanted to create a film that humorously highlighted the contrast between their simple, natural lifestyle and the complexities of modern civilization.

Uys conceived the premise of The Gods Must Be Crazy while making the 1974 documentary Animals Are Beautiful People. The documentary was filmed partially on the Kalahari Desert, where Uys first encountered the San people and “fell in love with them”. 

Uys chose a Coca-Cola bottle as the object that the San people would discover and covet in The Gods Must Be Crazy because he felt that the bottle was representative of “our plastic society”, and because it “is a beautiful thing, if you’ve never seen glass before”

“Making a film is never easy. There are always obstacles and problems to overcome, but I believe that if you have a good story and are passionate about it, you can make a great film. You just have to be persistent and never give up.”

Uys noted that he modelled the character of Andrew Steyn after himself: “I used to be awkward like that, especially with women. But then, I think most young guys knock things over with their first girl”.

After writing the script for The Gods Must Be Crazy, Uys reportedly spent three months traversing the Kalahari Desert with an interpreter, searching for a San person to play the role of Xi in the film.  Visiting areas of the desert inhabited by the San, Uys took photographs of individuals he felt he might cast, and then “marked the longitude and latitude, so we could find them again”.


Uys decided to cast Namibian San farmer Nǃxau ǂToma as Xi, and later recalled that “At first [Nǃxau] didn’t understand, because they have no word for work. Then the interpreter asked, ‘Would you like to come with us for some days?'”  N!xau agreed and flew with Uys by aeroplane to Windhoek, Namibia, which served as a base for the film’s production. Uys stated “the airplane didn’t impress him at all. He thinks we are magicians, so he believes we can do anything. Nothing impressed him”. In his hotel room, N!xau agreed to use the toilet, but slept on the floor rather than on the provided bed.

According to Uys, N!xau would be flown back to his home in the Kalahari Desert every three or four weeks to prevent him from suffering from culture shock. During his time in urban areas, N!xau learned to smoke and acquired an affinity for liquor and sake. Uys said that he paid N!xau $300 for his first 10 days of work, but that the money was reportedly blown away by wind. N!xau was then compensated with 12 head of cattle. In 1985, Uys said that he had sent N!xau $100 a month since filming, which N!xau used at a trading store 100 km (60 miles) from his hunting ground, Uys also stated that a $20,000 trust account in N!xau’s name had been established.

The film stars Namibian San farmer Nǃxau ǂToma as Xi, a hunter-gatherer of the Kalahari Desert. The story begins when Xi’s tribe discovers a glass Coca-Cola bottle that has fallen from an airplane, believing it to be a gift from their gods. As the bottle causes unforeseen conflict within the tribe, Xi decides to embark on a journey to return the bottle to the gods. Along the way, Xi encounters various characters, including a biologist named Andrew Steyn (played by Marius Weyers), a newly hired village school teacher named Kate Thompson (played by Sandra Prinsloo), and a band of guerrilla terrorists. The film humorously contrasts Xi’s simple, natural lifestyle with the complexities and conflicts of modern civilization.

Prince Albert Movie Club

South African Filmmaking


Rewriting and polishing are both crucial, but they serve different purposes and require different mindsets. Overlooking one can lead to a manuscript that’s either structurally unsound or filled with small errors that distract from the story.

Without thorough rewriting, the story might have plot holes, weak character arcs, or pacing issues. The overall tone might be uneven, confusing readers and diluting the story’s impact. Characters might lack depth and development, making it hard for readers to connect with them.

Overlooking Polishing can pull readers out of the story and affect the manuscript’s professionalism. Unrefined sentences and dialogue can make the text hard to read and less enjoyable. Small inconsistencies in details, timelines, or character traits can confuse readers and break immersion.

Writers often face criticism from those who accuse them of never finishing a project, taking years, sometimes even decades, to complete a story

This scrutiny can be frustrating for writers who are deeply committed to their craft and the process of perfecting their work. It’s important to understand that writing is not just about putting words on paper; it’s about creating something meaningful and profound. Each story has its own rhythm and timeline, and the journey to completion can be as significant as the finished product itself. Patience and perseverance are essential for writers as they navigate the intricate process of bringing their stories to life.

Those who are not writers, or who overlook the intricacies of aiming to create the ‘perfect’ story, often fail to grasp the relentless demands of perfection

The pursuit of excellence in writing is a meticulous and arduous journey, requiring an immense amount of dedication, patience, and passion. The process involves countless revisions, a constant search for the right words, and an unyielding commitment to crafting a narrative that resonates deeply. This quest for perfection can be both a burden and a blessing, driving writers to push their limits and produce work of unparalleled quality, while also subjecting them to misunderstandings and misconceptions from those who haven’t experienced the writer’s path.

Rewriting

This stage involves major changes to the structure, plot, characters, or themes. It’s about rethinking and sometimes even overhauling significant parts of the story. The goal is to improve the overall story, making it more compelling, coherent, and emotionally engaging.

Rewriting is a critical phase that can transform your screenplay or novel into something truly exceptional. It can be a daunting task, but with a structured approach, you can elevate your story to new heights.

Remember, every great work of literature or film has gone through countless revisions.

Polishing

Polishing is about fine-tuning the manuscript, focusing on the small details to ensure the final product is as perfect as possible. The goal is to enhance readability and ensure a professional presentation. It involves: Correcting grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, improving sentence structure and word choice, ensuring consistency in character names, settings, and timelines, and refining dialogue to sound more natural and true to character.

Polishing is all about perfecting the finer details of your screenplay or novel. Polishing your manuscript takes time and patience, but it’s a crucial step to make your story shine.

In short, rewriting involves major, structural changes, while polishing is about perfecting the details. Both are crucial stages, but they require different mindsets and approaches.

The Write Journey course offers valuable insights into the art of rewriting, providing writers with the tools and techniques needed to transform their initial drafts into polished works of art.

Complementing this, our Story Editing and Polishing service assists writers in refining their screenplays or novels, ensuring that their narratives are cohesive, engaging, and professionally presented. Together, these resources empower writers to bring their creative visions to life with clarity and precision, making their stories shine.

The Monkey is the latest genre experience from writer and director Osgood Perkins, most recently
famous for helming the staggeringly successful Longlegs of 2024, but known for years as a singular,
uncompromising stylist in the horror genre. With horror as his canvas, Perkins paints scenes of dread
replete with terrible places and haunting characters that feel like shared hallucinations experienced by
audiences. While Perkins’ films are notably often quiet, he knows how to puncture the silence with a
blade as sharp as the devil himself.

With The Monkey, longtime fans of the filmmaker will be treated to a Perkins work unlike any other that
has preceded it. This master of subtle conveyance comes out of the shadows with a cartoon hammer
in his latest film, and while the writer-director has always had a sense of humour in his work, The
Monkey
is as much an absurdist comedy as it is a blood-soaked thrill ride following the travails of one
cursed family.

The Monkey is based on the 1980 short story of the same name by Stephen King. It follows a man named
Hal Shelburn, who is terrorized by a cymbal-banging monkey that rains misfortune down on whoever
possesses it. Hal first found the object among his father’s belongings in a storage closet, and after the
discovery he started losing loved ones to tragic accidents. Believing the monkey is connected to the
catastrophes, Hal throws it in a dry well, but it resurfaces somehow decades later to haunt Hal again. In
order to break the curse, Hal teams up with his son to try and dispose of it once and for all.


Adapting King’s work and crafting the screenplay

The idea for adapting King’s work came to Perkins from James Wan’s Atomic Monster and The Safran
Company, headed by Peter Safran. The two parties presented Perkins with the short story and a draft of the script. His interest was piqued, and he agreed to come on and start a screenplay from scratch. After reading through the source material once he didn’t consult with it again. This was meant to be a jumping off point for Perkins, and the producers weren’t interested in a “copy paste” job.

The adaptation that arose from Perkins’ new take kept the broad strokes of the King’s short story in place
with details added that personalised it to the writer-director.

The most significant change is that Hal became one of two with a twin named Bill; Perkins wanted a brotherly dynamic at the centre of the film since that’s how he grew up. “In developing it early on, you’re always tasked with figuring out what the mythology is or what the monster is and why it works or how it works, and it’s tricky because this is an inert character,” says Perkins. “It’s not like Chucky or Gremlins or M3gan. It plays its drum and people around it die, so I had to figure out what made sense to me. Because I’m always trying to, in the movies I make, to make it about me.” The dynamic of Bill and Hal, their history together and their reconciliation, was like a biographical insert for the filmmaker.

“It’s pretty well known that I have experienced some pretty shocking stuff in my life, the loss of both of my parents being pretty wild events,” says Perkins. “I was eager to use this property as a key to sort of healing those experiences by applying a comic and absurdist touch to it. It just felt like the image of the monkey being this sort of iconic indicator of bad things to come, but also kind of approachable and bizarre and surreal in its own right. It just seemed like all those things went together.”

Theo James and Oz Perkins on the set of The Monkey Courtesy of NEON

So what is this monkey? That’s a tough question

It’s not a toy; never call it a toy. But what the monkey contains is vast. On the one hand it is an emotionless merchant of death that seems to function like a bingo ball hopper when it comes to picking victims.

The monkey himself — or is it a her? Or is it no gender at all? Probably the latter,” says Theo James,
who plays the grown versions of Hal and Bill. “This monkey has a Malvolian force behind it, a kind of
ability to cause death and carnage around it at any turn. It also has a strange and opaque way of
granting wishes, wishes of death. The monkey is a parable for mortality, and death is chasing or looming
over us at all times. We can’t outrun it. We all kind of get there in the end, but the thing about humanity
— perhaps it’s a blessing or is it a curse? — we think for most of our relative youth that death doesn’t
exist in our zeitgeist, but it’s been there since the day we were born. So, it’s how you deal with the
specter of death and what that does to a person.”

James even questions whether the monkey is literally there at all, or if it’s just a manifestation of the Shelburn family trauma, a symbol for the cycle of pain or dysfunction they’re too immobilized by to break, no matter what further damage it perpetuates in the process.

There is also special attention paid to the relationship between the Shelburn boys and their single mother, Lois, played by Tatiana Maslany, who offers another possibility that fits neatly within Perkins’ recurring theme of what’s passed from parent to child, and how our histories inform our futures. “The monkey is a lot of things,” she says. “It’s what do we inherit from the parents we didn’t know, or the parents that we did know? What’s the legacy that’s passed down to us, the things that we can’t help but be or the bad luck we can’t help but carry with us? What is the stuff that people leave us, both emotionally and physically?”

And Perkins has his own read on the creature: “It became this almost absurd quality of the monkey that
it doesn’t really do anything. People die all the time. In fact, everybody dies sooner or later, one way or
another, and sometimes it’s totally normal and natural and sometimes it’s totally terrible and crazy.” The
writer-director continues, “In my own personal life I’ve had a share of both. I’ve had some pretty
extreme, tragic deaths in my life. I’ve had some strange things happen. So, I sort of took from there and
said, ‘What if the monkey is kind of just there?’ Of course it’s causing these things to happen, but I
leaned into the universal concept of everybody dies, it’s just a question of when.” In that way it’s just like
the box says right on the top: ORGAN GRINDER MONKEY LIKE LIFE.

And like life, the monkey does not take requests. You turn the key, and then you take a chance on what happens next.

If this all sounds like the height of absurdity, a little monkey with a drum that rains hell down on and
around its chosen stewards, Perkins agrees with you.

And the story elements taken together provided the perfect avenue for the director to change gears when it came to mood. A thing about Perkins is that, even if the bulk of his filmography does not wave this attribute around like a flag, he is very funny. He’s quick on his feet and adept with a witty turn of phrase. The Monkey production designer Danny Vermette says that while working on Longlegs, he and cinematographer Andres Arochi talked about Perkins finally focusing a script on humour, “We were like, Oz needs to write a comedy. He’s just such a funny dude. He holds nothing back and he’s so giving. He just lets you know what he’s thinking and feeling all the time, and it’s just rooted in humour.”

Horror and comedy are also united when it comes to the commentary texture that Perkins is compelled by, and Maslany says she sees these same blended elements in the writings of King.

“There’s so much fun in [Stephen King’s stories], and there’s so much real stuff being talked about in a way that is scary and disturbing, but he always does it with this sense of humour,” says Maslany. “And I think what Oz pulled out of it in such a big way was that sense of humour, that dark humour, which he has in spades.”

While horror and its fans have always been good to Perkins as a filmmaker, his family’s history makes for
something of a path predetermined with the director going into the family business. But as he’s gained
more experience and gotten older, the filmmaker says he feels called by something a little bit different
right now. “I think I kind of started making horror movies — I don’t want to say by default — but sort of
because of my dad and it felt like something I would do. And there were horror movies I really loved, so I
did it a few times, and it’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that the honest truth is I don’t go for horror,
especially new ones. I go for old movies, like Eyes Without A Face or Don’t Look Now,” explains Perkins,
who cites madcap moves like Death Becomes Her and Malignant — which the director calls “fucking
funny” and is helmed by his producer Wan — as tonal core texts for The Monkey.

“But horror movies in general make me feel kind of bad. So I have always been aware of that, like, ‘Am I making people feel bad with what I’m potentially doing? I know they like it, but do I like it?’ So, the idea of making something that makes me laugh feels like a natural evolution. I’ll see what I feel like doing next, but it feels like it might be hard to go back to serious.”

Adorable. Spielbergian. A tribute to the first heyday of Robert Zemeckis. A callback to the magic of seeing
Gremlins as a child. These aren’t the most expected descriptors from a filmography like Perkins’, but in
addition to the all-out fun of The Monkey, all that combined is what makes it so exciting as the next step in an established artist’s career. It’s a gift of surprise in a cinematic landscape that can feel like it is serving
up so much of the same sometimes. It’s a movie that understands the darkness we battle while refusing
to give up on keeping a tender heart. Which sounds a lot… like life.

As far as horror goes, which The Monkey has plenty of, Perkins is not leaving it behind even making those
feel-bad kinds of movies isn’t resonating with him right now.

Horror, he says, is probably what will be packed into the time capsule of humanity so that “in a billion years” the aliens can find it and see “what humans couldn’t deal with.” It’s the genre that accepts that our world is filled with things we won’t and can’t understand. It is filled with unimaginable cruelties inflicted for no reason, and it is often defined by the power of the will to survive in the face of such cruelty. It contains terror, but it can also contain magic. It is also free to be purposefully ridiculous and hyperbolic. Realism is not the currency here. Imagination is, and with The Monkey, Perkins is imagining in a more fun way than ever before.

“I think the more movies I make and the more things I work on, the more tangibly aware you are sort of
the artifice of things. None of this is that big a deal,” says Perkins. “Making movies is not that significant,
compared to what most people in the world are faced with on a day to day basis. God forbid. I mean the
ability to mount a movie is like borderline foolishness in the context of the world, so I think that when
one gets to a certain place with that I think you have to just smile more than not, and it feels like this
movie does that.”

Osgood Perkins / Writer, Director


A well-structured piece is the backbone of effective writing.

Composition plays a critical role in writing a screenplay, novel, or stage play for several reasons:

Composition ensures that the narrative follows a logical and engaging structure. For screenplays, this might mean following the three-act structure, while novels and stage plays benefit from well-organized chapters or acts. A strong structure helps maintain the flow of the story and keeps the audience engaged.

It allows for the gradual development of characters. Through well-structured scenes or chapters, writers can reveal characters’ traits, motivations, and growth in a coherent and compelling way, helping the audience connect with and care about the characters.

Composition controls the pacing of the story, ensuring that the narrative progresses at an appropriate speed with a balance of tension and relief. For instance, a screenplay might use quick cuts and dialogue to build suspense, while a novel might use detailed descriptions to create atmosphere.

It allows writers to weave themes and messages throughout the work. By strategically placing key scenes, dialogues, or descriptions, writers can reinforce the central themes and leave a lasting impact on the audience.

A well-composed piece ensures that all elements of the story—plot, characters, setting, and themes—work together harmoniously. This coherence makes the story more believable and enjoyable, as each part supports and enhances the whole.

Composition helps build emotional resonance. By carefully structuring scenes and interactions, writers can evoke specific emotions, create memorable moments, and deliver impactful climaxes, keeping the audience invested in the story.

In screenplays and stage plays, composition includes considerations for visual and auditory elements. This means thinking about how scenes are staged, how dialogue is delivered, and how visual and sound effects enhance the storytelling. A well-composed script ensures that these elements work seamlessly to create a captivating experience.

Lastly, proper composition makes the writing clear and easy to read. This is especially important in screenplays, where the script serves as a blueprint for directors, actors, and crew. Clear and concise writing ensures that everyone involved can understand and bring the story to life effectively.

In summary, composition is the backbone of effective storytelling in any medium.

It ensures that the narrative is engaging, coherent, and impactful, ultimately creating a memorable experience for the audience.

Each of these forms of writing has its own unique characteristics and composition techniques. Let’s dive into the differences:

Screenplays

Screenplays typically follow a three-act structure: setup, confrontation, and resolution. Uses a specific formatting style with elements like scene headings (slug lines), action lines, character names, and dialogue. Screenplays are written to be seen and heard, so descriptions are concise and focus on what the audience can observe. Often carries a significant portion of the storytelling. Dialogue is usually shorter and snappier compared to novels. Screenplays are more fast-paced, with a goal to move the plot forward quickly.

Novels

Novels have a more flexible structure and can experiment with different formats (e.g., multiple timelines, stream of consciousness). Written in prose, allowing for in-depth exploration of the narrative. Novels can delve into the inner thoughts and emotions of characters, as well as provide detailed descriptions of settings and events. Can be longer and more introspective. Dialogue is often used to reveal character traits and advance the plot. Pacing varies depending on the story and the author’s style. Novels can afford to take their time building the world and developing characters.

Stageplays

Stageplays are typically divided into acts and scenes, with a focus on dramatic structure. Uses a specific format with character names, dialogue, stage directions, and sometimes scene descriptions. Like screenplays, stageplays are meant to be performed, so the writing focuses on what the audience can see and hear. Central to stageplays, dialogue is the primary means of storytelling and character development. It tends to be more theatrical and expressive. Pacing can vary, but stageplays often include moments of heightened tension and dramatic pauses.

The Art Of Composition is fully explored in The Write Journey course

How to Structure A Story


The magic of Paddington Bear has long captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. He was created by British author Michael Bond as inspired to create Paddington after buying a teddy bear for his wife on Christmas Eve in 1956, and was named after Paddington Station in London, where Bond found the bear in his story. He made his debut in the children’s book A Bear Called Paddington in 1958.

Paddington has become a beloved figure in British culture and the movies have introduced this charming character to a new generation of audiences worldwide. Each film in the Paddington series has brought something unique to the table, from Paddington’s initial journey to London, his heartfelt quest in the second film, to his return to Peru in the latest installment. The series has captivated audiences with its charm, humour, and positive messages.

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  • Paddington (2014) introduced audiences to a polite and lovable bear from Peru who finds himself in London after being separated from his Aunt Lucy. Taken in by the Brown family, Paddington’s adventures in the bustling city were filled with humour, heart, and the challenges of adapting to a new life. The film beautifully captured his journey to find belonging and the warmth of the Brown family’s acceptance. Directed by Paul King, the screenplay was written by King, from a story by Hamish McColl.
  • Paddington 2 (2017) followed Paddington as he tried to buy the perfect gift for his Aunt Lucy’s 100th birthday. His quest led him to take on various odd jobs, but his hard-earned money was stolen by a devious neighbour. Paddington’s determination to retrieve the stolen money and his unwavering kindness made for an even more heartwarming and adventurous story. It was directed by Paul King from a screenplay by King, and Simon Farnaby as co-writer.
  • Paddington in Peru (2024) is the latest instalment that takes Paddington back to his roots in Peru. Joined by the Brown family, Paddington travels to the Amazon rainforest and the mountain peaks of Peru to visit Aunt Lucy at the Home for Retired Bears. Along the way, they encounter a mystery that leads to thrilling adventures through the beautiful landscapes of Peru. While this film is slightly longer than its predecessors and directed by Dougal Wilson instead of Paul King, it maintains the emotional and comedic heartbeat of the series. It is directed by Dougal Wilson from a screenplay by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont, from a story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton.

“Paddington is still happily living with the Browns in Windsor Gardens in London” says director Dougal Wilson, setting up where we find Paddington at the start of this new adventure. “He is writing to his Aunt Lucy to tell her what’s been going on.” However, as time has passed, the Brown family find themselves increasingly busy with their individual pursuits. Judy is applying to university, Jonathan has become a reclusive teenager, and Mr. Brown is preoccupied with a new challenge at work under a demanding boss. Mrs. Brown, the family’s emotional core, notices the growing distance and yearns for a solution to bring everyone together.”

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Paddington In Peru asks profound questions about the nature of home and belonging. Dougal elaborates, “What does home really mean? Where really is home? Is it a place? Is it a feeling? Is it where you are from? Or is it where you end up?”

By contrasting Paddington’s life in London with his roots in Peru, the film offers a rich narrative that resonates on multiple levels.

“When he was a cub, Aunt Lucy sent Paddington to London, and he didn’t have a choice in the matter” adds Producer, Rosie Alison. “He came and found a home in London, and he’s loved it. Though of course he will think about home and his aunt is still there. It just seemed natural for him to go back and revisit his roots. Paddington is thinking about what family is, what is home, where do I belong?”

Executive Producer Rob Silva emphasises the film’s expansive scope: “It’s a true adventure film, but in a ‘Paddingtonian’ way. We see huge landscapes, glorious environments, and have chase sequences.” Despite the grandeur of the adventure, Rob assures that “it maintains the charm and warmth that fans love about Paddington.”

This third chapter in Paddington’s film journey marks the directorial debut of Dougal Wilson who discusses his reactions to be the one to continue Paddington’s story on screen. “I was entirely aware of the legacy I was attempting to continue” he admits. “I was such a fan of the first two films—their style, humour, and creativity. I thought, maybe I could contribute to this series in my own way and continue the story. But I am under no illusions about how much expectation there is for this third film.”

Dougal sought to carry forward the unique style that Paul King, who remains in Paddington’s world as Executive Producer on the film and as part of the story team, established in the first two films. “I thought it would be great fun to continue the style that Paul King had so brilliantly set up, using the feeling that the stories created in London and applying that to a place that wasn’t London. I aimed to bring that style, tone, and inventiveness to Peru.”

Dougal’s deep admiration for the previous Paddington films is evident. “I’ve always admired the storytelling, the heightened style, the humour, the gentle warm Britishness, and the ingenious visuals. I also deeply admire the incredible animation from Framestore that makes you believe this little bear is real. I just wanted to jump at the opportunity to be part of all that.”

For Rosie Alison, and the other producing team it was important that they undertook a careful search for a director to take over from Paul King. “Paul set a very high bar with the first two Paddington films” she says. “So, we thought long and hard and had a very exacting search for a director. We’re absolutely thrilled to have found Dougal. Like Paul, he has a wonderfully inventive visual ingenuity and imagination. He can also make you laugh and cry, which is crucial for Paddington. Dougal really embodies the Paddington spirit.”

Rob Silva, notes Wilson’s ability to convey comedy and humour in a way that marries perfectly with the tone of the Paddington world. “As a person, he has this effusive generosity of spirit that is so important in making the Paddington films, and it really comes across in the film itself.”

“He’s constantly dreaming up new, wonderful, inventive ideas, which is right for the films” continues Rosie. “He has a wonderful heart, and the truth of emotion comes through very strongly with Dougal. He is naturally funny, and that always feeds into his work. He had a whole suite of qualities that just felt right for Paddington.”

Dougal’s approach to directing has garnered admiration from all the cast including British icon Julie Walters who returns as Mrs. Bird. “I love him. I think I might marry Dougal,” she jokes. “He creates a fantastic space for the actors. He’s really funny and open, and that’s important in directing.”

With Dougal at the helm, the new Paddington film promises to continue the beloved legacy while infusing it with fresh, inventive energy.

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Celebrating the vivid, lush, and colourful world of Peru for the film was an exciting challenge for the production, one that required an exceptional blend of on-location shooting and intricate set design. The filmmakers were dedicated to ensuring that the adventure felt as real and immersive as possible, capturing the spirit of Peru through both practical and creative means.

Rob Silva, Executive Producer, emphasises the importance of using real landscapes and shooting on location in South America to give the adventure a genuine feel. “When we set out to make this film, it was important to us that the adventure felt real. We didn’t want to have CG backdrops and for it to feel inorganic. We went to Peru, we went to Colombia, and we filmed these natural landscapes, so it really feels like it has scale.”

Dougal Wilson echoes this sentiment, explaining the hybrid approach they adopted. “We went over to South America, and I spent almost two months out in Peru and Colombia looking at locations. We shot a lot in Peru, in the Andes, in and around the Vilcabamba, and also the Machu Picchu area. It was great to continue the Paddington tradition of being a very British production, but we combined that with environments and exterior locations that we shot in South America.”

Returning to the world of Paddington has been a joyous reunion for Animation Director Pablo Grillo who has been the lead animator for Paddington since the first film. “It has been a while,” he reflects, “and it means a lot of familiar faces, which is so lovely. To be back with the same group of crew, which is so warm and generous, but to also have lots of new faces at the party, brings fresh angles and energy.”

“In this film we have a lot of movement” Pablo explains, highlighting the adventure Paddington goes on whilst in Peru. “Paddington has to navigate through a lot of leaves and foliage, transforming landscapes, which aren’t just flat ground.” This complexity adds layers to the animation process, making every scene a technical marvel. “When you’re dealing with an ensemble that also makes it very complicated” he adds. “You need to make sure everybody’s looking in the right place.” For the visual effects team, these challenges are solved using innovative solutions. “We have to find novel approaches during principal photography to ensure Paddington’s interactions work with the live-action space. Whether it’s deciding to replace a real plant with a digital one, or using props to mimic Paddington for actor interactions, we constantly make choices to bring him to life.”

Dougal Wilson emphasizes that Paddington changes the people around him through his good nature. “Paddington embodies qualities that we all admire: integrity, kindness, tolerance, and fair play. These are enduring qualities, universal qualities, and people see Paddington as a wonderful embodiment of them.”

“I think people feel very protective about Paddington” adds Rosie Alison. “He reminds them of their own most innocent self. In these very challenging times, what could be more necessary than an innocent, good character who shines a light on our world and encourages kindness and fair play in others?”

Paddington Bear, with his unwavering kindness, curiosity, and optimism, continues to teach us valuable lessons about love, belonging, and the importance of seeing the good in others. In Paddington In Peru his adventures remind us that no matter where we come from, we can find a place to belong and make a difference in the world. In a world that often feels divided, Paddington’s simple yet profound messages of kindness and acceptance are more relevant than ever.


The Writing Process

The writing process for the Paddington films is a fascinating blend of creativity, collaboration, and meticulous planning. Here’s a glimpse into how the scripts came to life:

  • Collaborative Effort – The scripts for the Paddington films were a collaborative effort involving multiple writers. For the first two films, Paul King was the primary writer, with contributions from Hamish McColl for the story in the first film and Simon Farnaby for the screenplay in the second film. For “Paddington in Peru,” the writing team expanded to include Mark Burton, Jon Foster, and James Lamont, with the story by Paul King, Simon Farnaby, and Mark Burton.
  • Staying True to the Source Material – The writers aimed to stay true to the spirit of Michael Bond’s original books while bringing Paddington to a modern audience. They carefully crafted storylines that would resonate with both children and adults, capturing the timeless charm and whimsy of the beloved bear.
  • Blending Humor and Heart – A key aspect of the writing process was balancing humor with heartfelt moments. The writers infused the scripts with Paddington’s signature politeness and endearing personality, ensuring that the films would be both funny and emotionally touching. This balance was crucial in creating films that would appeal to a wide audience.
  • Character Development – The writers focused on developing not just Paddington but also the supporting characters, such as the Brown family and the various antagonists. Each character was given depth and personality, contributing to the richness of the story and the overall experience of the films.
  • Incorporating Modern Themes – While staying true to the source material, the writers also incorporated modern themes and settings. For example, “Paddington 2” touches on issues like community and acceptance, while “Paddington in Peru” explores Paddington’s roots and identity, reflecting contemporary societal issues in a way that feels relevant and engaging.
  • Iterative Process – The writing process was iterative, with multiple drafts and revisions. Feedback from producers, directors, and other creative team members was essential in refining the scripts. This iterative process helped ensure that the final scripts were polished, coherent, and ready for production.
  • Challenges and Innovations – Writing for a film that combines live-action with CGI required innovative thinking. The writers had to envision how Paddington would interact with the real world and create scenes that would be visually compelling while staying true to the character’s essence.

The writing process for the Paddington films was a labor of love, marked by collaboration, creativity, and a deep respect for the original source material. It resulted in films that have delighted audiences around the world and cemented Paddington’s place as a beloved cinematic icon.


Director Dougal Wilson is well known for his music videos and commercials. His many ads include those for Apple, Ikea, The BBC, and Amnesty International. Wilson’s Christmas adverts for UK department store John Lewis have become a widely talked-about part of British popular culture. Amongst his many industry awards and honours, Wilson’s film, WE’RE THE SUPERHUMANS for the Channel 4 Paralympics, garnered two Black D&AD Pencils and the Film Grand Prix at Cannes Lions.  He was also nominated by the DGA for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials in 2020. PADDINGTON IN PERU marks his feature film directorial debut.

Mark Burton is a British television writer, screenwriter, television producer, film producer, and film director. He is known for his work on animated films such as “Madagascar”, “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit”, and “Shaun the Sheep Movie”. He has also written and directed several other projects, including “Early Man” and “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon”.

Jon Foster is a British screenwriter and producer. He is known for his collaborations with James Lamont, including writing for “The Amazing World of Gumball”, “Wasted”, and “The Adventures of Paddington”. He also co-wrote the “Paddington meets the Queen” sketch for the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.

James Lamont, also credited as J.D. Lamont, is a British screenwriter known for his frequent collaborations with Jon Foster. He has worked on projects such as “The Amazing World of Gumball”, “Wasted”, and “The Adventures of Paddington”. He has won several awards, including BAFTA Children’s Awards and an Emmy for “The Adventures of Paddington”.

Paul King is a British filmmaker and writer, best known for directing and co-writing the “Paddington” films. He has also worked on various television projects and is recognized for his unique storytelling style.

Simon Farnaby is a British actor, writer, and comedian. He has written for television shows such as “The Amazing World of Gumball” and “Wasted”, and has appeared in various films and TV series. He is known for his comedic talent and creative contributions to the entertainment industry.


Neil Burger was inspired to make Inheritance by a New York Times article he read in April 2020. The article detailed a reporter’s journey from Serbia to France overland, encountering armed guards at every border and empty towns and cities due to COVID-19 restrictions. This sparked Burger’s curiosity about the “new normal” in a post-COVID world and inspired him to create a narrative set in that environment.

“With ‘Inheritance,’ I wanted to explore the idea of secrets and their impact on families. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique backdrop to examine how our lives have been fundamentally altered, and how our past actions catch up to us in unexpected ways,” says Burger, who is known for films like The Illusionist and Limitless.

The narrative is set in a post-COVID world, reflecting the new normal and the changes in society and travel. This adds a contemporary and relatable backdrop to the espionage story. The film takes the audience on a globe-trotting journey through New York, Cairo, Delhi, Seoul, and back to New York. This international scope is ambitious for a film shot with a small and mobile setup.

This guerrilla-style approach enabled the crew to capture real-world locations without drawing attention.

Neil Burger

The screenplay for Inheritance was co-written by Neil Burger and Olen Steinhauer. Steinhauer is known for his work on spy novels and screenplays, which brought an additional layer of depth and authenticity to the film’s espionage narrative. Their collaboration blended Burger’s unique visual storytelling with Steinhauer’s expertise in crafting intricate spy narratives, creating a compelling and multifaceted film.

Olen Steinhauer

Steinhauer is an accomplished author of spy novels, which added a layer of authenticity to the screenplay. His experience in writing complex espionage plots helped shape the film’s intricate storyline, where a young woman discovers her father’s secret life as a spy and gets drawn into an international conspiracy.

Steinhauer’s novels are known for their intricate plots, morally complex characters, and global settings. His works often explore the blurred lines between personal loyalty and political intrigue, earning him comparisons to John le Carré and Graham Greene.

“Working with Olen Steinhauer on the screenplay was an incredible experience,” says Burger. “His expertise in the spy genre brought a level of authenticity and complexity to the narrative that was crucial for Inheritance. ‘ Together, we crafted a story that delves into the shadowy world of espionage while remaining deeply human and relatable.”

“I know the movies that I’ve liked, and I know the experience that they’ve given me, so the goal is always to try to create a movie that I would like myself and that would knock me out, challenge me or intrigue me in some way.”

Inheritance follows Maya (Phoebe Dynevor), a young woman who discovers that her father, Sam, was once a spy. This revelation propels her into the heart of an international conspiracy, forcing her to navigate a world of espionage, secrets, and unexpected revelations2. As Maya delves deeper, she uncovers the truth about her father’s past and the dangerous web of lies that surrounds her.


DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT- NEIL BURGER

When most film productions arrive at a location, they disrupt the normal life there. They have lots of
equipment, crewmembers, trucks; they close roads, block sidewalks, and generally become the center of
attention. I wanted to do the opposite, to film under the radar, so I could look at the world as it is, rather
than have the world look at us, the filmmakers. And we did see the world– we literally went around the
world– New York, Cairo, New Delhi, Seoul, New York– shooting with a tiny crew, no lights, no boom
mikes, trying to make ourselves invisible. So we could see life as it was being lived at this moment. We
took the same trip the characters take, shooting in all the real places, everywhere they go.

The story is a gritty international thriller, so it’s tightly scripted. There’s no improv, it was all carefully
prepared and crafted. And yet, because the production was so small and nimble, if something
unexpected happened, we would go with it. I told the actors to stay in character no matter what. So, the
movie has a caught live feel, a stolen esthetic, which makes sense because much of it was stolen– shot
without permission. And also Phoebe’s character is a bit of a kleptomaniac.

At the airport in New York, we walked into a luxury jewelry store and filmed Phoebe, in character,
stealing an expensive pair of sunglasses. For real. She did it. And got away with it. Walked away, put the
sunglasses on and went to her gate. Later, of course, we quietly put them back and the store never knew
they’d been gone.

On the airplane across the Atlantic, we shot three full dialogue scenes in flight, without permission,
while the flight attendants served dinner around us. They looked at us curiously, but didn’t stop us. We
didn’t look like a movie– rather it seemed like a friend was taking some video of Phoebe and Rhys Ifans
(who plays her father). Later the flight attendants asked if Phoebe and Rhys were famous, and we said
yes and that they were on their way to make a movie and we were taking pictures of their journey
which of course was all true.

In New York, Phoebe stole a bottle of tequila and drank it on Eighth Avenue– all part of her troubled
character. The cameraman and I stood a short distance away, so she just seemed like a messed-up
person drinking in public alone. Suddenly, three large New York Police Officers were right on her, taking
the bottle away and questioning her. Phoebe stayed in character the whole time: They asked, “Why are
you drinking tequila on the street?” She responded, “Because I like Tequila. Want some?” And so on.
After a bit of that, I stepped in and explained what we were doing and they let us go.

In Cairo, we shot in the extraordinarily crowded Khan Il Khalil market and no one looked twice at us. It’s
the kind of energy and production value you can only hope to recreate on a conventional movie set. We
were looking for the intensely real, and we got it.

There’s a busy highway next to Khan Il Khalil with a high iron fence down the median to prevent people
from crossing the road to the market. But there’s one place where a bar of the fence is missing and so
there’s a stream of people– men, old ladies, children, crossing the busy thoroughfare to squeeze through the opening. And Phoebe did it too– it’s the quickest way to get to the market. We shot her working her way between moving cars– it’s crazy but uniquely dynamic.

We shot a motorcycle being chased by the police on open roads in Delhi. Sounds dangerous but it’s so
crowded that you never reach high speeds. Even so it was exhilarating and unlike any kind of footage
you’ve seen before. We shot at the New Delhi train station, waiting on the platform with everyone else,
getting onto a working train, filming as we went across the Indian countryside.

We shot at the airport in Seoul, going through passport control, keeping our small camera as concealed
as possible, and watching Phoebe being questioned and waved through. In a normal movie you can’t do that.

Shooting this way changed the way the actors worked. They’d get ready at the hotel, then come directly
to where we were shooting. They’d walk to a spot, say, on the street, I’d give them a little wave, and
they’d begin. Again, it was tightly scripted– like any thriller, it’s an intricate puzzle– and yet whatever
happened we’d film and incorporate. Life flowed around them, and we went with it. We didn’t do
conventional coverage– establishing shots and complimentary close ups– instead we deliberately
avoided match-cutting and shot with a moving camera that covered it all quickly, sometimes in one
setup. We’d be in and out of the locations fast, again, to avoid drawing attention to ourselves. The movie
has its own, unique cinematic language because of that– a rawness and a realness with an epic beauty
on a global stage.


Set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, the suspenseful thriller September 5 follows the ABC
Sports broadcasting team that found themselves having to quickly shift from sports reporting to live news
coverage when Israeli athletes were suddenly taken hostage.

Some of the biggest real-time challenges the broadcasters faced included the potential inadvertent sharing of law enforcement’s plans and movements with the terrorists themselves– who were thought to be able to watch the international coverage within the Olympic village– thus potentially derailing the rescue mission, in addition to the horrors of witnessing and airing a terrorist attack live to millions of people around the world.

September 5 shines a light on this pivotal moment that transformed media coverage and continues to
impact the way live news and terrorism interact today. This tragedy from the 1972 Summer Games forever
shifted the media’s playbook, from terrorist bombings to freeway chases and school shootings, forcing
journalists to focus on the impact these evolving technologies would have not only on audiences but also on the subjects they were covering.

A sports television team saw itself confronted with the challenge of reporting on a terrorist attack live, and had to question procedures given their proximity to the quickly unfolding events and the technology at hand.

At the heart of the story is Geoff (John Magaro), a young and ambitious producer striving to prove himself to his boss, the legendary TV executive Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard). Together with German interpreter Marianne (Leonie Benesch) and his mentor Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), the story focuses on the intricate details of the high-tech broadcast capabilities of the time, juxtaposed against the many lives at stake and the moral decisions that needed to be made against an impossible ticking clock.


In this powerful film, the multi-award-winning Swiss director Tim Fehlbaum tells the story of the Munich Massacre of 1972 from this perspective.

The screenplay was by Moritz Binder and Tim Fehlbaum and co-written by Alex David, and was filmed at Bavaria Studios and at locations throughout Munich, Germany.

Even as Tim Fehlbaum’s previous film Tides (aka The Colony) was still in post production, the director
and two producers– Thomas Wöbke and Philipp Trauer of BerghausWöbke Filmproduktion– began to
work on a new project together. “As a Munich-based production company, we were familiar with the events of 1972, as well as the existing film adaptations,” says Wöbke. “Steven Spielberg’s Munich tells the aftermath, but we felt that there was still more to this story that was ripe to be told for the big screen. We locked ourselves in a room for several days and ultimately decided that we wanted to make a film about the terror attack during the 1972 Olympics in Munich,” explained Trauer.

The filmmakers were inspired by Kevin Macdonald’s documentary One Day in September, which takes a
forensic look at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and Paul Greengrass’s film United 93, which told the story of the tragic flight of September 11, 2001 with documentary precision and in real time. “We thought about what it would be like to narrate the events of September 5, 1972 in a way that felt like we had been there, close up, as a reporting team,” Trauer explains, noting that it was not lost on them that the 50th anniversary of the events in Munich was approaching at the time.

Crafting the Screenplay

Moritz Binder came on board to write the screenplay with Fehlbaum, and the pair also collaborated with co-writer Alex David who had previously worked with Wöbke. David was initially tasked with helping with the German to English translation but continued to assist in the sharpening of characters and overall pacing, heightening the language and tension.

As they dug into their research, the media’s pivotal role in the day’s events was quite compelling. The
producers soon discovered an article written by a former production runner, Jimmy Schaeffler, who spoke
highly of Geoffrey Mason, the then 32-year-old coordinating producer who had been in Munich under the leadership of the legendary Roone Arledge, the president of ABC Sports at that time. Arledge, who was declared one of the 100 most important Americans of the 20th century by Life Magazine, is considered the inventor and formative pioneer of modern sports reporting.

“ABC Sports had offered the highest amount for the broadcasting rights at the time,” explains Trauer. “They had built their own production complex right next to the Olympic Village. Only a hill separated their studio from the athletes’ accommodations. And we knew that they were the only TV channel to set up a live camera at the location of the events of September 5.”

After talking to Mason, it occurred to the filmmakers that he would make a great central character in the film. “Mason told us vividly and in great detail about his experiences on that day,” recalls Fehlbaum. “He told us about the 22 hours he spent producing the broadcasting of the live coverage, which he still recalls very precisely.”

“Geoffrey spoke of the stress, the difficult decisions, the moral dilemmas and the deep emotions that are present to this day,” adds Trauer. “It quickly became clear that this was the film we wanted to make. That was the decisive moment.”

“When I was approached with the idea of telling the story of September 5 via the perspective of the ABC Sports coverage of that event, I was very impressed by the depth of research that had been accorded the project,” recalls Mason, who came on board as a co-producer of the film. “But more importantly, after I read early versions of the script, I was impressed by how deeply personal the experience was, not only to those of us involved in the production, but in telling the story of what transpired. This is a story about the people in that control room and how we all reacted to what was happening in front of us. I am blessed to be one of the very few people still around to help tell that story through the eyes and hearts of those of us who were there that day. It has been a unique opportunity.”

ABC executives and staff who had been heavily involved that day in September, including Roone Arledge and Jim McKay, had also written biographies and, unsurprisingly, the events that had transpired in 1972 featured throughout given just how much it had characterized and influenced their lives. “Each of them described this day from their own perspective,” observes Wöbke.

The filmmakers were also able to obtain first-hand insights from Schaeffler, who, in his role as a runner for ABC in 1972, had smuggled film footage past the police cordons disguised as an athlete; and Sean McManus who was, until recently, Chairman of CBS Sports. A young man at the time, McManus had sat in the control room while his father, Jim McKay, was presenting the Olympics in the studio next door. It was a pivotal moment for September 5 when McManus gave the project his blessing and offered his
support.

“I was next to my dad for the entire day, night and early morning and watched him report on what was the darkest day in sports history,” McManus remembers. “His reporting, calm presence and compassion were simply striking as the world awaited the outcome of the Israeli Olympic Team. September 5 presents this story as it unfolds, with gripping realism and accuracy from the perspective of ABC Sports. The telling of this moment in history will remain with the audience for the rest of their lives.”

As the creative team developed the film further, they were also struck by just how young many of the
journalists and technicians were who worked for ABC in Munich, some in their twenties or early thirties. “It
was a special life experience for them to be on location at these Olympic Games, in which Munich– and
indeed the whole of Germany– were consciously trying to break away from the sinister German past, which at the time was only 27 years prior,” explains Trauer. “And it was also a great challenge for all those involved to handle this massive technical apparatus. What ABC had put together for their broadcasting from Munich was incredible. It was unprecedented and set new standards.”

The ABC Sports of 1972 was undeniably far ahead of the curve– and not only of its more talking head-centric news division, but of all the other channels, too. “Roone Arledge was a visionary of storytelling,” notes Fehlbaum. “The personal histories of the athletes became part of the narrative, their biographies, wishes and desires. But ABC Sports also outstripped the others in terms of technology: innovative technologies such as the use of slow motion and handheld cameras coupled with sensational title designs were the repertoire of Arledge’s team.

In his memoirs, broadcasting engineer Joe Maltz describes the massive technical effort that was necessary for the first live broadcast of the Olympic Games and how the ABC crew improvised on the day the hostages were taken in order to get the audience as close to the events as possible. Combined with Arledge’s innovative approaches to narrative, this resulted in a paradox that would characterize the decades to come: news became infotainment.”

And in his ongoing interviews with Mason, Fehlbaum notes that there was one answer in particular that gave him complete clarity on the story he wanted to tell. “Of whether they had thought about those broader implications and consequences during the broadcast, Geoffrey just said, ‘There was simply no
time,’” recalls Fehlbaum.

“In that moment Moritz and I became aware that this is exactly how the film should feel. The audience should experience the intensity of the live coverage with the characters, and be there when moral decisions have to be made against the backdrop of a constantly ticking clock.”

Mason proceeded to review the script to ensure filmmakers were capturing the tone and tenor of the day.
Binder notes that he and Fehlbaum were especially drawn to the idea of exploring the impact of imagery in media reporting. “What lingers from a specific event is the resonance of the images,” he says. “We have all kept the events of September 5, 1972 in our collective memory but it is important to acknowledge that those images are there as a product of the reporting. So we wanted to tell the story behind these images
and how they emerged from this event. We didn’t want to give simple answers but instead, we preferred to ask serious questions as media professionals, narrators, and viewers ourselves.”

When Trauer read the newly-drafted script, he recalls not being able to put it down. “It was gripping,
suspenseful and electrifying. It had an entirely new quality and followed the conceptual idea of having the
entire plot unfold inside the studio complex. The idea of not going outside at all except for the clips on the many monitors turned out to be a complete success.”

With such a specific narrative for the film now established, the filmmakers realized just how much power there would be in utilizing the original ABC footage in their movie; however, accessing the archives and licensing the original material wasn’t going to be easy. “If we were going to create September 5 as a thriller with a focus on ABC Sports, we would absolutely require the original recordings,” says Wöbke of the daunting hurdle they now faced. “It was clear to us that we would need Geoffrey Mason to help us access the material given his ongoing relationship with ABC.”

Having ABC’s original tapes at their disposal proved to be invaluable to Fehlbaum and Binder.

“Viewing the broadcast footage made it possible to recreate a reconstruction of events with the control room and we structured the screenplay accordingly,” shares Fehlbaum. “This also led to a visual strategy that would characterize the film. We planned the set in such a way that the original material from 1972 could run on the monitors and in this way blend in with our directed scenes.”

While watching the footage, Fehlbaum says he became increasingly fascinated by the work of presenter Jim McKay who always appeared professional and formal in his reporting. “In spite of everything, he was able to radiate empathy with all those affected,” notes the director. “It seemed impossible to me to reproduce this performance with an actor. In order to convey the urgency of the moment we knew we would also have to incorporate the original material of Jim into our film.”

With an enviable creative team in place, Fehlbaum says that everyone remained on the same page from beginning to end. “You can tell what was special about this film was the exceptional team of creative producers we had,” he notes. “We were constantly communicating and were always focused on how
we could tell the story in the best way possible.”

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

The Munich Olympic attack on September 5, 1972 was a tragic event with profound political implications. The live broadcasts on this day marked a turning point in media reporting, bringing a new dimension to how such incidents are seen and understood by the public. When the attack begins, a team of American sports reporters are suddenly responsible for the subsequent 22 hours of live coverage, switching their responsibilities from sporting events to geopolitics. I was interested in the unprecedented situation that the media faced: this was the first time an event of this nature was covered by a live broadcast.

During our research with ABC journalists who were on the ground, we learned details about what they experienced in that control room, and early on we decided to narrate our film purely from this angle,
from the viewpoint of the coverage. We are constantly in the TV studio, almost like in a chamber play, the
cameras the only eyes cast on the tragic events unfolding before us.

This focus seemed especially relevant in today’s world: with the advent of live streaming and the instant availability of images and videos, the ways in which events are processed have changed dramatically.

Images wield enormous influence—they shape public opinion, mobilize people, and can even drive political decisions.

The spatial limitation on the narrative world to the ABC Sports TV studio means that we are confronted with the moral, ethical, professional and ultimately psychological dilemmas of journalists who only become aware of their responsibility when switching from sports to crisis news. As a filmmaker I felt an
affinity with the complexity of the situation. On the one hand I was critical of the development towards tragic events being processed as sensations. But on the other I was fascinated by the ambitions and dilemmas of the journalists to tell the story accurately.

The events in Munich and its direct and indirect consequences remain relevant today. Capturing the
underlying political conflict within our approach would not do all the complexities and nuances justice. In our film, the events of September 5, 1972 are presented purely from the perspective of the sports reporters in the ABC studio.

By assuming this specific vantage point, we shine a light on this watershed moment in journalism and its influential legacy. As was true then, today’s media landscape and the technology that facilitates it are constantly evolving, along with our ever-increasing appetite for a 24/7 breaking news cycle. We seek to raise ethical questions– which are as germane now as they were then– about the responsibilities and impacts of crisis reporting and our consumption of it.

TIM FEHLBAUM


TIM FEHLBAUM (Director, Screenwriter, Producer) was born in Basel, Switzerland, in 1982. Fehlbaum studied directing from 2002-2009 at the University of Television and Film Munich. In 2011 Fehlbaum made his feature film debut with the bleak post-apocalyptic thriller HELL, for which he also co-wrote the screenplay. In 2021 Fehlbaum’s science-fiction thriller film TIDES premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in the Berlinale Special section and subsequently won several awards, such as four German Film Awards, as well as two Bavarian Film Awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography.

MORITZ BINDER (Screenwriter) is a German screenwriter, born in Munich in 1982. September 5 marks Binder’s first feature film screenplay. The script was created together with the film’s director Tim Fehlbaum and co-writer Alex David. Binder developed the story for the award-winning comedy Alles Fifty Fifty together with writer and director Alireza Golafshan, and is currently developing three other feature film scripts for German production companies. Binder has written for several television shows, including the prestigious series “Tatort”, which has been broadcast on German television since 1970, as well as the revival of the German cult series “Neue Geschichten vom Pumuckl”, for which he wrote the pilot episode and season finale. After graduating from Munich college for design and art, Binder initially worked as a TV journalist before studying documentary film and television journalism at the University of Television and Film Munich. He graduated in 2017. During his studies, Binder wrote and directed numerous film projects. His documentaries, reports and short films were shown at international festivals. He won the Starter Film Award of the City of Munich, as well as the city’s university award for the best graduation project. Concurrent to his studies, he realised award-winning art installations at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich and exhibited at the Pinakothek der Moderne, and taught film dramaturgy and journalism at private film schools and at the Goethe Institutes in Brussels and Paris. Binder lives and works in Munich.

ALEX DAVID (Co-Writer) Alex David is an award-winning screenwriter with an MFA from The American Film Institute (AFI). For over 15 years he has written and developed screenplays and television series for various independent companies, producers and acclaimed directors in both Hollywood and Germany, including multiple projects with Constantin Films. In addition, he has taught screenwriting at several universities and institutions throughout Germany.


From Kingdom Story Company, the team behind Jesus Revolution and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, comes a new film. Lionsgate, the studio behind Wonder, also presents this story, titled The Unbreakable Boy. When Scott (Zachary Levi) and Teresa (Meghann Fahy) learn that Austin is both autistic, they initially worry. They find out he also has brittle bone disease. They worry about their son’s future. With Scott’s growing faith, they find joy even in hard times. Austin’s incredible spirit helps them find gratitude and courage. They become “unbreakable.”

The Unbreakable Boy isn’t about autism. It’s about life. About real life. It’s about family, about joy, and about learning to accept the world one finds oneself in, challenges and all. A 13-year-old boy’s joyous and unconquerable spirit guides everything. His zeal for life is infectious. His unique outlook truly changes all of those around him. This happened in real life.

Scott and Teresa LeRette had met in early 1994 and began dating. Not long after their third date, Teresa discovered she was pregnant. The two decided to pursue their relationship and create a family in Iowa. Their son, Austin, was born on November 10 that year, and the couple married the next month. But soon after Austin’s birth, they realized he suffered from osteogenesis imperfecta (“OI”). It is the same genetic brittle bone disease that Teresa had been born with. Both Teresa and her newborn son are delicately vulnerable to broken bones. Even tripping or simple falls to the floor can cause them harm.

They gave birth to a second son, Logan, two years later. But not long after, they began noticing inexplicable behavioral issues with Austin, and he was soon diagnosed as autistic. This couple that had barely gotten to know each other before starting a family now had their hands full.

As they raised their family, Scott was outgoing. He began to develop his own personal issues. He became more and more dependent on alcohol. Scott used alcohol to stave off fears and uncertainties as a husband and a father. His alcoholism made him lose his job in the medical supply business. Eventually, his wife forced him out of the home because he put their boys’ safety at risk. He went into recovery, eventually rejoining the family. He found inspiration for making change. He saw the simple joy and love constantly in Austin.

Even before getting sober, Scott began writing notes to himself in a spiral notebook. He kept track of the often-humorous incidents and moments that happened in his and his family’s life. This was particularly true for the ones related to Austin. He did this simply as a cathartic outlet for himself. “I realized some of these stories were pretty funny,” he recalls. “Some of them are pretty ironic, and some are almost dark — but some be considered inspiring.” He eventually started a blog called “Austinistic,” containing what became several hundred such stories. He soon decided to assemble them into a book, co-written with best-selling author Susy Flory. The book was published in November 2014. It was titled The Unbreakable Boy: A Father’s Fear, a Son’s Courage, and a Story of Unconditional Love. “I had told Teresa, ‘I’m going to write a book, and it’s going to be a TV show one day.’” He was not far off.

A few years later in 2017 while on a business trip to New York, Scott, a straight razor-shaving enthusiast (and there are many!), popped into a well-known pharmacy that sold such products, Pasteur Pharmacy, run by a fellow named Leon Tarasenko. Upon meeting Tarasenko, Scott handed him a copy of the book. “Whenever I would travel, I would always bring a copy or two with me,” he notes. Tarasenko asked him if he had considered making a movie out of it. He also suggested Scott connect with his brother-in-law in Hollywood, who “did something” in the movie business.

His brother-in-law was actor-producer Peter Facinelli (best known for his work as Dr. Fitch Cooper on the Showtime series “Nurse Jackie”), to whom he had passed along the book Scott gave him. “Leon kept bugging me to read it. When I finally did,” Facinelli recalls, “I thought, ‘Wow, this is a really powerful story. It should be made into a movie.’ It was a beautiful family story about a father and son. The bond that they have is deep. The son taught him all the lessons about what pure love is.” (Facinelli would eventually not only produce the film but appear in it as Preacher Rick.)

On a further work trip to Southern California, he and Scott met up in Burbank. They discussed the idea of a film. The actor advised Scott for about a year. An independent production company became involved, even engaging a writer, but things didn’t move ahead. The two then decided to work together themselves to make things happen.

They eventually met with Mona Garcea, a TV executive at Kingdom Story Company. She invited Jerilyn Esquibel, one of the company’s development executives, to join them. “After hearing the story, I felt strongly that we should do it. It should be a feature film,” Esquibel says. “I fell in love with it. It’s such a beautiful, honest, good/bad/ugly story of their life. I loved that nothing was hidden. There were no rose-colored glasses. It was just so raw and real. It was about the hardships of raising a child with autism. It also showed everything they themselves had gone through. I knew it had to be a movie, and it was a story I wanted to tell.”

Photo Credit: Daniel McFadden

Writing the Screenplay and Directing the Film

Kingdom had collaborated on four films with writer-director Jon Gunn. For The Unbreakable Boy, they asked him to both direct and write the screenplay. “He’s an incredible creative partner for us,” says Erwin. “I love working with him, and I love his voice.”

“We tell that story with some real honest humour and some real honest heartache that all parents go through. These parents struggled with the fact that they didn’t really know each other when they got married. They didn’t know each other when they had this child. They had no idea how to raise a child with the specific conditions that Austin had.”

There was indeed a way to tell the LeRettes’ story. It would leave viewers optimistic, just as the LeRettes’ themselves are. “When you first examine the journey of the LeRettes,” Gunn says, “it seems that there was a lot of pain. There was also a lot of struggle. But I also felt there was always this sense of optimism at the heart of it. I wanted the movie to feel optimistic. It should be hopeful and funny. Because the struggles we have, when we look back on them, are often the great stories that make people laugh. To me, it was about finding levity in the midst of their struggles. I wanted hopefulness as well.

As a writer adapting Scott’s book, Gunn’s skillfulness in storytelling was a true godsend, Facinelli states. “When we were first looking at it, it was so complex. The family’s life had many periods. I couldn’t wrap my head around how to tell this story. But when we sat down with Jon, he had a clear vision of how to do it.” Indeed, says Scott, “The book is written with a lot of episodic stories, going from one to the other. There was no way you could do that as a movie.”

So, notes Gunn, “For me, it was about finding the way in. The book tells 15 or 20 years’ worth of stories. It includes all of these anecdotes, struggles, and funny stories. So, I decided not to tell it through Scott’s eyes, as the book does. Instead, I found a way in through Austin. He tells us the story. The story is filtered through the eyes of the autistic son. It is built around the journey of a father who struggles. The father runs from responsibility and escapes through alcoholism. He ultimately hits rock bottom. Then, he is lifted back up by his son. We experience it through the eyes of this autistic child. He is so optimistic, hopeful, and positive. His perspective helps give us a balance that I’m always looking to find with this movie. It shows comedy in the midst of pain and pain in the midst of comedy.”

To represent the autism spectrum in an authentic and respectful way, the production relied on a terrific resource. They consulted with autism consultant Stacey Weddington of Autism Oklahoma. Her own autistic son, Alex, appears as an extra in the film. “Everybody wears their autism differently. It doesn’t look the same on any two people,” she explains. “All we needed to remember was, we’re not telling anybody’s autism story but Austin’s. There are enough common characteristics threaded through the movie. People familiar with autism will recognize and relate to it. They will experience some of the challenges and the joys of having a child on the autism spectrum.”

Photo Credit: Daniel McFadden

Themes And Hopes

So much of the message of The Unbreakable Boy is about acceptance. It encompasses acceptance of people, oneself, and the hand one has been dealt in life. About the Unbreakable Boy himself, Levi says, “It’s interesting. The very literal, obvious meaning is this little boy, Austin. He’s very breakable, but only in his body. His mind, his spirit, his resolve is very unbreakable, which is so beautiful and inspiring. But Jon Gunn and I talked about that you could almost make a case that the Unbreakable Boy is Scott. Because he’s going through this journey of being broken, but still pushing through and persevering.”

As his parents learn to accept the perfection in Austin, they notice it in his true joy of living. Those around him also learn to embrace this perfection. Then, they are able to find that very thing in themselves.

“Ultimately,” says Meghann Fahy, “what Scott learns from Austin is that not everything can be fixed. Not everything should be fixed. It’s a story about perspective and learning from other people how to find the true joy in life. It’s really about the journey that Scott takes with his son. His son teaches him to truly understand the value of being part of the world you’re presented with. It’s about accepting that and not fighting it.”

“Austin is so present with himself — something that, as human beings, is so hard for us,” Fahy adds. “We really have to focus hard on just being where we are. And he doesn’t have to try that hard to do that. So he walks around reminding people to be in the now. And I think that that, in many ways, is the greatest gift that you can give to a person.”


JON GUNN – WRITER-DIRECTOR – For 25 years, Jon Gunn has worked as a writer, director, editor, and producer. His work ranges from independent comedy and drama to studio tentpoles. As a director, he has directed feature films like My Date with Drew, Like Dandelion Dust, and Ordinary Angels. Gunn has also co-written numerous studio movies. These include The Magic 8 Ball for Paramount, The Nutcracker for Universal, and Monopoly for Hasbro/Sony. Additionally, he has worked on multiple features for Dreamworks animation, including B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations. Most recently, Gunn co-wrote the musical biopic I Still Believe, based on the life of singer Jeremy Camp. He also co-wrote American Underdog, the true-life story of NFL superstar Kurt Warner.

Scott LeRette is a recovering addict and highly engaged, flawed human whose life is full of challenges and stumbles balanced with humble wins, glorious successes . . . and gratitude for it all. He is an author known for his novel, The Unbreakable Boy: A Father’s Fear, a Son’s Courage, and a Story of Unconditional Love, and executive producer of its Lionsgate Studios film adaptation. Scott and his Unbreakable family live in Nebraska; his wife of 30+ years, Teresa; their son Logan, an Omaha police officer; The AuzMan; and their beloved yet equally dysfunctional Cavaliers, Gracie and Coco.


We live in an era where instant gratification is the norm. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube have revolutionised how we consume content, prioritising quick, engaging, and often bite-sized pieces of information.

Here are some strategies that writers can use to avoid becoming trapped in the cycle of instant gratification:

  • Set Long-Term Goals: Focus on long-term writing goals rather than immediate rewards. This can include completing a novel or screenplay, publishing a series, or mastering a particular writing style. Focusing on long-term writing goals is crucial for developing your craft and achieving meaningful accomplishments in your writing journey.
  • Create a Writing Schedule: Establish a routine and stick to it. Consistency helps build discipline and keeps you focused on your goals. Define what you want to achieve with your writing routine. Whether it’s completing a certain number of words per day, finishing a chapter each week, or writing for a set amount of time, having clear goals will give you direction. By establishing and sticking to a writing routine, you can create a sustainable and productive writing practice that keeps you focused on your long-term goals.
  • Practice Patience: Remember that good storytelling takes time. Allow yourself the freedom to explore and develop ideas fully without the pressure of instant results. Exploring and developing ideas fully without the pressure of instant results is essential for nurturing creativity and producing high-quality work. By allowing yourself the freedom to explore and develop ideas fully, you can create more meaningful, innovative, and high-quality work. Embrace the journey of creativity and enjoy the process of bringing your ideas to life.
  • Limit Social Media: While social media can be a great platform for sharing your work and connecting with others, it can also be a distraction. Set boundaries for your social media usage to ensure it doesn’t interfere with your writing. By setting clear boundaries you can ensure that social media doesn’t interfere with your writing productivity. Balancing social media usage with your creative goals will help you stay focused and achieve your long-term writing objectives.
  • Read Widely: Reading a variety of genres and styles can inspire you and provide a broader perspective on storytelling. It also reinforces the value of well-crafted, long-form content. By reading a variety of genres and styles, you not only gain inspiration and fresh ideas but also develop a deeper understanding of storytelling’s complexities and the value of well-crafted, long-form content. This holistic approach enriches your writing and helps you become a more versatile and skilled storyteller.
  • Embrace the Writing Process: Enjoy each stage of writing, from brainstorming and drafting to revising and editing. Each step is an opportunity for growth and improvement. By enjoying each stage of writing, you can make the process more fulfilling and productive. Each step is an opportunity for growth and improvement, leading to a richer and more rewarding creative journey.
  • Seek Feedback and Critique: Engage with writing communities or join a critique group. Constructive feedback can help you see the bigger picture and refine your work. Constructive feedback can point out what’s working well in your writing and what needs more attention. Knowing your strengths can boost your confidence while understanding your weaknesses offers growth opportunities. By effectively receiving and using constructive feedback, you can gain valuable insights, refine your work, and continue to grow as a writer. Embrace the feedback process as a collaborative effort to enhance your storytelling skills.
  • Prioritize Quality Over Quantity: Focus on creating meaningful and impactful content rather than just producing a high volume of work. Determine who your target audience is. Understand their interests, needs, and preferences. This knowledge will help you tailor your content to resonate with them. Start with a clear purpose and message. What do you want to convey? Ensure your content aligns with your core message and goals. By focusing on creating meaningful and impactful content, you can connect with your audience on a deeper level, provide value, and leave a lasting impression.
  • Reflect on Your Progress: Take time to review your writing journey and celebrate your achievements. Reflecting on your growth can reinforce your commitment to long-term goals. By regularly reviewing your writing journey and celebrating your achievements, you can stay motivated, inspired, and focused on your long-term goals. Remember, each step of progress, no matter how small, is worth celebrating.
  • Stay Inspired: Surround yourself with sources of inspiration, whether it’s books, art, nature, or conversations with fellow writers. Inspiration can help you stay motivated and passionate about your writing. Inspiration plays a crucial role in keeping writers motivated and passionate about their craft. By nurturing and harnessing inspiration, you can stay motivated and passionate about your writing, leading to more fulfilling and impactful work. Embrace the journey and let inspiration guide you.

How long does it take for writers to write a worthy novel or screenplay

Novels

  • First-Time Authors: It might take anywhere from six months to a few years. Establishing a routine, mastering the craft, and handling revisions can be time-consuming.
  • Experienced Authors: Many seasoned writers can complete a first draft in a few months, especially if they have a set schedule. Some famous novelists like Stephen King reportedly aim to write about 2,000 words a day.
  • Revisions and Edits: This phase can add several more months as authors refine their story, often working with editors and beta readers.

Screenplays

  • First Drafts: Professional screenwriters might churn out a first draft in a few weeks to a few months. Screenwriting often involves a more rigid structure and shorter length than novels, which can speed up the initial writing process.
  • Rewrites and Feedback: Like novels, screenplays typically undergo multiple rounds of revisions, which can take additional months, especially when collaborating with directors, producers, and other stakeholders.

Factors Affecting Time

  • Daily Writing Habits: Consistency is key. Writers who dedicate a set amount of time each day to writing can usually complete their projects faster.
  • Research: Some genres, like historical fiction or technical thrillers, may require extensive research, which can lengthen the process.
  • Life Circumstances: Writers balancing a full-time job or other responsibilities might take longer compared to those who can write full-time.

In the end, it’s important to find a pace that works for you and your creative process. Each writer’s journey is unique!

Finding a pace that works for you is essential for a sustainable and enjoyable writing journey.

Writing can be a marathon, not a sprint. It’s important to create a routine that fits your lifestyle and keeps your creative juices flowing. Some writers find success with daily word count goals, while others prefer setting aside larger blocks of time on weekends. The key is consistency and finding what makes you most productive and happy.


From the very first frame, the audience is drawn into a world where the ordinary fades, and the eerie takes hold. The key lies in building suspense, layer by layer, like the fog rolling over an abandoned graveyard. With each scene, the tension grows, as the viewers’ heartbeat syncs with the pulse of the story.

The atmosphere is the beating heart of a ghost story film. It’s the chilling silence that precedes the creaking floorboard, the gust of wind that extinguishes the candle’s flame. Vivid cinematography and haunting sound design paint a landscape where every shadow holds a secret, and every whisper is a ghostly echo.

And then, there’s the supernatural—ghosts, spirits, apparitions that defy the laws of the living. But these specters are more than mere phantoms; they carry with them the weight of unfinished business, lost love, or ancient curses. Their presence is felt in the goosebumps that prick your skin and the shiver that runs down your spine.

As the story unfolds, the audience becomes a part of this eerie world, guided by the filmmaker’s craft. The art of writing a ghost story for film lies in the ability to captivate the imagination, to create a narrative so compelling that it lingers long after the final credits roll.

Key elements to consider when crafting a ghost story

  • Choose a setting that enhances the atmosphere of the story. Abandoned houses, old manors, foggy graveyards, or isolated locations often work well. The setting should evoke a sense of isolation and unease.
  • Create a chilling atmosphere through descriptive language and sensory details. Use weather, lighting, and sounds to build tension and evoke fear. Subtle hints and foreshadowing can keep readers on edge. A haunting atmosphere is crucial. Use descriptive language to create a sense of dread and unease. The setting should evoke a spooky ambience, whether it’s a creepy old mansion, an isolated village, or a foggy forest.
  • Develop well-rounded characters with believable motivations. The protagonist should have a reason to encounter the supernatural, and their reactions should feel authentic. Ghostly characters should have a backstory that ties into the plot.
  • Build a plot that gradually unveils the mystery of the haunting. Start with subtle, unexplained occurrences that escalate over time. Avoid revealing too much too soon—maintain suspense and keep readers guessing.
  • Introduce internal and external conflicts. The protagonist should struggle with fear and scepticism while facing the supernatural threat. The resolution should be satisfying, whether the ghost is appeased, defeated, or remains a mystery.
  • Ghost stories often explore themes of loss, regret, and the past. Consider what message or emotion you want to convey through the story. Themes can add depth and resonate with readers.
  • Control the pacing to maintain tension. Slow down during moments of suspense and build up to key scenes. Use cliffhangers and unanswered questions to keep readers engaged.
  • Include climactic moments where the tension peaks. These moments should be intense and memorable, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.
  • Decide whether your story will have a resolved or open ending. Some ghost stories benefit from leaving certain elements unexplained, adding to the mystery and fear.

People are drawn to fear in stories and films for various psychological and emotional reasons

Experiencing fear releases adrenaline, which can be exhilarating. It’s a safe way to experience danger and excitement without real-world risks.

Horror and ghost stories allow people to confront their fears in a controlled environment, providing a sense of relief or catharsis. It’s a way to process and manage anxiety.

Humans are naturally curious about the unknown and the supernatural. Ghost stories and horror films tap into that curiosity and fascination with what lies beyond the ordinary.

These stories offer an escape from everyday life, allowing readers and audiences to immerse themselves in a different, often thrilling, reality.

Watching or reading horror together can create a shared experience that bonds people. It can be fun to be scared with friends or family and then discuss the story afterward.

Ghost stories and horror often explore themes and topics that are considered taboo or difficult to discuss, such as death, loss, and the afterlife. This exploration can be both intriguing and thought-provoking.

These stories can provide insight into human psychology, delving into the darker aspects of the mind. They explore fears, phobias, and the human condition in ways that other genres might not.

Experiencing fear in a story can trigger a range of emotions, including relief, empathy, and even humor. It’s a way to feel deeply and experience a wide spectrum of emotions.

Some people enjoy the challenge of facing their fears and seeing how much they can handle. Successfully enduring a scary story can provide a sense of accomplishment and mastery over fear.

These factors combine to make fear an appealing and thrilling element in stories and films, providing a unique and unforgettable experience for readers and audiences.

Latest Ghost Stories: A Ghost Story, Presence, Dear David, The Black Phone, A Haunting in Venice

Spine-Tingling Tales: Ghost Stories That Will Haunt Your Dreams

  • The Ghost of Ancient Egypt: A ghost story discovered on pottery in Luxor, where a mummified man’s spirit laments his eternal darkness. There are several films inspired by Egyptian mythology, such as The Ten Commandments (1956) and The Prince of Egypt (1998).
  • The Ghost of Tu-Po: An ancient Chinese ghost who haunts Emperor Hsuan after being wrongfully killed.
  • The Ghost of Ancient Athens: A ghost that rattles chains in a house, discovered to be a skeleton in chains.
  • Damon: A Greek boy who haunts a bathhouse after being killed for defending himself against a military officer. This story has been adapted into various films and TV shows, most notably the 1998 TV movie The Haunting of Helen Walker.
  • Arabella Stuart: The cousin of King James I, who haunts the Tower of London after being imprisoned there.
  • The Haunting of the Winchester House: The mansion built by Sarah Winchester to appease the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. This story has been adapted into several films, including the 2018 horror movie Winchester: The House That Ghosts Built.
  • The Bell Witch: A haunting in Tennessee involving a family tormented by a malevolent spirit. There have been a few adaptations, including the 2007 horror film An American Haunting.
  • The Amityville Horror: The Lutz family’s terrifying experiences in a house in Amityville, New York. This story has been adapted into multiple films, starting with the 1979 movie The Amityville Horror.
  • The Haunting of Hill House: Shirley Jackson’s classic novel about a haunted mansion and the psychological effects on its inhabitants. This story was adapted into a popular Netflix series in 2018.
  • The Woman in Black: A ghost story by Susan Hill about a young solicitor’s encounters with a malevolent spirit in an old house. This story has been adapted into two films, one in 2012 and another in 2015.
  • The Conjuring film series is a widely acclaimed and spine-chilling horror franchise that delves into the real-life paranormal investigations of Ed and Lorraine Warren, renowned paranormal investigators. The Conjuring (2013), The Conjuring 2 (2016), The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021).
  • Annabelle (2014), Annabelle: Creation (2017) and Annabelle Comes Home (2019) center around the eerie and possessed doll, Annabelle, which is first introduced in the opening scenes of “The Conjuring.”
  • The Nun (2018) Set in 1952 Romania, this film explores the origins of the demonic nun Valak, first seen in “The Conjuring 2.”
  • The Curse of La Llorona (2019) Although loosely connected, this film involves another of the Warrens’ investigations, focusing on the Mexican folklore of the Weeping Woman.

Genius is a stirring drama about the complex friendship and transformative professional relationship between the world-renowned book editor Maxwell Perkins (who discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway) and the larger-than-life literary giant Thomas Wolfe.

  • Thomas Wolfe found fame and critical success at a young age. He was a blazing talent with a larger-than-life personality.
  • Maxwell Perkins was a highly respected literary editor. He was one of the most well-known editors. He discovered iconic novelists like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.

Wolfe and Perkins develop a tender, complex friendship. Transformative and irrepressible, this friendship will change the lives of these brilliant, but very different men forever.

Wolfe was all about appetite and satiating himself. He traveled extensively, had adventures and engaged in barroom fights. Perkins wasn’t a prig – he didn’t sit back resisting it disapprovingly – he just didn’t do it. But he lived in books like ‘War & Peace’, and he dreamt about it.

Read more about the film GENIUS

William Maxwell Evarts Perkins was born in 1884 in New York City, and grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey.

He majored in economics at Harvard University. He worked as a reporter for The New York Times. In 1910, he joined Charles Scribner’s Sons – a venerable NYC publishing house that survives to this day.

He was a family man, married to Louise Saunders, a playwright, and with five daughters.

Scribner’s was already a renowned organization when Perkins joined. It was publishing great works from established authors including Henry James and Edith Wharton. But Perkins had a passion for discovering young authors, whose work was ahead of its time.

In 1919, Perkins persuaded his bosses to take a chance on a young writer named F. Scott Fitzgerald. In 1920, Scribner’s published “This Side of Paradise.” This event heralded the arrival of a new literary generation. Perkins worked tirelessly to help define this generation.

In his time at Scribner’s he shepherded the works of Ernest Hemingway, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, J.P. Marquand, Erskine Caldwell, James Jones, Marguerite Young and many more.

His defining relationship was with Thomas Wolfe, who was in his mid-20s. His 1,100-page first work landed on Max Perkins’ desk.

Thomas Clayton Wolfe was born in Asheville, North Carolina in 1900.

He was a prolific writer. His manuscripts would arrive at Scribner’s by the crate. These manuscripts had sentences that lasted entire pages. They possessed a mellifluous, deeply autobiographical style. This piqued Perkins’ interest. He knew he’d have his work cut out trying to rein it in to the publishable standards of the day.

The two men formed a deep bond. They collaborated on the first two of Wolfe’s four novels, Look Homeward, Angel and Of Time and the River.

  • Look Homeward, Angel was first published in 1929. The book is a coming-of-age story. It follows the life of Eugene Gant, a young man growing up in the fictional town of Altamont. This town is based on Wolfe’s hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. The novel explores themes of family, identity, and the search for meaning. It is known for its rich, lyrical prose and vivid characterizations. The title refers to a line from John Milton’s poem “Lycidas” and symbolizes the protagonist’s longing for a better future. Wolfe’s novel is semi-autobiographical, drawing heavily on his own experiences and relationships.
  • Of Time and the River was published in 1935. It’s a sequel to Look Homeward, Angel. The book continues the story of Eugene Gant. It follows him into young adulthood as he leaves his hometown. He embarks on a journey to discover himself and pursue his ambitions. The novel spans multiple locations and captures the protagonist’s experiences and the people he encounters along the way. Wolfe’s writing in “Of Time and the River” is known for its flowing, almost poetic prose. He vividly depicts the emotions and struggles of his characters. The themes of the novel include growth, exploration, and the passage of time.

Their professional relationship lasted for less than a decade. Its impact would resound on both men’s lives until their deaths. Against Perkins’ protestations, Wolfe dedicated Of Time and the River to his editor. “This book is dedicated to Maxwell Evarts Perkins,” it read. “A brave and honest man, who stuck to the writer of this book through times of bitter hopelessness. The author hopes this book will prove worthy of him.”

It was a rare public acknowledgment of the work Max Perkins had dedicated his life to. “Consider the beginnings of Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Wolfe. You will find that they were initially rejected writers,” notes A. Scott Berg. He published the definitive biography, Max Perkins: Editor of Genius, in 1978.

  • Max Perkins: Editor of Genius won the National Book Award. It offers a detailed and engaging portrait of Maxwell Perkins. He is one of the most influential book editors in American literary history. The biography delves into Perkins’ professional journey, highlighting his dedication to discovering and supporting young, unproven writers. It also explores his relationships with these literary giants, including the challenges and triumphs they experienced together

This began the story’s 35-year journey to the screen. “Fitzgerald, in fact, had been turned down by Scribner’s three times before Max Perkins laid his job on the line. Hemingway was about to be dropped by his publisher, and Thomas Wolfe had been rejected all over town. This was a man who saw genius in all three of these writers. He worked with them, often in his own time. Scribner’s wasn’t even interested. Perkins assured each of them, ‘Even if you have to go elsewhere to get this published, I will help you. I am committed to supporting you.’”

Berg’s choice of title is no accident. By the Latin definition, “genius” refers to a guardian deity that watches over a person. “Perkins literally became that person to these writers,” he notes. “Who was the genius in this relationship? Was he an editor that possessed genius, or did he edit the work of geniuses?”

Perkins wasn’t simply a copy editor, like his contemporaries. He changed the role of editing beyond simple correction of spelling and grammar. “He was the first to make a really major creative contribution,” says Berg. “And beyond that, he realized an author needs an editor during critical times. It’s not when the work is finished. It’s when that author is struggling with the manuscript.”

He continues: “Perkins was a friend, a marriage counselor, a psychiatrist and a money-lender. He fulfilled these roles not just for Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Wolfe, but for a hundred other writers.”


MANHATTAN, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 23, 2011 John Logan, playwright and screenwriter, is seen at the Mondrian SoHo Hotel in Manhattan, NY. Logan wrote the Broadway play Red. 11/23/2011 Photo by Jennifer S. Altman/For The Times
Screenwriter John Logan

John Logan, who wrote the screenplay for Genius, notes the intensity of Perkins’ relationship with Wolfe. It was based on how different they were as people. “You couldn’t imagine two more polar opposites than Max Perkins and Thomas Wolfe. Max was a buttoned-up, conservative Yankie book editor who literally and figuratively wore a tie. Thomas Wolfe was a mad, North Carolinian animal. You only need to read five pages of ‘Look Homeward, Angel’ or ‘Of Time and the River.’ His words show so much passion. His storytelling style is captivating. The novels reach out and slap you with so much emotion and passion.”

What they shared, though, was an appreciation for art and for great literature. “They built a vocabulary as editor and writer. As a pair of human beings, it allowed them to grow very close.”

Agrees Berg: “Max Perkins needed Thomas Wolfe as much as Thomas Wolfe needed Max Perkins. What is an editor like Max Perkins without a Thomas Wolfe? This word-machine that just churns out work, uncontrolled and uncontrollably. It was a great symbiosis between these two men.

genius (1)
Based on the biography “Max Perkins: Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg, the film stars Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) as Max Perkins. Jude Law (Anna Karenina, The Grand Budapest Hotel) stars as Thomas Wolfe. Guy Pearce (The Rover, Lawless) plays F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Dominic West (Testament of Youth, Pride), as Ernest Hemingway.

“Something of the spirit of his writers was alive in Perkins too,” notes Colin Firth. He is responsible for bringing Perkins to the screen in Genius. “Berg points out in his book that he came from two very different families. It was as though the English Civil War were raging inside him. The Perkins side was artistic, flamboyant, and bohemian. The Evarts side was conformist, puritanical, and reserved. That’s the side, I think, that would probably have met the eye when one first met Max Perkins. This other aspect engaged with the likes of Thomas Wolfe.”

He continues: “Wolfe was all about appetite and satiating himself. He traveled extensively, had adventures and engaged in barroom fights. Perkins wasn’t a prig – he didn’t sit back resisting it disapprovingly – he just didn’t do it. But he lived in books like ‘War & Peace’, and he dreamt about it. I think he did it through Wolfe and his other authors.”

Perkins shied away from the attention that greeted the publication of these great works. He correctly feared the backlash from critics that would result from Wolfe’s dedication in “Of Time and the River”. “Max Perkins always said his only job was to put brilliant books in the hands of readers,” notes Logan. “He wanted to be invisible. He was deeply involved in the creation of these books. His goal was for Thomas Wolfe’s voice to soar. He did not want his own voice to dominate. Like all editors, he faced insecurity. He wondered, ‘Am I making this better, or am I just making it different?’”

“That self-abnegation is familiar to many English people. Certainly, those of my background will recognize it,” Firth continues. “The idea is that you’re only doing something worthwhile if you’re not enjoying it. He chose economics at college precisely because he hated it, and I think he regretted that somewhat. He didn’t think there was any achievement in doing what he loved. Instead, he helped other people do what they loved.”

The passage of time has done little to dull the impact of Wolfe’s work. However, his canon is certainly not as highly regarded today as that of his contemporaries, Fitzgerald and Hemingway.

Jude Law plays Wolfe on screen. He notes that you’d have to be a real literary buff to know of Max Perkins. He thinks it’s the same now for Thomas Wolfe. “He’s not in the modern consciousness like Fitzgerald and Hemingway. That absence allows for a very exciting story. It’s not only a very interesting dynamic between them to explore. Our story also sits on the shoulders of two great men who are little known.”

The intensity of the relationship between Wolfe and Perkins took its toll on the other relationships in their lives. “For Tom, in the end, the only thing that mattered was the work,” says Law. “It was a huge act of selfishness, and in the end selfishness bred indulgence. He became an indulgent man at the expense of others. However, he still felt he was doing it for the work. He believed that the work was important.”

Aside from Wolfe’s parents and Perkins, Law notes, the author’s other essential relationship was with Aline Bernstein. She was one of the most renowned theatrical costume designers of her day. Wolfe had a tumultuous affair with her. “Wolfe had copious lovers,” he says, “but Aline was his love, his muse, and his champion.”

“They were addicted to one another at a certain point,” says Nicole Kidman, who plays Bernstein in Genius. “She was a formidable woman. She was an incredibly strong career woman who was ahead of her time. It is fascinating because she was in this obsessive, dependent love affair with Thomas Wolfe.”

“Aline was desperate and she was passionate,” says Berg. “When Aline loved, she loved 200%. She was anxious to hold onto that, and she was threatened by Wolfe’s relationship with Perkins.”

Perkins’ family life was threatened too, by the enormous strain Wolfe’s personality and prolificacy placed on his editor. For Perkins’ wife, Louise Saunders, herself a published author, supporting her husband’s work was both her pleasure and her hardship. “People of a certain era knew of Louise Saunders. However, she is nearly forgotten today,” notes Laura Linney, who plays the role in Genius. “Max’s relationships with his authors took up a huge amount of his time. While there was an understanding from Louise and a respect, there was also, frankly, a jealousy. She was an artistic person herself who had been relegated to the suburbs. She would forego her own artistic journey to have his children and live his life.”

She summarizes: “The relationship between these men was so intense and it took up all of their time. The women in their lives both felt their absence keenly.”


These films depict the creative processes of writers. They can inspire aspiring authors and artists to pursue their own creative endeavors. Witnessing the perseverance and dedication of famous writers can motivate others to overcome their own challenges and keep creating.

Biographical films about writers can be educational, offering insights into historical periods, cultural contexts, and literary movements. They offer a visual and engaging way to learn about the lives and contributions of important literary figures.

These films often explore the themes and ideas shown in the writers’ works. This allows for a deeper understanding and appreciation of their literature. They can prompt viewers to read or reread the writers’ books with a new perspective.

Films about writers emphasize the impact of literature on society and culture. They showcase how powerful words can be in shaping thoughts, emotions, and even historical events.

These films portray the personal lives of writers. They include the writers’ relationships, struggles, and triumphs. This portrayal creates emotional connections with the audience. Viewers can empathize with the writers’ experiences and feel more invested in their stories.

These films celebrate the enduring legacy of writers whose works continue to resonate with readers across generations. They highlight the timeless nature of great literature and its ability to transcend time and place.

Films about famous writers connect the literary world with the general audience. They enrich our understanding and appreciation of the written word.

10 Most Inspiring Movies About Writing of All Time


Soderbergh and Koepp have a long-standing professional relationship, and they collaborated on Presence to bring Koepp’s screenplay to life.

Soderbergh was inspired by a personal experience. While he and his wife were away from their Los Angeles home, their house sitter saw a ghostly presence. It walked down the hallway. This incident, merged with Soderbergh’s upbringing around paranormal phenomena (his mother was a parapsychologist), and his father an academic; a potential recipe for an intellectual punch up. This difference informed Steven’s worldview of the possibility of the existence of entities that couldn’t be easily defined or explained.

Soderbergh wanted to explore a ghost story from the ghost’s perspective. He aimed to capture the eerie feeling of being watched. The emotional turmoil of the family being haunted was also a focus. The film uses a unique first-person point of view. It confines the setting to a single house. These elements were designed to create a sense of intimacy and tension. Soderbergh even performed as the presence himself, using a small digital camera and wearing slippers to soften his steps.

David Koepp once lived in a big, creaky old building in Langham New York City. One night while he was watching television, he saw a figure moving down the hall. His son also observed similar sightings so it wasn’t his imagination. It was time to move.

Following their similar supernatural experiences decades earlier, Sobderbergh reached out to Koepp to discuss his haunted house idea. “It all takes place in one location. Weird stuff happens. A family starts to fall apart. I think you’ve hit all my personal obsessions,” explains Koepp.

Presence relies heavily on loose structure not strictly tethered to the traditional three act paradigm. Much of the story embraces mood and tone underpinned by a subtle lingering dread.

The screenwriter proceeded to write a twenty page treatment for the contained, time-constricted thriller. “It’s 24 hours. It’s all in the same house. It restricts your thinking and therefore opens up your thinking,” notes Koepp.

Soderbergh inserted the Presence into his camera and told the story from its point of view. First as an observer, then as a perpetrator of harm – all without it ever being seen or heard. That’s the elusive nature of the spirit world. We’re unsure what it wants. It moves from room to room monitoring the distressed family.


In spite of the intrinsic challenges involved in making the main character a ghost, Koepp found the challenge liberating. “Steven had intimated that the character for the POV is skittish. It’s a little fearful — hides in the closet a lot,” says Koepp. “Using those cues, I viewed the ghost as a child. I tried to write it the way a small child is; a little fearful and also curious. You are writing a character, but don’t see them,” he continues.

This approach offers a fascinating and eerie viewing experience, as the audience sees everything through the ghost’s eyes.

Steven Soderbergh and David Koepp

The film explores themes of grief, family dynamics, and the supernatural. The ghost, or Presence, struggles to understand its existence and its connection to the family. The medium character in the film helps to uncover the mystery. It reveals that the ghost doesn’t even know why it’s there. The unique perspective and the gradual revelation of the ghost’s identity make Presence a compelling and thought-provoking film.

It’s not just about scares. It delves into the emotional and psychological aspects of the characters. It also examines their interactions with the supernatural. The Presence witnesses the growing cracks within the family.

The ghostly Presence becomes a silent observer of these cracks. It feels a connection to the family’s growing discord. Yet, it also feels helpless. The film poignantly captures moments where the family members’ vulnerabilities and unresolved issues come to the fore.

The story revolves around the Payne family, who move into a new house. The family consists of Rebecca (Lucy Liu). She is a driven executive. Her husband is Chris (Chris Sullivan). They have a teenage son, Tyler (Eddy Madday). Their daughter is Chloe (Callina Liang), who is grieving the loss of her best friend2. Chloe is the first to sense the presence of the ghost. It is revealed to be her brother Tyler. He died saving her from a dangerous situation.

Let’s dive deeper into how “Presence” portrays the emotional landscape of the Payne family through the ghost’s perspective

Key Visual and Emotional Elements:

Rebecca’s Late Nights: The camera shows Rebecca working late at night, illuminated only by the cold light of her laptop. The room around her is dark, emphasizing her isolation. The ghost sees her frustration and exhaustion. Rebecca’s distant, overworked demeanor creates a tangible barrier between her and her family, heightening the sense of disconnect.

Chris’s Struggle: The scenes often frame Chris in doorways. This symbolizes his attempts to reach out. He is always just on the threshold of understanding Chloe and supporting Rebecca. Chris’s silent frustration and efforts to bridge the gaps in the family are clear. The ghost observes Chris’s silent anguish and growing helplessness, adding to the tension.

Chloe’s Isolation: Chloe is often seen in dimly lit, confined spaces like her room or the attic, emphasizing her isolation. Her movements are slow and deliberate, reflecting her heavy emotional state. The ghost senses Chloe’s deep grief and guilt over Tyler’s death. Chloe’s whispered conversations with the ghost reveal her longing for closure and her struggle to cope with her loss.

Tyler’s Presence: Flashbacks of Tyler are shown in warmer, more vibrant colours. These flashbacks contrast with the colder tones of the current. This contrast highlights the loss and the void he left behind. The ghost’s perspective often blurs the line between past and current, showing Tyler’s lingering impact on the family. This evokes a sense of longing and unfulfilled connections.

Symbolic Moments: The ghost sees the recurring image of a broken clock in the house. This symbolizes the family’s fractured sense of time. It also reflects their lack of continuity after Tyler’s death. The camera focuses on a family portrait. Over time, it gradually fades and distorts. This process mirrors the disintegration of the family’s unity.

Sound and Atmosphere: The film uses a subtle, haunting soundtrack that intertwines with the ghost’s perspective, creating an immersive atmosphere. The lack of a corporeal presence for the ghost is emphasized by the eerie soundscapes that follow its observations.

These elements combine to create a profound exploration of the Payne family’s dynamics. It is hauntingly portrayed through the eyes of the ghost. The film uses visual storytelling to allow the audience to experience the characters’ struggles intimately.

How does Presence compare to A Ghost Story

A Ghost Story and Presence both offer unique takes on the ghost film genre, but they differ in several ways:

Focus and Perspective:

  • Presence focuses on the ghost’s emotions and experiences. It provides depth to the ghostly character. This creates a narrative centered around the spirit’s journey.
  • David Lowery’s A Ghost Story takes a more philosophical and contemplative approach. It follows the spirit of a recently deceased man who remains in his house. He observes the passage of time and the lives of those who come and go. The film explores themes of time, memory, and existence.

Storytelling Style:

  • Presence has a more traditional narrative structure, with a clear plot and character development. It balances eerie moments and emotional depth, making it an engaging supernatural thriller.
  • A Ghost Story uses a more experimental and art-house approach. It features long, meditative shots and minimal dialogue, creating a slow-paced and introspective atmosphere.

Emotional Impact:

  • The emotional impact in Presence comes from understanding the ghost’s backstory and the connection to the living characters. The film evokes a sense of empathy for the ghost.
  • The emotional impact in A Ghost Story comes from broader existential questions. It also comes from the haunting portrayal of time and loss. The film leaves viewers with a reflective and thought-provoking experience.

Visual and Auditory Elements:

  • The cinematography and sound design in Presence are used to create a creepy and unsettling atmosphere. These techniques enhance the supernatural elements of the story.
  • A Ghost Story‘s visual style is characterized by its use of a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, giving it a nostalgic and intimate feel. The minimalist soundtrack adds to the contemplative mood.

Both films offer unique and compelling experiences, but their approaches to storytelling, emotional impact, and visual style set them apart.

Presence provides a fresh take on the haunted house genre. It focuses on the ghost’s perspective. A Ghost Story takes viewers on a philosophical journey through time and memory.

SEE: Dear David – The perfect ghost story for our times


Steven Soderbergh is a highly acclaimed film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. He is known for his versatility and has worked across various genres, from independent films to big-budget Hollywood productions. His directorial breakthrough came with the indie drama Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989). It won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. This achievement made him the youngest solo director to get this honor. The film also garnered worldwide commercial success and many accolades. Soderbergh built his reputation with films like Out of Sight (1998) and Erin Brockovich (2000). He also directed Traffic (2000), which won him the Academy Award for Best Director. He also directed the popular Ocean’s trilogy (2001-2007) and the Magic Mike trilogy (2012-2023). Throughout his career, Soderbergh has been known for his innovative approach to filmmaking, often employing unconventional techniques and storytelling methods.

David Koepp is screenwriter and director. He is highly successful. He is known for his work on some of the most iconic films in Hollywood. He has made a significant impact on the film industry with his exceptional storytelling skills. Koepp’s breakthrough came with the screenplay for Jurassic Park (1993). It became a massive hit. This success established him as a top-tier screenwriter. He also wrote the screenplays for Mission: Impossible (1996), Spider-Man (2002) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) as well, among many others. In addition to his screenwriting success, Koepp has also directed several films, including Secret Window (2004) and Premium Rush (2012). His latest collaboration with Steven Soderbergh on the film Presence” (2025) has been well-received for its innovative approach to the haunted house genre.

David Lowery‘s career began with his first short film, Lullaby, which he wrote and directed at the age of 19. His first feature film, St. Nick (2009), premiered at the South by Southwest festival and won the Texas Filmmaker Award. He gained wider recognition with Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (2013), starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. He continued to build his reputation with films like Pete’s Dragon (2016), A Ghost Story (2017), and The Old Man & the Gun (2018). In 2021, Lowery directed the fantasy epic The Green Knight, which received praise for its visual style and narrative depth.


Blake Edwards’ direction, combined with the performances, screenplay, and music, elevated Breakfast at Tiffany’s to a level of timelessness. He captured the essence of the story and its characters. This ability left an indelible mark on cinema. The film became a beloved classic that continues to resonate with audiences today.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s offers a rich tapestry of elements that make it a timeless classic

The film explores themes of loneliness, identity, and the search for love and belonging. Holly Golightly’s character has an enigmatic personality. Her desire to escape her past resonates with audiences on a deeper emotional level.

Audrey Hepburn‘s portrayal of Holly Golightly is widely considered one of her most memorable roles. This role solidified her status as a fashion and cultural icon. Her performance brought a unique blend of vulnerability, charm, and sophistication to the character. The film’s wardrobe, particularly Hepburn’s black dress designed by Givenchy, became iconic and has influenced fashion for decades. The image of Hepburn in the black dress is one of the most recognizable in film history. She wears a pearl necklace and a tiara in this iconic image.

The film features the song “Moon River,” composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song won an Academy Award. It has become a classic in its own right. It is often associated with the film and Hepburn’s performance.


The screenplay for Breakfast at Tiffany’s was written by George Axelrod

He was a screenwriter, playwright, and film director. Axelrod is best known for his work on the screenplays for Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) and The Manchurian Candidate (1962). Axelrod’s work is known for its wit, humour, and innovative storytelling techniques. He passed away in 2003 in Los Angeles, California.

The screenplay for Breakfast at Tiffany’s was adapted from Truman Capote’s novella of the same name. George Axelrod took Capote’s story and made several changes to create the screenplay for the film. The novella and the film share many similarities. However, Axelrod’s adaptation introduced new elements. He adjusted certain aspects of the story to better suit the cinematic medium and the audience of the time.

In the classic film Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), there is a cat named “Cat.” It is an orange tabby who lives with Holly Golightly. The cat is a stray that Holly refuses to name because she feels that neither of them belong to anyone. This reflects Holly’s own feelings of independence and fear of commitment.

In one of the most memorable scenes, Holly lets the cat out of a cab in the pouring rain. This act symbolizes her try to let go of her fears. It also shows her detachment. The cat’s role in the film is subtle. Yet, it adds depth to Holly’s character arc. It enriches the film’s themes of love, independence, and finding a sense of belonging.


Breakfast at Tiffany’s was directed by Blake Edwards

He was known for his work in both comedy and drama. His career spanned several decades. He is best known for directing the Pink Panther series and the film Victor/Victoria.

Blake Edwards brought his unique style and expertise to Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which helped make the film a classic. His direction, merged with George Axelrod’s screenplay and Audrey Hepburn’s iconic performance, created a memorable cinematic experience.

Edwards had a remarkable ability to blend comedy with more serious and emotional moments. In Breakfast at Tiffany’s, he skillfully portrayed Holly Golightly’s eccentric life. He captured the lighthearted and humorous aspects. He also addressed her deeper emotional struggles and vulnerabilities.

Edwards had a keen eye for visual composition. He used New York City as a vibrant backdrop. This added a sense of authenticity and charm to the film. The iconic opening scene, with Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly standing outside Tiffany & Co. while eating a pastry, is a perfect example of his skill in creating memorable and visually striking moments.

Edwards’ direction allowed the characters to shine, giving them depth and complexity. He guided Audrey Hepburn to deliver one of her most iconic performances, capturing Holly’s free-spirited yet fragile nature. Similarly, he brought out the nuances in George Peppard’s portrayal of Paul Varjak, making their on-screen chemistry believable and engaging.

Edwards worked closely with composer Henry Mancini. They seamlessly integrated the film’s music into the narrative. This included the unforgettable “Moon River” theme. The music enhanced the emotional impact of key scenes. It also became an integral part of the film’s identity.

His expertise in pacing ensured that the film maintained a perfect rhythm, keeping the audience engaged throughout. He skillfully balanced the film’s whimsical and poignant moments, creating a harmonious and cohesive viewing experience.


Pictured are Renée Zellweger and Leo Woodall.  © 2025 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The character of Bridget Jones first sprang from the pen of Helen Fielding in a series of British newspaper columns. Her voice and adventures in love caught the imagination of a generation of women who relate to her. The first Bridget novel, Bridget Jones’s Diary, was an international literary sensation. It inspired a film franchise that would revolutionize the romantic comedy genre.

The Bridget Jones Films

In the history of cinema, only a few films have redefined entire genres. Star Wars invented the modern sci-fi movie. Jaws created the summer blockbuster. And in 2001, Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary upended the romantic comedy. It introduced an irrepressible and lovable young woman. She was forging her own path and recording her life in hilarious diary entries. Stumbles and all, she made her mark.

Bridget was kind, smart, and relatable. She loved a cocktail and a cigarette. However, she couldn’t seem to catch a break when it came to love or sex. Bridget Jones obliterated the Jane Austen-esque archetype of the upright, virginal ingenue. This archetype had shaped romantic books and movies for more than a century. Bridget was a cultural supernova: Elizabeth Bennett on a bender, swearing like a sailor and sleeping with her boss.

  • Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001): This is the first film in the series, directed by Sharon Maguire. It stars Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones, a 30-something British woman trying to navigate her love life and career.
  • Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004): The sequel is directed by Beeban Kidron. It continues Bridget’s story as she deals with relationship issues with her boyfriend Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). She also faces the return of her ex-lover Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant).
  • Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016): Directed by Sharon Maguire, this film picks up 15 years later. Bridget discovers she’s pregnant and is not sure who the father is. It features a mix of humor and romance, and was well-received by both critics and audiences.

Bridget has evolved with her audience in the two decades that followed her cinematic debut. She found love with Mark Darcy. She has had children and built a life that even the Smug Marrieds would envy. Now, in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, Bridget finds herself unexpectedly widowed in midlife. She is the mother of two children, grappling with grief. She struggles to rediscover herself and her place in a new reality.

Working Title producers Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan have overseen every step of Bridget’s journey. They have produced every film in the franchise. This film has a particular resonance for them and for their company.

“Because the Bridget Jones films have been categorised as romantic comedies, there was this initial misconception. People mistakenly thought that Bridget was desperate to find romantic love,” says Amelia Granger, head of film for Working Title.

“In truth, though, what Bridget has always been seeking is self-love and self-acceptance. As filmmakers and fans, we’ve walked beside Bridget through all the major events in her life. We accompanied her from dating and career mishaps to marriage and motherhood. Now, we stand with her in loss. Bridget has remained authentic and relatable. Helen Fielding and Renée Zellweger committed to never losing sight of who Bridget is at her deepest core. For everyone at Working Title, it has been an honor and a privilege to have shared this journey. We shared this moment with them and with the character of Bridget.”

The producers wanted to bring this chapter in Bridget’s life to the screen. They aimed to capture hard emotional truths. At the same time, they wanted to deliver the sharp-witted comedy that audiences love. To achieve this, they needed a director skilled at seamlessly fusing comedy and drama. The director also had to be adept at working with a large ensemble cast. Additionally, the director had to be gifted at creating an environment where actors do their best work.

Director Michael Morris and Renée Zellweger on the set of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.© Universal Studios

Director Michael Morris built on the legacy and artistry of the earlier films. He also authentically navigates this new terrain of Bridget’s life. In this film, grief and hope, as well as loss and laughter, intertwine in unexpected ways.

“How do you make those fit together?” Morris says. “How do you make a movie that is quintessentially Bridget Jones? It also needs to engage with issues and emotions that these movies haven’t engaged with before. I latched onto the question of how Bridget, or how any of us, overcome something that feels unimaginable. I had this notion of creating a ‘comedy of grief.’ This is a film that wants to honor an experience that all of us are inevitably touched by.”

Helen Fielding wrote the novel that serves as the basis for Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Acclaimed filmmaker Michael Morris directs it. He is known for To Leslie and Better Call Saul. The screenplay is by Fielding, Dan Mazer, and Emmy winner Abi Morgan. Dan Mazer is noted for I Give It a Year and Bridget Jones’s Baby. Abi Morgan is known for The Iron Lady and Eric.

(from left) Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) and Roxster (Leo Woodall) in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, directed by Michael Morris. © Universal Studios

In Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, we catch up with Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger). She is now navigating life as a single mother. This follows the tragic death of her beloved Mark Darcy. Bridget juggles her career and raises two young children. She also deals with the grief of losing her husband. Her life is both chaotic and endearing. As she ventures into the world of modern dating, she finds herself entangled in humorous and heartwarming situations. With the support of her friends and family, Bridget embarks on a journey of self-discovery. She experiences love and healing. Bridget goes back to work to forge a new path toward life and love. She even tries out the dating apps. On these apps, she’s soon pursued by a dreamy and enthusiastic younger man (Leo Woodall; One Day, White Lotus).


“The character of Adam Ellis himself was what drew me in,” says director John McPhail. “When it was happening… You know what it’s like, everybody’s a little bit cynical. Like, ‘Alright, you’re being haunted are you, mate?; So you start stalking him a wee bit, and it just didn’t seem like the type of guy that would tell that story… Like, it was just this funny, satirical, in-your-face comic book artist.”

When the thread shook the internet, many questioned whether what Adam was experiencing was real or part of an ARG or social experiment. There are several camps fans are in, and McPhail wanted to honor those questions in the film.

“It was obviously such a scary task because you’ve got an existing fan base of an IP that, you know, have built their story in their head, and have their version of it… I was a little bit nervous about that because I make films for people, and I know that there’s a whole audience here I’m going to disappoint because they’re like, ‘That’s not how I imagined it. The question everybody is always asking is ‘Did it happen or did he just make it all up?’ I kind of wanted that in this film. Is it actually happening or is he having a mental breakdown?

Part of how McPhail did that was by focusing on the story of “trauma in a digital age,” particularly in how Adam is attacked online by trolls and how he responds to that in the film. In an effort to highlight what the real Adam experienced at the time, between the followers he gained and the critics, McPhail focused on how Adam’s mental health declines despite his rising fame in the film.

Dear David is directed by John McPhail, from a screenplay by Mike Van Waes, based on the viral Twitter thread by BuzzFeed comic artist Adam Ellis, and a story by Van Waes and Executive Producer Evan Turner.

Augustus Prew as Adam Ellis in Dear David. Photo Credit: Stephanie Montani / ©COPYRIGHT 2022 DEAR DAVID FILM INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Shortly after comic artist Adam (Augustus Prew) responds to Internet trolls, he begins experiencing sleep paralysis — while an empty rocking chair moves in the corner of his apartment. As he chronicles increasingly  malevolent occurrences in a series of tweets, Adam begins to believe he is being haunted by the ghost of a dead child named David. Encouraged by his boss to continue the “Dear David” thread, Adam starts to lose his grip on what is online…and what is real.


Director’s Statement

Like everyone else in 2017, I was gripped by the “Dear David” story that appeared on Twitter. It felt like the perfect ghost story for our times, and we were all along for the ride.

When the opportunity to tell a version of Adam Ellis’s story came to me I jumped at it. I always go for projects with dynamic characters and for me that was Adam; here we have a funny, cynical, sarcastic, cartoonist being terrorised in his own bed, pouring his heart out on the internet.

I wanted to tell a story about trauma in the digital age. Through Adam’s story, I could see parallels between hauntings and online abuse. Your home is supposed to be your sanctuary, a place to get away from the world, but what if that space is being invaded by outside forces, buzzing in your pocket, pinging on your screen. What if those same forces are also an addiction, a dopamine hit that you crave day in and day out. For Adam, his life is falling apart but his internet notoriety is growing; bringing support but also hate, disbelief, and trolling.

Augustus Prew as Adam Ellis and Tricia Black as Norris in Dear David. Photo Credit: Stephanie Montani / ©COPYRIGHT 2022 DEAR DAVID FILM INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I always felt Adam would be a hard role to cast but when I met Augustus Prew all my worries disappeared. Augustus threw himself head first into this role and drew from his own personal traumas and years of battling sleep psychosis. Personally, I feel like I couldn’t have asked for a better Adam. Augustus was my rock on this film and I’ll always love how much he put into this movie. For Evelyn I wanted someone who could make me laugh and fill the frames with charisma.

I had a wonderful team of people working with me on Dear David. In fact, I met one of the new loves of my life in Director of Photography Stephen Chandler Whitehead, who beautifully captured the film and shares my love of colour. Costume Designer Olga Barsky literally stalked Adam Ellis on Twitter so we could get his look right and make him pop against the incredible sets designed by our Production Designer, Josh Turpin. Turpin and his team again poured over Twitter images of Ellis’ apartment so we could get it as close to the original as possible but with Josh’s  twist on it.

I really hope audiences enjoy the film. We worked hard to bring something fun and scary for existing and new fans of the haunting that is Dear David.

Augustus Prew as Adam Ellis and Cameron Nicoll as Dear David in Dear David. Photo Credit: Stephanie Montani / ©COPYRIGHT 2022 DEAR DAVID FILM INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

John McPhail – Director

John McPhail studied Cinematography at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. During his time there he met and formed a close working relationship with Tyler Collins and Andrew Lanni. In 2013 he formed his own production company, Worrying Drake Productions, and reunited with Collins and Lanni  to produce a trilogy of short comedy films. Notes, V for Visa, and Doug & Steve’s Big Holy Adventure. Whilst filming the comedy trilogy, McPhail wrote a short three-minute film called Just Say Hi to enter into the 2013 Virgin Media Shorts Competition.

With the success of his short films on the domestic and international festival circuit, McPhail launched a crowdfunding campaign to help fund his first feature film, Where Do We Go from Here? The campaign was a success, raising £10,630 in just two months. Production began in the summer of 2014 with McPhail directing the film in just 16 days in various locations across Scotland. After editing the film himself, McPhail began entering the film into festivals across the globe. In late October 2015, the film was screened at the Sydney Indie Film Festival where it won three of the seven awards.

Mike Van Waes – Screenwriter

Screenwriter Mike Van Waes loves to blend heart and humor with a slash of horror. He began his career as an assistant at the Jim Henson Company before becoming a story analyst for studios like DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures. He first attracted industry attention with his feature script Grave Hearts, a 2014 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting finalist. His The Wizard of Oz-inspired original horror feature Not in Kansas is set up at New Line Cinema, where he has also written Crooked Man, a whimsically twisted spinoff within The Conjuring universe. Mike is currently writing a liveaction remake of Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, based on the beloved animated movie about an alien who crash-lands to Earth. He’s also a published author and artist. His young adult novel Peeves, a cheeky, magical story about a boy with anxiety, was published in 2018 by HarperCollins.

Evan Turner – Executive Producer / Story by

Evan Turner is an English writer and producer, who has been instrumental in bringing thrilling adaptations to the big screen. As an executive at Walden Media, Turner produced a wide slate of movies meant for global audiences. He co-produced the blockbuster, Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008), and served as an Executive Producer on its sequel, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012). His first writing credit came while staffed on ABC’s “The Goldbergs,” with a “story by” credit on the popular episode, “Dance Party.” In his first feature story by credit, Turner is excited to bring the viral Dear David story to the screen.

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In Gerwig’s poignant and heartfelt adaptation, the beloved story of the March sisters unfolds. Four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms, make the story both timeless and punctual.

Little Women is a book that unsparingly depicts how the world is hard on ambitious girls. It also offers a comfort: ambition is its own reward. A vibrant inner life can break the bonds of the world.  We first encounter it as children, when the world’s possibilities are wide open and nothing can hold us back. We return to it as young adults, when adulthood and society begin shaping who we are. We return again, as older readers, with bittersweet nostalgia of being young and bold. We also find joy in seeing a new generation experience that daring for themselves.  The insistent power of the book lies in its unique call. It encourages an individual to grapple with life’s many clashing lures—family, art, money, love, and freedom. It holds the hope of being 100% who you are and creating your own unique story. 

This deeply personal idea of Little Women is fiercely alive. It is the one writer-director Greta Gerwig wanted to transport to the screen. 

Gerwig approached the material with a determination. She wanted to capture the sweeping, epic nature of the story. This captures the enormity of what Alcott created. She also sought an honest, disarming emotional intimacy that brings the characters to life.   

Every reader brings their own personal interpretation and meaning to the story. Gerwig adds her own unique touch to it. 

The novel was originally published in two halves. The first half focuses on the March sisters in auspicious girlhood. The second half covers the stark realities of adulthood. Gerwig deconstructs the novel and alternates between the two halves. Jo’s story of determination and spirit serves as the natural through-line. It reconstructs the connection between its parts. The film uses a fluid approach to time. It immerses the audience in the memories, moments, accidents of fate and acts of will that shape the March sisters. These elements shape Jo into an ink-stained, defiantly independent writer. They influence Meg to become a nurturing, principled, would-be actor. They mold Beth into a fragile, open-hearted musician. They encourage Amy to grow into a clever, aspirational painter. Each sister develops into her full, complicated adult self. Each sister is so different but united in an unswerving sisterhood. 

Louisa May Alcott

The picture that emerges is of four women looking back with affection at how they became who they are.  It is also about a world that values the everyday lives of women. Their discoveries, sacrifices, and anger are significant. Their financial, artistic, and domestic concerns deeply matter. 

What does it mean to take the reins of your life? So much that happens is out of your control. This ranges from a crack in the ice to a mistimed letter.  And how does that look to four sisters with four divergent dreams? 

These are the questions Gerwig brings to the fore in a visually ravishing film. The film’s look draws inspiration from the bold artists of Alcott’s time. They changed how people viewed the world. The questions feel modern. Alcott was the one who latched onto these oppositions. They still stop us in our tracks: money vs. art, love vs. personal satisfaction, ideals vs. real life, caring for family vs. finding your own voice.

Before Gerwig demonstrated her powerful voice with Lady Bird, she told producer Amy Pascal she was the right person. She wanted to adapt Little Women.  “I flung myself at it with everything I had,” says Gerwig.  “I had a very specific idea of what it was about.  It’s about women as artists. It’s also about women and money.  That is all there in the text, but it’s an aspect of the story that hasn’t been delved into before.  For me, it felt very close to the surface. Even now, this movie feels more autobiographical than anything I’ve made.” 

Gerwig read Little Women so many times as a child, she doesn’t remember the first time.  She felt such an intense identification with Jo March. Like a long list of fellow writers and artists, Jo felt less like a made-up person. Jo was a tomboy, misfit, and would-be novelist struggling against the status quo to become the woman she imagines. Jo felt more like a charismatic mentor.  She was the girl who knew what she wanted.  To be freer.  To create.  To transcend all that was not allowed and yet to give of herself fully to her loved ones.  That’s part of why Gerwig wanted to immerse audiences in Jo’s world. She aimed for a visceral experience that captured its emotional highs and lows and personal dynamics. 

Little Women has been part of who I am for as long as I can remember,” Gerwig notes.  “I always knew who Jo March was. She was my girl, the person I wanted to be. She was also the person who I hoped I was.” 

Director/Writer Greta Gerwig and DP Yorick LeSaux on the set of LITTLE WOMEN.

Gerwig stays true to Alcott’s original voice. She reconstructs the novel in an inherently cinematic way. She unmoors the story from linear time. The March’s most unforgettable events become the stuff of memories and creative inspiration.  This allows audiences to see the March sisters in a new light. They see them as adults reflecting on their past and as the living source for Jo’s writing. 

“Every time I read the book, it became something different,” observes Gerwig.  “I first knew it in the coziness of childhood. Then, as I got older, new parts of it jumped out at me.  As I began writing the screenplay, I clearly saw how poignant and fascinating the sisters’ lives are as adults. They are trying to figure out how to honor the fearless youth they had as grown-ups.”

Gerwig engaged in extensive research. She read Alcott’s letters and papers. She drew on aspects of Alcott’s real life to give her adaptation a formidable, modern voice.  For example, the real Alcott wrote, “I had lots of troubles, so I write jolly tales.” In the film, Marmee says, “I’m angry nearly every day of my life.”

In drawing early inspiration from Little Women, Gerwig has a lot of company.  The late sci-fi master Ursula K. Le Guin called Alcott “close as a sister.”

Novelist Erica Jong said Little Women sparked a belief that “women could become writers, intellects—and still have rich personal lives.” The heroines of Elena Ferrante’s masterwork My Brilliant Friend bond over a tattered copy of Alcott’s book. They vow to write their own. 

Poet Gail Mazur thanked Alcott for helping writers. She appreciated the guidance on how “to live with, knowing we’re not alone. Alcott addressed the conflict between the writer’s need for solitude and self-absorption. She also addressed the yearning for the warmth of love.” 

Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling said of Jo March:  “It is hard to overstate what she meant to a small, plain girl called Jo. This girl had a hot temper and a burning ambition to be a writer.”

For women, carving out any individualistic path, particularly an artistic life, has been perilous in any era.  But that’s also why Jo hit home so hard with Gerwig.  “There’s a rebel spirit in Jo. She holds a hope for a life beyond what your gender dictates. That is completely exciting to us still,” says Gerwig.  “She’s this girl with a boy’s name. She wants to write. She’s ambitious and angry. She’s so many different things that we identify with.  It’s like she allowed us to be free.”   

Gerwig also wanted to pay homage to Alcott’s unsung story of financial success. She wanted to highlight how Alcott’s time were rife with war and inequality. These times were also lit up with new ideas and free-thinkers. There was an energy of change. In this atmosphere, Alcott crashed through social barriers. She carved her own path to thriving self-sufficiency. Alcott took control of her copyrights like the J.K. Rowling of her day. She built then largely unheard-of name recognition outside of marriage or inheritance. 

“These are things that are still coming up right now,” observes Gerwig. “You see this in Taylor Swift deciding to re-record her back catalogue. She is doing so to own it.” 

To Gerwig, Alcott clearly chose the scarcity of money. She also chose freedom as the unavoidable organizing fact of the March sister’s lives.  At the same time, she wanted to celebrate the unapologetic domesticity of this story. It is about four sisters and a devoted mother transforming a household into an indelible world unto itself.  An interesting analysis I read explains that Little Women is unique among books about childhood. It is not about escape. There is bravery, but it’s a hero’s journey contained inside the home,” Gerwig says. 

All of this attracted an extraordinary group of women. They shepherded the film to the screen. This includes Gerwig, producers Amy Pascal, Denise Di Novi, and Robin Swicord. The ensemble is led by Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlen, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, and Meryl Streep. 

Laura Dern. Meryl Streep and Florence Pugh

For the film’s multi-generational cast, the draw to this Little Women went beyond their private experiences with the book.  What made it special was how of-this-moment Gerwig’s loving approach felt.

 “I think the story feels more relevant than ever right now,” says Ronan, who plays Jo. “It explores young women finding the confidence to take their own paths.  It also is a story that changes depending on where you  are in life.  You could be an Amy for a few years. Then suddenly you’re a Jo. Next, you might be a Meg or a Marmee. Maybe you find yourself back to being a Beth.  You can find yourself in each one.” 

“It’s a story about identity and there’s nothing more modern than that,” adds Dern, who plays Marmee.  “We still struggle today with asking, ‘Who am I?’ Moreover, how can I stand true to that in my life despite everyone else’s opinion?’ —yet that’s what Louisa May Alcott wrote about 150 years ago.  Part of Alcott’s beauty is her establishment of strength as independence, as art, and as ambition. She also portrayed it as marriage and parenting. Greta invites the audience to engage with all of that.” 

Eliza Scanlen, who plays Beth, offers another take on the story’s continued resonance.   “It affirms that the emotions you experience in childhood are just as complicated. They are just as important as the ones you experience later on in life. Recognizing childhood emotions as significant has not often been done.” 

Gerwig approached the film as both a faithful retelling. She drew as much from the text as possible. It is also a postmodern retelling.  She shakes up the story. She tells it in two separate timelines. The characters’ lives as adults run alongside the story of their childhoods.  “I structured the film to begin the narrative when they are adults. Then, I entered into the story of childhood as we all do. It is like a memory. It is a yearning. It serves as a key to understanding who you are and where you are going,” says Gerwig. “We are always walking beside our younger selves. I wanted there to be a tension – is that what happened, or is that how you remember it? Is that what happened, or is that how you wrote it?”

This Little Women is unabashedly a story. Boys and men are certainly part of the picture. They are at times alluring and at times enervating to the sisters. However, they are never at the center of the world.  “What is so wonderful about Alcott’s work is that these girls are there to serve their own stories. They also serve each other’s stories. That idea comes through so strongly in Greta’s script,” say producer Amy Pascal. 

“It’s the perfect time for this movie. Women are talking more than ever about choices, about how to be, and about money. They are discussing what power is and how we get along with men,” Pascal continues.  “Greta bring all this into the film by staying true to Alcott.  She said, ‘I want to make a movie unlike any other.  I want to make a movie from the book. If you go back to the book, it’s more controversial. It’s funnier and darker than you think. I want to make a movie that feels that real.’” 

Director/Writer Greta Gerwig and DP Yorick LeSaux on the set of LITTLE WOMEN.

Adapting Alcott

 One of the fundamental truths of Little Women is that Louisa May Alcott almost didn’t write the book at all.  She never saw herself as a writer of “girl’s stories.” At that time, they were almost entirely dismissed as unimportant. They were also not considered economically viable.  Her publisher posed the idea to her. She could not resist attempting to rival the adventure tales for boys. These tales were often significant bestsellers and influential to their young searching readers. 

Alcott noted that she never really knew any girls except her three sisters and mother.  As it turned out, her own family held out incredible raw material.  Alcott re-envisioned her family life as fiction. She expressed things about growing up as a girl with limited options. Her ceaseless aspiration was something no one had said so clearly or with such relatability before. 

Like the March family she would create, the Alcotts were a close-knit group.  Their parents were the educator Bronson Alcott and the activist and social worker Abigail May. They were idealists and Transcendentalists. This 19th Century movement became the forerunner of the counterculture. It called for self-reliance and civil disobedience. It encouraged deep engagement with the arts and respect for the natural world. Being true to oneself was seen as the basis of a happy life.  The elder Alcotts believed in equality and learning. They encouraged Louisa and her siblings to pursue the things that mattered to them. 

For Louisa, it was always writing.   Louisa grew up in an intellectually stimulating environment, despite monetary constraints. Her schoolteacher was Henry David Thoreau. Her neighbor was Ralph Waldo Emerson. She began writing at a young age.  Yet, economics forced Alcott to work as a teacher, seamstress, and governess. She worked even while writing her first book, Flower Fables. This book was published when she was just 17.  She wrote for The Atlantic Monthly. She published a memoir of her time as a Civil War nurse, Hospital Sketches. She also penned action-packed spy stories under the pseudonym A.M. Bernard. She sold these stories for $50 a piece, money it take a year to earn doing seamstress work. 

Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet

There was a presumption when Little Women was published that men alone wrote enduring works of literature.  With rare exceptions, books by women, and books about women, were light and passing entertainment, or so the theory went.  From the day it hit the shelves, Little Women became an instant smash hit. It sold out its first run in days.  It soon became clear that women and girls had been thirsting for authentic, honest, emotional stories about their everyday lives.  The first 23 chapters were so popular. Alcott’s publisher implored her to write more. This led to the 47-chapter book that became the beloved classic.  Since its release, Little Women has never been out of print and has been translated into at least 55 languages.  It’s been adapted for stage, television and movies, even as an opera and an anime. 

Gerwig did not focus on all that came before. She aimed to get back to the breathing soul of the book as she saw it.  Re-reading the novel as an adult, she noticed Alcott’s very modern way of capturing language. She was struck by how deftly Alcott captured the free-form, informal language of family. 

“It was so clear that the language was fresh and exciting and needed almost nothing from me. I tried to make the script have as much word-for-word from the book as possible.”

She heard it unspooling in her head, which led in turn to her directorial approach.  “I wanted the actors to say it all at the speed of life. I wanted them to run through the dialogue quickly and irreverently because that’s how I heard it,” Gerwig explains.   

Gerwig continues:  “So that’s why I had the idea to start with them as adults. I wanted to allow their childhoods to live alongside them not as flashbacks but as two separate timelines. It captures the reality that when we walk down the street, we’re always walking with the younger versions of ourselves.  We’re always integrating the person we thought we were going to be with the person we are now.  I was looking at constructing a narrative that incorporates what a whole life is.” 

Part of that narrative of a life is certainly romance, always a factor in Little Women’s appeal.  But here, Gerwig explores the idea that each March sister aims not just for love. She pursues her own version of love among equals.  Readers have debated Jo’s choice of husband for a long time. Some wonder if it was right for her to have chosen a husband at all.  The fact that Alcott, otherwise so much like Jo, took the opposite path of her character is complicated. She remained unmarried even after attaining fame.  Gerwig took an unusual approach to the question in the climactic moments of Little Women

“If Jo was the hero of my girlhood, Louisa May Alcott is the hero of my womanhood. It mattered to me that she did not want Jo to get married. She did it because her publisher told her Jo had to marry. There’s a letter she wrote where she said, ‘I have made Jo a funny match out of spite.’ So, I wanted to give her an ending she would like. It might be the ending she wanted. It celebrates the choice she wanted to make. I wanted to give us that rom-com moment at the end that Louisa gave us. But as it’s happening, I also wanted to ask, ‘Why do we want that? Why do we need Jo to have that moment?’”

Saoirse Ronan, Laura Dern, and Eliza Scanlen

Gerwig’s naturalistic, overlapping dialogue especially excited the cast.  “Greta allows the girls to talk over one another. They bounce off each other. It truly feels like four or five people in a room together,” says Saoirse Ronan.  “We had to work extra hard to make the dialogue really, really tight in these scenes.  But I haven’t worked with another director who works like Greta does.  She always knows when something is right by how it sounds.  The rhythm and pace of the scenes makes the feeling so unique in her films.  It feels like Greta is inviting you into the secret inner world of the March family.” 

Gerwig explains: “I didn’t want the overlapping dialogue to feel like a cacophony. I wanted it to be very specifically overlapped. It was almost like conducting an orchestra. We rehearsed for a couple of weeks, and, which was pretty essential because the script was so precise.   I wanted it to feel like they were tumbling over each other with excitement. I also wanted it to sound like how sisters talk. I didn’t want it to sound like everyone waits their turn. That’s not how I experience a bunch of sisters when they’re together.  Having such great actors, I could trust them because they make the language even more alive and deeper.”  

Capturing that full breadth of sisterhood—its beauty and unity but also its driving tensions—was key to Gerwig. 

“I saw each of the sisters as artists. I wanted to take each of their artistic pursuits seriously because they do. There is a lot of love and a deep bond between them. However, they’re really competitive. They can get under each other’s skin. They can be mean and cutting. They can also be loving and kind. I aimed to capture all of that in the soup. To me, it is what makes what happens to them that much more powerful. They are real people whose relationships are messy and wild.”

The script also brought the book into fresh focus for Pascal. Another accomplished woman, she has had a lifelong relationship with Little Women. This relationship even ties back to her given name, Amy Beth.   “It’s a film about the way you remember childhood. It’s about the passage of time. It’s also about being an artist,” she says.  “But it’s also a movie about becoming fiercely independent.” 


“As with Little Women, Barbie is a property we all know,” says Gerwig.

“The idea of the multiplicity of the Barbies and then the Kens came out of my first meeting with Mattel. I started talking about different characters. They said, ‘No, we don’t have different characters. All of these women are Barbie.’ I replied with a thought. If all of these women are Barbie, then Barbie is all of these women. They said, ‘Yes.’,” Gerwig explains. She co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story, The Squid and the Whale). They based it on Barbie by Mattel.

In March 1959, a doll was launched at the American Toy Fair in New York City. This doll was to change the face of the industry forever more. To this day, it puts a smile on the face of children all over the world. Created by the co-founder of Mattel, Ruth Handler, ‘Barbie’ was eleven inches of curvaceous adult plastic. She was a revolution in the doll industry. Until this time, the industry had only produced baby dolls. The Barbie doll, or to use her full name, ‘Barbara Millicent Roberts,’ was named after Handler’s own daughter Barbara. It was inspired by the German doll Bild Lilli. Handler had bought the rights to Bild Lilli. When launched in the US, it was the only adult doll in production. It challenged the long-standing notion that all young girls just wanted to be mothers. Baby dolls were given to them to nurture. Barbie changed all of that. She became an aspiration and an inspiration. She quickly proved a hit not just within the US, but globally. Over 60 years later, Barbie is still as popular as ever; in fact, she is the world’s top-selling doll. Sometimes controversial but always cherished, Barbie is part of our shared history and quite simply a cultural icon.


To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.

“It’s both a great opportunity in that everybody knows Barbie. The audience for this movie is bigger than any movie we’ve produced before. But the challenges are preconceived notions,” says producer Tom Ackerley. “But it also has no narrative. The ability to create one and build upon what Mattel has already done is really exciting. We’ve learned all these new words, like toyetic. Everything had to be delicious and tactile. Making everything toyetic was part of the learning experience for us as well.

“Being human is beautiful. I think Barbie is a great vehicle and a wonderful character to explore that,” says producer David Heyman. “In Barbie Land, every day is a perfect day and Barbie, the doll, is a representation of an ideal. But Barbie in the film ultimately embraces the imperfection and messiness that is life … It has been a privilege to work with Greta. She is a writer and director (and actor) with boundless talent. She is incredibly ambitious for the work creatively, cinematically, thematically, intellectually. And at the same time she is acutely aware of the audience and has a wish to entertain. This film is a comedy and it’s hysterically funny. It also has soul, meaning, and resonance. It conveys nuance and is deeply affecting and moving. Greta has shown in her earlier films her ability to do that with ease. She tells a rich, layered story with humanity and heart.”

“I grew up with Barbie,” says Gerwig. I was always waiting for our neighbors’ children to grow tired of theirs. Then they would give me the hand-me-down Barbies. That was the big thing I was always looking forward to. I have a very vivid, visceral memory of Barbie and what it meant.”

“‘Barbie’ came to me through Margot Robbie,” says Gerwig. “Margot was the one who had gotten the
rights, had brought it to Warner Bros., had initiated this entire project. We had met, and I was a big fan of hers as an actress. But then when we talked, I realized what an incredible producer she was. She was super smart and extremely involved and really interesting.”

MARGOT ROBBIE as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “BARBIE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Gerwig says, “Margot is our Stereotypical Barbie. In the film, she says, ‘I’m the Barbie everyone thinks of when you think of Barbie.'” And when you think of the most beautiful, cheerful, friendly, blonde lady you’ve ever seen, that’s Margot. But the thing I wanted to do most of all was to allow her to be outrageously funny. She’s the person you’re going to go on a real journey with in the movie. She always makes things grounded, relatable, and very emotional. Even when it’s ridiculously heightened and funny, you never feel like you lose the humanity.”

“Barbie is such a huge and globally recognized brand. It holds a nostalgic connection for people,” says Margot Robbie. She is one of the producers on the film and also stars as Barbie. “Making a Barbie movie was an amazing opportunity. We thought we can create something really special. We do this if we approached it in an unexpected, surprising, and clever way. Like Greta has said, it was also terrifying! We knew it was a lot to take on. Audiences probably have a preconceived notion of how they think and feel about Barbie. These feelings can be either good or bad. So, that presented a big challenge, but we were up for the challenge.”

MARGOT ROBBIE as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “BARBIE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

“Margot brings a spirit, both as a producer and as a performer, of curiosity, of enthusiasm, of possibility,” says Heyman. “And she is fiercely intelligent. For this role, it’s essential to have someone who can embark on that journey of discovery. They must access the heart and humanity of the character. At the same time, they should have a keen sense of humor. This humor must be played with absolute sincerity and without any guile.”

As for Ken, “It was always Ryan Gosling,” says Robbie. “You’d think there are dozens of guys that could play Ken, but there’s actually not. Ryan ticked all the boxes. He’s a brilliant dramatic actor, he makes incredible choices, he can play the romantic and he can do comedy. And, of course, he also looks like Ken, he’s gorgeous.”

“We wrote this part specifically for Ryan Gosling,” says Gerwig. “He excels in dramatic roles. I knew he was really funny because I had watched all his ‘Saturday Night Live’ appearances. There was no plan B. It was always Ryan.”

“The script reminded me of everything I loved growing up, but somehow was still like nothing I had ever seen. It’s as funny as it is tragic. It’s as silly as it is profound. It’s all the things,” says Gosling. “My Ken was created to just watch the awesomeness that is Barbie. There’s even a line in the film when he says, ‘I only exist within the warmth of Barbie’s gaze.’ He has no identity of his own, so he’s in an existential hell. But he’s given a job, which is ‘beach.’ And he’s not sure what that job is specifically, but he really wants to be good at it.”

Ryan Gosling as Ken in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “BARBIE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Cameras rolled on BARBIE on March 21, 2022, at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Hertfordshire, England.

This was nearly two years after the start of the pandemic. During that time, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach shut themselves away in their New York apartment. They crafted the screenplay that Gerwig would later sign on to direct.

During development, director Greta Gerwig called director Peter Weir. She asked about his work on “The Truman Show” in relation to lighting. She wanted to create that authentically artificial feel for Barbie Land. Audiences won’t see natural sunlight until Barbie and Ken arrive in Los Angeles. The entirety of the Barbie Land scenes were filmed on soundstages at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden.


Ryan Gosling, Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

GRETA GERWIG (Director / Writer / Executive Producer) is an Academy Award-nominated director and writer. She has established herself as one of Hollywood’s most important voices. Before writing and filming Barbie with Noah Baumbach, Gerwig’s last film, Little Women, received six Academy Award nominations. It was also nominated for five BAFTA Awards, in addition to PGA and WGA honors. Her debut film, Lady Bird, was nominated for five Academy Awards. It included nominations for Gerwig for Best Director. She was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
Gerwig is also a prolific actor. She received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in Frances Ha. She also co-wrote it with Noah Baumbach. Last year she starred in his latest film, White Noise, opposite Adam Driver. Her additional acting credits include Jackie, Maggie’s Plan, 20th Century Women, Lola versus, Damsels in Distress and Mistress America.



Within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Captain America canon often occupies a very grounded space from the World War II setting of the The First Avenger to the paranoia thriller aspect of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which is squarely where the filmmakers want this next chapter to be.

Captain America: Brave New World offers a distinctly modern take on the thriller genre that brims with multi-layered characters and a finely calibrated tension expertly woven throughout the narrative.

Punctuate it all with visually exciting set pieces and kinetic, heart-pounding action and you’ve landed on the sweet spot for director Julius Onah’s singular skill set, which dovetails perfectly with the established DNA of MCU films.

(L-R): Director Julius Onah, Xosha Roquemore, and Anthony Mackie behind the scenes of Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo by Eli Adé. © 2024 MARVEL.

Onah is known for the indie drama thriller Luce and the sci-fi thriller The Cloverfield Paradox.

A true storyteller, Onah is a detailed-oriented, visually inclined director who is deeply invested when it comes to fully developing his characters. Particularly with Sam, who is grappling with how to define himself and put his own stamp on Cap and continue to serve his country.

“As the film begins, Sam has been Captain America for a while, and that is a big part of what drew me to wanting to direct this movie. We left Sam at the end of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ knowing why he wanted to be Captain America, but now we’re meeting him at a place where he has to negotiate what that actually means, what course of action he’s going to take, how he’s going to relate to other people, and how he’s going use the power that the platform gives him. A big part of what he’s going through in this movie is trying to define that in a really specific way,” the Onah explains.

As our heroes are pulled into the mystery of who is orchestrating all these world leaders without their knowledge, the political and emotional stakes are exponentially high. It’s a new world order, one that is very different than the one Steve’s Captain America had to face.

Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson/Captain America,remarks on the film’s storytelling: “The story being told is very grounded and very much in line with the ‘Captain America’ franchise that has more of a realistic approach to telling a story. It’s more human being to superhero contact as opposed to superhero to fantastical contact. When you look at the Captain America throughline you can see yourself in there, because it’s actual and wholly representative of where we are today.”

At the end of “Avengers: Endgame,” Steve Rogers passed on his vibranium shield to Sam Wilson, who had stood beside the Avengers as the winged Falcon. But the decision to take on the mantle of Captain America was more complex for Wilson, and his journey from Falcon to Captain America was explored in Marvel Studios’ “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” series for Disney+

“We love that the Disney+ series gave us such an opportunity to explore Sam Wilson and the interior life
that he had and his relationship with Bucky Barnes,” says producer Nate Moore, “but ‘Brave New World’ is
about him taking the mantle of Captain America and running with it while facing threats that are bigger than what we’ve seen in the past. We’re putting Sam through the paces to prove to people, not only that he should be Captain America, but that he can be Captain America in a way that even Steve Rogers never was.”

(L-R) The Falcon/Joaquin Torres (Danny Ramirez) and Captain America/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. Photo by Eli Adé. © 2024 MARVEL.

What does it mean to be Captain America?

Adds producer Kevin Feige, “In ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Sam Wilson is Captain America, and he has made the decision to unabashedly become Captain America. But what does it mean to be Captain America when you’re not a super soldier, which we definitively know Sam Wilson is not, and in a world where the Avengers are not currently active?” We will find out when Sam, who after meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

This return to the Captain America franchise is also a return to the tone of “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” meaning a more grounded, more geopolitical landscape punctuated with issues that feel relevant and timely. Says Moore, “We have a hero who doesn’t have superpowers but is very well-versed in the political and military landscapes, so this film puts Sam squarely back into the genre of the political thriller.”

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford.

The Making of a Brave New World

Taking full advantage of the versatile environments and topography in and around Atlanta, Georgia, which was home base for the production, the filmmakers looked to veteran production designer Ramsey Avery to establish the multi-layered visual landscape.

Avery’s first conversations with the director yielded a focused, more intentional and relatable sense of realism for “Captain America: Brave New World” to further the material’s tone and narrative and allow for a transition away from the visual vocabulary that’s been a mainstay of Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“For ‘Brave New World,’ in particular, Julius [Onah] wanted the aesthetic to be very specific and feel like it was something that could be happening now within the current space,” says Avery. “He also wanted to veer away from those elements that can sometimes take an audience out of the storytelling. It really was important to Julius and Kevin [Feige] that this story felt ‘of the moment’ and mimicked the characters as they move through a very real and honest world.”

Capturing it all on camera in a compelling way would be essential to realizing Onah’s singular vision. Leading the charge was award-winning director of photography Kramer Morgenthau, known for his innovative camera work and dynamic lighting design.

“We wanted to achieve a look that was as close as humanly possible to shooting photochemical film but with digital cameras. So, in prep we shot extensive tests and dug deeply into color science and vintage anamorphic lenses to achieve that look,” explains Morgenthau. “We created a set of rules around camera movement, color, composition and texture. The goal was for the film to pay homage to some of the great
paranoid thrillers of the 1970s but also have the visual space for extensive action and spectacle that Marvel Studios’ films achieve on the highest level.”

While tonally more rooted in realism and embracing the thriller genre, there’s no denying that this chapter in the “Captain America” franchise retains the DNA of its predecessors with signature eye-popping action sequences that are expertly woven into the narrative in a fresh, new way.

“There have been three widely popular ‘Captain America’ movies before, so clearly this is a beloved character,” says director Julius Onah. “So, I’m thrilled for audiences to go on this journey with Sam, who’s such fan favorite in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and redefine him as Captain America in a way we’ve never seen before. I can’t wait for people to see it!”


Writers are essential for the world because they bring stories to life, enriching our lives in countless ways. Writers are the architects of our collective imagination. They help us make sense of the world, connect with each other, and find meaning in our experiences.

Writers have the unique ability to create entire worlds, characters, and narratives from their imagination. These stories inspire creativity and help us see the world from new perspectives. Through stories, writers help us connect emotionally with characters and experiences that might be different from our own. This fosters empathy, understanding, and compassion.

Writers often use their stories to comment on social, political, and cultural issues. Through their narratives, they can raise awareness, challenge the status quo, and inspire change.

Here’s a glimpse into what life might be like without Stories

  • Loss of Imagination: Stories fuel our creativity and imagination. Without them, our minds might lack the stimulation needed to think beyond the ordinary, leading to a more mundane and uninspired existence.
  • Cultural Void: Stories are a cornerstone of culture. They carry traditions, values, and histories from one generation to the next. Without stories, we would lose a significant part of our cultural heritage and identity.
  • Emotional Disconnect: Stories allow us to connect emotionally with others by sharing experiences, lessons, and emotions. Without them, we might struggle to empathize and understand different perspectives, leading to a more disconnected society.
  • Knowledge and Learning: Much of what we know is passed down through stories. From ancient myths to modern-day scientific discoveries, stories make complex information more accessible and memorable. Without them, our ability to learn and retain knowledge would be severely hindered.
  • Entertainment and Escape: Stories provide entertainment and a way to escape from the stresses of everyday life. Without them, our options for relaxation and enjoyment would be limited, making life feel more monotonous.
  • Personal Growth: Through stories, we explore different aspects of the human experience, learn valuable life lessons, and grow as individuals. Without stories, our personal development and self-awareness might be stunted.

Each type of writer has a unique role and impact on the world

  • Screenwriters have the ability to bring stories to life through visual mediums like films, TV shows, and web series. They create scripts that direct the action, dialogue, and settings. Screenwriters shape popular culture by creating memorable characters, dialogue, and scenes that become part of our collective consciousness. Through their scripts, screenwriters evoke strong emotions and connect with audiences on a deep level, leaving a lasting impression. Writing for the screen involves working closely with directors, producers, actors, and other creative professionals to realize a shared vision.
  • Novelists have the luxury of exploring characters, settings, and themes in great detail. They build intricate worlds and complex narratives that readers can immerse themselves in. They express their unique voice and perspective, creating a personal connection with readers. Through their books, novelists leave behind a lasting legacy that can be enjoyed by future generations. Classic novels often become timeless treasures.
  • Playwrights create scripts intended for live theatrical performances, bringing stories to life on stage. This offers a unique and immersive experience for audiences. Writing for the theater involves working closely with directors, actors, set designers, and other theater professionals to realize a shared vision. Theater allows for a direct and immediate connection with the audience, as the energy and reactions of the crowd can influence the performance.
  • Poets use concise and evocative language to convey deep emotions, ideas, and imagery. Every word in a poem carries weight and significance. Poetry is a form of artistic expression that allows for experimentation with form, structure, and rhythm. Poets can play with language in unique and innovative ways. Poems often capture fleeting moments, feelings, and thoughts, resonating with readers on an intimate level. They can be powerful tools for self-expression and reflection.

Take The Write Journey and share your Stories with the world!

Though there have been many films set in the Jungles, the residents don’t often get to see themselves on screen in light-hearted stories. “Historically, the narrative behind this neighborhood, the Jungles, is from movies like Training Day and a host of other films that portray this neighborhood in a negative light,” says producer Deniese Davis. “But it’s a neighborhood like any other. People live here. There are families here. People grow up here.”

In the Jungles and neighborhoods like it, Singleton says, are people that fill the roles the community needs. “You have the matriarch or the mother figure; the person who does your hair; your strivers. I tried to make sure that there was some diversity to reflect the Jungles as it is.”

When Dreux and Alyssa’s day in the Jungles goes particularly off the rails, that’s drawn from Singleton’s life, too. “When I was in the Jungles, I was usually there when I shouldn’t be,” she laughs. “Being in the Jungles always felt like an adventure—you never knew what was going to happen. There were so many interesting characters and dynamics.”

Even the comedy around the looming gentrification of the Jungles was drawn from the filmmakers’ lived experiences in South L.A. “It’s a changing neighborhood,” says Singleton. “We’re all seeing and experiencing our neighborhood shift because of gentrification. From the candy house to the ice cream truck and hanging out at Jim Gilliam Park—the movie is filled with moments that felt very real to me, experiences that I had there in the Jungles.”

The joke Mama Ruth (Vanessa Bell Calloway) tells Dreux about seeing a cat in a stroller as a sign of the coming gentrification apocalypse was pulled directly from producer Issa Rae’s life. “I was doing my daily walk through my neighborhood, and I saw a white couple pushing a cat in a stroller!” Rae says about why she added that hilarious scenario to the script. “It really happened. I was indeed sick!” she laughs.

Best known as the creator and star of HBO’s “Insecure,” media mogul Rae shepherded this project through her production companies HOORAE Media and ColorCreative, where Singleton’s script was incubated.

Stories drawn from life—especially funny and rarely told stories—are what ColorCreative is all about. When the company joined forces with TriStar Pictures to develop future films from a new generation of storytellers, movies like One of Them Days was the plan. “The idea was to give emerging screenwriters an opportunity to write and develop their first feature in the studio system,” says Davis. “Syreeta was one of the four writers selected, and it started from a conversation where she pitched a story about two girls trying to find rent, being based in the Jungles.”

In fact, Singleton was one of the first writers that Rae and Davis incubated, roughly a decade ago, making a pilot called “So Jaded.” When Rae began production on “Insecure,” Singleton joined the project as an assistant to the showrunner, eventually joining the show’s writing staff. Later, when Rae began production on her show “Rap Sh!t,” Singleton was tapped as showrunner.


“It’s very rare that you get a buddy comedy with two Black women as the leads,” says Davis. In fact, One of Them Days is the first Black women-led buddy comedy since Townsend’s B.A.P.S. premiered nearly thirty years ago. To pull off the chemistry necessary to produce an instant classic in the comedy film canon, the filmmakers of One of Them Days needed to cast two certified stars.

“Comedy is just how I see things,” says Singleton. “I’m always finding the humor in situations. When I start writing, that’s just how it comes across. When I first started writing, I didn’t even realize—it took Issa, really, to tell me that I had written a comedy.”

“I love Syreeta’s writing. Everything about it just feels incredibly authentic,” says producer Sara Rastogi. “The humor feels like you’re talking to your friends. It’s truly the definition of seeing yourself in extraordinary circumstances—and more hilarious, because she’s funnier than all of us.”

The humanity and authenticity in the story also made the project attractive to executive producer Charles D. King, CEO of MACRO. One of Them Days represented a chance to work with some of his favorite artists on a project that aligns with his own goals. “We’re just huge fans of Issa and Deniese—who they are and what they represent in our industry,” he says. “We love the fact that this project was incubated through ColorCreative, which is about shepherding new voices. Our company, MACRO, is all about cinematic excellence and platforming stories from people of color. It was a perfect marriage of missions.”

And it doesn’t hurt that the film is laugh-out-loud funny. “I read the script and I gave Charles a call and I told him, ‘This is really funny. I think you should read this immediately,’” says producer and president of MACRO Film Studios, James Lopez. “I said, ‘This has the potential to be a cult classic, like Friday. That’s exactly what I said to him.”

For the filmmakers, One of Them Days was an opportunity to pay homage to their favorite classic comedies. “Of course, we reference Friday,” says Lamont. “Dreux’s character wears a plaid shirt like Ice Cube’s Craig wears a plaid shirt, and it’s set over the course of a day,” he says. “But Superbad was always one of my inspirations. I remember seeing that in high school and just the hijinks and the story of friendship also set up over the course of one day — I can go on and on, but those are the top two influences for me.”

“It [also pays] homage to B.A.P.S. in so many ways because there just hasn’t been something like this before,” says Rae. “And with the crazy looks and the wardrobe, and the hairstyles,” says Lamont. “Shout out to [B.A.P.S. director] Robert Townsend.”

With this (late) coming-of-age comedy, Keke Palmer embraced the chance to make a film that would represent everyday struggles in the most hilarious way. “Comedy is the best medicine to be able to relate to these [financial] pressures we’re all experiencing,” she says, “whether it’s student loans, trying to figure out how to climb the corporate ladder, or having five part-time jobs to make ends meet. When I’m doing comedy, it’s because at the core, what makes it funny is also what makes it hurt. It’s like, ‘Damn, that’s real.’ You laugh and then it creates a space for you to really discuss it and have a conversation.”

The film’s debut director, Lawrence Lamont, agrees that because Dreux and Alyssa’s struggles are very real, comedy was essential to tell the story. “Inflation is through the roof. The middle class is not really the middle class anymore. People really do have struggles trying to make rent. Things are so serious and it’s so chaotic on this planet. But humor is a gateway to happiness and joy. At the end of the day, hope and laughter and happiness override anything else going on,” he says. “So, even when people are down and out, you can have that one uncle or auntie that can make you laugh, and it can make you forget about the struggles.”

The film was shot on location in the Jungles—the same South L.A. neighborhoods where the film is set—because a love for these streets and the people who live there was baked into the screenplay.

“You can’t base a movie in South L.A. and not be in South L.A.,” says Rae. “I’d be embarrassed to put a movie out and not have people recognize the landmarks, not recognize the streets. Honestly, as a native, I would be watching this movie sideways,” she says. “There’s a certain essence that you get from shooting there.”

Capturing that essence was essential to the film’s director. “Lawrence’s central hope for this film is that it feels authentic and real, and not just a glossy movie,” says production designer Monique Dias. “Throughout the entire scout, we took so many reference photos of people’s homes and little details of every single space we saw—even when we knew we weren’t going to shoot there. It set us up for everywhere else we went. We were in South L.A., shooting in authentic spaces, and using the design to amplify those spaces rather than create something completely contrived. The heart of the story is this community.”

Dias especially cites her set decorator, Esmeralda De La Cruz, as crucial for getting the details right. “She was born and raised in South L.A.,” explains Dias. “She was very excited to be doing this film and pulled a lot of her inspiration and references from people in her own life. She really went to town, bringing a lot of warmth and color and light to the space.”

The production even employed locals. “One of the things we did when filming in the Jungles is that we let some of the neighbors who actually live there participate as background in some of our scenes,” says Davis. “We were happy to, because it only adds to the authenticity.”

Of course, when you incorporate the community, there’s an element of comical unpredictability that’s bound to occur. “We were shooting at Jim Gilliam Park one day and a car just drove by in the middle of a scene, and they started shouting at Keke, congratulating her on her performance at the BET Awards the night before,” recalls Rastogi. “Even though it was disruptive, it was hilarious. It was just so nice to be in a community that knows and loves these actresses.”

Both the scripted and unscripted comedy on set made the shoot a joyful place for the collaborators. “So many scenes made me laugh,” says Rae, “but the payday loan scene–let me tell you. Keke, SZA, Keyla (Monterroso Mejia who played the payday lender), the three of them together—I can’t! Everything that they did, I wish we could have put every take in there,” says Rae. “Keke’s anger, SZA, her aloofness, the addition of Keyla just took it to a whole ‘nother level. She’s so funny. And the three of them playing off of each other. Like it was just… it was perfect.”

Lamont agrees. “There were takes where I was yelling cut, and I was walking over to give notes and I couldn’t find Keke and SZA. They’re on the ground laughing—on the literal ground.”

That space for laughter and joy opened up an environment for the collaborators to operate truthfully and earnestly to elevate the work. “What I love about working with you [Lamont] in addition to just being extraordinarily collaborative, is that you think about everything. You think about every single element. You actually dream about it and every time you think about it and every time you put it into practice, it only gets even better,” says Rae. “It’s been three years of it living in your brain and there’s just… it’s fun to watch someone love what they do while they’re doing it and be excited about the little things.”

For his part, Lamont relied on producer Rae and his other Black women collaborators to help tell the most authentic story. “Honestly, there were moments where I’m rushing and I’m gonna move on, I’m in my director brain, and I have to step back and realize I’m directing a film about Black women and I’m a Black man. So, I listen,” says Lamont. “I love the collaboration. And just your insight, Issa — I don’t know if people have realized, but we’re changing lines on set a lot, you know, and that’s a testament to just your genius brain and the worlds that you help scope. So, I’m happy to be an architect in the world building with you.”


Detroit-born director and writer LAWRENCE LAMONT (Director) got his start shooting music videos for Grammy Award-winning artist Big Sean. Lamont went on to direct multiple episodes of MAX’s “Rap Sh!t,” produced by HOORAE Productions. He also completed a pilot for MAX and shot the Detroit Pistons’ branding campaign for the 2022-23 season.

Lamont is in development on two original television projects: “Bundles,” an hour-long crime drama in partnership with producers Stephen Love and Issa Rae, with Syreeta Singleton attached to write the pilot and potentially showrun, and “Break,” is an hour-long grounded sci-fi drama in partnership with Arsalan Asli from FIVE4 Studios, which is currently being developed into a graphic novel.

Born and raised in South Central, SYREETA SINGLETON (Written by) is a writer on the verge of becoming a household name. Singleton has written HBO’s hit comedy series “Insecure,” Showtime’s “Black Monday,” and Apple TV+’s animated series “Central Park.” She has been the showrunner and executive producer for seasons 1 and 2 of the MAX series “Rap Sh!t,” produced by HOORAE Productions. Up next, Singleton is writing a feature film remake of the hit movie Set It Off for New Line.


OVERVIEW: Dog Man is the world’s greatest cop and beloved hero from Dav Pilkey’s bestselling book series of the same name. Part canine, part human and all hero, the film embodies the best qualities of both species in a unique and endearing package. is significant for its ability to translate the charm and humour of the books into a visually engaging and heartwarming movie experience. The film brings to life the whimsical and humorous world of Dog Man, which has already captivated millions of readers with its playful anarchy and heartwarming stories. The bright and lively animation style, combined with realistic textures and cartoonish lines, perfectly captures the tone of the books. The film carries themes of friendship, loyalty, and overcoming challenges, which resonate with viewers of all ages.

From DreamWorks Animation—creators of the beloved blockbuster franchises Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and The Boss Baby—comes the canine-crime-fighting film adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s New York Times bestselling literary phenomenon: Dog Man.

Writer-director Peter Hastings voices Dog Man. © 2025 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man series, which was born out of the author’s juggernaut Captain Underpants book franchise, has emerged as a literary phenomenon in its own right, captivating young readers worldwide. With 13 volumes published, the series has sold more than 60 million copies globally, been translated into 47 languages and has claimed an unprecedented 10 New York Times bestseller spots. This canine crusader’s adventures have transcended the page, becoming a cultural touchstone for a generation of young readers. Now, DreamWorks Animation transforms the global reading sensation into a cinematic event, offering millions of fans a fresh lens through which to experience their favorite hero.

Based on Pilkey’s chart-topping series, DreamWorks’ Dog Man tells the story of an unlikely hero: part-dog, part-human police officer sworn to protect and serve. For Pilkey, the decision to entrust his creation to DreamWorks was easy. “DreamWorks Animation was the ideal choice because they did a stellar job creating the Captain Underpants movie,” Pilkey says. “Because Dog Man is part of the same universe, I decided it would be best for this movie to be with the DreamWorks Animation family, too.”

The studio’s enthusiasm for bringing Pilkey’s world to the big screen was palpable. “Dav Pilkey’s unique blend of humor and heart has clearly struck a chord with readers worldwide,” DreamWorks Animation president MARGIE COHN says. “After the success of Captain Underpants, we knew Dog Man had the potential to be something truly special. We’ve assembled an incredible team, led by Peter Hastings, to ensure we’re not just adapting the books, but creating an experience that will captivate longtime fans and newcomers alike.”

Director Peter Hastings, a Primetime Emmy Award winner and five-time Daytime Emmy winner best known for his brilliant Animaniacs series and his two DreamWorks Animation series—The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants and Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness—was drawn to the project’s unique blend of comedy and emotion. “I was first introduced to Dav Pilkey through the Captain Underpants books, which my kids loved,” Hastings says. “Many years later, I was fortunate enough to create the Captain Underpants television series at DreamWorks for Netflix. This allowed me to truly immerse myself in Dav Pilkey’s world. Dav’s books have this incredible ability to make kids laugh out loud while also teaching them lessons about friendship and doing the right thing. Our goal with this film was to amplify those elements and create a movie that’s not just entertaining, but also meaningful and memorable.”

Producer Karen Foster, whose credits include DreamWorks Animation’s Spirit Untamed and How to Train Your Dragon, joined the project with enthusiasm. “The moment I dove into the Dog Man books, I knew we had something special on our hands,” Foster says. “It’s rare to find source material that so naturally lends itself to animation. The vibrant characters, the imaginative storylines and the visual humor are all tailor-made for the big screen.”

Petey (Pete Davidson) in DreamWorks Animation’s Dog Man.© 2024 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.

After a series of events leads to the creation of Dog Man—a smart dog’s head on a strong man’s body—the stage is set for a hilarious battle of wits between the newly-minted hero and his feline nemesis, Petey (Pete Davidson). For the production team, staying true to the source material was paramount. “It was incredibly important to honor the style of the books,” Hastings says. “The simple drawings, the lettering style—these elements are integral to the books’ humor and charm. Our challenge was to preserve that essence while creating a visually striking film. It’s about honoring what fans love while giving them something new to be excited about.”

To achieve this, the team coined the term “high-end handmade” to describe their approach. “When Peter pitched the movie as ‘high-end handmade,’ I was immediately intrigued,” Foster says. “We brought on Nate Wragg, who did the brilliant production design for Puss in Boots 2, and Chris Zibach, who was the lead visual development artist on Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. They’re not only talented artists, but both have kids who are Dog Man fanatics. They’ve managed to capture Pilkey’s style and have created characters that are instantly recognizable yet uniquely beautiful. Every frame is packed with the kind of visual jokes and details that reward multiple viewings.”

While the film is packed with laughs, the emotional depth of the story lies beneath the surface. “The movie is incredibly funny, with plenty of silly and wacky moments, but, like all great stories, it has heart,” Hastings says. “These moments of humor and heartfelt emotion coexist naturally in the story. Dav’s books introduce these emotional layers subtly, and our challenge was to bring them to the forefront while staying true to the characters and their journeys. We’ve explored themes of friendship, redemption and the idea that everyone has the potential to be a hero. These emotional threads are what elevate the story to something truly special.”

This balance of humor and heart is what sets Dog Man apart and makes it accessible to audiences of all ages. “I often use the term ‘intelligently silly,’ to describe our approach,” Hastings says. “It’s humor that works on multiple levels. Kids will laugh at the slapstick and visual gags, while adults will appreciate the clever wordplay and subtle references. Dav Pilkey has always infused his books with this style of comedy, which I’ve always admired, and we’re bringing the same sensibility to the film.”

Sometimes, the funniest comedies can also be the most serious ones. “It’s like the old Pink Panther movies where the seriousness makes us laugh,” producer Karen Foster says. “There are adult themes and references in Dav’s books that add a level of satire that kids might not get until they’re older. Peter is both incredibly smart and hilariously silly, so he was the perfect person to make this style work on screen.”

For Pilkey, the collaborative process with DreamWorks has been a great experience. “The team at DreamWorks have been very respectful to the books and to me,” Pilkey says. “Although I had the choice of collaborating closely, I only asked that Dog Man didn’t talk, and that Li’l Petey is voiced by a child actor. Peter Hastings completely understands the essence of the book series. I have complete faith and trust in his work.”

Hastings believes that DreamWorks is the ideal fit for Dog Man because of the studio’s unparalleled expertise in comedy and storytelling. “DreamWorks has a deep bench of incredibly talented artists who create films that resonate with audiences worldwide,” Hastings says. “They have a rich legacy of delivering top-notch comedy, and they understand how to balance that humor with genuine emotion, which was exactly what Dog Man needed.”

With Dog Man’s massive fan base, the film adaptation could have been daunting, but the filmmakers saw it as an opportunity. “We know how passionate Dog Man readers are,” Hastings says. “And I’m confident these fans are going to love the movie, because we haven’t changed the books; we’ve expanded on them. We’ve taken everything fans love and amplified it for the big screen. I’m looking forward to experiencing the movie in theaters, surrounded by families, and seeing their enthusiasm and excitement for these characters. It’s moments like those that remind me why we make movies.”

For Pilkey, seeing his creation become an animated feature is a dream come true. “I can’t wait for audiences to see Peter Hastings’ interpretation of the Dog Man series,” Pilkey says. “He has a great team of artists who capture the spirit of the books and add their own unique artistic vision to the characters. It is completely in line with what I am trying to accomplish in the book series. I want people to unleash their creativity and be fearless.”

“With the head of a dog and the body of a human, he has the best qualities of both,” Hastings says. “Dog Man’s unwavering loyalty and infectious enthusiasm are matched only by his sharp investigative skills and his dedication to justice. He’s the kind of hero who’ll chase down a lead with the same gusto as he’d chase a frisbee, making him not just a great cop, but a true friend to all. And let’s face it, his ability to sniff out clues gives him a definite edge in crime-solving.”

Dog Man doesn’t speak in the traditional sense. Instead, he communicates through a series of dog-like vocalizations, which were brought to life by none other than director Peter Hastings himself. “Voicing Dog Man was both a challenge and a joy,” Hastings says. “We developed a ‘language’ for Dog Man that allows him to express everything from heroic determination to playful affection. It’s amazing how much can be communicated without words when you tap into the primal expressiveness of our canine friends.”

Dog Man’s character arc revolves around his transition from a solitary hero to someone who learns the true meaning of family and sacrifice. Having lost his former partner, Officer Knight, Dog Man finds himself driven by an intense desire to protect and guard as many people as possible. This mission takes on new meaning when he encounters Li’l Petey, a tiny kitten in need of care.

As he spends more time with Li’l Petey, Dog Man’s instincts for self-preservation give way to reveal a character capable of deep empathy and unconditional love. “The relationship between Dog Man and Li’l Petey is really the heart of the story,” Hastings says. “It’s through this unexpected connection that we see Dog Man learn that true heroism isn’t just about saving the day—it’s about opening your heart and putting someone else’s needs first.”

In early 2024, the Dog Man filmmakers met with the film music team at Universal Pictures to brainstorm the perfect music for the conclusion of the film. Given the unique, wacky and heartfelt energy of Dog Man, the filmmakers and music team decided to create an original song to capture the film’s playful, upbeat vibe.

As discussions around artists and songwriters began, it quickly became clear that this was no ordinary project. The challenge was to find a musical artist who could tick every creative box: humor, heart and high-energy fun.

With this in mind, the music team zeroed in on a shortlist of artists who could bring the energy and vibe they needed, and rapper YUNG GRAVY—known for his unique blend of modern hip-hop with retro samples—shot straight to the top of the list. When the team discovered that Yung Gravy was already in the studio experimenting with new music, the team jumped at the chance to collaborate with him. Yung Gravy, with his signature blend of swagger, humor, and feel-good anthems, felt like the perfect fit for Dog Man.

The team met with Yung Gravy and producer DWILLY, pitching them the film’s vision and musical needs. Both artists were eager to weave the movie’s quirky elements into a track. The directive was clear: create a catchy, playful song that captures the essence of Dog Man—complete with clever wordplay and puns.

Yung Gravy delivered beyond expectations. By incorporating James Brown’s iconic track, “I Feel Good,” alongside his own witty, original lyrics, and dwilly’s infectious beat, the song, “Supa Good!” hit the mark creatively and captured the perfect vibe, playing off the “Supa Cop” theme from the Dog Man books and film. The result is a vibrant, energetic original track that will leave audiences feeling good.

© 2024 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.


A classic movie is often defined by several key elements that contribute to its enduring appeal and cultural significance. For many, classic movies evoke a sense of nostalgia and provide a connection to different periods of life and history. Classic movies are not just entertainment; they are cultural artifacts that preserve the essence of their time while continuing to inspire and entertain future generations.

  • Classic movies are timeless, exploring themes that resonate across different eras, such as love, sacrifice, conflict, and redemption. Characters in classic films often possess qualities and experiences that audiences can relate to, making their stories memorable and impactful. It’s movies that people can watch repeatedly, discovering new layers of meaning or simply enjoying timeless entertainment.
  • Classic movies promise artistic excellence. The directors of classic films are often pioneers who introduce new techniques or storytelling methods. Memorable and powerful performances by actors can elevate a film to classic status. Many modern filmmakers draw inspiration from classic movies, emulating their styles and techniques.
  • Classic movies often leave a lasting mark on popular culture, inspiring quotes, fashion, and even other forms of media. Recognition from critics, awards, and film institutions can solidify a movie’s status as a classic. A classic film continues to be relevant and appreciated long after its initial release, often spanning generations of audiences.
  • Classic films offer a window into the past, reflecting the social norms, cultural values, and historical events of their time. They often shape and reflect the cultural landscape, influencing fashion, language, and societal attitudes.
  • Many classic films introduced innovative filmmaking techniques, from special effects to narrative structures, setting new standards for future filmmakers. They are often celebrated for their artistic achievements in areas such as cinematography, direction, acting, and music. Offering compelling, well-crafted stories that resonate across generations, they explore themes that are universally relatable, such as love, honor, sacrifice, and the human condition.

Examples of classic movies include The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight (1897), A Trip to the Moon (1902), The Great Train Robbery (1903), The Birth of a Nation (1915), Metropolis (1927), Gone with the Wind (1939), Casablanca (1942), The Godfather (1972) and Star Wars (1977). Each of these films has left an indelible mark on the film industry and continues to be celebrated for its contributions to cinema.

A Modern Classic

A modern classic in cinema combines the timeless qualities of a classic film with contemporary elements that resonate with today’s audiences.

Contemporary cinema refers to films produced in the modern era, typically from the late 20th century to the present day, and is a dynamic and ever-evolving landscape that continues to push the boundaries of storytelling and technology. From blockbuster hits to indie gems, there is something for everyone to enjoy in today’s cinematic world.

  • Just like traditional classics, modern classics explore themes that are universally relatable, such as love, loss, identity, and social issues. These films often address contemporary societal concerns, making them relevant to current audiences while still holding enduring value.
  • Modern classics often feature unique storytelling techniques or plot structures that set them apart. These films tend to have well-developed, multi-dimensional characters that audiences can connect with on a deeper level.
  • Modern classics often leave a lasting mark on popular culture, influencing fashion, language, and other media. Advances in technology are leveraged to create visually stunning and immersive cinematic experiences.
  • Modern classics often transcend generational boundaries, resonating with both older and younger audiences. These films maintain their appeal over time, being just as enjoyable and impactful on repeated viewings.
  • Contemporary cinema often reflects a more globalised world, with stories and perspectives from various cultures and regions. Filmmakers explore intricate and multi-layered plots, delving into complex themes and character development, frequently blending elements from multiple genres, creating unique and innovative storytelling experiences.
  • Contemporary films often tackle important social issues, raising awareness and sparking conversations about topics like gender, race, and mental health.
  • Independent filmmaking has flourished, with many indie films gaining critical acclaim and mainstream success. Platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ have changed how audiences consume content, offering a vast library of films and original productions.

Examples of modern classics include The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Pulp Fiction (1994), The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001 – 2003), and Inception (2010). These films combine timeless storytelling with contemporary elements, making them stand out in modern cinema.

Arthouse films or Auteur films

Art Films is a genre of classic films. Art films are typically independent films aimed at niche markets rather than mass audiences. They are known for their serious, artistic intent, often being experimental and not designed for commercial profit. These films usually contain unconventional or highly symbolic content and are recognized for their formal qualities that set them apart from mainstream Hollywood films.

These films are celebrated for their artistic ambition, thought-provoking content, and often unconventional narratives, making them stand out in the world of cinema.

Art films often focus on the authorial expressiveness of the director, social realism, and the thoughts, dreams, or motivations of characters, rather than a clear, goal-driven story.

Examples of art films that have achieved classic status include The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928), Battleship Potemkin (1925), (1963), Persona (1966), Mulholland Drive (2001), The Tree of Life (2011), The Lighthouse (2019)

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Mad Max: Fury Road is significant because it pushed the boundaries of what an action film could be, blending high-octane entertainment with profound themes and artistic innovation. It’s a true cinematic triumph.

The film was crafted by George Miller, who collaborated with Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris on the screenplay. Miller’s vision and direction brought the intense and visually stunning post-apocalyptic world to life, making it one of the most acclaimed action films of recent times.

George Miller found inspiration for Mad Max: Fury Road from his experiences as a doctor. He was deeply affected by the sight of road accident victims in the hospital emergency ward1. This influenced his filmmaking, as he wanted to create a world that reflected the brutal reality of human vulnerability and survival.

George Miller drew inspiration from a variety of sources for “Mad Max: Fury Road.” One significant influence was silent cinema. Miller was inspired by the visual storytelling techniques used in silent films, such as the work of Buster Keaton and the Russian filmmakers. He wanted to create a movie that could be understood without relying heavily on dialogue, much like a silent film.

Additionally, Miller was influenced by classic action sequences from other films. He mentioned being impressed by the car chase in Steven Spielberg’s Duel, the chariot race in the 1959 film Ben-Hur, and various scenes from Alfred Hitchcock’s movies. These films helped shape his approach to creating dynamic and visually compelling action sequences.

Miller also wrote extensive backstories for the characters, including a novella for Furiosa, which helped inform the development of the film and its characters. This deep understanding of the characters and their world contributed to the richness and depth of the story.

Mad Max: Fury Road relates to the previous Mad Max films by continuing the saga of Max Rockatansky, portrayed by Tom Hardy, a former cop turned road warrior in a dystopian future. While Fury Road is not a direct sequel to any specific Mad Max film, it maintains the spirit and themes of the series—survival, anarchy, and the battle against tyranny. Max is once again thrust into a violent struggle in a desolate wasteland.

“Max is a man who’s been through hell and back,” says Hardy. “He’s a survivor, but he’s also haunted by his past. Playing him was about tapping into that raw, primal instinct to keep going, no matter what.”

Max’s character remains consistent with his portrayal by Mel Gibson in the earlier films. He is a haunted loner, plagued by his past and struggling for redemption and sanity. Fury Road introduces new allies and adversaries, like Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), adding depth to the universe. The character of Imperator Furiosa is a groundbreaking example of a powerful, complex female action hero. The film’s feminist themes and the portrayal of strong, independent women fighting for their freedom resonated with audiences and critics alike.

“Playing Furiosa was a transformative experience,” says Theron. “She’s a character who’s been through so much, and her strength and resilience are what drew me to her. I wanted to bring out her vulnerability as well as her fierce determination to fight for a better world.”

In a desolate, dystopian future where resources are scarce and humanity has devolved into chaos, Max Rockatansky finds himself captured by the tyrannical warlord Immortan Joe. Max teams up with Furiosa, who has gone rogue in search of redemption and a better life. They embark on a high-octane chase across the wasteland in a battle for survival.

The post-apocalyptic setting is more elaborately depicted with stunning visuals, chaotic chases, and inventive vehicle designs that stay true to the Mad Max aesthetic. Miller’s commitment to practical effects over CGI set a new standard for action films. The use of real stunts, practical explosions, and real vehicles provided a visceral, tangible quality to the action sequences. The film’s bold, colourful visuals and high-octane action scenes are breathtaking.

The film’s sparse dialogue and reliance on visual storytelling harken back to the silent film era, yet it feels incredibly modern. This approach allows the story to be understood universally, transcending language barriers.

Mad Max: Fury Road received widespread critical acclaim and won numerous awards, including six Academy Awards. It was praised for its direction, performances, production design, costume design, sound editing, and sound mixing. Its success demonstrated that action films could also be critically acclaimed masterpieces.

“Fury Road” is renowned for its stunning cinematography and practical effects. The film features an array of jaw-dropping stunts, explosive action sequences, and visually striking imagery that brings the harsh desert landscape to life.

The film has had a lasting impact on popular culture, inspiring other filmmakers, artists, and fans. Its distinctive aesthetic, memorable characters, and innovative action sequences have made it a touchstone in the action genre.

The film also addresses environmental themes, such as the scarcity of resources and the consequences of a world ravaged by ecological disaster. Additionally, it explores the themes of power, oppression, and the fight for human dignity.

The film has left a lasting impact on the action genre and is considered a modern classic. Its unique style, intense action, and compelling characters have made it a favourite among fans and critics alike.

Mad Max: Fury Road is rated R, which means it’s not suitable for all audiences, particularly children. The film contains intense sequences of violence, disturbing images, and strong language. Its themes and scenes are crafted for a mature audience. If you’re looking for a more family-friendly movie night, there might be better options out there. However, for those who appreciate high-octane action and compelling storytelling, it’s a cinematic masterpiece.


The inspiration for the Afrikaans musical Liefling came from a desire to revive and celebrate Afrikaans music and film in South Africa. The film’s producers, Paul Krüger and Linda Korsten, aimed to create a family-friendly musical that would resonate with both older generations and younger audiences.

Set against the backdrop of beautiful South African landscapes, Liefling combines romance, drama, and music to tell a captivating tale of love, family, and self-discovery. The goal was to create a feel-good love story that would bring joy and nostalgia to viewers, while also introducing younger generations to classic Afrikaans music.

The story was crafted around well-loved Afrikaans songs from the 1970s to contemporary hits, weaving them into the narrative to tell the tale of Liefling Marais, an adventure-loving girl. The film was also inspired by the success of international musicals and the resurgence of musical films as a popular genre.

The songs play a crucial role in advancing the storyline and developing the characters. The songs, which range from classic Afrikaans hits from the 1970s to contemporary tunes, are woven into the narrative to reflect the emotions, relationships, and pivotal moments in the characters’ lives

It was directed by Brian Webber, a multi-talented artist who also contributed to the writing of the film along with Erik Holm, Linda Korsten, Paul Krüger, Anél Stolp, and Schalk van der Merwe. The film was produced by Paul Krüger and Linda Korsten, the daughter of the late Afrikaans music icon Gé Korsten.


The story revolves around Liefling Marais, an adventurous and spirited young woman living in a small town in South Africa. She falls in love with Jan, a handsome and charming man. However, their relationship faces obstacles, including the manipulative and scheming Melanie, who has her own designs on Jan. As the story unfolds, Liefling and Jan navigate their feelings for each other, dealing with misunderstandings, rivalries, and personal growth. The film is filled with heartfelt moments, joyful musical numbers, and the trials and triumphs of love.

The film is screened with English subtitles which  makes “Liefling” more accessible to non-Afrikaans speakers, allowing them to follow the story and enjoy the music while understanding the dialogue. Subtitles bridge the language gap and enable a wider audience to appreciate the film’s charm, emotional depth, and cultural richness.

You’ll be able to enjoy the heartfelt performances and captivating storyline while getting a taste of Afrikaans music and culture.

The musical format allows the film to convey the story in a vibrant and engaging way, making the characters’ experiences more relatable and emotionally resonant for the audience. Celebrating the tradition of Afrikaans music is vital, as it reflects the rich cultural heritage, history, and stories of the Afrikaans-speaking community. Afrikaans music has a unique blend of influences and styles, from folk and traditional songs to modern pop and rock. It resonates deeply with people, preserving memories, emotions, and shared experiences.

Highlights

  • Kinders Van Die Wind is a classic Afrikaans song performed by Marlouise Vente in the musical “Liefling.” The title translates to “Children of the Wind” in English. This song is beautifully poignant and evocative, exploring themes of life, freedom, and the passage of time. The metaphor of being “children of the wind” reflects the transient nature of human experiences and our journey through life, carried along by the forces around us. In the context of the film, “Kinders Van Die Wind” adds a reflective and emotional depth to the narrative, connecting with the audience on a profound level. It underscores the characters’ inner thoughts and their connections to their past and future.
  • Spieeltjie is a poignant song performed by Bobby van Jaarsveld in the film. The title translates to “Little Mirror” in English, and the song delves into themes of self-reflection, introspection, and the longing for understanding one’s true self. It’s a moment in the film where the character is looking inward, grappling with personal doubts and searching for clarity. The emotional depth of “Spieeltjie” adds to the character development and enriches the storyline, making the audience feel more connected to the journey and inner struggles of the characters. The music and lyrics beautifully capture the essence of vulnerability and the quest for self-discovery.
  • Ek Verlang Na Jou is a beautiful Afrikaans song performed by Sonja Herholdt. The title translates to “I Long for You” in English. The song expresses deep emotions of longing and desire, capturing the essence of missing someone special and yearning for their presence. It is performed by Lika Berning and Sonja Herholdt, adding a heartfelt and emotional layer to the storyline. It reflects the characters’ intense feelings and the challenges they face in their relationships.
  • Liefling is a significant song in the musical, and it’s performed by Bobby van Jaarsveld and Lika Berning. The title translates to “Darling” in English, and the song is a beautiful and heartfelt expression of love and affection. It’s one of the key musical numbers in the film, symbolizing the deep emotional connection between the main characters, Liefling Marais and Jan. The song captures the essence of their romantic relationship and serves as a recurring motif throughout the film, highlighting the highs and lows of their journey together. Its melody and lyrics resonate with the themes of love, commitment, and the desire to be with one’s beloved. It is not just a song within the film, but also a classic Afrikaans hit that has been cherished by audiences for many years. Its inclusion in the musical adds a layer of nostalgia and emotional depth, making it a centerpiece of the story.
  • Kaptein (Span Die Seile) is a popular Afrikaans song performed by Kurt Darren. The title translates to “Captain (Set the Sails)” in English. The song is an upbeat and energetic dance-pop track that has become a favorite among Afrikaans music fans. It adds a lively and spirited element to the film, reflecting the adventurous and bold nature of the characters. It’s a song that brings a sense of excitement and movement, perfectly fitting the film’s themes of love and adventure.

OVERVIEW: Combing action, comedy, and romance, Love Hurts offers a fresh take on the action-comedy genre. Directed by Jonathan Eusebio, this is his first feature film, adding an element of excitement as audiences get to see a new directorial vision. The film stars Ke Huy Quan, who gained widespread acclaim for his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once. This is his first major leading role, marking a significant milestone in his career. Produced by 87North Productions, known for their expertise in action choreography, the film promises thrilling action sequences and is anticipated to be an exciting and significant film that combines star power, a unique storyline, and impressive action choreography. With its release around Valentine’s Day, the film aims to capture the attention of audiences looking for a mix of romance and action.

It’s a premise as compelling as its journey to screen

The story follows Marvin Gable, a former hitman who trades in his lethal skills for a real estate license, only to discover that some debts can’t be settled with a down payment. The premise was deceptively simple: a former assassin finds meaning in selling homes, only to have his new life upended when a woman from his past seeks his help to confront their former employer. It evolved from a standout script into a sharp, action-packed thriller that unites an Oscar-winning cast with filmmakers at the height of their craft.

The story originated with screenwriters Josh Stoddard and Matthew Murray, whose script—then titled Gable—caught the attention of then-stunt performer and coordinator David Leitch, long before he became one of Hollywood’s most influential action filmmakers.

The story’s underlying themes of redemption and identity resonated with producer Kelly McCormick, who, alongside Leitch, her producing partner and spouse, Leitch, has produced some of the most innovative action films of the past decade, including Nobody, Bullet Train, Atomic Blonde and The Fall Guy through their company, 87North Productions. “There was always something compelling about a real estate agent who’s relatable, funny and caught between two worlds,” McCormick says. “As our company has grown and we’ve established ourselves in the action space, this script kept resurfacing. Eventually, we knew it was time to tell it.”

First-time director Jonathan “JoJo” Eusebio was a natural choice to helm Love Hurts, given his nearly three-decade relationship with Leitch, which began at the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts where they studied together. Their creative partnership, forged in stunt work on films including The Bourne Legacy and 300, evolved through Leitch-directed features such as Deadpool 2 and The Fall Guy. Beyond his collaborations with Leitch, Eusebio has established himself as leading force in the art of stunt and fight coordination, including in some of the biggest action films of the past decade, including Black Panther, The Avengers and Birds of Prey, among many others.

Front L to R: Ke Huy Quan (as Marvin Gable) and director Jonathan Eusebio on the set of LOVE HURTS. © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Eusebio’s career has followed a similar trajectory to Leitch’s, evolving from stunt performer to action choreographer and second unit director. Now, he has become an integral part of 87North’s creative fabric. “At 87North, it’s a goal of ours to not only support up-and-coming action designers and stunt coordinators, but to find the next generation of action filmmakers,” Leitch says. “JoJo was always meant to be part of that future. He and I go back almost 30 years when we studied martial arts together. We were both just starting out in the stunt world. He became one of the original members of the 87eleven choreography team that I built with Chad Stahelski, and since then, we’ve collaborated on countless projects together.”

Eusebio’s rare combination of technical prowess and emotional intelligence made him the ideal choice. “We’ve wanted JoJo to direct for a long time,” McCormick says. “Actors love working with him. Whenever he’s training actors for films, he’s the one they turn to. They have his phone number faster than anyone else’s, and he’s great at becoming their ambassador, helping them connect to their characters in the action space. That ability to build rapport and trust with actors gave me confidence that he could bring those same skills to directing. We were thrilled to see him tell a story that resonated with him—one that blended Eastern and Western philosophies in its action.”

Eusebio credits his evolution to the guidance of his longtime collaborators. “It’s been incredible to see Dave progress to where he is now,” Eusebio says. “For me, it felt like a natural progression to follow in his footsteps and move toward directing. Kelly was my manager for a long time and has been a mentor to me. She once told me, ‘I think it’s time to think about what you want to do for the rest of your career.’ That encouragement stayed with me. She’s been instrumental in my growth, helping me secure second-unit directing opportunities on their productions and consistently sharing scripts that might spark interest in me.” 

Upon reading Love Hurts, Eusebio immediately recognized the opportunity to make this story his own. “I knew I wanted to honor 87North’s signature blend of intensity and innovation,” Eusebio says. “But I also saw an opportunity to explore the emotional complexity of a man forced to confront the life he left behind. The action draws inspiration from the martial arts films I grew up watching, with choreography that evolves alongside Gable’s journey. Each fight sequence is unique, starting with lighter, playful encounters that gradually become more brutal and visceral as Gable’s emotional state transforms. The action reflects his inner conflict.”

Eusebio’s commitment to crafting a complete cinematic experience was evident in his thorough preparation. “JoJo approached the process like a sponge,” McCormick says. “He even took classes with a dramaturg to fully understand each scene—what the actors could bring, what they couldn’t, and what to focus on for every moment. His enthusiasm was contagious; the entire team rallied around him. Even during the cold Winnipeg winter, the crew showed up every day, determined to help him bring his vision to life. On set, he maintained a perfect balance of focused intensity and warmth, always making sure everyone felt valued while delivering outstanding work.”

For Eusebio, directing Love Hurts meant bringing a fresh perspective to the genre he knows best. “I’ve spent my career helping directors realize their visions for action sequences,” Eusebio says. “This was my opportunity to tell a complete story, to show how action can drive emotion and reveal character. Every fight, every stunt, every moment of tension serves a purpose.”

Following 87North’s collaborative tradition, Eusebio assembled a crew of trusted teammates he’d worked alongside for years. “Now that I’m directing, my team stepped into the roles I once held,” Eusebio says. “Having grown together, there’s a natural trust. We’ve shared so many projects together that they understood my vision instinctively. What I love about working with this group is our shared sensibilities—we grew up watching the same films, share the same drive, the same senses of humor and relentless work ethic. I gave them room to be creative because I completely trust their instincts, and they often surprised me with ideas I hadn’t considered. When you find the right team, you stick together.”

After nearly two decades, Love Hurts has found its moment. “It’s funny, this script has been around longer than I have—at least in David’s world,” McCormick says. “But sometimes, the best stories are worth waiting for.”

Bold Casting

The role marks a transformative moment for Quan, who began his career as a beloved child star in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies before stepping away from acting for nearly two decades. His triumphant return in 2022’s Everything Everywhere All at Once earned him an Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actor and reignited his passion for performance. Now, as Marvin Gable, Quan confronts Hollywood’s traditional action hero archetype head-on. “When I first read the script, I thought, ‘This part isn’t for me—you should call Jason Statham,’” Quan says. “Over the years, the classic action star hasn’t looked like me—they looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, The Rock.”

A meeting with director Jonathan Eusebio and producer David Leitch shifted his thinking. “When I met with JoJo and David, they showed me they wanted to create a different kind of action star—one who could be vulnerable and wear his emotions on his sleeve,” Quan says. “That’s when I knew I had to do this film. This movie is a testament to how far Hollywood has come, being willing to shake up the status quo and give audiences something different. I don’t look like The Rock, my biceps aren’t as big as his, but that’s what I love about Marvin Gable. A true badass doesn’t need to look like a badass. He doesn’t need anyone to think he is one. That’s what makes him stand out—it’s precisely because of that.”

This bold casting continues 87North’s tradition of finding unexpected action heroes, from David Harbour as Santa in Violent Night to Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell in Nobody.

Quan’s journey from child actor to action choreographer to leading man mirrors Marvin’s own path of transformation. During his nearly twenty-year hiatus from acting, Quan immersed himself in the craft of action filmmaking, studying under legendary Hong Kong director and choreographer Corey Yuen (The Transporter, X-Men). “I studied martial arts as a kid, and in my early twenties, I was excited to use those skills in movies—but I never got the chance,” Quan says. “That was a big reason for why I had to step away from acting. After film school, I was lucky enough to be mentored by Corey Yuen, learning the ins and outs of action choreography, how to stage fights and make them look great on screen. Those years of learning under him were invaluable. So, with Love Hurts, it’s incredible—I finally got to bring everything together, to do everything I’d always dreamed of and more. To play cool characters is already an amazing opportunity, but to do it as the lead was something I never thought I’d have the chance to do.”

(from left, foreground) Ke Huy Quan, producer Guy Danella, director Jonathan Eusebio and stunt designer & coordinator Can Aydin on the set of ove Hurts. © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The Stunts

Under the direction of stunt designer & coordinator and second-unit director Can Aydin, Love Hurts marks a unique fusion of Eastern and Western action styles, blending the physical comedy and intricate choreography of classic Hong Kong cinema with 87North’s signature approach to intense, character-driven combat. Having collaborated with director Jonathan Eusebio for more than a decade, Aydin brought his extensive experience from previous 87North productions like The Fall Guy and Violent Night to craft action sequences that go beyond spectacle. Each fight sequence mirrors Marvin Gable’s emotional journey, beginning with restrained precision and building to explosive confrontations as his carefully constructed façade begins to crack.

The shared appreciation for Hong Kong cinema created an immediate creative connection. “David Leitch grew up watching the same classic Hong Kong action films I did—Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Jet Li,” Quan says. “He took that knowledge, worked in Hong Kong, and brought it back to Hollywood with a fresh perspective. At 87North, they truly understand this genre—it’s about combining incredible stunt work with emotional depth. For two and a half months, I had this love-hate relationship with one of my trainers, PHONG GIANG, during prep. I’d pretend and say, ‘Oh my God, this hurts,’ and he’d see right through it and say, ‘We need more weights.’ I kept pushing to add more kicks to the choreography, wanting to tap back into my Taekwondo days. I pulled them off too—I just needed a lot more Tylenol than I used to.”

From Page to Screen

The film’s fusion of Eastern and Western fighting styles creates a unique visual language, ranging from Jackie Chan-inspired physical comedy to dynamic combat sequences reminiscent of John Wick and Atomic Blonde. This blend leverages the diverse backgrounds of both cast and crew to create something entirely new.

Daniel Wu’s extensive background in Hong Kong cinema, including his work with Jackie Chan, adds another layer of authenticity. His experience in Hong Kong’s demanding action film industry enhances the film’s cultural fusion while grounding the more intense combat sequences.

Can Aydin’s decade-long collaboration with director Jonathan Eusebio created an efficient creative shorthand, allowing them to translate complex visions into dynamic action quickly. Their partnership, developed across multiple 87North productions, proved crucial given the production’s tight schedule.

Despite time constraints, complex fight scenes such as the kitchen sequence were meticulously planned and executed, often in just one or two days. This efficiency came from careful coordination of props, set pieces and character motivations.

The stunt team prioritized practical effects over digital enhancement, capturing spectacular sequences in-camera whenever possible. Visual effects were used primarily to enhance surroundings rather than create action, maintaining the visceral impact of practical stunts.

The film’s cinematographer, Bridger Nielson, has a long-standing relationship with 87North, having served as the second unit director of photography on several of their productions including Bullet Train, Violent Night and The Fall Guy.

The film’s visual style was heavily influenced by Hong Kong cinema, particularly the action sequences and use of color in the gangster world of Gable’s past. Nielson drew inspiration from the contrast between cookie-cutter neighborhoods in the western U.S. and vibrant Asian night markets. This contrast reflects Gable’s journey from his carefully controlled, uniform life as a real estate agent to the colorful chaos of his past.

Nielson created a visual bible with reference images that followed the film from beginning to end and served as a style guide for the progression of the look in story order. A special vintage lens system was used for flashback sequences to put viewers in Gable or Rose’s point of view as their memories unfolded.

Marvin Gable’s dual life was visually distinguished through color contrast: his new life as a real estate agent is portrayed with a muted, monotone palette, while his past life featured increasingly vibrant colors. As Rose re-enters his life, she gradually brings back the vivid hues associated with his former world.

Production designer Craig Sandells created a visual concept lookbook early in the production process, establishing the film’s contemporary, slick aesthetic with a cool vibe and elements of humor. The lookbook was available digitally and mounted in large scale in the art department for the team to reference.

Visual inspirations for Love Hurts included Atomic Blonde, the John Wick series, Kung Fu Hustle, The Avenging Eagle and Bullet Train.

Concept renderings were created for all sets and locations, providing director Jonathan Eusebio with a tool to understand the design, its relationship to the original concepts and how the space could be used for characters and action.

The Team

Jonathan Eusebio is a highly skilled martial artist, stunt coordinator, and action choreographer. Born on September 15, he has made significant contributions to the film industry through his expertise in martial arts and action sequences. He has worked on numerous high-profile films, including Black Panther (2018), John Wick (2014), The Avengers (2012), and 300 (2006). He has served as an assistant director and second unit director on films like Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and Violent Night (2022). Jonathan has also appeared in various roles in films such as The Bourne Legacy (2012) and Never Back Down (2008). He trained at the Inosanto Academy and has extensive knowledge in various martial arts disciplines, including Filipino martial arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and Western boxing. Jonathan is known for his ability to enhance performances cinematically while maintaining the integrity of the story. He is a member of 87Eleven, a full-service action film company, and has trained many action stars at their gym in southern California.

Matthew Murray began his career with guest roles in television series such as The Firm and Suits. He gained recognition for his recurring role as Officer Duncan Moore in the Canadian police procedural series Rookie Blue. Matthew has also appeared in Kevin from Work, 9JKL, and In the Dark. He is known for his versatility and dedication to his craft. He has written for several projects, including CloudStreet: Soaring the American West (2015) and Sheltered (2010). He is also credited as a writer for Love Hurts (2025).

Josh Stoddard is a talented producer, writer, and actor. He is known for his work on The Shannara Chronicles, Kaleidoscope, and Into the Badlands. Josh has served as a co-executive producer, writer, and director on various projects. His contributions to the entertainment industry have been widely recognized, and he continues to be involved in exciting new projects.

Luke Passmore is a writer and producer known for his work on The Day, Trick ‘r Treat, and Slaughterhouse Rulez. He has also contributed to TV series such as The Walking Dead and Teen Wolf. Luke’s creative talents have made a significant impact on both film and television, and he continues to be involved in various projects.


POINT OF VIEW: The Brutalist is a thought-provoking and visually stunning film that addresses complex themes and encourages viewers to consider the intersection of identity, displacement, and art. The film delves into the struggles and resilience of immigrants, particularly Jews, in post-World War II America. It portrays the challenges they face in establishing themselves and preserving their cultural identity. The film highlights how art can be a powerful tool for healing and making sense of one’s experiences. The film offers a critique of American society, particularly its history of oppression and exclusion. It challenges viewers to reflect on the darker aspects of the American dream and the systemic issues that persist. The film is noted for its technical achievements, including its use of VistaVision and a hauntingly beautiful score by Daniel Blumberg. The cinematography and editing are deliberate and evocative, enhancing the narrative’s emotional impact.

REVIEW

From writer-director Brady Corbet comes the story of László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect who, after surviving the Holocaust, emigrates to the United States to begin a new life while awaiting the arrival of his wife, Erzsébet, trapped in Eastern Europe with their niece following the war. What László finds upon his arrival in the West is an America far different from the one he expected. The promise of the American Dream proves to be illusory as his stature and reputation as a successful architect in Budapest do not translate to his blue-blood Pennsylvania surroundings.

“It’s a journey of a refugee connected to his past who has also been stripped of his past. He’s trying to find his way in a new land with a new set of rules.,” says Adrien Brody, who plays László Tóth.

Adrien Brody in The Brutalist. © Universal Pictures

“It examines how the immigrant experience mirrors the artistic one in the sense that whenever one is making something bold, audacious or new — like the Institute László constructs over the course of the film — they are generally criticized for it,” says Corbet, who spent seven years making the film. “And then over time they are lionized and celebrated for it.”

Adds Mona Fastvold, who co-wrote The Brutalist, as well as Corbet’s features The Childhood of a Leader and Vox Lux, “We loved the partnership, friendship, and love story that developed between László and Erzsébet as we wrote the screenplay. These were the first sparks and ideas that became The Brutalist.”

It’s not the journey, it’s the destination.

Brutalist architecture came into style in the United Kingdom in the 1950s, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Minimalist constructions showcasing bare elements like exposed concrete or brick, Brutalism emphasizes structural elements over decorative design, as demonstrated in the works
of Le Corbusier, Marcel Breuer, William Pereira, Moshe Safdie, Denys Lasdun, and Alison & Peter Smithson.

Corbet and Fastvold became fascinated by Brutalist architecture for its physical and psychological resonance. “For us, post-war psychology and post-war architecture — including Brutalism — are linked, something we bring to life in the movie through the construction of the Institute, a manifestation of 30
years of trauma in László Tóth, and the ramification of two World Wars,” says Corbet. “We found it poetic that the materials that were developed for life during the war were then incorporated into residences and corporate projects in the ‘50s and ‘60s by the likes of Marcel Breuer and Le Corbusier.”

Adds Corbet: “Brutalism can be austere but it’s also monumental in style — these strange objects that are loved and loathed in equal measure and take time to unfold in the public imagination because people can’t seem to figure them out in the moment. This for me mirrors the immigrant experience — and Brutalism is a style of architecture that was predominantly created by immigrants. In scope and scale, Brutalist buildings are begging to be seen — but the people who designed or built them were fighting for their right to exist.”

Corbet has made two previous features, both historical movies: The Childhood of a Leader (2015), the story of a young American in France who grows up to be a fascist dictator, was set between 1918 and 1940; his follow-up, Vox Lux (2018), took place between 1999 and 2017, tracking the rise of a female American pop star against a backdrop of gun violence and the 9/11 terror attacks.

Corbet’s features wrestle with the defining moments of the 20th century. The Brutalist, his most expansive work to date, focuses mainly on the mid-century era in American and European life — the decade immediately following the two World Wars. “It’s a time period that has always fascinated me, primarily in the way that post-war psychology had this extraordinary imprint and influence on post-war architecture,” says Corbet. “Something all three of my movies have in common is that they are very much about the cyclical nature of history. The Brutalist is a historical film, and the characters are written to their circumstance. The film has much to say about the immigrant experience in America, and how the American Dream fails László and Erzsébet Tóth.”

While researching The Brutalist, Corbet consulted architectural scholar Jean-Louis Cohen, whose works on Le Corbusier and Frank Gehry are widely respected. Visiting him at Princeton, where he teaches, Corbet asked Cohen if he knew of a real-life figure in history who established an architecture firm in one part of the world, only to experience displacement and exile in the war that forced the designer to start over again abroad.

Cohen couldn’t name anyone, so Corbet and Fastvold set about creating the fictional components that became László and Erzsébet Tóth. “The story chronicles 30 years in the life of an architect that was well established before the Second World War,” says Corbet. “He and his wife get stuck in the quagmire
of war and emigrate separately to America — László in the late ‘40s and Erzsébet in the late ‘50s. The Brutalist is essentially about László trying to re-establish himself in America after being separated from his wife for a decade.”

While a figment of Corbet and Fastvold’s imagination, László’s experiences in America reflect those of key artists of The Brutalist movement, including Louis Kahn, Mies van der Rohe, and most of all, the Hungarian-born Marcel Breuer, who designed the Whitney Museum in New York City, now the Met Breuer.

“The truth of the matter is that most Eastern or Central European Jewish architects that got stuck in Europe during the war did not make it out alive,” says Corbet. “In Breuer’s case, he was a well-regarded academic who was invited to work with Walter Gropius in America in 1937.”

As they researched and wrote, Corbet and Fastvold became interested in Breuer’s relationship with his wife — not to mention his volatile relationship with his own critics, who were often merciless towards his work in both Europe and America. “In the latter part of his life, Breuer was not a particularly celebrated architect,” says Corbet. “Now he’s considered to be one of the finest architects of the 20th century.”

Brady Corbet with his wife, Mona Fastvold during the filming of The Brutalist. © Universal Pictures


The Brutalist is the story of how the American Dream becomes toxic in the eyes of both Tóths after László meets and accepts the patronage of the wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren, in exchange for constructing a memorial to Van Buren’s late mother on the oligarch’s sprawling Pennsylvania property. Over the course of the film, that monument becomes a testament to Tóth’s genius, his struggles in the war, and the epic battle he engages in with the capitalist Van Buren to get it made.

“It’s wonderful to have a storytelling approach that allows enough time with a character to see and experience a life in total, which is what Brady and Mona have achieved in The Brutalist. Oftentimes you jump into the action and things happen in a story — but you don’t know the person you’re on the journey with. This film encompasses a 30-year span of one man’s life.”

To add air to the The Brutalist’s expansive running time of 3 hours and 35 minutes , Corbet and Fastvold incorporated a 15-minute intermission into the script, which arrives at the film’s mid-point, separating into two distinct chapters László’s arrival in America with his wife’s.

“It’s a rolling intermission because it’s a long story that plays out across multiple years and decades,” says Corbet. “We didn’t want exhibitors to stop the movie and turn on the lights, which messes with their routine.”

For the editing process, Corbet turned to Dávid Jancsó, his collaborator on The Childhood of a Leader as well as Fastvold’s on The World to Come. A Hungarian native, Jancsó is the son of lauded filmmaker Miklós Jancsó, who achieved international prominence in the 1960s for his historical allegories featuring
long-sequence shots; the elder Jancsó went on to influence Hungary’s most famous filmmaker, Béla Tarr, who turned Slow Cinema into an art-house phenomenon.

“David was a no-brainer for this project because there’s so much Hungarian dialogue, and he has such a unique sensibility in his cutting — he has no trouble letting a scene or sequence breathe,” says Corbet.

“So many scenes in the movie feature dialogue and conversation; David went out of his way to distil
every scene to its essence.”

For Jancsó, László Toth’s monumental work in the film became the stylistic reference for how he thought about structuring the film’s equally monumental runtime: “The architectural motifs were also mirrored in the editing style,” he explains. “The clean, geometric precision of brutalist architecture influenced the
cutting patterns, with long, unbroken shots interspersed with sharp, abrupt cuts, creating a rhythm that reflected the tensions in László’s life.”

It also gave Jancsó opportunity to rewatch and reconsider a wide range of epics from Hollywood and international filmmakers over the last sixty years, films that similarly told something of a generation and a nation by tracking the stories of their ambitious, single-minded protagonists: from Bernardo Bertolucci’s
chilly and chillingly modernist The Conformist, with “memories and flashbacks woven seamlessly into the present” to Francis Ford Coppola’s era-defining The Godfather, which showcased editors “William Reynolds and Peter Zinner’s ability to slowly build tension within quiet, emotionally charged scenes.”

Jancsó’s deep knowledge of celluloid filmmaking, including shooting in the antiquated VistaVision format, helped Corbet and Crawley develop peace of mind during the film’s 18-month post-production process.

“The film couldn’t have been in better hands because David’s technical prowess in the editing room is unmatched,” says Corbet. “Very few people are as dialed into the analog post-production process as David is, which gave Lola sense of calm when he was handing over the footage. David handled everything with expert gloves.”


Brady Corbet is a writer, director and actor. Brady made his feature directorial debut in 2015 with THE CHILDHOOD OF A LEADER, starring Academy Award nominee Bérénice Bejo and Robert Pattinson. The film was lauded with critical acclaim and decorated at the Venice Film Festival with the Orrizonti Best Director Award and Luigi De Laurentiis Lion of the Future Award for Best Debut Film.
His previous directing effort was the short film PROTECT YOU + ME, which won an award at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and was shot by legendary cinematographer Darius Khondji. His second feature film, VOX LUX was hailed by critics after it premiered in competition at the 2018 Venice Film Festival, London Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. Starring Academy Award Winner Natalie Portman and Academy Award Nominee Jude Law, with original music by Sia, the film was picked
up for US theatrical distribution by NEON.
His next original feature is THE BRUTALIST,which premiered at the Venice Film Festival to huge critical acclaim, with Brady being honoured with the Silver Lion award for Best Director.
As an actor, Corbet has worked with world class filmmakers such as Michael Haneke, Olivier Assayas, Ruben Östlund, Noah Baumbach, Lars Von Trier, Gregg Araki, Lisa Cholodenko and Antonio Campos, among many others.

Mona Fastvold is a New York and Oslo based director / writer. She made her directorial debut in 2012 with THE SLEEPWALKER, which went on to premiere at Sundance in U.S. competition and was later distributed by IFC Films. THE SLEEPWALKER was co-written by Brady Corbet (who also starred). Corbet and Fastvold continued their close collaboration with THE CHILDHOOD OF A LEADER, which had its international premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it won Best Director and Best First Feature, and earned Fastvold an Independent Spirit Nomination. Fastvold frequently writes for and in collaboration with several directors, including Brady Corbet with VOX LUX and Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre with MUSTANG, a feature film distributed by Focus Features. Her latest collaboration with Brady Corbet on THE BRUTALIST which premiered at the Venice Film Festival to huge critical acclaim, with Brady being honoured with the Silver Lion award for Best Director. Fastvold directed her second feature THE WORLD TO COME, starring Katherine Waterston and Vanessa Kirby. The acclaimed film premiered in official competition at the Venice Film Festival in 2020 and was distributed by Sony Pictures worldwide.
Fastvold is currently in post-production on her third directorial feature, co-written with Brady Corbet.


If you’re familiar with a specific setting, profession, or hobby, or wish to explore your inner truth, incorporating those details can bring your story to life. Drawing from your personal emotional experiences can help create relatable characters and scenarios, enhancing the authenticity of your narrative.

But don’t feel limited! Imagination and research can take you beyond your immediate knowledge. By blending the familiar with the fantastical, you can ground your story in real experiences while allowing your creativity to soar. Researching unfamiliar topics, places, and cultures, combined with your vivid imagination, opens up endless possibilities. This mix enables you to create richer, more diverse worlds and characters that captivate and engage your readers, transcending the limitations of your own experiences.

Ground your story with real experiences, anchoring it in authenticity and depth.

Let your creativity break free of confines and provoke your imagination to soar. Research new topics, explore unknown places, and let your mind wander into the realms of the fantastical. This dynamic fusion of the real and the imagined not only brings your story to life but also captivates your readers with its authenticity and boundless creativity.

Writing with authenticity and depth can make your work more engaging and relatable

  • Draw from Personal Experiences: Use your own life experiences, emotions, and memories as a foundation for your writing. Even if the story is fictional, grounding it in reality can add a layer of authenticity.
  • Develop Complex Characters: Create multi-dimensional characters with flaws, desires, and backgrounds. Readers connect more with characters who feel real and relatable.
  • Create intricate, fictional worlds with their own rules, cultures, and histories. Let your creativity soar and imagine places and scenarios beyond your reality.
  • Show, Don’t Tell: Instead of just telling what happens, show it through actions, dialogues, and sensory details. This technique helps immerse readers in the story.
  • Research Thoroughly: If you’re writing about a topic you’re less familiar with, research extensively. Accurate details can enhance the credibility and richness of your narrative.
  • Embrace Vulnerability: Don’t shy away from exploring difficult emotions or situations. Vulnerability in writing can resonate deeply with readers and add depth to your story.
  • Write with Passion: Choose subjects that genuinely interest and excite you. Your passion will come through in your writing and captivate your audience.
  • Be Honest: Be true to yourself and your voice. Authenticity in your writing voice can create a strong connection with your readers.
  • Think outside the box to devise surprising and engaging plot twists that keep readers on their toes.
  • Edit and Reflect: Take time to revise your work and reflect on its authenticity. Ask yourself if it feels true to your experiences and intentions.

The Write Journey course empowers you to blend imagination and research, creating stories that are both fantastical and grounded, offering readers an engaging and enriching experience.


REVIEW: The significance of the film Queer lies in its exploration of deeply human themes and its ability to resonate across different generations and cultures. The film delves into the protagonist’s struggle with his identity and his place in the world. This introspective journey reflects the universal quest for self-discovery and acceptance, making it relatable to a wide audience. At its core, Queer is about the complexities of human relationships. It examines the desire for connection, the pain of unrequited love, and the challenges of truly understanding another person. These themes are timeless and resonate with anyone who has experienced the highs and lows of relationships. The film goes beyond surface-level storytelling to explore the psychological and emotional depths of its characters. This approach allows for a more profound and immersive viewing experience, encouraging the audience to empathize with the characters’ struggles and triumphs. Themes such as obsession, desire, loneliness, and the search for meaning are universal and timeless. Queer stands as a significant work in contemporary cinema, offering a poignant and reflective exploration of what it means to be human. It’s a film that challenges viewers to look beyond superficial judgments and recognize the shared humanity in everyone.

Luca Guadagnino was deeply inspired by William S. Burroughs’ 1985 semi-autobiographical novella, Queer. Guadagnino first read the book as a young man in Palermo, Italy, and was captivated by its vivid imagery and themes of obsession and desire. He described the book as having a profound impact on him, and he began working on an adaptation of it even before he directed his first feature film.


“I first read William S. Burroughs’ novella ‘Queer’ as a young man in Palermo, Italy. The book’s vivid imagery and themes of obsession and desire profoundly impacted me. I wanted to bring Burroughs’ freewheeling prose to life on screen, exploring the protagonist’s unruly obsessions and quest for enlightenment.”

Guadagnino’s vision for the film involved staying faithful to the source material while also reimagining certain period details with anachronistic elements to create a unique cinematic experience. He aimed to bring Burroughs’ freewheeling prose to life on screen, exploring the protagonist’s unruly obsessions and quest for enlightenment.

The film follows William Lee (played by Daniel Craig), an American expatriate who becomes infatuated with a much younger man named Eugene Allerton (played by Drew Starkey).


It’s fascinating how a book can have such a lasting impact on an artist and inspire them to create something so meaningful

The novella so inspired Guadagnino that he began working on an adaptation of it long before he directed his first feature film. His passion for the story and its themes of obsession and desire drove him to pursue this project over many years.

This deep connection to the material is evident in the film, as Guadagnino’s unique vision brings Burroughs’ prose to life in a visually stunning and emotionally compelling way.

Although Luca Guadagnino initially crafted a draft of the screenplay, Justin Kuritzkes was brought on to adapt Burroughs’ novella and bring his touch to the project. This was Kuritzkes’ first experience adapting source material, and he worked closely with Guadagnino to ensure the film stayed true to the spirit of the novella while also making it accessible to a modern audience.

“While Queer depicts a very specific time and place, its themes — longing, loneliness, and the limits of what we can seek in another person; what they can do for us, and what we must do for ourselves — remain universal,” says Kuritzkes.

Kuritzkes focuses on the timeless themes of longing, loneliness, and the limits of human connection. These are emotions and experiences that transcend specific time periods and locations, making the story relatable to anyone who has ever felt a sense of unfulfilled desire or the pain of isolation.

The screenplay delves into the complexities of the protagonist’s inner world, exploring his obsessions and desires with a raw honesty that mirrors Burroughs’ prose. This emotional depth ensures that the characters feel real and their struggles resonate on a personal level.

While staying true to the period setting of 1950s Mexico City, Kuritzkes incorporates modern sensibilities that make the story accessible to today’s viewers. This includes nuanced character development, contemporary dialogue, and a focus on the internal rather than just the external conflicts.

Working with Luca Guadagnino, Kuritzkes integrates visual and symbolic elements that enhance the storytelling.

Visual and Symbolic Images

Kuritzkes’ screenplay integrates visual and symbolic elements that significantly enhance the storytelling in Queer.

A centipede appears prominently in the film and is a key symbol. It represents change and transformation, reflecting the protagonist William Lee’s struggle with his identity and desires. The centipede’s many legs can symbolize the complexity and multiplicity of Lee’s inner world. In one of the film’s dream sequences, William Lee sees a centipede necklace come to life, which then transforms into an ouroboros (a snake eating its own tail). This symbolizes the cyclical nature of Lee’s obsession and his inability to move on from his past.

Throughout the film, Lee often appears translucent, especially when he is alone. This visual metaphor represents his internal struggle and the divide between his public persona and his true self. It highlights his shame and the disconnect between who he is and who he wants to be.

Lee’s obsession with the telepathic drug “yage” symbolises his desire for deeper connection and understanding. It represents his longing to communicate his true feelings and thoughts, which he struggles to express outwardly.

These symbols enhance the storytelling by providing visual and thematic depth, allowing the audience to engage with the protagonist’s inner turmoil on a more profound level.

These elements work hand-in-hand with Luca Guadagnino’s direction to create a more immersive and impactful film experience.

The film uses specific color palettes and lighting to evoke the mood and atmosphere of 1950s Mexico City. This helps to transport the audience into the protagonist’s world, making the setting almost a character in itself. Throughout the film, certain objects, scenes, and visual motifs are used symbolically to reflect the protagonist’s internal struggles and emotional journey. For example, mirrors might be used to symbolize self-reflection and the duality of identity, while certain landscapes could represent isolation or freedom. The film employs visual metaphors to convey complex themes without relying solely on dialogue. These metaphors allow the audience to infer deeper meanings and emotional nuances, adding layers to the storytelling.

Art Direction and Cinematography

The meticulous art direction and set design by Guadagnino’s frequent collaborator, production designer Letizia Battaglia, and set decorator Luca Massimo Gamberini, helped to create an authentic and visually striking world. Details like period-appropriate decor, costumes, and locations enhance the narrative and bring the story to life.

Creative camera techniques by cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, such as close-ups, long takes, and unconventional angles, are used to highlight key moments and emotions. These techniques draw the audience’s attention to specific aspects of the story and characters, making the viewing experience more engaging.

By incorporating these visual and symbolic elements, Kuritzkes and Guadagnino create a rich, multi-dimensional narrative that goes beyond the written word. This approach not only honors the essence of Burroughs’ novella but also elevates the film to a work of art in its own right.

These elements help to convey the protagonist’s psychological state and the overall atmosphere of the film, creating a rich, immersive experience that echoes the vivid imagery of the novella.

By weaving these elements together, Justin Kuritzkes not only honors the spirit of Burroughs’ work but also brings a fresh perspective that allows the story to resonate with a new generation. The themes of longing, loneliness, and the search for connection are universal, and Kuritzkes’ adaptation ensures that they remain relevant and impactful.


Luca Guadagnino is an Italian film director, screenwriter, and producer known for his visually arresting style and emotionally complex films. Guadagnino spent part of his childhood in Ethiopia, where his father taught history and Italian literature. The family moved back to Italy in 1977 to escape the Ethiopian Civil War. Guadagnino developed a passion for cinema from a young age and began making amateur films after receiving a Super 8 camera from his mother. He studied literature at the University of Palermo and later graduated from Sapienza University in Rome. Guadagnino made his directorial debut with the feature film “The Protagonists” in 1999. He is best known for his films “I Am Love” (2009), “A Bigger Splash” (2015), Call Me by Your Name (2017), and Challengers. Guadagnino has also directed documentaries, including “Bertolucci on Bertolucci” (2013) and “Salvatore: The Shoemaker of Dreams” (2020). In addition to filmmaking, Guadagnino has been involved in the world of fashion, directing advertisements for brands like Fendi and Salvatore Ferragamo. He founded the production company Frenesy Film Company in 2012. Guadagnino is openly gay and has been involved with several notable men.

Justin Kuritzkes is an American playwright, novelist, and screenwriter. Kuritzkes studied philosophy and literary arts at Brown University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2012. He has been active in his career since 2011. Kuritzkes is best known for writing the screenplays for Luca Guadagnino’s films Challengers and Queer. He gained early recognition for his one-act play An Autobiography of My Brother, which won honours at the 2010 Young Playwrights Competition. His novel “Famous People” was published in 2019. In addition to his writing, Kuritzkes has a presence on YouTube, where he has posted videos, including the viral “Potion Seller” video. He has also received a MacDowell Fellowship twice, in 2012 and 2016. Kuritzkes is married to filmmaker Celine Song, and they live together in New York City. He continues to work on various projects, including screen adaptations of novels and collaborations with notable actors and directors.


REVIEW: Emilia Pérez holds significant cultural and cinematic importance. The film is notable for its groundbreaking representation of transgender characters. Karla Sofía Gascón’s portrayal of Emilia Pérez has made her the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for an Oscar, marking a historic milestone in the entertainment industry. Directed by Jacques Audiard, it seamlessly blends genres—musical, film noir, and crime drama—creating a unique and innovative narrative that challenges traditional storytelling conventions. The film addresses themes of identity, transformation, and redemption, offering a poignant commentary on societal expectations and the quest for self-acceptance. It boldly pushes the boundaries of cinema and contributes to the ongoing conversation about representation and diversity in film.

Audiard was inspired by the 2018 French novel Écoute by Boris Razon, which featured a minor character who was a drug lord dreaming of transitioning into a woman. This character intrigued Audiard and sparked the idea for Emilia Pérez.

Audiard’s interest in exploring the complexities of identity and transformation drove the creation of Emilia Pérez. “I was fascinated by the paradox of this idea of the hyper-violent and hyper-masculine world, and the idea of wanting to transition. When I read the novel Écoute, the character of the drug kingpin dreaming of becoming a woman struck me as a powerful and intriguing contradiction. This paradox became the seed for the film.”


Writing A Treatment

Audiard first wrote a treatment for the story, envisioning it as an opera libretto with three acts. This format allowed him to explore the stylized and dramatic elements he wanted to incorporate.

“The operatic way of thinking led to a certain stylization which is still in the DNA of the project. The musicals I admired growing up also had a political undertone: ‘Cabaret’ and the Nazis, ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ and the Algerian War. I wanted to bring that same depth and stylization to this story.”

Audiard’s admiration for the political and stylistic elements of classic musicals influenced his approach to Emilia Pérez, blending the grandeur of opera with the narrative depth of film noir and crime drama.

The format allowed him to explore themes of transformation, identity, and redemption in a heightened, almost theatrical manner.

“The operatic structure gave me the freedom to delve deeply into the characters’ transformations and struggles. The heightened, almost theatrical manner allowed us to explore themes of identity and redemption with a richness and intensity that traditional narratives might not have captured. It was about embracing the dramatic flair of opera to tell a deeply personal and complex story.”

The structure of the opera libretto introduced the main themes and motifs, dividing the narrative into segments that escalate in complexity and emotional intensity. The Arias and Recitatives allowed the characters to express their emotions and advance the plot through song.

Audiard’s vision for the film incorporated musical numbers integrated within the narrative to enhance emotional moments and provide deeper insights into the characters’ inner worlds. The choreography was crafted by the talented Damien Jalet, best known for his innovative and expressive dance style,bringing a unique vision to the film’s dance sequences. His work helped to elevate the film’s themes of transformation, identity, and redemption through powerful and evocative movement.

“Working with Damien was a revelation,” says Audiard. “His understanding of movement and its emotional impact brought a new dimension to the film. He wasn’t just choreographing dance; he was helping to tell the story through the body. His innovative approach and willingness to experiment made him an invaluable part of the team.”

“The operatic structure was pivotal in building suspense and emotional impact. Much like an opera, the heightened theatrical elements allowed us to delve deeply into the characters’ journeys. Every scene was crafted to escalate the tension, ensuring that the audience remained engaged and emotionally invested. The dramatic flair of opera provided the perfect canvas for this.”

Initially, Audiard’s treatment for Emilia Pérez was a concise, high-level outline. It was conceptualized as an opera libretto with three acts, which provided a dramatic and structured framework. This treatment included the fundamental storyline and main character arcs, exploration of transformation, identity, and redemption, and songs, arias, and stylized scenes to heighten emotional moments.

Expanding to a Screenplay

To turn this treatment into a full screenplay suitable for a cinematic audience, Audiard undertook several key steps. Maintaining the Three-Act Structure, he introduced the protagonist, Emilia (formerly Manitas), her backstory, and her initial struggles with identity. This act set the stage for the transformation, building a solid foundation for the narrative. The second act delved deeper into Emilia’s journey, exploring her attempts to reconcile with her past while establishing her new identity. This act introduced major conflicts, both internal and external, to heighten tension. The resolution and climax brought the story to its dramatic conclusion, resolving key conflicts and exploring the consequences of Emilia’s actions. This act aimed to deliver an emotionally impactful ending, staying true to the operatic style.

Adaptation for Cinema

Audiard expanded the treatment’s character sketches into fully developed characters with detailed backgrounds, motivations, and relationships. Emilia’s complexity as a character was explored in depth to resonate with audiences. He expanded the treatment’s character sketches into fully developed characters with detailed backgrounds, motivations, and relationships. Emilia’s complexity as a character was explored in depth to resonate with audiences.

“Writing the dialogues and lyrics for the musical numbers was a delicate balance,” says Audiard. “Each word had to serve the narrative and deepen the characters’ development. The songs weren’t just interludes; they were pivotal moments where characters expressed their inner struggles and transformations. By integrating lyrics seamlessly with the dialogue, we ensured that the emotional and narrative flow remained uninterrupted, enhancing the overall storytelling.”

Audiard incorporated detailed visual descriptions to guide the cinematography and set design. “Every scene in the screenplay was meticulously detailed to capture the atmospheric and stylized look we envisioned. Lighting, camera angles, and set pieces weren’t just technical aspects—they were integral to the storytelling. The visual language had to reflect the emotional and dramatic tone of the film, creating a cohesive and immersive experience for the audience.”

“Crafting the screenplay with a rhythmic flow was essential. Balancing the musical interludes with the narrative progression ensured that the story remained engaging and emotionally resonant. The songs were woven into the fabric of the narrative, allowing the characters’ journeys to unfold seamlessly. This careful pacing kept the audience invested, allowing them to experience the full emotional arc of the film.”

Seamlessly blending the elements of musicals, film noir, and crime drama, Audiard ensured that each genre complemented the others. “Ensuring that each genre complemented the others was a central part of our approach. By seamlessly integrating elements of musicals, film noir, and crime dramas, we created a rich and layered narrative. Each genre brought its own unique strengths, and together they enhanced the emotional depth and complexity of the story. This blend allowed us to explore themes of identity and transformation in a way that felt both fresh and resonant.”

Collaboration and Refinement

Throughout the process, Audiard collaborated closely with his team, including screenwriters, musicians, and choreographers. Their feedback and expertise helped refine the screenplay, ensuring that it stayed true to the original vision while enhancing its cinematic appeal.

“The magic of Emilia Pérez truly came to life through collaboration. Working closely with screenwriters, musicians, choreographers, and the entire creative team was essential. Each collaborator brought their unique expertise and vision, enriching the film in ways I couldn’t have imagined alone. It was this collective effort that allowed us to blend genres seamlessly and tell a story that resonated on multiple levels.”

By expanding the treatment into a full screenplay, Audiard was able to create a richly layered and visually stunning film that retained the dramatic intensity and emotional depth of its operatic roots.

Film Noir Characteristics

The film employs classic film noir techniques such as low-key lighting, stark shadows, and dramatic contrasts to create a moody and atmospheric visual palette. Cinematography often uses tight framing and unconventional angles to build suspense and draw viewers into the characters’ world. Themes of crime, moral ambiguity, and complex characters align with the film noir tradition. Emilia Pérez’s journey from cartel leader to a woman seeking redemption fits well within this genre’s exploration of flawed, multi-dimensional protagonists.

The central storyline revolves around a former cartel leader’s struggle to escape her past and live authentically. The tension and stakes associated with her criminal background drive the narrative forward. Intriguing plot twists and conflicts keep the audience engaged, as Emilia faces threats from her former associates and navigates her new identity.

“At its heart, Emilia Pérez is a story about transformation and redemption. It’s about a person who has lived a life of violence and power, grappling with their true identity and seeking a path to make amends. The narrative explores the complexities of human nature, the struggle for self-acceptance, and the impact of our past actions on our present. It’s a deeply personal and emotional journey, framed within the larger context of societal expectations and the quest for a second chance.”

Research

Audiard and his team conducted several scouting trips to Mexico to get a sense of the environment and culture. They also did extensive research on production design, costumes, and music to ensure authenticity. Audiard’s commitment to authenticity is evident in his meticulous approach to Emilia Pérez.

“Authenticity is crucial in storytelling. It’s about capturing the truth of the characters and their experiences, even when dealing with stylized genres. For Emilia Pérez, this meant immersing ourselves in the culture and environment, ensuring that every detail felt genuine and resonated with the audience. Authenticity isn’t just about accuracy; it’s about creating a believable world that audiences can connect with emotionally.”

Shooting the film

The film was shot over 49 days in France, with 5 days on location in Mexico. Audiard chose to shoot in a studio environment to have more control over the musical numbers and choreography. This approach allowed the team to create a stylized and controlled setting for the film.

“Filming in a studio allowed us to have complete control over every aspect of the production, from lighting to choreography. It was like working on a blank canvas, where we could create the world of Emilia Pérez from scratch. This environment gave us the freedom to blend reality and fantasy seamlessly, ensuring that every frame was imbued with the desired atmosphere and visual style.”

Audiard worked with a talented team, including frequent collaborators like cinematographer Paul Guilhaume, editor Juliette Welfling, and artistic director Virginie Montel. The team’s efforts ensured that every aspect of the production was infused with the authenticity and creativity Audiard envisioned.

Karla Sofía Gascón

Karla Sofía Gascón is a talented Spanish actress who began her acting career at the age of 16 and earned a degree in acting from the ECAM (School of Cinematography and Audiovisual of the Community of Madrid). Gascón has worked in various television shows and films, including Spanish daily soap operas and telenovelas. In 2009, she moved to Mexico to further her career, taking on roles in popular telenovelas such as Corazón Salvaje. Gascón came out as a trans woman in 2016 and published her autobiography, Karsia: Una Historia Extraordinaria, in 2018. Her role in Emilia Pérez has garnered critical acclaim, and she made history by winning the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024, becoming the first openly transgender actress to do so. Gascón is married to Marisa Gutiérrez, whom she met at the age of 19 at a nightclub in her hometown. Together they have a daughter, born in 2011.

“Casting Emilia was a crucial part of the process,” says Audiard, whose process reflects his dedication to bringing his singular vision to life, blending different genres and styles to create a provocative and ambitious film. “We needed an actress who could embody the complexity and depth of the character, someone who could navigate the emotional and physical demands of the role. Karla Sofía Gascón brought an incredible authenticity and vulnerability to Emilia, making her journey both believable and deeply moving.”

Says Karla Sofía Gascón “It’s a dream role that is hard to find because it has so much depth, so much richness, and for an actor to get into it, it needs a lot of dedication. Playing Emilia was a transformative experience, not just for the character but for me as well. It allowed me to explore facets of identity and humanity that are rarely portrayed on screen. I’m incredibly proud to be part of this project and to bring this story to life.”

“Working with Jacques was incredibly enriching,” says Gascón. “He was open to my input and allowed me to shape the character of Emilia in ways that felt authentic to me. His generosity and collaborative spirit made the process deeply rewarding. He guided me through the complexities of the role, ensuring that my portrayal was both nuanced and powerful.”

Jacques Audiard

Jacques Audiard is a renowned French film director, screenwriter, and producer, born on April 30, 1952, in Paris, France. He comes from a family deeply rooted in the film industry; his father, Michel Audiard, was a well-known screenwriter and director.

Audiard began his career in the film industry as an assistant editor before transitioning to screenwriting in the 1980s. Some of his early screenwriting credits include successful thrillers like “Mortelle Randonnée” and “Saxo”. He made his directorial debut in 1994 with “See How They Fall”, which won several awards, including the César Award for Best First Film.

Over the years, Audiard has directed a number of critically acclaimed films, including “Read My Lips” (2001), “The Beat That My Heart Skipped” (2005), “Rust and Bone” (2012), and “A Prophet” (2009), which earned him the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

In 2018, he directed his first English-language feature film, “The Sisters Brothers”, and most recently, he directed the musical crime comedy “Emilia Pérez” (2024), which has received significant acclaim and multiple award nominations.

Audiard’s films are known for their strong scripts, compelling lead performances, and his ability to blend different genres seamlessly. He has won numerous awards throughout his career, including three Golden Globes, ten César Awards, and four prizes from the Cannes Film Festival.


Producers John Fox and John Davis of Davis Entertainment discovered the spec script of Flight Risk by Jared Rosenberg, a versatile screenwriter, editor, and producer.

“We fell in love with the script. It felt very producible, but also very original,” says Davis. “John and I started working with the writer and then decided to figure out the best way to move forward.” When Mel Gibson’s agent reached out, they sent Gibson the script, and he came on board to direct.

“The beauty of the film is that it takes place over the beautiful Alaskan Alps, which are stunning and spectacular, as well as intimidating and scary,” says Gibson, who was also drawn to the project because the script “kept me guessing and had some unexpected laughs; it was terrifying and had an intriguing mix of elements I found charming. There are no dead spots.”

Bruce Davey, Gibson’s longtime producing partner at their company Icon Productions, similarly remembers that the script was “a real page-turner, a great dramatic thriller, and it kept me at the edge of my seat.”

Screenwriter Jared Rosenberg found inspiration for the script from his great-grandfather, who converted his farm into a small grass airfield. “Growing up, relatives would take us up in these small, single-engine aircraft,” he says. “That sense of flight is unlike anything you get on a commercial jet: it is tactile and analogue. You feel every bump and air pocket — the rivets rattle — and when you turn, the entire world seems to shift around you. It feels amazing, and unique, and a little dangerous. I was excited by the opportunity to replicate that sensation on the big screen.”

Jared Rosenberg

Rosenberg adds, “Every movie is tricky to make, but that is especially true of one that requires a deft balance of tension, humor, drama, and action… all while unfolding in more or less real-time. To accomplish that feat is a testament to [Mel Gibson’s] skill and care as a director.”

Gibson embraced the challenge, and his longtime producing partner, Davey, notes, “When Mel approaches a script to direct, he does so from inside the story, characters, and production, not from the outside. He puts you inside the action, making you feel that he and you are right there.

For director and producer Mel Gibson, Flight Risk presented challenges and opportunities unlike any he’d tackled before, including the helming of Braveheart, the blockbuster historical drama The Passion of the Christ; and the epic adventure Apocalypto. “Any time you’re in an aircraft, especially one as small as ours, it’s going to be claustrophobic,” Gibson explains. “We’ve played into everyone’s fear of flying, high altitudes, falling, and crashing.”

To help bring audiences inside the film, Gibson relied on some technical wizardry, but most of all, on the talents of his three cast members.

Mark Wahlberg plays a pilot transporting an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As they fly over the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.


To provide the stunning visuals of the plane soaring high above the Alaskan wilderness and snow-capped mountains, they used an immersive soundstage known as a Volume, in which LED panels are used as a backdrop for a set on which video or computer-generated imagery can be displayed in real-time. The
majority of the film was shot at on a stage in Las Vegas, where the Volume was installed and so most of the film’s action unfolds within the confines of this Cessna Grand Caravan airplane.

Set on a 10-foot gimbal, the plane was surrounded by 1,830 LED panels arranged in a 270- degree display capable of playback at 24k horizontal resolution at 24fps.This immersive setup allows audiences to feel as though they are inside of the plane and in the scene with these characters – sharing in their claustrophobia and growing suspicion of one another. Yet, even within the tight space, the plane soars over the vast, breathtaking vistas of the Alaskan Snow Alps.

As Gibson puts it, “So, while Flight Risk is set inside a small plane, it feels open, and the vistas are magnificent. The scope is huge.”

“The Volume helped to open up our world,” says director of photography Johnny Derango. “It emphasizes how small our characters and plane are, in context to the magnificent world around them. That was something we focused on: there were times we would go from a super wide exterior shot, and then come in on a tight closeup. I love the juxtaposition of transitioning from the vastness of the world around them to the microfocused interior and drama.”

“Keeping everything grounded and feeling real was important to Mel and myself,” Derango continues. “We always wanted the audience to feel like they were in that plane with the characters.

The fourth “star” of Flight Risk is the film’s sole set – the plane itself, a Cessna 208B.

Production designer David Meyer looks back at the plane’s casting: “We wanted the largest bush plane we could find, and the Grand Caravan did the trick. Inside, it’s only five and half feet wide, and four and half feet tall, and that presents many challenges, starting with the fact that the actors and crew couldn’t stand up in it. Everyone was always in a crouched position. We did some interesting things, like taking the nose cone off where the engine would be, so that the camera could rest on platforms in front of the plane and be close to the actors.”

Writer Jared Rosenberg says “The movie is, first and foremost, an original, non-stop thrill ride (no IP here!)” And continues “But beyond that, this is a story that takes place in real-time, confining strangers together in a small plane, and so seeing the movie in theaters — with strangers — creates an environment for the audience that mimics the experience of the characters on screen. That’s a unique opportunity that elevates the movie-going experience and simply cannot be replicated at home.”



Jared Rosenberg is a screenwriter with more than a decade of experience in the entertainment industry. Jared grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Middlebury College, where he was subsequently a writing fellow at the Middlebury Script Lab. He has written screenplays for a number of production companies, and he co-produced the feature documentary Money For Nothing, which premiered at Lincoln Center and appeared at festivals worldwide. He is currently at work with Netflix on a high-stakes,
military action thriller.

Mel Gibson was born in upstate New York, but moved to Australia with his family at age 12. After high school, Mel attended the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Arts, where he was trained in classical British theatre tradition and appeared in a number of plays, including Death of a Salesman and Waiting for Godot. Read more


“Once I had the basics – in the not-too-distant future, six friends gather at a remote lake house for a weekend of leisure – I immediately began to relate to Iris,” says Hancock. “I thought about every time I had met my girlfriends’ friends and family, and how alienating that feeling is. And the more I related to her, the more I started to think, ‘What if the robot is the most empathetic person in the story?’”

Hancock was deeply immersed in writing what would become Companion in 2021 when a friend, connected with someone at BoulderLight, slipped him Zach Cregger’s script for the horror Barbarian.

The filmmaker recalls, “I’m writing ‘Companion’ and I’m reading ‘Barbarian.’ And it was a great reminder that you don’t have to follow all the rules. You can, halfway through the movie, switch POVs and do whatever you want. Just forget about all the structure nonsense. You can do whatever you want, as long as it’s interesting.”

This revelation gave Hancock the creative freedom to explore unconventional storytelling techniques in his screenplay, transforming Companion into a complex story that weaves together the genres of sci-fi, horror and thriller, laced with a large and very intentional streak of dark comedy. 

After completing the script, Hancock sent the script to J.D. Lifshitz at BoulderLight, whose response was enthusiastic. Excited by the script’s originality and constant surprises, it quickly caught the attention of other key figures at BoulderLight, including producer Raphael Margules and Vertigo’s Zach Cregger and Roy Lee. 

Hancock recalls with a smile, “It was 48 hours after I’d written ‘The End’ on the script, and I already had four producers attached.”

Producer Zach Cregger remembers, “When I read the script, I was surprised continually. I was just never ahead of the movie. I’ve seen so many movies, I’ve read so many scripts, you know, oftentimes I can predict where things are going to go, and I’m disappointed when I’m right. This was one of those scripts where I just had no idea all the way through.”

Originally set to direct the film, Cregger played a crucial role in transitioning the directorial duties to Hancock himself. During an early discussion, Cregger realized that Hancock had an exceptionally clear vision for the film. This led Cregger to rethink his role in the project: “This guy had the movie in his head so clearly, the best thing I could do was kind of get out of his way and support him in making the movie. I think there’s something really special that happens when the writer is also the director, because they just have an innate understanding of the material and the world.”

Taking a role as producer, Cregger approached BoulderLight and Vertigo, seeking their approval to offer the director’s chair to Hancock. 

Hancock admits, “When Zach asked me, I was so caught off-guard that I was like, ‘Oh, I need to think about this…’ But then I realized, I really wanted to take on the challenge.”

The production of Companion was driven by the team’s shared enthusiasm for its innovative narrative. Producer Raphael Margules says, “We were really lucky that our partners at New Line recognized immediately that they had something special on their hands, and they really opened the doors for us to just get this thing up and running.”

The journey to writer-director Drew Hancock’sfirst feature film Companion is marked by talent, perseverance and an unwavering dedication to his craft. The film showcases Hancock’s deep passion for the horror genre, blending it with thrills, action and a generous dose of humor.

Margules offers, “I think people go to the movies for one reason and one reason only: to have fun, to have a good time. And Companion delivers on that and gives you a good time, whether that be as a thriller, a sci-fi movie, a horror movie, a comedy, a hangout movie. It’s a genre picture that combines a lot of genres. It’s a midnight movie. It’s a fun movie.”

Cregger describes it as “a sci-fi hybrid movie about a young woman who goes on what should be a routine weekend vacation with her boyfriend and his gang, and it devolves into something grizzly and surprising… but not in the slasher kind of standard fare that we’ve all seen a bunch of times. This is definitely a hot twist on an old theme. Drew’s done a really great job of setting up a friend group, a dynamic that feels like it has a lot of history and a lot of backstory.”

Sophie Thatcher as Iris and Jack Quaid as Josh in New Line Cinema’s “Companion,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

That young “woman” accompanying her boyfriend Josh on the getaway is the ‘companion’ Iris, who is played by Sophie Thatcher. Thatcher reflects, “When you first meet both of them, I feel like you definitely want to support them. I think they both seem a little bit like outsiders. She’s a little bit stressed, but very put together. She’s very ‘60s. She’s very classic. He’s a bit nerdy, and they seem like a very charming couple. But actually, Iris is in a very codependent relationship, and she’s willing to give anything to make Josh feel loved and cared for.

“Adding to her stress,” adds Thatcher, “is this house in the woods, which is a character in and of itself. It deepens her feeling of isolation—that nobody can help you. She is actually on her own.”

Hancock explains, “Iris is someone who initially doesn’t understand her own strength and capabilities. She’s almost like someone suffering from imposter syndrome, feeling out of place and unsure of her own identity. Sophie brings a very incredibly natural quality to Iris as a character… a robot that doesn’t know how to necessarily be human. She brings a quality to the character that is just so deeply human.”

It’s when Iris realizes that she’s not human that her journey really begins. Thatcher offers, “Her whole world is completely shifted and she realizes that she can’t be with Josh. There’s self-discovery, and she starts finding her own free will and sets out to be independent.”

Jack Quaid, who plays Josh, was the first actor cast for the film. Margules recounts, “Jack was actually our first attachment, and that really helped get everything moving. He completely got the script immediately.”

“I remember when I read the script,” says Quaid, “I immediately said, ‘I have to do this,’ and I tried to get a meeting with Drew as soon as I possibly could​​.”

Described by Hancock as “a character who appears charming and supportive on the surface, but harbors a need for control and dominance over Iris,” Josh’s duality adds layers to his character, making his interactions with Iris more complex and unsettling.

“It’s a really interesting character to play and a fascinating relationship dynamic to explore,” explains Quaid. “You want the audience to not really suspect anything’s wrong. Part of that comes from Drew, who’s a really funny guy, and he always made sure that the comedy played. Doing that, he’s made this movie that really defies typical genre.” 

Hancock’s vision for “Companion” was to balance sci-fi, thriller and horror elements without leaning too heavily into any single genre. This balance was likewise reflected in the visual effects strategy.

“We tried to keep things a nice balance between horror and sci-fi. We didn’t want to go too sci-fi, but we also don’t want to go too horror with it, either,” says Hancock.

Visual effects supervisor Jamison Goei blended practical effects with digital enhancements to find that balance and maintain a sense of realism. “I don’t like seeing tons of CGI all over the place,” says Goei. “So, whenever I can, I’ll always advocate for doing it practically.” 

To build the world of “Companion,” Hancock collaborated with production designer Scott Kuzio. The brief was to create a familiar yet subtly futuristic setting, maintaining a sense of ambiguity about the time and place in which the film is set. “We originally discussed a very sci-fi futurist vibe,” says Kuzio. “I think as we got more and more into it, we wanted more minimalism without trying to play too much into sci-fi futurism. We wanted the viewer to always be questioning where they were in time.”

“I know it is a sci-fi movie at its core, but I didn’t want it to look and feel like a sci-fi movie,” says Hancock. “We wanted it to feel almost like a soap opera a little bit—a relationship drama.” This approach was pivotal in guiding the design choices, aiming to create an atmosphere that felt both familiar and, at the same time, subtly unsettling.

The setting in the screenplay called for a secluded location. “Drew wrote it to be something that felt isolated,” explains Kuzio. “It’s a classic horror trope: the house, the cabin in the woods.”

This archetypal horror setting is complemented by modernist design elements that give the house a sense of age and abandonment, despite its luxurious nature. “Although it’s a modernist house, we wanted it to feel like there’s still age to it… like it could have been something that has been let go,” continues Kuzio. “Most of this movie takes place there. We wanted it to immediately feel like it offered a sense of comfort, but then there is the realization that it’s in the middle of the mountains, in the middle of nowhere.”

With “Companion,” Drew Hancock aims to create a world that feels both familiar and slightly off-kilter, heightening the film’s psychological impact. He reflects, “I felt the key was to ground these characters in reality while allowing for the sci-fi elements to naturally emerge. I hoped this approach would keep the audience invested in their journeys and the unfolding mystery.”

Along the way, the theme of AI’s place in the modern world emerges. But it’s not what the filmmaker wants to take center stage: “This is not a statement about AI being good or bad. The real bad guy is not Iris, but the company that created her. Iris is special, and no one at the company seems to grasp that. They really don’t comprehend the responsibility of putting that kind of technology in the hands of people who want to use it for other, selfish purposes.”

He concludes, “In the end, I made a movie that I wanted to make. The whole point of it is to subvert what you’re expecting the next 10 minutes to be. It’s kind of reinventing itself constantly. I think of it as ‘horror adjacent.’ People might be expecting it to be a ‘horror film,’ but hopefully we subvert their expectations and it becomes even more fun—because it’s not the movie that they expect it to be—and they just hang on and fully commit to the ride.”


After graduating college, Drew Hancock headed west and took on a variety of production roles, eventually finding his way to Channel 101, a pioneering online comedy platform that predates both Funny or Die and YouTube. Channel 101 became a creative playground for Hancock, where he wrote and directed shows such as Cautionary Tales Of Swords, The Mountain and Wastelander. He even took on acting, playing John Oates of Hall & Oates in the iconic Channel 101 series Yacht Rock. Hancock continued to sharpen his skills in television, writing for comedy series such as Blue Mountain State (Spike TV), Mr. Pickles (Adult Swim), and Suburgatory (ABC). He also contributed to multiple high-profile award shows, including the MTV Video Music Awards, Spike TV’s Video Game Awards and Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards. In 2018, he created My Dead Ex for Awesomeness TV, a series that earned a Grand Jury Award nomination in the Independent Episodic category at the SXSW Film Festival. Determined to transition out of television, Hancock set his sights on the big screen and wrote the screenplay for Companion, a dark and twisted tale of romance gone awry. The project initially drew the interest of Zach Cregger (Barbarian) as director. However, after recognizing Hancock’s clear vision for the film, Cregger encouraged him to take the helm, opting instead to serve as producer. The result is a film that showcases Hancock’s confidence and skill as a filmmaker, earning him a spot on Variety’s “10 Directors to Watch” list in 2025.



The story follows Ingrid Jonker (played by Carice van Houten) as she navigates her tumultuous life during the apartheid era in South Africa. The film explores her relationships, struggles with mental health, and her passionate pursuit of love and freedom through her poetry. Ingrid’s life is marked by her strained relationship with her father, Abraham Jonker (played by Rutger Hauer), a prominent politician and chair of the Censorship Board. Despite her challenges, Ingrid’s work gained recognition posthumously when Nelson Mandela read one of her poems during his first speech to the South African Parliament in the 1990s. The film also stars Liam Cunningham as Jack Cope, a writer and one of Ingrid’s lovers.

Black Butterflies is a significant film because it tells an important story with emotional depth and artistic integrity. It serves as a reminder of the power of poetry and the enduring impact of those who fight for justice and freedom through their art.

The film brings attention to South African literature and poetry, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the country. It encourages viewers to explore Jonker’s work and the broader context of South African art and history.

The film was directed by Paula van der Oest, a celebrated Dutch filmmaker known for her works such as “Zus & Zo” and “The Domino Effect. The screenplay was written by Greg Latter and David Thompson, who crafted the script based on the life of Ingrid Jonker, bringing her story to the screen with a focus on her poetic journey and personal struggles.

Carice van Houten’s portrayal of Ingrid Jonker is both nuanced and compelling. Her performance captures the complexity of Jonker’s character, balancing her vulnerability with her fierce determination.

The title is a metaphor that captures the essence of Ingrid Jonker’s life and work. Butterflies are often symbols of transformation, beauty, and fleeting moments. However, the addition of “black” introduces a sense of darkness and tragedy, reflecting the struggles and emotional turmoil Ingrid faced throughout her life. Ingrid Jonker’s poetry was a means of transformation, both for herself and for those who read her work. Her poems were often beautiful and poignant, yet they also carried the weight of her personal battles and the oppressive political climate of apartheid South Africa. The “black butterflies” symbolize this duality—the beauty of her artistic expression intertwined with the darkness of her personal and social struggles. The title encapsulates the tragic beauty of Jonker’s life, a life marked by both remarkable poetic talent and profound personal challenges.

The film brings Ingrid Jonker’s story to the screen with a poignant focus on her poetic journey and personal struggles. It beautifully captures her passion for poetry, her intense emotional experiences, and the impact of her work against the backdrop of South Africa’s turbulent political landscape.

Jonker’s poetry is central to the narrative, reflecting her inner turmoil, love, and resistance. Her personal struggles, including her complicated relationship with her father, her battles with mental health, and her romantic entanglements, are depicted with sensitivity and depth. The film not only portrays her as a talented poet but also as a deeply human figure grappling with her own demons.

It depicts Ingrid Jonker as a literary icon and a deeply complex and flawed individual. Her struggles with mental health, her tumultuous relationships, and her fight for artistic freedom are portrayed with nuance and empathy. The film captures the essence of her poetry, which often reflected her inner battles and her unyielding spirit.

Ingrid’s life was a powerful testament to the human condition—full of passion, pain, and resilience. Her story is both inspiring and heartbreaking, and the film does justice to her legacy by showing her as a real person with dreams, flaws, and an indomitable will.

The beautiful and often stark cinematography was handled by Giulio Biccari, adding a visual depth to the story. The haunting and evocative score was composed by Philip Miller, a South African composer known for his work on other significant films like “Long Walk to Freedom.” The film’s authentic and detailed production design was created by Darryl Hammer, adding a historical and atmospheric feel to the film.

Real-Life Story of Ingrid Jonker

  • Early Life: Ingrid Jonker was born on September 19, 1933, in Douglas, South Africa. She had a troubled childhood, with her mother passing away when she was young and a strained relationship with her father.
  • Poetry: Despite the challenges, Jonker’s poetry became a powerful voice against apartheid and censorship. Her work often reflected her deep emotional struggles and her love for her country.
  • Recognition: One of Jonker’s most famous poems, “Die Kind wat Doodgeskiet is deur Soldate by Nyanga” (“The Child Who Was Shot Dead by Soldiers at Nyanga”), was read by Nelson Mandela during his speech at the opening of the first democratic parliament in South Africa in 1994.
  • Personal Struggles: Ingrid’s life was marked by personal turmoil, including battles with mental health, turbulent relationships, and societal pressures. These aspects are poignantly depicted in the film.
  • Legacy: Despite her tragic death at the age of 31, Ingrid Jonker’s legacy lives on through her powerful poetry and her contributions to South African literature and resistance against apartheid.

Through storytelling, we communicate emotions, experiences, and ideas that transcend the boundaries of language, culture, and time.

Stories allow us to forge deep connections with others, bridging gaps across different backgrounds and experiences. They provide a shared space where we can relate to one another, fostering empathy and understanding.

Writing and reading stories offer a mirror to our own lives. They invite us to explore our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, helping us gain insights into ourselves and the world around us.

Stories open up realms of imagination, letting us journey to places we’ve never been and encounter characters who live only in our minds. They allow us to experience adventures, emotions, and scenarios that might be impossible in real life.

They inspire us to dream, explore, and envision new possibilities, encouraging innovation and artistic expression.

By writing stories, we leave behind a part of ourselves. These narratives become a lasting record of our perspectives, dreams, and creativity, offering future generations a glimpse into our minds and times.

Stories are powerful tools for teaching and learning. They encapsulate knowledge, wisdom, and cultural heritage, passing them down through generations in an engaging and memorable way.

Above all, stories entertain us. They captivate our minds, providing an escape from the mundane and a source of joy and excitement.

They captivate our minds, providing an escape from the mundane and a source of joy and excitement. Stories draw us into their narrative worlds, transporting us from our everyday routines into realms filled with adventure, emotion, and imagination. They spark our curiosity and engage our senses, allowing us to experience the thrill of unexpected twists, the satisfaction of resolved conflicts, and the sheer delight of creative storytelling.

Through stories, we can live vicariously through the characters, experiencing their triumphs, challenges, and growth. This immersion in fictional or factual narratives offers a refreshing break from reality, enriching our lives with new perspectives and emotional depth. Whether it’s through the pages of a novel, the scenes of a film, or the cadence of an oral tale, stories have the power to ignite our imaginations and leave us feeling inspired, entertained, and more connected to the human experience.

In essence, stories are the threads that weave the fabric of human experience, connecting us to one another and to ourselves in ways both profound and enchanting.


Presenting films from 14 countries, and including two Oscar nominations, the festival is a showcase of high-quality cinema from the film industries in the respective participating countries of Belgium, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

NOTE: Although the Festival is over, you can search for the films on other streaming platforms


There is a long recorded history of the love writers have for their cats. In fact, there are so many writers who have adored cats that it’s difficult to ignore.

Cats are elegant, mysterious, and beautiful. They are also ruthless and selfish when they have to be. Many cats have inspired works of literature including Edgar Allan Poe’s Catterina, Cleveland Amory’s Polar Bear, and T.S. Eliot’s Jellylorum.

Canadian novelist and playwright Robertson Davies once wrote, “Authors like cats because they are such quiet, loveable, wise creatures, and cats like authors for the same reasons.”

Most authors are creative introverts and cats fit beautifully into an introvert’s world. As the American author, Andre Norton said, ‘Perhaps it is because cats do not live by human patterns, do not fit themselves into prescribed behaviour, that they are so united to creative people.’

They say that a dog is a man’s best friend, but these writers found solace—and occasional inspiration—in another four-legged companion.

Sir Anthony Hopkins he loved to play piano for his cat, Sir Niblo 😻

Do we rush through life without noticing our surroundings? Do we spend enough time caring for our own basic needs and comfort? Take a page from the feline playbook to keep you purring. By mimicking the behavior of the cats that share our homes, we can develop fuller, richer spiritual lives. From the patterns of play, to the need for sleep, to finding joy in the smallest of things, cats show us how to reach inside ourselves for higher goals, a less stressful life, and a newfound ability to purr in tune with the world. Photographs of prancing, prowling, and playful cats provide the necessary inspiration to make the most of all of your nine lives. Add Joanna Sandsmark’s inspiring book to your collection.

James Bowen, a homeless heroin addict, quit his addiction because of a stray cat he named (Bob). James found (Bob) injured in 2007 and began caring for him, which gave his life a purpose and aided him in quitting heroin and returning to a normal life. James Bowen wrote a book featuring the cat Bob as the main character. The book made it to the bestseller list and was turned into a film (A Street Cat Named Bob) in which Bob himself appeared. James has written several books starring Bob the cat, and he now works in supporting the needy and homeless, as well as charity work and rescuing street animals.

“He gave me this look, almost saying, ‘help’, but also ‘sort it out’,” said the author today. Bowen nursed Bob back to health, only to find the cat following him everywhere he went, even joining him when he busked and sold the Big Issue. The pair became well-known in London, going on to attract the attention of a literary agent, who sold Bowen’s story of how, with Bob’s help, he would get over his addictions to heroin and methadone, to Hodder & Stoughton. It also inspired two films. Bob the cat died in June 2020.

Marlon Brando – was American legendary actor who became iconic figure in 1950s for antisocial figure was also a great writer. He had photographed with his cats several times and Vito’s cat in iconic figure in 1950s for antisocial figure.

Marlon Brando once said, “I live in my cat’s house.”

He had a real love for felines, and gave a big movie break to a stray that was found by director Francis Ford Coppola on the set of The Godfather. Brando held the tabby in his lap throughout the opening scene, and people have thought it intentional brilliance ever since, reading symbolism into the hidden claws and softening the first impression of a mafia boss.

One of most important and influential writers in history, Charles Dickens once said: “What greater gift than the love of a cat?” He would sit entranced for hours while writing, but when his furry friends needed some attention, they were notorious for extinguishing the flame on his desk candle. In 1862, he was so upset after the death of his favorite cat, Bob, that he had the feline’s paw stuffed and mounted to an ivory letter opener. He had the opener engraved saying, “C.D., In memory of Bob, 1862” so he could have a constant reminder of his old friend. The letter opener is now on display at the Berg Collection of English and American Literature at the New York Public Library.


Mark Twain—the great humorist and man of American letters—was also a great cat lover. ‘I simply can’t resist a cat, particularly a purring one. They are the cleanest, cunningest, and most intelligent things I know, outside of the girl you love, of course.’ Twain kept eleven cats at his farm in Connecticut.  When his beloved black cat Bambino went missing, Twain took out an advertisement in the New York American offering a $5 reward to return the missing cat to his house at 21 Fifth Avenue in New York City. It decribed Bambino as “Large and intensely black; thick, velvety fur; has a faint fringe of white hair across his chest; not easy to find in ordinary light.”

The feline protagonists in Stephen King’s novels lead haunted lives. In Pet Sematary, King tells a story of loss inspired by his family’s own tragic experience with their pet cat Smucky who was hit by a car. King’s cat-filled publicity photo for the movie Cat’s Eye, based on several of the author’s short stories, proves that the author’s fascination with the macabre didn’t stop him from being a cat magnet. This famous cat-lover wrote that ‘it might be that the biggest division in the world isn’t men and women but folks who like cats and folks who like dogs.’ The Shawshank Redemption author has owned several pets over the years, including “a rather crazed Siamese cat” named Pear.

‘The cat does not offer services. The cat offers itself,” says William Burroughs, who is known for his wild, drug-induced writings, but he had a softer side as well—especially when it came to his cats. He penned an autobiographical novella, The Cat Inside, about the cats he owned throughout his life, and the final journal entry Burroughs wrote before he died referred to the pure love he had for his four pets: “Only thing can resolve conflict is love, like I felt for Fletch and Ruski, Spooner, and Calico. Pure love. What I feel for my cats present and past. Love? What is it? Most natural painkiller what there is. LOVE.”

Aside from peppering his high Modernist poetry with allusions to feline friends, T.S. Eliot wrote a book of light verse called Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a collection of 15 poems, dedicated to his godchildren, regarding the different personalities and eccentricities of cats. Names like Old Deuteronomy, the Rum Tum Tugger, and Mr. Mistoffelees should be familiar to people all around the world—the characters and poems were the inspiration for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-running Broadway musical, Cats. Later publications of Old Possum’s included illustrations by noted artist Edward Gorey—yet another avid cat lover. You can listen to Eliot read “The Naming of Cats” here.

Patricia Highsmith doesn’t have the friendliest literary reputation around (she once said “my imagination functions much better when I don’t have to speak to people”). But The Talented Mr. Ripley and Strangers on a Train author nevertheless found a perfect way to let her imagination function with her many four-legged companions. She did virtually everything with her cats—she wrote next to them, she ate next to them, and she even slept next to them. She kept them by her side throughout her life until her death at her home in Locarno, Switzerland in 1995.

Highsmith was an animal lover who absolutely loved cats, especially Siamese. She had up to six at the same time. Urich Weber, the curator of Highsmith’s archive, once explained that “she was very happy among cats. They gave her a closeness that she could not bear in the long-term from people. She needed cats for her psychological balance.”

She didn’t have the friendliest literary reputation around—she once said “my imagination functions much better when I don’t have to speak to people” nevertheless found a perfect way to let her imagination function with her many four-legged companions. Time and again they were the object of her literary and artistic work. She did virtually everything with her cats—she wrote next to them, she ate next to them, and she even slept next to them. She kept them by her side throughout her life until her death at her home in Locarno, Switzerland in 1995.

“A cat makes a home a home, a writer is not alone with a cat, yet is enough alone to work. More than this, a cat is a walking, sleeping, ever-changing work of art.” ~ Patricia Highsmith

British Nobel Prize-winning author Doris Lessing wrote of her affection for cats many times, but she felt a particular affinity for her pet El Magnifico. “He was such a clever cat,” she remarked to the Wall Street Journal in 2008. “We used to have sessions when we tried to be on each other’s level. He knew we were trying. When push came to shove, though, the communication was pretty limited.”

Ernest Hemingway and his family initially became infatuated with cats while living at Finca Vigía, their house in Cuba. During the writer’s travels, he was gifted a six-toed (or polydactyl) cat he named Snowball. Hemingway liked the little guy so much that in 1931, when he moved into his now-famous Key West home, he let Snowball run wild, creating a small colony of felines that populated the grounds. Today, some 40 to 50 six-toed descendants of Snowball are still allowed to roam around the house. Polydactyl felines are sometimes called “Hemingway Cats.”

American writer Ernest Hemingway is probably the most famous cat lover in the literary world, along with Mark Twain (who took his love of cats to such an extent that he refused to be friends with people who didn’t like cats and rented cats when he was on tour and couldn’t take his own cats with him).

Many of you are probably familiar with the Hemingway House in Key West, Florida, which is home to about 60 cats. Hemingway’s first polydactyl cat, named Snow, was given to him by a captain and marked the beginning of his love for these animals.

Many of the cats that live at the Hemingway House today are descendants of Snow and are well cared for by the staff there. It’s a fantastic place for literature and cat lovers. All Hemingway cats after Snow were named after famous people (Mark Twain was one of them, as he was Hemingway’s literary role model) – a tradition that the Hemingway House continues to this day.

“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: people can hide their feelings for some reason, but a cat cannot.” – Ernest Hemingway

Known to be a general cat lover during his life, this 18th century jack-of-all-trades was immortalized in James Boswell’s proto-biography The Life of Samuel Johnson.

In the text, Boswell writes of Johnson’s cat, Hodge, saying, “I never shall forget the indulgence with which he treated Hodge, his cat: for whom he himself used to go out and buy oysters, lest the servants having that trouble should take a dislike to the poor creature. I am, unluckily, one of those who have an antipathy to a cat, so that I am uneasy when in the room with one; and I own, I frequently suffered a good deal from the presence of this same Hodge.” Although Boswell was not a fan, Johnson called Hodge “A very fine cat indeed.” Hodge is immortalized, with his oysters, with a statue of his likeness that stands outside Johnson’s house at 17 Gough Square in London.

The Osaragi Jirō Memorial Museum in Yokohama, Japan is dedicated to the author Jirō Osaragi and features numerous cat ornaments as an integral part of its feline-themed decor. Osaragi wrote several novels connected to Yokohama, including Gento (Magic Lantern) and lived at the Hotel New Grand for over 10 years (in room 318). It’s often said that the Shōwa-period author cared for over 500 cats throughout his lifetime at his home in Kamakura, Japan—which is sometimes open to the public. Visitors can lounge on Osaragi’s terrace and sip tea while picturing the hundreds of semi-feral cats that once frolicked in the gardens.

Ray Bradbury compared parts of the writer’s creative process to cat ownership, saying that ideas, like cats, “come silently in the hour of trying to wake up and remember my name.”

His advice for writers?

“Treat ideas like cats … make them follow you.” 

In his short story, The Cat’s Pajamas, two cat lovers fight over who will keep a stray cat they find in the middle of a California highway.

Though not overt, William Yeats’s love for cats can be found in poems like “The Cat and the Moon,” where he uses the image of a cat to represent himself and the image of the moon to represent his muse Maude Gonne, a high society-born feminist and sometime actress who inspired the poet throughout his life.

The poem references Gonne’s cat named Minnaloushe, who sits and stares at the changing moon. Yeats metaphorically transforms himself into the cat longing for his love that is indifferent to him, and the heartsick feline poet wonders whether Gonne will ever change her mind. Too bad for Yeats; Maude Gonne never agreed to marry him, despite the fact that he asked for her hand in marriage—four separate times.

Raymond Chandler had an immense influence on detective fiction and came to define the tenets of hard-boiled noir. He used femme fatales, twisting plots, and whip-cracking wordplay in his evocative classics starring the detective Philip Marlowe, including The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye. But it wasn’t all serious business for Chandler because—you guessed it—he really loved cats. His cat Taki gave him endless enjoyment, but also occasionally got on his nerves.

Here’s a passage from a letter Chandler wrote to a friend about Taki:

“Our cat is growing positively tyrannical. If she finds herself alone anywhere she emits blood curdling yells until somebody comes running. She sleeps on a table in the service porch and now demands to be lifted up and down from it. She gets warm milk about eight o’clock at night and starts yelling for it about 7.30.”

Here is a list of famous authors who loved their cats


REVIEW

Eisenberg was so inspired by that initial trip to Poland that he first wrote a play, The Revisionist, which debuted off-Broadway 2013. Eisenberg played a different character named David, a young American visiting his older Polish cousin, a Holocaust survivor, played by Vanessa Redgrave. The play was a success, but his attempts to adapt it into a screenplay didn’t get far. “All of my adaptations were bad,” Eisenberg says plainly. “And I thought, you know, I really want to write and set a movie in Poland, to be able to film there, to be able to experience another story there. It took about 15 years to get something good, but I finally came up with this story, which is a buddy story. And that takes place on a tour of Polish history.”

It was a different Eisenberg project, and another attempt at adapting it to the screen, that provided that other essential part of the story. “I wrote a short story several years ago for Tablet magazine about these two guys going to Mongolia together, and the story was very similar to the dynamic in A Real Pain,” Eisenberg says.

When he hit a wall attempting to adapt it as a film, he happened upon a ‘depressingly fortuitous advertisement’ online, promising ‘Holocaust tours (with lunch)’.

As Eisenberg explains, “It took me to this company that was advertising a tour through the Holocaust sites of Poland—but with all of the creature comforts that an upper middle class American tourist would want. I read it with just a mix of awe and shock and feeling icky that I would be one of those people going on this tour where I would kind of demand my comforts while also viewing the horrors of my family’s history. And I just thought, that is a phenomenal framework to set this movie.”

In A Real Pain Eisenberg plays David, a New Yorker and young father who goes on a tour of Polish Holocaust history accompanied by his cousin Benji, played by Kieran Culkin, thanks to money left by their recently deceased grandmother. Joining a tour group led by the affable James, played by Will Sharpe, David and Benji rekindle their childhood bonds as they grapple with the family tragedies of the past that still, in some ways, define them.

Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin on the set of A REAL PAIN. Photo by Agata Grzybowska, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Of the two cousins at the centre of the film, Eisenberg initially intended to play Benji, the free spirit who charms and exasperates the tour group in equal measure. “I’ve written a lot from the perspective of a character like that because I aspire to be somebody like that,” says Eisenberg. “Someone who’s looser, who is more open, who lives in the moment, who struggles with possibly the same depression I struggle with but deals with it in this freer way.”

Instead, he plays the role of David, who initially seems more grounded than Benji, with a stable if unglamorous tech job and a wife and child back home in Brooklyn.

When David and Benji meet up in the airport for their flight to Poland, it’s the first time they’ve seen each other in years, and their paths have diverged considerably. “They were very tight in their childhood, almost like brothers,” says Culkin, who plays Benji. “When they got older they just grew apart, and to me a lot of the story is about how they handled that very differently. One seemingly moves on from that and seems pretty well-adjusted, and the other one seems to be a bit of a case of arrested development, particularly when it comes to that particular relationship.”

As David is overshadowed by Benji throughout the tour, and as he confronts his family history throughout Poland, his internal struggle— essentially, a struggle with whether he should even allow himself to feel a sense of struggle — becomes clearer. “That’s why the movie is called A Real Pain,” Eisenberg says. “It’s questioning what is real and what is valid pain. Is David’s OCD pain real even when you’re visiting the sites of genocide? Is David’s general anxiety disorder real and valid even though his cousin is experiencing something far worse in his own life? That’s what the movie is questioning.”

Benji is introduced as the kind of guy who can chat up a TSA agent without seeming annoying, and whose unexpected outburst during the tour group’s first meeting is seen as charming, not inappropriate. But as the film goes on it becomes clear that his freewheeling lifestyle is the result of, yes, real pain. Still grieving the loss of the grandmother who inspired the trip, as well as mental health struggles that have recently reached a breaking point, Benji is a stark emotional contrast to his more reserved cousin.

“I think David has managed his baggage a bit and Benji really, really has not,” says Culkin. That baggage comes out in unexpected ways throughout their trip, like Benji resisting sitting in a first-class cabin on a train, or walking away from a jovial group dinner moments after he seemed to be enjoying himself.

As Eisenberg sees it, ”Benji is the real star of the movie. He’s the character that the audience is going to be, by design and thankfully because of Kieran’s brilliance, watching the whole time, trying to kind of figure out.” Enthusiastic and charming one moment, then sullen and sarcastic the next, Benji is “hard to nail down,” Culkin says. But nearly everyone knows a Benji. “It’s interesting how many people will say they know this one person that they can never quite nail down or fully understand,” Culkin says.

“He’s very charismatic and loveable, but also detestable. I know one person in my life who’s kind of like
this, and I’ve since met people that have watched this movie that have said I have a Benji in my life. I’m
like, you’ve got one too? Is it the same as mine?”

Culkin, who had wrapped the fourth and final season of “Succession” shortly before making A Real Pain
claims he did “everything in my power to get out of doing this movie,” but was ultimately too compelled by what he read in Eisenberg’s script. “I instantly went, ‘I know who this guy is, I know I can play this,’” Culkin says. “I don’t want to think about it. I can do it. It’s very, very rare when that happens.”

A Real Pain was Culkin’s first major role since Succession, and required some adjustment from the fast pace of production on that show, where scripts would shift from day to day and improv was encouraged. “I think I chose this movie because the script was tight,” Culkin says. “It was perfect. It didn’t need my help.” Both Culkin and Eisenberg, who comes from the theater world where a script is literally called the Bible, expected to play the film exactly as written.

Director Jesse Eisenberg on the set of A REAL PAIN. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

“I could not have had a better experience shooting anywhere in the world—including my hometown New York City, or my adopted town of Bloomington, Indiana—than shooting in Poland,” says Eisenberg.

Production took place with an almost entirely Polish crew, including cinematographer Michał Dymek, winner of the National Society of Film Critics award for his work on 2023’s EO. “They were just artists,” says Eisenberg. “It was just an unbelievably ambitious shoot that I can’t imagine any other group
of a hundred people being able to pull off.”

Eisenberg took inspiration from road movies like Y Tu Mama Tambien for the film’s style and met with Dymek to discuss ways to “create a road movie that’s also beautiful, that shows Poland in a really beautiful light, but mixes the kind of elements of horror and history.” He wanted to capture the “quiet unease” of being in a comfortable tourist group while learning about horrific history.

To accomplish that, he knew the film couldn’t have a traditional score, and instead turned to one of Poland’s greatest cultural treasures: Frederic Chopin. He had visited Chopin’s home on that first trip to Poland and incorporated his Nocturnes into the sound design for his play The Revisionist. Unlike in a
traditional score where the music would highlight the characters’ emotions, the Chopin’s music in A Real
Pain
“plays almost like a running commentary,” says Eisenberg. “It gives the movie this sophisticated
removed tone that I just found very helpful. When we started editing the movie and were putting these
Chopin pieces in the places that they belonged, the editor and I just turned to each other and said, ‘This
is the tone of the movie.’”

Eisenberg, who poured so much of his own story into the film, sees two ways for audiences to experience it — as a buddy comedy about “these mismatched two guys flailing alongside each other in these various contexts,” and then as something much deeper. “Because it’s a personal movie, it hits people in personal ways,” says Eisenberg. “Some people watch this movie and tell me, ‘My family came from there, and I wept the whole movie.’ So that’s a wonderful reaction, because it makes them feel something.”

Jesse Eisenberg is an Academy Award nominated actor and an acclaimed playwright and author. His film credits include Roger Dodger, The Squid and the Whale, Adventureland, Zombieland, The Social Network, Now You See Me, The Double, Night Moves, The End of Tour, American Ultra, Louder Than Bombs, Batman v. Superman, Now You See Me 2, Café Society, Justice League, The Hummingbird Project, The Art of Self Defense, Zombieland: Double Tap, Resistance, Vivarium, Wild Indian, Manodrome, and Sasquatch Sunset which sees him play the urban legend Sasquatch.
On the small screen, Eisenberg was recently seen playing the titular character of ‘Toby Fleishman’
in the FX limited series ‘Fleishman Is in Trouble’ based on Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s best-selling novel of the
same name.
Eisenberg made his directorial debut with A24’s When You Finish Saving the World, which premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival to glowing reviews and screened as a part of Critics Week at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. The film is based on the Audible Original of the same name, both of which were written by Eisenberg.
Eisenberg has written four plays, including “The Spoils,” which had a box-office record-breaking run-on West End. He also wrote and starred alongside Vanessa Redgrave in his play “The Revisionist,” and “Asuncion.” His play, “Happy Talk” starring Susan Sarandon and Marin Ireland opened April 2019 at
the Signature Theater in New York.
Born in New York, Eisenberg is a frequent contributor to The New Yorker, the author of the collection, Bream Gives Me Hiccups from Grove Press and the Audible Original When You Finish Saving the World, which won “Best Original Work” at the 2021 Audie Awards.



Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey, the film is uniquely told from Robbie’s perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.

Better Man is a song that has resonated deeply with audiences since its release. Its powerful lyrics, emotive melody, and impeccable production have contributed to its status as a beloved musical piece.

“I wanted to find a creatively interesting way into the story, but not for the sake of having a gimmick,” says Michael Gracey. “I wanted to honor the way Rob sees himself. In the recordings we did over the course of a year and a half, he mentioned himself as a performing monkey time and time again. Robbie was incredibly open and honest about his life. He shared stories that were both heartbreaking and inspiring. It was an honor to bring his journey to the screen “

“I trusted Michael with my story because he understands the highs and lows of fame,” says Robbie Williams. “He’s been through it himself in the visual effects world, and he gets the performing monkey analogy I often use for myself.”

Better Man shows how I powered through challenges like childhood trauma, fame too early, mental illness, addiction, and rehab. It’s a raw and honest look at my journey. I didn’t derive any joy from all the success that I had. But now, I’m experiencing joy, happiness, and gratitude. These are my golden years.” Robbie Williams’ candid reflections add a personal touch to the film’s narrative

“The idea of portraying Robbie as a chimpanzee came from his own words. He often referred to himself as a ‘performing monkey,’ and I thought it was a perfect metaphor for his life as a performer. Working with Robbie was a dream, but it wasn’t without its challenges. We had to find the right balance between his real-life experiences and the creative liberties we took to make the film engaging.”

The creation was a collaborative effort, involving the talents of numerous individuals. Songwriters, musicians, producers, and engineers contributed their skills and expertise to the project. The collaborative process was marked by open communication and a shared vision, resulting in a cohesive and well-crafted final product.

Director Michael Gracey in Better Man from Paramount Pictures. ©2024 Better Man Au Pty Ltd

Better Man represents a completely original, daring and innovative approach to the musical biopic genre. And its success hinged on a central character being stylized sufficiently to stand apart from the other characters, yet possessing enough humanity to integrate smoothly into an otherwise realistic live-action setting. It’s a miraculous feat of filmmaking that strikes the perfect balance between mesmerizing cinematic imagery and the grounded reality of one man’s life with all its highs and lows.

“This is a very honest account of Robbie Williams’ life,” says Gracey. “And there are things people won’t know. So from that point of view, it is very satisfying to share such a raw account of someone’s rise to fame. But for me, it’s perhaps even more exciting that audiences who don’t know Robbie Williams will be meeting him for the first time. If you know the songs, it’s a film where you will hum along to the tunes, and it will feel very satisfying. But if you don’t know the music and are hearing it for the first time within this narrative, then you will always associate these songs with these visuals. Hopefully, the imprint is so strong that people will never be able to hear the song again without thinking back to these moments.”

And so, as Gracey and the rest of the creative team prepare for this incredible labor of love to go out into the world, the director says that audiences should also expect everything that comes with an epic spectacle musical with song and dance numbers they will never have seen brought to life in this way before. “I want people to feel the joy and the excitement and how remarkable those moments are, but I also want them to experience the desperation, the sorrow, and the sadness that is part of this journey because that’s part of all our lives,” Gracey says. “And one of the joys of crafting these numbers is that you put so much up on the screen that you actually can’t see everything in one sitting, so there is a desire to go back. We have incredible music, an incredible narrative in Rob, and we have technology that is only just now able to pull off what we wanted to do. It’s a moment in time when all those things came together and that’s what makes Better Man so special.”

Davies thinks that’s exactly why audiences will be kept on the edge of their seats as they’re taken on this high-octane, emotional and euphoric ride. “I also think people will be screaming Robbie Williams’s lyrics for the next three weeks after they watch the film,” says the actor. “And I hope we see Robbie at the top of the charts again, where he belongs.”

As for the entertainer himself, Williams suggests that when audiences see the film, they may begin to view him in a new light. “Because people may think they know how things were, but they don’t know,” he concludes. “I want people to feel emotionally connected to what they’ve just seen. I want people to leave the cinema or leave their sofa or turn the TV off having thought that it was completely worth their time. This film has been a huge swing for me, for Michael Gracey, for the cast, for everybody. It’s a huge dream. And if it became the fabric of people’s pop culture lives that would be wonderful. If I could dream that big.”

Robbie Williams in Better Man from Paramount Pictures. ©2024 Better Man Au Pty Ltd

Born in Stoke-on-Trent in England’s north, Robbie Williams has carved a unique path in the music industry since bursting onto the scene with boy band Take That in the early 1990s. After leaving the band in 1995, lightning struck twice as he embarked on an even more successful, chart-topping solo career. His debut album “Life Thru a Lens” was released in 1996 and showcased his gift for storytelling through music. In the years that followed, Williams evolved into a beloved entertainer known for his captivating stage presence and ability to connect with audiences worldwide.

One of the most decorated music artists in the world, Williams has had six of the top 100 best-selling albums in British history, a huge 85 million album sales worldwide, 14 number 1 singles and a record 18 BRIT Awards – more than any other artist. He secured his 14th UK number 1 album in 2022 with “XXV,” breaking the record for the solo artist with the most UK number 1 albums. His total chart-topping UK albums across his solo work and records released with Take That now stands at 19. It places him in the top two acts of all time with the most number 1s across their catalog. In 2003, his concerts held at Knebworth attracted 375,000 fans over three nights – a record attendance that has yet to be surpassed.

Over the years, Williams continued to show versatility as an artist, shifting his musical style to embrace the sound of swing and big band music artists like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. His successful 2001 album “Swing When You’re Winning” featured reinterpretations of the classics and cemented his ability to masterfully blend his pop sensibilities with the timeless appeal of the standards, earning him a new legion of fans spanning generations. But through it all, Williams struggled with paralyzing anxiety, along with drug and alcohol issues fueled by rocketing to global stardom when he was still just a teenager.

Despite his extraordinary career, Williams is known for living in the present, rarely spending too much time taking stock of what has happened over the course of his life. Looking back, he says, only ever happens when he talks to someone who is asking the right questions.

Better Man’s origins can be traced back to when director, producer and co-writer Michael Gracey was in the midst of making The Greatest Showman in 2016, which starred Hugh Jackman as the American showman, politician, and businessman, PT Barnum. “Whenever Hugh referenced PT Barnum, Hughwould say, ‘Just like Robbie Williams,’” recalls Gracey. “And it became a joke amongst everyone working on the film that whenever he would mention anything about his character, he would reference Robbie Williams, whether it was about the showmanship, the swagger, his musicality or any part of the performance. Robbie Williams was always his North Star.”

And so when Jackman needed reassurance about the film’s music, Gracey knew there was only one person who could convince him that it was in great shape. “I got a meeting with Robbie on a Sunday and went to see him at his house in LA,” recalls the director. “He listened to the songs, and I could see that he was enjoying them, so I asked him to record a video for Hugh. I think Hugh loved hearing from the greatest showman himself.”

“We got on like a house on fire straight away,” recalls Williams of that meeting. “I was transfixed on this man and the story he was telling about his film. Then he played me all the music from The Greatest Showman, and song after song was phenomenal. I’m in awe of Michael’s capabilities.”

The pair gradually became close friends and each time Gracey spent time with Williams, he was reminded of the entertainer’s natural gift for storytelling. “His stories were amazing,” Gracey recalls. “It’s a story of rising to fame but what made it really interesting was the way he told it. He’s very good at remembering the details. So I said to him, ‘You should get these stories down.’ At that point, I didn’t know what it was for but I told him that the next time I was in Los Angeles, I’d come over and we’d hit record and talk. Over the course of 18 months, that’s what we did. There was always a sweet spot where the storyteller in him, the performer in him, loved recounting the life he’s led, and we captured that in a raw, very informal way.”

Gracey began to go back through the recordings, shuffling them around and editing them together to determine whether there was a narrative arc. “I would shut my eyes and imagine what the film could be,” recalls Gracey of listening to Williams narrate his life story. “And it got me excited because there were universal themes. It’s about following your dreams. It’s also about being able to look at yourself in the mirror and love what you see, and be able to accept the person you are. Rob was a kid from Stoke-on-Trent in Northern England, who is not a musical genius but he has ‘it,’ whatever ‘it’ is. And that took him from Stoke-on-Trent to the entire world.”

©2024 Better Man Au Pty Ltd

With his signature self-deprecation, Williams describes his life story as “very remarkable things happening to a particularly unremarkable person.” He continues, “But what I’ve managed to do, what I’ve managed to achieve, and what I’ve managed to overcome, is the equivalent of stretching an elastic band from Stoke-on-Trent to Mars. Hopefully, people will find that interesting. Everybody has a story in them. Everybody is interesting. Everybody has a hero’s journey. That’s part of being human. I just hope that mine, in particular, appeals to people. And musicals are powerful because of their transformative nature and the ethereal quality that music has. Music talks to you on a soul level, deeper than words alone can.”

In 2019, Gracey teamed up with longtime friends and creative collaborators Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson to write the script, and together they developed the themes, added nuance to the characters, and expanded the story beats and key musical numbers of the film. But the script never strayed too far from its foundation in those initial voice recordings. “We discussed the recordings and picked out our favorite moments in the stories Rob was telling,” recalls Cole. “Michael then asked us to come to Sydney for 11 days and nights, and we wrote constantly. At the start, it was a bit of a whirlwind process, but it was refreshing to work creatively under that pressure.”

“We got excited about it very quickly because Rob is such a unique guy,” adds Gleeson. “His music is good, but he is flawed and he can be silly. His fallibility was the best part. He’s emotionally honest. He was courageous to say to us, ‘Go for it.’ Because we didn’t want to sugarcoat anything. We wanted to tell something truthful and emotional. You don’t get to the level of success Rob has had without caring. So what is his drive and where does it come from? It was really important for us to delve in and show what really motivates him. This biopic is not watered down at all.”

Williams admits that he isn’t sure where the compulsion to be equally open about both the good and the bad comes from, but at this point in his life he’s stopped questioning it. “For this film, I’ve revealed way more than I should,” he laughs. “But on a day-to-day basis, I also reveal way more than I should about exactly what’s going on in my life.”

As the trio of co-writers including Gracey developed the project, it quickly became clear that those early recordings should be utilized in the final film. “The majority of the time you hear Rob in the film it is from those original recordings because even when we tried to recreate them, we couldn’t,” shares Gracey. “There’s a certain delivery and conversational manner in which Rob talks in those recordings, which is different to someone being given a script and reading lines.”

Producer Paul Currie soon came on board and, having known Gracey for many years, the pair were thrilled that they had finally found a project to collaborate on together. “Michael has a unique way of telling stories,” he says. “And with Better Man, we were both at a point in our careers where we could give everything to this bold, amazing and ambitious story that we both felt had to be told. Michael has always loved musicals and his career has been about blowing out sequences and making them visually compelling, while also maintaining the heart and emotion. He has an edge and musicality about everything he does, but there’s also a sense of idealism in his characters. So in tackling a story like Rob’s, you knew that with Michael behind it, it was going to have all the grit and reality but also a sense of wonder and fantasy about the story as well. It has been the most challenging ride and journey of my life, but it’s something that we’re all very, very proud of.”

Originally from Melbourne, Australia, but now working across the globe, Gracey relocated back to his home country to make the film early in 2021. The majority of the project was shot in Australia over the course of four months, with the exception of some key sequences that took place in the United Kingdom and Serbia. “To go home to shoot this film with the incredible Australian crews and the talent we have there was a joy,” says the filmmaker. “And to have that many people rally around what is a very ambitious film, was really humbling. This movie would never have happened if it wasn’t for Screen Australia and VicScreen and what they allowed us to do. The epic scale of what we were able to realize is only possible thanks to them.”

“To have someone like Michael be able to return home is a special thing for the growth of the industry because he brings his skills back to the teams of people he works with,” says Currie, who produced the film alongside Gracey,  Coco Xiaolu Ma, Jules Daly, and Craig McMahon. “And the ripple effects of what a large-scale film like this does for the industry are substantial. I hope that when audiences watch Better Man they feel the passion that everyone who worked on this film put into it. This is a movie of sheer defiance, energy, love, collaboration and craft poured into every frame.”

Jonno Davies as “Robbie Williams” in Better Man from Paramount Pictures. ©2024 Better Man Au Pty Ltd

As Gracey developed the film, he knew they had an incredible story, but he felt a certain amount of pressure to present it in a novel way. “It’s an original story and Rob’s a unique character,” he says. “And so I wanted to make sure that how we depicted this story and how we lensed it – in terms of where our focus was – was also creatively unique.”

Whenever Gracey returned to the recordings, he honed in on Williams referring to himself as a monkey over and again. “Rob would say things like, ‘I’m up the back dancing like a monkey,’ or ‘I was completely out of it, but they were dragging me up on stage to perform like a monkey.’ And after a while, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing to represent Rob as a monkey in the film?’ Because Robbie is telling this story – just as he was telling me the story in those interviews – and that’s how he sees himself.” 

Given the way rock stars can shift the energy of a room, making it suddenly seem to orbit around them, the filmmaker also soon discovered that the monkey delivered that same captivating intensity. “When you put a monkey in a scene, you can’t help but be drawn to that monkey, even if he’s not talking,” explains Gracey. “And that captures what it is to be a star. You cannot keep your eyes off that person. So, to me, not only does the monkey satisfy the way Rob sees himself, but there is this other element to it, which is that it creates a real star in every single frame of the film that you become so compelled by. Wētā FX created the lead character of the film, and the work they have done and the passion they put into it is the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen. Long before he was famous, Rob has always been that person that when he walks in the room, he’s the center of attention.”

“My life always seems to be a tightrope act with no safety harness,” admits Williams. “I could fall off at any moment and a lot of the time I do. So when Michael came to the house and said, ‘Let’s have you be a monkey,’ instantly I felt that it was the biggest swing that could ever happen for this movie. I loved the risk that he was taking so much, and I knew we had to go with it. It made perfect sense to me, and it’s so exciting and different. There is a surrender to the machinery of the industry that requires you to be a robot or a monkey. And I chose a monkey.”

Another added benefit that unexpectedly arose from this creative choice was the natural human reaction we have to seeing animals go through challenges on screen. “Our hearts go out to animals as there’s an innocence to them,” notes Gracey. “And when you see animals in pain, or being hurt, it’s very confronting. So there was something really powerful about representing Rob as a monkey and watching him go through those darker moments when he is in pain, whether that’s self-harm or a situation where he’s being hurt. You feel so much more for him.”

But what is perhaps most surprising is how quickly you forget that you’re even watching a monkey. “The first five minutes of a film is where you set the contract with the audience,” explains Gracey. “You’re basically saying, ‘This is what we’re going to be doing.’ Then everyone connects, and you don’t think about it for the rest of the film. You buy into this beautiful character, these amazing performances and these very human qualities. There’s something primal about looking at a monkey and his experiences in a world, where he is quite noticeably different to everyone else. And as an audience, we can relate to that character. Because at the end of the day, we all feel different and often question who we really are. We all look in the mirror – particularly as teenagers – and we go, ‘I’m not this, and I’m not that.’ So watching Rob experience that as a character, as he’s struggling with who he is, is a very relatable and beautiful conceit.”

For Robbie Williams, songwriting was something he felt he had an inherent ability to do – even before he’d ever tried to write his first song. “I wrote poetry when I was in Take That,” the singer remembers. “And then I’d recite my poetry to people, and they genuinely thought it was something that wasn’t shit. So then I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got to turn this into music. I’ve got to put notes to these words.’ And once I figured out how to do that, I didn’t want to stop. I’ve written about 800 songs, and I just constantly want to keep doing it. I’ve been incredibly fortunate that I get to be creative.”

When it came to bringing Robbie Williams to the screen in a dramatized telling of his life story, Michael Gracey always knew that a conventional approach would never work for such a unique individual. Instead, Gracey devised a completely original, somewhat audacious method that took advantage of a CGI monkey being the center of practically every scene. To start, Williams himself was digitally scanned and motion-captured while performing a song from the film, so production could authentically reference his facial expressions, mannerisms and performance movements. Gracey then cast two actors to play the younger Robbie Williams – Australian actress Asmara Feik and English actor Carter J. Murphy – with English actor Jonno Davies taking on the lead role of Williams as a teen and adult.  After filming their respective performances via motion capture, Gracey and the groundbreaking, award-winning digital effects house, Wētā FX, fused all of these elements to create the monkey character and deliver a profoundly impactful portrayal of this once-in-a-generation performer.

“Casting Rob was really difficult,” admits Gracey of finding a lead actor who would carry the majority of the weight of bringing Williams to the screen. “There’s a lot that goes into the character – a lot of heart and a lot of showmanship – and there’s a lot of talent that’s required. Some people had the dramatic chops, some people had the amazing showmanship, some people had the ability to be witty and charismatic. But to find one person who could do all of those things to a degree that satisfied what and who Robbie is, proved almost impossible.”

So impossible in fact that ten days prior to the start of production, the lead had still not been cast. It was actor Kate Mulvany, who plays Williams’ mother Janet, who suggested Davies, who she’d worked with on the series, Hunters. Davies proved to be the ideal fit to represent all the complexities of Williams, delivering a remarkable performance that perfectly embodies his charisma and physicality with striking accuracy. “Jonno gave this film his all,” raves Gracey. “His commitment to portraying Robbie in a truthful, exciting, and energized way was so impressive. It blew me away. He did a deep study of what makes Robbie Robbie, including his relentless nature. Take after take, he always gave it 150%. This film is as good as it is because of Jonno’s dedication to that performance.”

For Davies, it was a role he knew he passionately wanted from the get-go, and he inadvertently brought a lifetime’s amount of research to the performance. “It was the lead in a Michael Gracey film playing one of the icons of my childhood,” he says of his excitement at the opportunity. “Robbie was one of the first people I saw live with my parents when I was about nine years old. It was around the time of his Knebworth shows. It is imprinted in my mind. Robbie is a person whose emotion has always been right on the outside layer of his skin and his heart is on his sleeve. We go very deep into that in this film. But no matter what Robbie puts other people through, we’re on his side.” 

Williams was thrilled with the casting choice, noting that the young actor has something special that translates to not being able to take your eyes off him when he’s performing. “But first and foremost, Jonno is a fantastic human being,” says Williams. “He’s such a lovely person, and he’s immensely talented. Watching him do his thing – which is my thing – was very interesting, confusing, wonderful, and a weird thing to watch. He’s amazing.”

And while it isn’t Davies’ human face that we see on screen, the performance is very much his, asserts Gracey, with layers then added on top. “The animators created a digital version of Robbie as they had all of this footage of Robbie himself to incorporate into Jonno’s performance,” explains the director. “So there are moments, for example with ‘Let Me Entertain You,’ where there are iconic things that Robbie does – from the way he moves to certain expressions, even in the way he shouts out in the breaks of songs – and we got all of those from Robbie himself. And Jonno, to his credit, would study the way Robbie performs. It was amazing to watch just how much of Robbie was in Jonno’s performance. So it ended up being this beautiful hybrid in moments where we could bring in the real Robbie Williams when we needed to. But Jonno really nailed the performances, even in moments where it’s unspoken and he’s just doing a reaction, he reacts in the way that Robbie would. All biopics need an iconic central performance, and we’ve been so fortunate to have one in this.”

The amount of his performance that would come through under the guise of the monkey was something Davies himself had wondered about until his first meeting with Gracey made it crystal clear. “Michael assured me that I was the puppeteer, the person pulling the strings for this character,” he recalls. “They captured all my micro-movements, hence the 101 dots that I had attached to my entire body every morning. The monkey was the canvas, but I was the painter. So for the most part, I never played it as a monkey and although that’s the visual representation, I never wanted people to see Robbie as a Neanderthal or a primitive figure because he’s got so much heart, and he’s very complex. But I loved starting with the physical. Apes are chest-forward and have a ‘bring it on’ approach, which I think Robbie has an abundance of, especially when he’s on stage.”

Raechelle Banno as “Nicole Appleton” and Jonno Davies as “Robbie Williams” in Better Man from Paramount Pictures. ©2024 Better Man Au Pty Ltd

At the heart of the film is a beautifully complicated father-son story between Robbie Williams and his entertainer father Peter Williams – who went by the stage name Peter Conway (Steve Pemberton) – as well as close and loving relationships between Williams and his mother, Janet (Kate Mulvany) and grandmother, Betty (Alison Steadman). Williams’ parents divorced when he was three, and Peter put all of his energy into stand-up comedy and singing rather than being fully present for his son. Pemberton’s portrayal of Peter infused the role with empathy, comedy, and showmanship; Steadman’s performance as Robbie’s nan added emotional depth to the film and symbolized unwavering love and support; and Mulvany captured the authenticity, heart, and humor of a single mother’s relationship with her son.

“In all of Rob’s stories, I was drawn to the father-son aspect of it,” shares Gracey. “Someone once said that all rock stars are sons on stage crying out for their dads. But in Rob’s case, he had a unique experience in that he had a father who idolized Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr., and his excitement and passion for that music was passed on to Robbie. Narratively, there was something beautiful about a father who doesn’t get to realize his dream, but his son does. And in Rob realizing his dream, he allowed his father to stand on stage in front of thousands of people and perform. It’s a very satisfying, unique, and true element to Rob’s story.”

“There were not many people from where I’m from who would even dream of being in the entertainment industry because it was not available to us to have that kind of dream,” recalls Williams. “But yet, my dad was part of that dream. He lived it. He was in it. So I could see that it was possible. The way my father talked about people in his industry that he admired and loved was like he was talking about the gods. My relationship with my father has been one with him as my hero. He’s charismatic, engaging, and wonderful company. Everybody loves Peter, and no one more than me.”

And no one could believe it when the production landed Pemberton, the beloved comedian and BAFTA-winning actor to portray the lovable rogue, Peter. “He had to be able to be the clown, but he also had to have heart,” says Gracey of what he was searching for in an actor to play the part. “He had to be the person Rob looks up to, but he’s also flawed as a human, as we all are. What Steve brought to that character was incredible. He’s a comic genius and an amazing writer, so his ad-libs kept the entire crew in stitches. It was pure joy. I remember those days because my cheeks hurt from smiling all day. The way he portrays Rob’s father is incredibly powerful and touching, and in some of the more unlikable moments, he still makes you care for him.”

“The story is told in an extraordinary way that makes you reevaluate everything you think you know about Robbie Williams,” says Pemberton of why he was drawn to the project. “It’s fun, it’s funny, and it’s dramatic as well. I firmly believe that any drama needs comedy in it and any comedy needs drama in it because life is funny one minute, and dramatic and sad the next. You’ve got to have all of that going on within your performance.”

Michael Gracey is an Australian filmmaker known for his work in visual effects, music videos, and commercials before transitioning to directing feature films. He grew up in Melbourne and began his career at Animal Logic, an animation and visual effects studio, where he worked as an animator and visual effects compositor. Gracey gained recognition for his innovative and often viral approach to commercials, winning numerous awards for his work on spots like Evian’s “Roller Babies” and T-Mobile’s “Dance” flashmob. His directorial debut came with the 2017 musical film “The Greatest Showman”, starring Hugh Jackman, which became a global success. He followed this with producing “Rocketman” and directing “Pink: All I Know So Far” before releasing his latest film, “Better Man”, a musical biopic about Robbie Williams. Gracey is also set to direct the live-action adaptation of “Tangled”

Simon Gleeson is an Australian actor, singer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his roles in musical theatre, particularly as Jean Valjean in the Australian production of Les Misérables, for which he won a Helpmann Award. Gleeson has also performed in numerous other productions, including Love Never Dies, Mamma Mia!, and Eureka. He has appeared in television series such as EastEnders and City Homicide, and released a solo album titled Elements in 2015.

Oliver Cole is an Australian musician and songwriter. He was the frontman for the bands Swampshack and Turn, and has released several solo albums, including Father, Brother, Son. Cole is known for his evolving musical style and has been involved in various musical projects3. He has also contributed to film and television scores, including The Wall and Tempvs.

The producer’s technical expertise and artistic sensibilities helped shape the sound. Musicians brought their unique talents to the recording sessions, adding depth and character to the performance. Engineers ensured that the recording quality met the highest standards.

Like any creative endeavour, the production of Better Man faced its share of challenges. Technical issues, scheduling conflicts, and creative differences were all part of the process. However, the team’s commitment to excellence and their ability to problem-solve ensured that these challenges were overcome. Open communication and a willingness to compromise were key factors in navigating these obstacles.

Better Man stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of meticulous production. The song’s emotional depth and musical complexity are the result of careful planning, technical expertise, and creative vision.


Drawing from real-life experiences, the lyrics encapsulate the emotional journey of longing, regret, and the desire for self-improvement. The heartfelt narrative is complemented by a poignant melody that enhances the song’s emotional depth.

The songwriting process involved multiple stages, beginning with the initial draft of the lyrics. The songwriter meticulously crafted each line to ensure the message was clear and impactful. The melody was then composed to align with the lyrical content, creating a harmonious blend of words and music. Collaborative input from fellow songwriters and musicians helped refine the song, adding layers of complexity and richness.

The lyrics of are characterised by their raw honesty and emotional intensity. The songwriter employed various literary devices, such as metaphors and similes, to convey the depth of their feelings. Each verse builds upon the previous one, culminating in a powerful chorus that serves as the emotional climax of the song.

The melody of was crafted to evoke a sense of melancholy and hope simultaneously. The chord progression plays a crucial role in establishing the song’s mood, with minor chords conveying a sense of sadness and major chords providing a sense of resolution. Harmonies were carefully arranged to complement the lead vocals, adding depth and texture to the overall sound.

The recording sessions for took place in a state-of-the-art studio, equipped with the latest recording technology. The process was meticulously planned and executed, with a focus on capturing the best possible performance. The sessions were marked by a collaborative spirit, with each member of the production team bringing their expertise to the table.

The instrumental tracks for “Better Man” were recorded using a combination of live instruments and digital enhancements. The production team employed a variety of microphones and recording techniques to capture the unique sound of each instrument. Special attention was given to the acoustic guitar and piano, which play a central role in the song’s arrangement.

The instrumental tracks were recorded using a combination of live instruments and digital enhancements. The production team employed a variety of microphones and recording techniques to capture the unique sound of each instrument. Special attention was given to the acoustic guitar and piano, which play a central role in the song’s arrangement.

The production of involved a blend of traditional and modern techniques. The goal was to create a sound that was both timeless and contemporary, appealing to a wide range of listeners. The production team utilized various tools and software to achieve this balance, including digital audio workstations (DAWs), virtual instruments, and effects processors. The mixing process was crucial in shaping the final sound. Each track was carefully balanced to ensure clarity and cohesion. Effects such as reverb and delay were applied to enhance the spatial quality of the recording. The mastering process added the final polish, ensuring that the song sounded great on all playback systems.

Sound design played a significant role. The team experimented with various soundscapes and textures to create a unique auditory experience. Ambient sounds and subtle effects were incorporated to add depth and dimension to the recording, making it a truly immersive listening experience.

©2024 Better Man Au Pty Ltd


In 1971, Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis were well-known residents of Durham, North Carolina, but certainly not a pair you’d expect to see together. Ann was a single mother and a grass roots activist fighting brazen slumlords, firetrap schools and do-nothing local officials. Ellis owned a tiny East Durham gas station just like his millhand dad, and his own four kids. C.P. joined the KKK and became their voice as Durham’s Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan.

The idea of Ann and C.P. ever exchanging a civil word was close to unthinkable, but in writer-director Robin Bissell’s The Best Of Enemies, a dramatic feature film inspired by true events, these two bitter rivals are forced to start talking to resolve a crisis in their dangerously divided city.

The Best Of Enemies marks the screenwriting and directorial debut of Bissell, a producer of award-winning films including Seabiscuit, Pleasantville and The Hunger Games. His original screenplay was inspired by Osha Gray Davidson’s 1996 non-fiction book The Best of Enemies Race and Redemption in the New South.

Robin Bissell was born on June 6, 1968, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a producer and director known for his work on films like The Hunger Games (2012), Seabiscuit (2003), and The Best of Enemies (2019). Bissell began his career in the film industry as a director’s assistant on the movie Pleasantville (1998). He later transitioned to producing and has worked on several successful films. His directorial debut came with The Best of Enemies, which he also wrote the screenplay for.

Bissell, who grew up in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was unaware of the charrette or any of its participants until 2005, when he came across a brief item about C.P. in Time Magazine. The former Exalted Cyclops had died, and Time marked his passing on the “Milestones” page. Those few stark facts were Bissell’s introduction to a tense tale that would dominate his imagination for more than a decade.

“My first thought was ‘how did that happen!,’” Bissell recalled, referring to C.P.’s transformation.

“The item was just three or four lines and left me with so many questions.” Bissell found answers and historical context in Osha Gray Davidson’s book, which primed him for Diane Bloom’s award-winning documentary, An Unlikely Friendship (Filmmakers Library, 2002).

Bloom’s film featured the real-life C.P. in his later years, chastened by the fall-out from his shocking charrette vote, but never regretting it. Bloom had filmed C.P. and Ann together and their bond was obvious. The documentarian also interviewed Riddick and participant Howard Clement, adding more layers to the portrait.

Bissell was now officially hooked on this history-making crew and knew he would tell their story someday in a dramatic feature film.

“Ann was a fierce activist who knew how to get things done,” said the writer-director. “She needs to be known to the world. She was a catalyst for C.P. looking at himself, just as Bill Riddick was a catalyst for Ann looking at herself. She turned a Klansman into an activist – and a friend.

“Humanizing a member of the Klan wasn’t something I took lightly,” Bissell acknowledged, but the documentary reassured him. “What an odd couple C.P. and Ann had become – they made you laugh and think. They had become very close and when C.P. died, Ann delivered the eulogy at his funeral.”

Director Robin Bissell with Sam Rockwell on the film set of The Best of Enemies

They did have a lot in common. As Sam Rockwell, who takes on the role of C.P learned, “Ann talked about her kids getting made fun of at school because she was hanging out with a Klansman, and C.P.’s son’s teachers were making fun of him because his dad was a Klansman hanging out with Ann.”

But C.P. was as good as dead to almost everyone he knew – Klan folk, as well as the White Citizens Council and other big shots who had used him over the years – the minute his heart overruled his hate. “The city leaders and superintendent of schools were all sitting in the front row that night,” said Riddick.

“When he tore his card up, you could see that it was over for him.” As Ann, who died in 2016, noted in Bloom’s film: “C.P. lost a lot in becoming my friend. When he turned, they turned on him.”

He still had Mary, though. Some wives basked in the reflected glow of a husband’s high rank in the Klan. Not Mary. She was busy raising four kids, including one with severe disabilities, and had never cared for the Klan anyway. Besides, she liked Ann.

“Mary was probably the first white woman who ever arrived on Ann’s porch with a jar of jam and got to go inside,” said actress Anne Heche. “Ann and C.P. were mirrors of each other,” observed Taraji P. Henson, who plays Mary. “Once she tapped into his love language – his family – she understood that and pulled him over to her side with sheer force of will.” “It took an army to change C.P.,” Bissell concluded, “but his racism was learned, and he was ripe for change.”

Bissell optioned film rights to Davidson’s book in 2008 but was simultaneously busy producing films with four-time Oscar-nominated writer-director Gary Ross.

The six-month option expired well before Bissell had written a word.

In the meantime, The Best of Enemies had become a play, and Davidson wanted to wait and see if it went to Broadway before granting Bissell another crack at the film rights. Mark St. Germain’s highly charged play premiered in 2011 and has been well-received at regional theaters around the country in the years since.

But with a Broadway production still just a dream, Davidson decided to let Bissell try again. In the summer of 2013, with the mega-success of The Hunger Games behind him, Bissell was ready to step away from his life as a producer and go to Durham.

Coincidentally, The Hunger Games had filmed in North Carolina, but in Asheville and Charlotte, and Bissell knew that Durham was different. His trip coincided with opening night of St. Germain’s play at Durham’s Manbites Dog Theatre. Naturally, Bissell attended – as did Bill Riddick and Ann Atwater.

The two history-makers were friendly to the Hollywood visitor, but far from star struck. “Robin was the third person to approach us about doing a film,” Riddick recollected. “After he left, we figured we’d never hear from him again. But he did come back. We had him to our house for a meal and did some serious talking.”

Bissell, outlining the story by then, already knew he’d have to adjust the timing of a few historical facts to sustain the dramatic momentum a film needs.

He explained his thinking to Atwater, Riddick and C.P.’s daughter, Vickie Lewis, the keeper of Ellis family history. All three gave him their blessings on the changes – and the rights to their stories.

Bissell went home and had a first draft in April 2014.

As time passed, Bissell’s bonds with his subjects deepened. “Vickie would ask, ‘Do you really think you’re going to be able to do this?’ She wanted her father’s story told,” he explained. “I always wanted to call with good news, but in the movie business, you’re so often on the brink of good news. So, I’d have to say, we don’t have it yet, but we will. Their hopes weren’t way up, but they trusted me, and believed in the script.”

Bissell adds, “Ann was so very excited to see the movie and my biggest regret was that I couldn’t pull it together before she passed away.” Producer Matt Berenson believed in Bissell’s script, too, and committed to helping him find the money to get The Best Of Enemies made.

“Robin is a humble guy,” said Berenson. “I don’t think he knew how good it was. The fact that it was a true story blew my mind.” Not only true but riveting. “Robin took heavy subject matter and made it entertaining, not a history lesson,” Berenson emphasized. “He understands that great drama has humor in it, just like life, and he found those moments in the story. It makes you laugh, then pulls the rug out from under you and you’re crying.”

While Bissell was a first-time writer-director, he was also a seasoned producer with a firm grip on dramatic story-telling. “You try to pepper in a little history, but the less the better,” he said. “People want to be invested in the characters. They want to feel.”

Bissell’s very first reader was Danny Strong. The two men had started their careers as co assistants to Gary Ross. While Bissell stayed on to produce with Ross, Strong left to write and act. He won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special with Game Change in 2012, and was working on a new project – the TV series Empire – when Bissell showed him The Best Of Enemies.

“I want this story to light a fire for people who want change,” said Henson.

“Racism and hate are learned. Look at what happens when a cold heart turns warm. This really happened!” producer Fred Bernstein (An Interview with God) noted: “If people like C.P. and Ann can find common ground, maybe there’s hope for all of us,” he said. “Fight for your beliefs, but if you really want to effect change, understand the people you’re fighting with.”

You can watch The Best of Enemies on Netflix. It’s also available for rent on Amazon Prime Video


Murphy’s bold approach challenges the audience to reconsider the narrative. By highlighting the brothers’ claims of abuse and questioning the fairness of their second trial, he sparks thought-provoking discussions. He doesn’t just tell a story; he invites us into a dialogue about justice, media influence, and the complexity of human behaviour. It’s not merely a retelling of a crime but a deep dive into the layers that make the case both shocking and thought-provoking.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is the second season of the riveting biographical crime drama anthology series Monster, masterfully created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan for Netflix. This season delves into the notorious case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, whose 1996 conviction for the brutal 1989 murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, shocked the nation.

The series meticulously unpacks the complex narrative, exploring not only the heinous crime but also the intricate family dynamics, psychological trauma, and the sensational media coverage that surrounded the trial. Through its compelling storytelling, it aims to provide viewers with a nuanced understanding of the Menendez brothers’ motivations and the subsequent legal battles that captivated the public.

Murphy and Brennan’s keen eye for detail and their ability to humanize even the most controversial figures make this series a profound exploration of crime, punishment, and the often blurred lines between victim and perpetrator.

Ryan Murphy was inspired to create Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story to spark conversations about abuse and the criminal justice system. He wanted to bring the Menendez brothers’ case back into the spotlight and encourage discussions about whether their second trial was fair. Murphy believed that revisiting the case could help people talk about the impact of abuse and the complexities of the legal system.

He also aimed to present the story from multiple perspectives, giving a voice to the brothers, their parents, and others involved in the case. By doing so, he hoped to create a more nuanced understanding of the events and the people involved.

Murphy and his team conducted thorough research on the Menendez case, including court transcripts, interviews, news articles, and documentaries to ensure they had a comprehensive understanding of the events and the people involved.

While they relied heavily on factual information, they also used creative storytelling techniques to fill in the gaps and enhance the narrative. This included imagining conversations and emotional moments that may not have been documented, but were plausible within the context of the story.

In creating the fictional reality for the series, Murphy and his team often needed to fill in gaps where specific details were unavailable. This is where creative storytelling came into play.

They crafted dialogues and interactions that might not have been recorded or reported, but were plausible given the context and known behavior of the characters. These imagined conversations helped to add depth and realism to the narrative. When certain historical details were missing or unclear, Murphy’s team used plausible scenarios to bridge these gaps. This helped to maintain a continuous and engaging storyline while staying true to the essence of the real events.

The series included emotional moments that portrayed the inner struggles and psychological turmoil of the characters. While these moments might not have been explicitly documented, they were rooted in the characters’ experiences and the overall narrative arc. Understanding the motivations behind the actions of Lyle and Erik Menendez, as well as their parents, was crucial. The creators used creative storytelling to explore these motivations, providing viewers with a deeper insight into the characters’ minds and emotions.

They also employed visual and symbolic elements to convey the emotional and psychological states of the characters. This included using specific lighting, colors, and set designs to reflect the mood and themes of different scenes.

While the series aimed to be as accurate as possible, it also embraced the flexibility of fiction to create a compelling and cohesive narrative. This balance between fact and fiction allowed the creators to tell a more complete and engaging story.

By using these creative techniques, Ryan Murphy and his team were able to enhance the narrative and provide a deeper, more immersive experience for viewers. This approach not only made the series more engaging but also allowed it to explore the complex emotions and motivations of the characters involved in the Menendez case.

The team delved into the psychological and emotional aspects of these individuals, exploring their motivations, fears, and relationships. This helped to humanize the characters and provide a deeper understanding of their actions.

The series explored the brothers’ motivations, particularly their claims of enduring years of abuse. By delving into their fears and experiences, the creators aimed to provide a deeper understanding of why they might have committed such a heinous crime. The complex relationship between the brothers was a focal point. Their bond, forged through shared trauma, and their loyalty to each other were portrayed in a way that highlighted their dependence and shared secrets.

José Menendez was depicted as a successful but domineering figure. His ambitions and the pressure he placed on his family were explored to understand the dynamics within the household. The series tackled the allegations of abuse head-on, presenting different viewpoints and leaving it to the audience to ponder the truth. This added complexity to his character, making him more than just a one-dimensional antagonist.

The portrayal of Kitty Menendez focused on her emotional and psychological struggles. Her alleged complicity in the abuse, as well as her own challenges with mental health, were key elements that added depth to her character. The series highlighted Kitty’s complicated relationships with Lyle and Erik, showing moments of both affection and conflict.

By presenting these characters with their vulnerabilities, flaws, and emotional struggles, the series aimed to humanize them. This approach allowed viewers to see them as real people with complex motivations, rather than just the perpetrators or victims of a crime.

The series delved into the intricate family dynamics, showcasing the tensions, expectations, and unspoken rules that governed the Menendez household. This helped to paint a fuller picture of the environment in which Lyle and Erik grew up.

By focusing on these psychological and emotional aspects, the series provided a more nuanced and empathetic portrayal of the Menendez family, encouraging viewers to consider the complexities behind their actions. It’s a powerful reminder of the multifaceted nature of human behavior and the impact of family dynamics.

The lead actors played a crucial role in bringing depth and authenticity to the characters. Their performances were instrumental in conveying the complex emotions and psychological struggles of the Menendez family.

Cooper Koch portrayal of Lyle Menendez captured the intense emotions and psychological trauma of the character. His performance included moments of rage, fear, and vulnerability, providing a deep insight into Lyle’s state of mind. Koch’s chemistry with Nicholas Alexander Chavez, who played Erik Menendez, was pivotal in depicting the strong bond between the brothers.

“The script became the backbone of my prep because it was the backstory that I didn’t have to write for myself, for the character,” says Koch. “I read it daily, making thoughtful, inquisitive notes along the way. Even with all of the preparation, I was nervous about filming the episode but also very excited to be able to just exist as him for that long and to finally say these words that I had been reading and working on and making my own for such a long time. It was a beautiful experience — but also terrifying and exhilarating.”

Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Erik Menendez brought a sense of vulnerability and sensitivity to the role of Erik Menendez. His performance highlighted the emotional and psychological impact of the alleged abuse on Erik. Chavez effectively conveyed Erik’s internal struggle and conflicting emotions, making the character relatable and empathetic.

“When you’re playing a character like this, you want to remove as much judgment as you can and empathize as much as you can,” says Chavez. “That’s what I tried to do first and foremost… I wanted to come from as educated a perspective as I could, so I familiarized myself with plenty of primary and secondary sources as far as research material. I went through the Court TV footage quite a bit.

The script also helped Chavez to prepare for the role: “Ultimately, I understand that some of the behavior that he has in this show is difficult for people to digest, but my performance sits at the nexus of so many things. It sits at the nexus of the research I have done, the scripts I was given, the direction that I was given and the strong interpretation and point of view that I formed of this person who is, in my view, one of the most enigmatic human beings to have lived in the last 100 years.”

The actors worked closely with Ryan Murphy and the creative team to understand their characters’ motivations and backstories. This collaboration allowed them to deliver performances that were both authentic and deeply moving. They were encouraged to explore and delve into the psychological aspects of their characters, which helped in portraying them with authenticity and depth.

The actors underwent physical transformations to accurately represent their characters. This included changes in appearance, mannerisms, and speech patterns. They focused on delivering emotionally authentic performances that resonated with the viewers, making the characters’ experiences and struggles palpable. Through their dedication and nuanced performances, the lead actors brought the Menendez family to life on screen, contributing significantly to the series’ impact and success. Their portrayals allowed viewers to connect with the characters on a deeper level and understand the complexities of their actions and relationships.

This approach allowed for a more nuanced portrayal of the case and highlighted the complexities of the situation. Presenting the story from multiple viewpoints was a brilliant way to capture the complexities of the Menendez case.

By focusing on the Brothers’ Perspective, the series delved into their claims of abuse and their emotional and psychological states. This provided insight into their motivations and actions. The portrayal of the brothers’ bond and shared trauma highlighted their intense emotional connection and the impact of their upbringing on their mental health.

Exploring the parents’ perspective, their lives, personalities, and relationships with their sons, added depth to the narrative. It helped viewers understand the family dynamics and the environment in which the brothers grew up. By presenting different viewpoints on the abuse allegations, the series encouraged viewers to consider the complexity of the situation and the potential impact on the brothers.

The Legal Teams’ Perspective showcased the strategies and arguments of both the defense and prosecution provided a comprehensive view of the legal battle. This highlighted the intricacies of the trial and the different interpretations of the evidence. The series explored the ethical dilemmas faced by the legal teams, such as the challenges of defending clients accused of a heinous crime and the pursuit of justice.

By including the media’s role in the case, the series highlighted how the intense media coverage influenced public perception and added pressure to the legal proceedings. The portrayal of the media’s sensationalism and focus on salacious details underscored the impact of media scrutiny on the individuals involved and the broader narrative.

The inclusion of friends, acquaintances, and other characters provided further context and added layers to the story. Their insights and experiences helped paint a fuller picture of the Menendez family and the case. By weaving these perspectives together, the series created a rich and multi-dimensional narrative that allowed viewers to see the case from different angles. This approach not only made the story more engaging but also encouraged critical thinking about the complexities of the situation and the factors that influenced the outcome.

The idea that Lyle and Erik Menendez might have been lovers stems from speculation and rumors that emerged during their trials. Some observers suggested that their close bond and shared trauma could have led to an incestuous relationship.

Various media portrayals, including documentaries and TV shows, have explored this theory to add drama and intrigue to the story. However, it’s important to note that these portrayals often take creative liberties and may not be entirely accurate. The defense team focused on the brothers’ claims of enduring years of abuse by their parents. The exploration of their sexuality was not a central part of the defense strategy, but it added another layer of complexity to the case.

The speculation about the brothers’ relationship contributed to the sensationalism surrounding the case. It influenced public perception and added to the media frenzy.The exploration of this theory raises ethical concerns about privacy and the potential for sensationalism. It’s important to approach such topics with sensitivity and respect for the individuals involved.

There is no concrete evidence to support the notion that Lyle and Erik were lovers. The theory remains speculative and should be viewed with caution.

While the exploration of the brothers’ sexuality adds a layer of intrigue to the Menendez case, it’s essential to remember that it is based on speculation and not proven facts. The focus should remain on the broader issues of abuse, family dynamics, and the criminal justice system.

The series aimed to capture the emotional depth and psychological struggles of the characters. Murphy worked closely with the actors to ensure their performances were authentic and resonated with viewers. This involved exploring the inner turmoil and conflicts faced by the characters, making their experiences relatable and compelling.

To capture the emotional depth and psychological struggles of the characters, Ryan Murphy and his team took a detailed and immersive approach. The actors immersed themselves in the characters’ backgrounds, motivations, and psychological states. They studied the real-life figures they were portraying, as well as the broader context of the case, to deliver authentic performances.

Murphy emphasized the importance of emotional authenticity. The actors were encouraged to tap into the raw emotions and inner turmoil of their characters. This involved exploring feelings of fear, anger, sadness, and desperation, making the characters’ experiences relatable and compelling.

Murphy employed various visual and cinematic techniques to create an immersive experience for viewers. This included carefully designed sets that accurately reflected the time period, as well as thoughtful cinematography that captured the emotional tone of the series. The use of lighting, camera angles, and color palettes helped to convey the mood and atmosphere of different scenes.

The use of different camera angles and movements helped convey the emotional tone of the scenes. Close-up shots captured the characters’ expressions and emotions, while wider shots provided context and setting. In some intense or emotional scenes, handheld cameras were used to create a sense of immediacy and rawness, making viewers feel as though they were part of the action.

The lighting was carefully designed to reflect the mood and atmosphere of each scene. Dim, shadowy lighting was used to create a sense of tension and unease, while brighter lighting highlighted moments of revelation or clarity. Contrasts between light and dark were used symbolically to represent themes such as innocence versus guilt, truth versus deception, and hope versus despair.

The sets were meticulously designed to accurately reflect the time period and settings of the real events. This included recreating the Menendez family home, courtrooms, and other significant locations. Props and set decorations were chosen to enhance the authenticity and immerse viewers in the story’s environment.

The color palette was carefully selected to enhance the thematic elements of the story. Muted and somber colors were often used to reflect the dark and tragic nature of the events, while occasional bursts of color highlighted moments of significance or contrast.

The editing helped control the pacing of the narrative, building tension and maintaining engagement. Quick cuts were used during intense moments, while slower, lingering shots allowed for emotional reflection.

Flashbacks and montages were used to provide backstory, contextualize events, and convey the passage of time. These techniques added depth to the storytelling and helped viewers understand the characters’ motivations.

Visual metaphors and symbolic imagery were used to convey deeper themes and messages. For example, certain objects or settings might represent the characters’ emotional states or the overarching themes of the story.

By employing these visual and cinematic techniques, Ryan Murphy and his team were able to create a rich and immersive experience that drew viewers into the complex world of the Menendez case. These elements combined to make the series both visually captivating and emotionally resonant.


Ryan Murphy is a prolific figure in the television industry, celebrated for creating groundbreaking and widely popular series. His impressive portfolio includes hits like:

  • Glee, a musical comedy-drama that redefined the genre with its unique blend of humor, heart, and catchy musical numbers.
  • American Horror Story, an anthology horror series that gained a cult following for its chilling storytelling and versatile cast.
  • The Watcher, a mystery-thriller that showcases Murphy’s knack for suspense and gripping narratives.

Murphy’s ability to tackle a wide range of genres, from musical to horror to thriller, has made him a standout creator in the world of TV.

Ian Brennan is a key collaborator with Murphy, having co-created Glee with him. Brennan’s contributions were instrumental in shaping the show’s distinct tone and success. In addition to “Glee,” Brennan has worked on other projects, often in collaboration with Murphy, bringing his unique voice and creativity to the table. Together, Murphy and Brennan have proven to be a dynamic duo, consistently delivering compelling and innovative content that captivates audiences.


AI has become an indispensable companion for writers, offering invaluable assistance in brainstorming ideas for screenplays, fiction, and non-fiction. Whether you’re in search of a surprising plot twist, an engaging character arc, or a fresh perspective on a topic, AI can provide endless suggestions to fuel your creativity. With AI by your side, the possibilities for storytelling are truly limitless.

By leveraging AI, fiction writers and screenwriters can unlock new levels of creativity and productivity, making storytelling more enjoyable and effective. It’s like having a versatile and insightful writing partner by your side, ready to elevate your work to new heights.

Overcoming fear and resistance towards embracing an AI companion is key for writers to unlock their full creative potential. Many writers may initially feel apprehensive about incorporating AI into their creative process, fearing that it might stifle their originality or take away from their unique voice. However, once writers push past these fears and open themselves up to the possibilities that AI offers, they can reap substantial benefits.

AI Conversations: Unlocking the Future of Communication

AI: Your Tireless Brainstorming Partner for Endless Inspiration

Imagine having a brainstorming partner who never gets tired, never runs out of ideas, and can access an endless reservoir of knowledge and creativity. Whether you’re working on a captivating novel, crafting a thought-provoking article, or drafting an engaging screenplay, AI stands ready as your ultimate source of inspiration. With AI, every writer gains a tireless companion that offers fresh perspectives, boundless innovative ideas, and the creative boost essential for bringing writing projects to life.

Research Assistance

  • Speed and Efficiency: AI can process large volumes of data in seconds, extracting the most relevant information. This allows writers to focus on analysis and storytelling rather than sifting through endless documents.
  • Accurate Fact-Checking: AI can cross-reference information across multiple sources, ensuring the accuracy of facts and figures. This is crucial for maintaining credibility and trustworthiness in journalistic and academic writing.
  • Data Analysis: AI can identify patterns, trends, and insights from complex datasets. For example, a journalist investigating a social issue can leverage AI to analyze public records, social media data, and other sources to uncover hidden stories.
  • Content Summarization: AI can condense lengthy reports, articles, and papers into concise summaries, making it easier for writers to grasp the key points and incorporate them into their work.
  • Resource Discovery: AI can recommend additional sources and materials based on the topic at hand. This can introduce writers to new perspectives and enhance the depth of their research.
  • Real-Time Updates: For topics that are constantly evolving, such as breaking news or scientific research, AI can provide real-time updates, ensuring that writers have access to the latest information.
  • Language Translation: AI can translate documents from multiple languages, making global research more accessible. This is particularly useful for writers who need to access international sources.

By leveraging AI, writers can streamline their research process, uncover valuable insights, and produce well-informed, compelling content in a fraction of the time. It’s like having a team of diligent researchers at your disposal, ready to assist with every aspect of your work.

AI can elevate you craft

  • Grammar and Spelling Checks: AI can catch errors in grammar and spelling that might slip through a human’s review. This ensures your writing is polished and professional.
  • Style Suggestions: AI can analyze your writing style and suggest adjustments to improve clarity, coherence, and overall readability. It can recommend changes in sentence structure, word choice, and phrasing to make your writing more engaging.
  • Tone Adjustments: Depending on the audience and purpose, AI can help you adjust the tone of your writing. Whether you need a formal, academic tone or a casual, conversational one, AI can provide guidance to ensure your message is appropriately conveyed.
  • Consistency: AI can help maintain consistency in your writing, from character voices in a novel to the tone and style in a series of articles. This is particularly useful for long-form projects.
  • Readability Enhancements: AI can evaluate the readability of your text and suggest ways to make it more accessible to a broader audience. This includes simplifying complex sentences, breaking up long paragraphs, and highlighting jargon that might need clarification.
  • Pacing and Flow: AI can help you maintain a smooth narrative flow by identifying sections that may be too slow or too rushed. This can enhance the overall pacing of your story or argument.
  • Feedback and Revision: AI can provide constructive feedback on your drafts, offering insights on how to strengthen your arguments, enhance descriptions, and improve dialogue. It acts like a virtual editor, helping you refine your work before it reaches human eyes.

These AI tools act as a virtual writing coach, helping you hone your craft and produce high-quality work with greater ease. They take care of the nitty-gritty details, allowing you to focus on your creativity and the essence of your message.

Translation and Localization

For screenwriters and novelists working in multiple languages, AI translation tools can help ensure accuracy and cultural relevance, making it easier to reach a global audience. AI translation tools are revolutionizing the way screenwriters and novelists work across languages, enhancing both accuracy and cultural relevance. Here’s how they make a significant impact:

  • Accurate Translations: AI translation tools use advanced algorithms to provide precise translations, capturing the nuances of different languages. This ensures that the original meaning and tone of the content are preserved, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the story.
  • Cultural Relevance: Beyond literal translation, AI can help adapt content to different cultural contexts. This involves understanding idiomatic expressions, local customs, and cultural sensitivities, ensuring that the material resonates with diverse audiences without causing misunderstandings or offense.
  • Consistency: For long-form projects like novels and screenplays, consistency in translation is vital. AI tools can maintain uniformity in terms of terminology, character names, and recurring themes, providing a seamless experience for readers and viewers.
  • Efficiency: AI can significantly speed up the translation process, allowing writers to focus more on creative aspects rather than spending excessive time on manual translation. This is particularly beneficial when working with tight deadlines.
  • Multilingual Collaboration: AI translation tools facilitate collaboration among writers, editors, and publishers from different linguistic backgrounds. This can lead to richer and more diverse creative inputs, enhancing the overall quality of the work.
  • Global Reach: By providing high-quality translations, AI enables writers to reach a broader, global audience. This not only increases the potential readership but also allows stories to transcend linguistic barriers and connect with people from various cultures and regions.

AI translation tools are empowering writers to create content that is not only linguistically accurate but also culturally resonant, making it easier to share their stories with the world.

Collaboration

AI can facilitate collaboration among writers by providing real-time feedback and suggestions, making it easier to co-write and edit their screenplays or novels, bringing efficiency and creativity to co-writing and editing processes. Here’s how AI can enhance collaboration among writers:

  • Real-Time Feedback: AI can provide instant feedback on grammar, style, tone, and structure. This ensures that writers can quickly address any issues and keep the writing process smooth and uninterrupted.
  • Suggestion Tools: AI can offer suggestions for improvements, such as alternative phrasing, vocabulary enhancements, and better ways to articulate ideas. This helps co-writers refine their work and achieve a more polished final product.
  • Track Changes and Comments: AI tools can track changes and add comments, making it easy for writers to see revisions and suggestions from their co-authors. This streamlines the editing process and ensures that all feedback is organized and easy to follow.
  • Version Control: AI can manage different versions of a document, ensuring that all changes are saved and easily accessible. This prevents any loss of work and allows writers to revert to previous versions if needed.
  • Conflict Resolution: AI can help resolve conflicts in writing styles or ideas by suggesting compromises and highlighting the strengths of different approaches. This fosters a more collaborative and harmonious writing environment.
  • Project Management: AI can assist with project management by setting deadlines, tracking progress, and assigning tasks. This keeps the writing team organized and on schedule.
  • Creativity Boost: AI can generate creative ideas, plot points, and character developments, providing a constant stream of inspiration. This helps writers overcome creative blocks and keeps the writing process dynamic and exciting.
  • Remote Collaboration: For writers working remotely, AI tools facilitate seamless collaboration by providing a shared platform where all contributors can work together in real-time, regardless of their physical location.

Overall, AI acts as a powerful assistant, allowing writers to focus on their creativity and craft while handling repetitive and time-consuming tasks. This synergy between human creativity and AI efficiency creates a dynamic and exciting landscape for writers of all kinds. The combination of human creativity and AI efficiency has opened up a thrilling new frontier for writers. It’s like having the best of both worlds—where human ingenuity and artistic flair meet the relentless precision and speed of AI.

  • Enhanced Creativity: With AI generating ideas, plot points, and character developments, writers have a steady stream of inspiration to draw from. This can lead to more innovative and compelling stories that push the boundaries of traditional storytelling.
  • Increased Productivity: AI takes care of the repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as proofreading, fact-checking, and formatting. This allows writers to focus on the creative aspects of their work, resulting in higher-quality content produced in less time.
  • Accessibility: AI tools make writing more accessible to a wider range of people, including those who may have struggled with language barriers or disabilities. This democratizes the creative process, enabling more voices to be heard.
  • Global Collaboration: Writers from different parts of the world can seamlessly collaborate using AI translation and editing tools. This fosters diverse perspectives and enriches the content with a global touch.
  • Audience Engagement: AI’s ability to analyze reader preferences and trends ensures that content is tailored to resonate with the intended audience. This increases engagement and builds a stronger connection between writers and their readers.
  • Innovative Storytelling: With AI’s capabilities in generating new ideas and exploring different narrative paths, writers can experiment with innovative storytelling techniques. This can lead to the creation of unique and captivating stories that stand out in the market.

In essence, this synergy between human creativity and AI efficiency is not just a trend—it’s a revolution that is reshaping the writing landscape. It empowers writers to create more meaningful, impactful, and engaging content, making the future of writing incredibly exciting.


100 Years Of AI FILMS

AI: The Secret Weapon Every Writer Needs in Their Arsenal

Let’s take a closer look at AI Communication & the Evolution of AI Conversations

Advanced AI companions are not just helpful tools; they are revolutionizing the way we interact with technology and each other. These intelligent entities are designed to foster deeper, more authentic connections, making every interaction feel as seamless and engaging as a conversation with a trusted friend. Picture having an assistant who not only understands your needs but anticipates them, offering tailored support that enriches your life in countless ways.

Imagine a world where your AI companion can remember your preferences, help you brainstorm creative ideas, and provide thoughtful insights on a range of topics. Whether you’re navigating complex tasks, seeking inspiration, or simply looking for a bit of light-hearted banter, these advanced AI companions are there to enhance your experiences and make every moment more enjoyable. They transform the mundane into the extraordinary, turning routine interactions into delightful encounters that leave you feeling understood and empowered.

In essence, advanced AI companions are here to augment our abilities and bring a touch of magic to our daily lives, making the future not just more efficient, but infinitely more captivating.

Using sophisticated AI algorithms and machine learning to understand and respond intelligently. It leverages sophisticated algorithms and machine-learning techniques to process and interpret human language. These systems analyse vast amounts of data to learn patterns, contexts, and nuances in communication. By continuously refining their models, they improve their ability to understand complex queries, discern the underlying intent, and generate relevant, coherent, and contextually appropriate responses. This allows them to engage in dynamic and meaningful conversations, offering intelligent assistance across a wide range of topics and applications.

Advanced AI systems are equipped with the ability to understand and manage the context of conversations, which is crucial for handling complex queries. This means they can keep track of what has been said previously, recognise the nuances and subtleties in the dialogue, and respond appropriately. By maintaining context over multiple turns, they can provide coherent and relevant responses even as the conversation evolves. This enables them to handle layered questions, follow-up inquiries, and intricate discussions effectively, making interactions feel more natural and seamless. Their ability to grasp and recall context ensures that users receive accurate and meaningful assistance throughout the entire conversation.

Incredibly versatile, and designed to assist users with a broad array of tasks, these AI companions excel in various domains, from boosting productivity to fueling creative projects. They can help you manage your schedule, set reminders, draft emails, and automate routine tasks, making your work life more efficient and organised. Beyond productivity, they also support creative endeavours by generating ideas, writing stories or poems, creating artwork, and even composing music. This versatility allows AI companions to be valuable tools in both professional and personal contexts, offering tailored assistance and enhancing different aspects of your life.

Designed to provide varied and personalised responses, which makes interactions feel more engaging and human-like, these AI companions can adapt their replies based on the context of the conversation and the individual preferences of the user. By understanding the nuances of language and the specific needs of the user, they can tailor their responses to be more relevant, insightful, and personalized. This dynamic capability ensures that conversations are not monotonous or repetitive but instead feel natural and interactive. Whether you’re seeking advice, looking for creative input, or just having a casual chat, these AI systems can make the interaction enjoyable and meaningful, much like a conversation with a human friend.

They are designed to continuously learn from their interactions with users. This means they analyse past conversations to identify patterns, preferences, and areas for improvement. By leveraging machine learning techniques, these AI companions can refine their algorithms, enhance their understanding of complex queries, and adapt to the unique needs of each user. Over time, this continuous learning process enables them to provide more accurate, relevant, and personalized assistance. This ability to evolve and improve ensures that the AI remains a valuable and effective tool, capable of delivering better support and more engaging interactions as it learns from each experience.

  • 1950s-1960s: The journey began in the mid-20th century with rule-based systems. These early AI models, such as the famous ELIZA program created by Joseph Weizenbaum in 1966, were designed to mimic human conversation using pre-defined rules and patterns. While impressive for their time, they were limited in understanding context and could only respond to specific keywords or phrases. ELIZA was one of the earliest and most famous examples of a computer program designed to simulate human conversation. Developed in the 1960s by MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum, ELIZA was created to showcase the superficiality of human-computer interactions at the time. It mimicked a Rogerian psychotherapist, which means it employed techniques used in client-centered therapy, where the therapist often reflects the client’s statements back to them.
  • 1970s-1980s: Advances in NLP allowed AI to better understand and generate human language. This period saw the development of more sophisticated rule-based systems, but they still struggled with context and ambiguity. During this time significant strides were made in the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP). This period saw the development of new algorithms and models that enhanced AI’s ability to understand and generate human language more effectively. These advancements allowed for the creation of more sophisticated rule-based systems that could parse and process sentences, recognize parts of speech, and generate more coherent responses. However, despite these improvements, these early NLP systems still faced considerable challenges. They struggled with understanding the broader context of conversations, often failing to maintain coherence over multiple turns. Ambiguity in language was another major hurdle. Human language is inherently complex and nuanced, with words and phrases often carrying multiple meanings depending on the context. Early NLP systems found it difficult to disambiguate such language, leading to misunderstandings and incorrect responses.
  • 1990s-2000s marked a pivotal era in the evolution of AI conversations with the introduction of machine learning. This advancement allowed AI systems to learn from vast datasets, significantly enhancing their capabilities. Unlike previous rule-based systems, machine learning algorithms could analyze and adapt to new information, enabling more dynamic and flexible responses. During this period, chatbots became more effective at engaging users in natural conversations. They could handle a wider range of queries and adapt to various contexts. However, their scope was still somewhat limited, as they primarily relied on pattern matching and predefined responses. One notable program from this era is ALICE, developed by Dr. Richard Wallace. ALICE utilized pattern matching and a vast database of pre-set responses to engage in more natural and coherent conversations. It could simulate human-like interactions by recognizing specific patterns in user inputs and generating appropriate responses. While programs like ALICE represented significant progress, they were still limited by their reliance on pattern matching. These chatbots struggled with understanding the deeper context and nuances of conversations. They could handle straightforward queries effectively but often faltered with more complex or ambiguous interactions.
  • 2010s: The advent of deep learning and neural networks revolutionized AI conversations. Models like Google’s Transformer architecture (introduced in 2017) significantly improved the AI’s ability to understand context and generate coherent responses. Deep learning involves training AI models using neural networks, which are designed to mimic the human brain’s structure and function. These networks consist of layers of interconnected nodes (neurons) that process and analyze vast amounts of data. Neural networks brought a profound improvement in AI’s contextual understanding.This capability enabled more dynamic and natural interactions, making AI responses feel more human-like. One of the most significant breakthroughs during this period was the introduction of Google’s Transformer architecture in 2017. The Transformer model revolutionized natural language processing by introducing a mechanism called “attention,” which allowed the model to weigh the importance of different words in a sentence. This innovation enabled the model to better understand the context and relationships between words, leading to more coherent and contextually accurate responses. The combination of deep learning and the Transformer architecture drastically improved AI’s conversational abilities. This leap in technology paved the way for the development of advanced AI companions, such as OpenAI’s GPT-3 and Microsoft’s Copilot, which are capable of dynamic, multi-purpose interactions. The advancements in deep learning and neural networks have set the stage for even more sophisticated AI systems.
  • Late 2010s-Present: The development of large language models, such as OpenAI’s GPT-3 and Microsoft’s Copilot, marked a significant leap forward. These models leverage vast amounts of data and complex algorithms to understand context, maintain coherent conversations, and offer personalized responses. These large language models are trained on vast datasets comprising diverse text sources from across the internet. This extensive training allows them to develop a deep understanding of language patterns, syntax, and semantics. By leveraging complex algorithms and neural network architectures, these models can process and generate human-like text with remarkable accuracy. One of the key advancements brought by these models is their ability to understand and maintain context throughout a conversation. This ability makes conversations more coherent and engaging. They can handle multi-turn conversations, provide detailed and relevant answers, and seamlessly transition between topics. The impact of these advancements is far-reaching, with applications spanning customer service, virtual assistants, content creation, and more. Large language models are being integrated into various platforms and tools, providing users with intelligent and versatile AI companions that can assist with a wide range of tasks.

  • Beyond 2020s: The future of AI conversations promises even more sophistication, with potential advancements in emotional intelligence, more human-like interactions, and seamless integration into everyday life.
    • Emotional Intelligence: Future AI models will likely exhibit enhanced emotional intelligence, allowing them to recognize and respond to human emotions more effectively. By understanding nuances in tone, context, and sentiment, AI companions will be able to provide more empathetic and supportive responses. This improvement will make interactions more meaningful and fulfilling, as AI can better address the emotional needs of users.
    • More Human-Like Interactions: Advancements in AI will continue to blur the line between human and machine interactions. Future AI systems will become increasingly adept at mimicking human conversational styles, including humor, empathy, and intuition. This evolution will result in more natural and engaging dialogues, where AI companions can seamlessly integrate into social settings, work environments, and personal interactions.
    • Seamless Integration into Everyday Life: The integration of AI into everyday life will become more seamless and ubiquitous. AI companions will be embedded in a wide range of devices and applications, from smart home assistants to wearable technology. This pervasive presence will ensure that users can access intelligent and personalized assistance wherever they are, enhancing convenience and efficiency in daily tasks.
    • Advancements in Personalization: Future AI models will offer even greater levels of personalization, tailoring their responses and behaviors to the unique preferences and habits of each user. By continuously learning from interactions, AI companions will provide highly customized experiences that cater to individual needs, interests, and lifestyles.
    • Multimodal Interactions: As technology evolves, AI will be able to engage in multimodal interactions, combining text, voice, and visual inputs to create richer and more immersive experiences. For instance, AI companions could use facial recognition to gauge a user’s mood or employ augmented reality to assist with tasks in real-time.
    • Ethical and Responsible AI: As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, there will be a growing emphasis on ethical and responsible AI development. This focus will ensure that AI systems are designed and deployed in ways that prioritize user privacy, fairness, and transparency. Safeguards will be put in place to prevent misuse and ensure that AI serves the best interests of society.
    • Innovative Applications: The future will also bring innovative applications of AI conversations across various industries, such as healthcare, education, and entertainment. AI companions could serve as virtual tutors, providing personalized learning experiences, or as health coaches, offering real-time wellness advice. In entertainment, AI could create interactive storytelling experiences that adapt to the user’s choices and preferences. The future of AI conversations holds immense potential to transform the way we interact with technology and each other. With advancements in emotional intelligence, human-like interactions, seamless integration, personalization, multimodal capabilities, and ethical considerations, AI companions will become even more valuable and impactful in our daily lives.

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In 2023 Daniel edited director and screenwriter Germain Atabe Ayum’s Silent Tears. His latest film Dark Beauty was selected by Silicon Valley African Film Festival in California, for best feature film in 2022, and nominated by Sotambe International Film Festival for best director in 2022. Atabe Ayum also wrote and directed Mzamo, a 2020 feature film now airing on Mnet – DStv, and received a silver award from International Independent Film Festival, USA, in 2020.

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Writer-director Karen Van Schalkwyk   (Adventures of Supermama / Ren)

The journey with my screenplay editor, Daniel Dercksen (The Writing Studio)  has been smooth sailing. In fact – it was blissful! His unique editing method – reading the script and reacting to it as if watching the movie, ensures that he: pays close attention to every factual detail and picks up any misconstruction, clarifies all fuzziness in action descriptions so that the visual image stays clear in the reader’s mind, evaluates the narrative on its level of character, story, plot, dialogue and cinematic engagement (instead of forcing the script to fit into a specific genre/structural recipe). The organic and creative nature of the collaborative process was very rewarding and uplifting. I strongly recommend Daniel as editor. He has the rare ability to see into the mind of the artist and from there navigate the writing of the script into a polished, seamless blueprint for an engaging film. Thanks Daniel! You rock! Libé Ferreira – Former Head of Drama department at The National School of the Arts / Former Writer, Casting Director, Acting Coach at Franz Marx Films (Screenplay: What’s In Your Suitcase, 2020)

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Read the Review

OVERVIEW: Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu has a cryptic, beautiful, and unsettling atmosphere, transporting viewers into a world where witches, curses, and vampires are very real. It stands out for its visually stunning and atmospheric storytelling, creating a sense of timelessness and horror that resonates, exploring themes of obsession, love, and the supernatural, making it a compelling and eerie experience. Eggers’ reimagining is a labor of love and respect for the original film, while also bringing fresh, innovative elements to the table. The film features stunning cinematography, with a dark, moody aesthetic that pays homage to the original while incorporating modern techniques to heighten the eerie atmosphere. The settings are crafted with historical accuracy in mind. From the architecture to the costumes, everything is designed to immerse the audience in the period and enhance the Gothic horror ambience. The casting and performances are top-notch. The actors bring depth and complexity to their characters, making them both relatable and terrifying. The portrayal of Count Orlok is particularly noteworthy, capturing the sinister essence of the character while adding new layers of menace. Eggers’ version delves deeper into the psychological aspects of the story. The film explores themes of fear, obsession, and the unknown, making it not just a horror film, but a profound psychological experience. While it brings new elements to the table, Eggers’ “Nosferatu” remains respectful to its source material. It strikes a balance between honoring the classic and innovating within the genre, making it a standout reimagining that appeals to both fans of the original and new audiences. It’s truly a masterful blend of old and new, paying homage to a timeless classic while bringing it into the modern era with style and substance.

Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in his wake.

In Eggers’ Nosferatu, estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) travels to Transylvania for a fateful meeting with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), a vampiric prospective client. Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), Hutter’s new bride, is left under the care of their friends Friedrich and Anna Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin) in his absence. Plagued by visions and an increasing sense of dread, Ellen encounters a force far beyond her control.

In many ways, my adaptation of Nosferatu is my most personal film. A story, not engendered by me, but one that I have lived with, within, and dreamed about since childhood. I often felt I had the same un-jaded creative spark of a first time filmmaker when finally making the film because of the years of thought I have put into it. I feel more fortunate than ever to have had the chance to make it with my trusted team of long-time collaborators.

It is embedded with many of my own memories and personal experiences amplified and transposed to 1830s Baltic Germany. It took time to get there, to understand the fascination. Of course, it was the image and performance of Max Schreck that haunted me as a kid. There was something essential about the mysterious vampire and the simple fairytale of Nosferatu. And I am certain that when Hutter threw open the lid of Orlok’s sarcophagus audiences gasped at the terror and imagined the stench of the undead monster. How could I find my own way there?

As recently as twenty years ago, in Southern Romania, a man believed to be a vampire was exhumed, and his corpse ritually mutilated. He was a difficult man and a heavy drinker. After he died, his family said he returned as a strigoi, attacking them in the night. His daughter-in-law particularly suffered from these nocturnal assaults and became ill. When his body was destroyed, as per the folkloric procedure, the vampiric visitations stopped. His reign of terror ended. His daughter-in-law was cured. What is the dark trauma that even death cannot erase? A heartbreaking notion. This is at the essence of the palpable belief in the vampire. The folk vampire is not a suave dinner-coat-wearing seducer, nor a sparkling, brooding hero. The folk vampire embodies disease, death, and sex in a base, brutal, and unforgiving way. This is the vampire I wanted to exhume for a modern audience.

Robert Eggers

Robert Eggers during filming of Nosferatuu. Copyright: Universal Pictures, Focus Features

Nosferatu marks the realization of a near-lifelong dream for Eggers, who fell in love with F.W. Murnau’s 1922 film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror as a child. As Eggers’ interest in film grew, so did his desire to make his own particular presentation of Nosferatu, inspired by both Henrik Galeen’s screenplay for Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror and Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula.

Eggers was inspired to write and perform a stage adaptation with classmate Ashley Kelly-Tata (now an
accomplished theater director) at his hometown high school. This production caught the attention of
Edouard Langlois, artistic director of the Edwin Booth Theatre in Dover, New Hampshire, who invited Eggers and Kelly-Tata to transfer their production to his space. The opportunity proved fortuitous for Eggers: “This made me know that I wanted to direct.”

After high school, Eggers enrolled in a drama program in New York, and later started a theater company. “I intended to return to Nosferatu again, but it never happened,” says Eggers.

Having directed the high school stage production, Eggers knew he wanted to bring the story back to the big screen in his own unique artistic way and has been working ever since to make that happen.

Eggers made his directorial debut with The Witch, a Puritan era supernatural horror film that screened to acclaim at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. After the success of The Witch, Eggers completed a draft of Nosferatu and gathered a preliminary cast.

He ultimately set the project aside to direct his reality-bending drama The Lighthouse, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. The Northman, Eggers’ lauded Viking epic, followed.

Eggers returned to Nosferatu, eager to tell the twisted beauty-and-the-beast tale through his own increasingly distinct lens. Eggers’ process included exploring his story in a different medium: “I ended up writing a novella with extensive backstories and scenes that I knew would never be in the film to understand why Nosferatu needed to be told again,” says Eggers. “I had to write that novella to make it my own.”

Ellen emerged as Eggers’ driving force. “As an evolution of the story, the thing that is most significant is that this is Ellen’s film. She is a victim not only of the vampire, but of nineteenth century society,” says Eggers.

In light of this shift in focus, Eggers chose to begin his screenplay with an occurrence that would then be diagnosed as “hysteria.” “This is Ellen’s story. There’s a prologue that begins with her childhood and an unexplained but terrifying haunting,” says Eggers.

Eggers looked to the physical screenplay for Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror for insight and inspiration. “I studied Henrik Galeen’s screenplay with Murnau’s annotations very carefully,” Eggers says. Eggers also extensively researched the occult and historical representations of vampires.

“His office was filled with hundreds of books,” producer Chris Columbus remembers. “It was almost like
walking into the office of a professor of vampirology. There were all these books on the occult, and
the history of vampirism.”

Eggers has a practical reason for grounding his scripts with historical authenticity. “The act of research is something that I truly enjoy,” says Eggers. “Part of it is about eliminating decisions; you don’t need to invent anything. you just look for it and find it.”

Dracula remained a secondary influence in Eggers’ writing process. “You can’t ignore Dracula when you’re going to approach this piece. There are a lot of things that have been in Dracula movies that I thought were in the novel but weren’t in the novel. And I had read it several times before! That was interesting, to forget everything that I had learned about Dracula and vampires – and then to relearn it from the bottom up.” Eggers wanted to create a film that was unique to him and pulled upon many references to create his own standalone version of Nosferatu.

Pauses in the careful development of Nosferatu gave Eggers the opportunity to build upon his skills as a writer, director, and producer, and to assemble a world-class team of collaborators, both in front of and behind the camera. “I wouldn’t have had as much control,” says Eggers of the fortuitousness of delaying Nosferatu. “I wasn’t as far along in my career, and I wasn’t as adept at filmmaking. It was helpful to step away from it.”

Nosferatu assembles a stellar cast that includes Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe.

Lily-Rose Depp portrays Ellen, the conflicted, possessed central figure in Nosferatu. Depp explains her attraction to the script and role: “I always loved haunted gothic tales like this. I could see the whole thing playing out as I was reading it. I was holding my breath the entire time,” says Depp.

Despite elements of possession and fantasy, Depp found that Eggers’ screenplay mined much of its shocking suspense from realism. “There’s something about this script and this movie that feels very real, visceral, and human, which is interesting because we’re talking about demons, and ghosts, and this other realm. That’s what I think is the scariest part about the movie: just how real the nightmares are,” Depp says.

Nicholas Hoult, who plays Thomas, an earnest estate agent who journeys to Orlok’s castle in pursuit
of an opportunity to build a better life for his family, was a longtime fan of Eggers’ immersive, entrancing filmmaking. “There’s no one who, in my opinion, creates authentic worlds and builds atmosphere quite like he does in his movies,” Hoult says of Eggers. “The world he has created is incredible.”

Hoult also understood the responsibility of playing a part in realizing Eggers’ childhood dream. “This film has been thirty years in the making in many ways, and I wanted to do service to the story and this character in a way that would make Rob proud,” says Hoult.

A hopeful naïveté surrounds Thomas and Ellen’s relationship. Hoult explains: “It’s a pure love, but I wouldn’t describe it as a passionate love,” says Hoult. “Thomas is very caring for Ellen and loves her deeply, but there’s obviously a lack of truth in their relationship at the start.”

On his trek to meet Count Orlok, Thomas rests at a Romanian village and ignores warnings of danger. “Thomas starts to lose sense of what’s real and what’s not. From that moment on, he is never quite sure if he’s dreaming or if the things he’s witnessing are real,” says Hoult.

Bill Skarsgård, who undergoes an astounding transformation to portray Orlok, remembers watching Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror as a child. “My dad loves movies, and he gave me an early tour of cinema history, and Nosferatu was one of the films we watched,” comments Skarsgård.

Despite Skarsgård’s familiarity with Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, he found Eggers’ script to be breathtakingly original. “I read it and thought, ‘There’s nothing like this,’” Skarsgård remembers. “I thought it was one of the best scripts I had ever read.”

In Nosferatu, Willem Dafoe takes on the role of Albin Eberhart Von Franz, a professor engaged to cure Ellen. Dafoe also already had experience in this realm as he garnered an Oscar nomination in 2001 for his role as Max Schreck in the lauded behind-the-scenes drama Shadow of the Vampire, and also starred in Eggers’ The Lighthouse and The Northman. Dafoe was happy to re-team with Eggers for a third time. “The script is beautiful,” says Dafoe. “It really struck me as kind of a love story. I knew that my role was the role that Rob would play if he were an actor in this. That was a pleasure. He likes many of the things that Von Franz is versed in. Anytime I get to work with Rob I’m happy.”

Aaron Taylor-Johnson responded to his character’s precipitous lack of control. “Friedrich Harding was instantly a relatable character, someone who is a family man, someone who will go to the ends of the earth for his wife and children. It’s slowly slipping through his fingers, and he’s trying to hold it all together,” Taylor-Johnson says. In the face of alarming challenges, Friedrich continues to care for Ellen, even after he realizes that her illness may be beyond human control. “He has a guest under his roof, and a responsibility to his friend. He doesn’t want to go back on his word, but also, at some point, enough is enough,” Taylor-Johnson explains.

Emma Corrin is Anna Harding, Ellen’s friend and Friedrich’s spouse. Corrin echoes their co-stars’ appreciation for the specificity of Eggers’ screenplay. “I know how much he loved creating very curated worlds with all the detail and accuracy, almost like a painting, putting them together. I could see how this story, and its characters, and its architecture, and the whole world in which it’s set leans so much towards what he loves to do,” says Corrin.

Nosferatu reunites the renowned artists who contributed to the immersive power of Eggers’ previous films, including production designer Craig Lathrop, cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, costume designer Linda Muir, and editor Louise Ford, all of whom worked on The Northman, The Lighthouse, and The Witch. The Northman composer Robin Carolan also returns to the team.

After assembling his cast, Eggers established the production for Nosferatu in Prague’s Barrandov Studio, a longtime hub for European filmmaking. Eggers found opportunities to incorporate Prague’s architecture, and the production made a brief trip to Transylvania to shoot exteriors of Hunedoara Castle for Orlok’s Castle. In addition to the few practical locations, Lathrop designed an astounding sixty sets. “I wanted to build as much as possible,” says Eggers. “It gives me the most amount of control with how Jarin and I like to move the camera.”

Lathrop’s ingenuity led to sets that could accommodate Eggers’ ambitious camerawork. Eggers comments: “Often, it demands that we have movable walls and movable ceilings. There are several shots where a wall will open on a hinge to get the camera through, and then come back around and close back up. It’s a lot, but it’s very fun.”

The delicate dance between the actors, camera department, and crew made for an attentive set: “It’s an enjoyable way to work because every single person on set is dependent on everyone else. The tension and focus are incredibly high. If anyone – from the camera operator to the dolly pusher to the actors – does one little mishap, it all falls apart and we have to do another take. When we get it, it’s incredibly satisfying. It builds a lot of camaraderie.” says Eggers.

Blaschke shot on 35mm film and used special Dagor and Baltar lenses through the gracious assistance of Dan Sasaki at Panavision. Blaschke has a longtime interest in film photography, having developed his own sheet film negatives in trays and made contact prints from them. He brought his knowledge of nineteenth century view camera lens designs in creating the film’s look. Among Blaschke’s many goals for Nosferatu was to accurately portray the pale glow of moonlight. Blaschke explains: “If you made it look like actual moonlight does to your eye, you wouldn’t read people’s faces; you couldn’t tell the story at all. It was really riding that edge of where you can tell the story of the movie, but also believe it, and make it feel like moonlight does to your eye. That was the balancing act.”

“One of the things that we were developing since The Northman was a moonlit look that is very desaturated and closer to black and white,” adds Eggers. In finding the perfect romantic moonlight, Blaschke incorporated real candlelight with the assistance of a high-speed lens. “It’s all real flame,”
Blaschke says. “We just kept putting in candles until we got to the right exposure. It got messy, but
it’s very gratifying to shoot on film and have real candles.”

Lathrop shares Eggers’ commitment to historical accuracy and authenticity. “Once I got a script, I started digging into it in detail. This film is set in Wisborg, a fictitious town on the Baltic Coast, a Hanseatic town, and so I started researching the rich architectural history of Hanseatic towns.”

Lathrop made the home interiors a reflection of the characters’ disparate levels of wealth. “It’s important to see that Thomas and Ellen live in an extremely modest flat, but they have aspirations of something a bit grander,” says Lathrop. “Thomas is off to Transylvania to start this journey because he wants to make something of himself, or at least he wants to be a success in material way, like his friend.

Romanian screenwriter Florin Lăzărescu assisted the production by translating dialogue into Dacian, a dead language, and researching nineteenth century Transylvanian daily life. “Little by little, I started to talk to the team about different objects: icons, crosses, and toys for Roma kids. I found things I didn’t know about my country, about my culture, before researching for this movie,” says Lăzărescu.

Special Effects makeup artist David White grew up with a love of classic vampires. “When I first became interested in make-up effects, I remember leafing through the pages of reference books in the library, which were so intriguing.” White, together with Eggers, took great pride in the designing of Count Orlok and thoroughly investigated the decay of flesh and bone using medical and historical research papers and books. He noted that “Robert shared illustrations and a mood board he had created. He even showed me his own early painting of the Count, which was very useful and gave me the vibe and tone.” From this reference, David got a greater understanding of the color tones and textures that Eggers liked. Robert also shared images of noblemen of the time, their hairstyles and facial hair, as well as imagery depicted throughout the centuries, including folk art.”


ROBERT EGGERS (Writer-Director, Producer) is an award-winning writer and director. Originally from New Hampshire, Eggers got his professional start directing and designing experimental and classical theatre in New York City. Eggers eventually transitioned to film, directing several short films and working extensively as a designer for film, television, print, theater, and dance.

The Witch, his feature film debut as writer and director, won the Directing Award in the U.S. Dramatic category at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where it premiered to critical acclaim. It also garnered two Independent Spirit Award wins for Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay. His second feature film, The Lighthouse, premiered at Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes and won the FIPRESCI prize. The film was nominated for a 2019 Academy Award® for Best Cinematography.
The Northman, a Viking revenge saga premiered on April 22, 2022 to great critical acclaim worldwide.


It’s a powerful narrative that delves deep into human vulnerability and resilience, leaving a lasting impression on viewers.

Renowned playwright Tennessee Williams drew inspiration for A Streetcar Named Desire from several personal experiences and relationships. The character of Blanche DuBois is partly inspired by RoseWilliams’ sister, Rose, suffered from mental illness and underwent a lobotomy, which deeply affected him. Williams’ own struggles with mental health, alcoholism, and his complex family dynamics are mirrored in the play’s themes of fragility, desire, and the harsh realities of life.

Williams wrote the play over one year, from 1946 to 1947. He was living in New York, Los Angeles, and New Orleans during this time, and the vibrant atmosphere of New Orleans, in particular, had a significant influence on the play. It’s fascinating how the setting and his personal experiences shaped such a timeless piece. He found the title for A Streetcar Named Desire quite literally from his observations in New Orleans. The title references the actual streetcars that ran through the city at the time. One particular line was named “Desire,” and the title metaphorically aligns with the themes of the play, as it delves into the desires and struggles of the characters, especially Blanche DuBois.

It’s fascinating how a simple streetcar name captured the essence of the play’s deeper explorations

Marlo Brando and Elia Kazan discuss a scene during the filming of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Tennessee Williams collaborated with Elia Kazan and Oscar Saul to adapt “A Streetcar Named Desire” into the classic 1951 film. Kazan, who had directed the original Broadway production, also directed the film.  

The screenplay remained largely faithful to the play, with some dialogue and scenes adjusted for the cinematic format. The 1951 film was produced during a time when the Hollywood Production Code (Hays Code) imposed strict censorship guidelines. As a result, certain elements were toned down or implied rather than explicitly stated.  The film’s ending was altered to align with the moral expectations of the time. Some scenes and dialogue were trimmed or adjusted to suit the pacing and structure of a film. This helped maintain the dramatic tension and flow within a more concise runtime.

Despite these changes, the film retained the core essence and intensity of Williams’ original play, making it a powerful adaptation that continues to be celebrated.

Elia Kazan directs Vivian Leigh and Kim Hunter in a scene of the film

The film centres around Blanche DuBois, a fragile and distressed woman who moves in with her sister, Stella, and her brutish brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski, in New Orleans. Blanche’s arrival disrupts the Kowalskis’ volatile relationship, leading to escalating tension and conflict. As Stanley unravels Blanche’s facade, uncovering her troubled past, the story explores themes of desire, mental illness, and the harsh realities of life.

The enduring significance of the film A Streetcar Named Desire to audiences in 2025 lies in its timeless exploration of human nature and societal issues.

  • The film delves into themes of desire, power, mental illness, and domestic violence. These issues remain relevant and provoke thought and discussion among contemporary audiences.
  • The iconic performances of Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando continue to captivate viewers, demonstrating the lasting impact of exceptional acting.
  • The film’s direction, cinematography, and adaptation techniques are studied in film schools and appreciated by cinephiles for their innovative approach to translating stage drama to the screen.
  • As societal norms and values evolve, revisiting the film allows audiences to reflect on how attitudes toward gender, mental health, and relationships have changed, and what progress still needs to be made.
  • The film has influenced countless other works in theatre and cinema, establishing a legacy that continues to inspire creators today.

By revisiting A Streetcar Named Desire, modern audiences can gain insights into both the historical context of its creation and the ongoing relevance of its themes.Through its powerful performances and innovative storytelling, it remains a touchstone for creators seeking to delve into the depths of human experience and emotion.

Thomas Lanier Williams III, better known as Tennessee Williams, was born on March 26, 1911, in Columbus, Mississippi. He was a renowned American playwright and screenwriter, celebrated for his powerful and emotionally charged dramas.his most notable works include “The Glass Menagerie” (1944), “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1947), “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (1955), and “The Night of the Iguana” (1961). His plays often explore themes of human frustration, desire, and the complexities of family relationships. He gained widespread recognition with the success of “The Glass Menagerie”, which was followed by a string of successful plays, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Williams’ work has left a lasting legacy on American theatre and continues to be studied and performed worldwide. Williams struggled with personal issues, including mental health challenges and alcoholism, which often influenced his writing. He passed away on February 25, 1983, in New York City

Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve this year. Whether it’s completing a novel, improving your craft, or getting published, having clear, attainable goals will keep you focused and motivated. Clear and attainable goals are like a roadmap that guides you toward your desired destination. They provide direction, help prioritize tasks, and give you a sense of accomplishment as you achieve them. Plus, they keep you motivated by breaking down the journey into manageable steps, making it easier to track progress and stay on course.

  • Set aside dedicated time each day for writing. Even if it’s just 30 minutes, consistency is key.
  • Complete at least one major writing project this year.

Create a Writing Routine: Establish a regular writing schedule that fits your lifestyle. Consistency is key, even if it’s just a few minutes each day. This routine will help build your writing habit and keep you progressing steadily.

Find Your Inspiration: Seek out sources of inspiration that resonate with you, whether it’s reading books, watching movies, exploring nature, or engaging with art. Surround yourself with creativity to fuel your own.

Challenge Yourself: Step out of your comfort zone and experiment with different genres, styles, and formats. Embrace new writing challenges to grow as a writer and discover new facets of your creativity.

Join a Writing Community: Connect with fellow writers through writing groups, workshops, or online forums. Sharing your journey, receiving feedback, and offering support can be incredibly motivating and enriching.

Prioritize Self-Care: Writing can be mentally and emotionally demanding, so it’s essential to take care of yourself. Make time for relaxation, exercise, and activities that rejuvenate your mind and body.

Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Each step forward is progress, and recognizing these milestones will keep your spirits high.

Learn Continuously: Invest in your growth as a writer by taking courses, reading craft books, and seeking feedback. Stay curious and open to learning new techniques and insights.

Write with Passion: Let your love for storytelling drive you. Write about topics that excite and move you, and your passion will shine through in your work, captivating your readers.

Stay Persistent: The writing journey is filled with ups and downs, but perseverance is key. Keep writing, even when faced with challenges or setbacks, and remember that every word you write brings you closer to your goals.

Unlock Your Writing Potential with Our 10 Inspiring Courses!

From sparking your creativity to penning the first captivating pages of your story, each course is designed to fuel your passion and sharpen your craft. Whether you’re a budding writer or an experienced wordsmith, join us on this transformative journey and watch your ideas come to life on the page.

Understanding the fundamentals of genre is pivotal for any storyteller. Genre isn’t just a label; it’s the blueprint that shapes your narrative’s framework, guiding the tone, style, and expectations. Think of it as the compass that navigates your creative journey, ensuring that your story resonates with its audience.

Before diving into the intricate process of developing your story idea, it’s crucial to first determine the genre in which you want to set your narrative. Choosing the right genre serves as a foundational step that influences the tone, style, and direction of your story. Whether you’re aiming for the suspenseful twists of a thriller, the heartwarming moments of a romance, or the imaginative wonders of science fiction, the genre acts as your guiding framework. So, take a moment to explore the possibilities and decide where your creative journey will begin.

Genre is a word that often creeps into writing and can be easily misunderstood or misread.

Choosing the genre for your story is a pivotal step in the creative process. It defines the category or type of narrative you wish to craft. Your story could fall into the realms of drama, romance, action-adventure, science fiction, comedy, horror, musical, or documentary. Alternatively, you might opt for a well-balanced blend of genres, such as an action-packed romance or a horror-comedy. Each genre brings its unique flavor, setting the tone, style, and overall direction of your tale. So, take a moment to consider which genre best aligns with your vision and let it guide your storytelling journey.

Genres such as drama, romance, action-adventure, science fiction, comedy, horror, musical, and documentary each bring their unique set of conventions and themes. For instance, in horror, the aim is to evoke fear and suspense, whereas in comedy, the goal is to entertain and amuse. Each genre offers a distinct lens through which your audience experiences your story.

Moreover, don’t shy away from experimenting with genres. Mixing genres can lead to innovative storytelling, creating a hybrid that stands out. Imagine the thrill of an action-packed romance or the delightful chills of a horror-comedy. The possibilities are endless, and stepping out of your comfort zone can unlock your story’s full potential.

In essence, genre serves as the foundational element that informs your story’s structure and content. It helps you understand your protagonist and antagonist’s roles, shapes your narrative style, and most importantly, aligns with audience expectations to ensure an engaging and satisfying experience. Embrace the power of genre to elevate your storytelling and captivate your readers or viewers.

Understanding the genre of your story is essential to ensure that you connect with your intended audience. It’s about delivering the key elements and expectations that make your readers or viewers feel satisfied. Regardless of how brilliant your story may be in its own right, if you fail to meet the genre’s conventions, you risk frustrating your audience and diminishing the impact of your narrative. Genre serves as a guiding framework that helps you fulfill the promises you’ve made to your audience, ensuring an engaging and successful story.

Genres are harsh on those who don’t know the history, don’t know the rules. Once you know them, you’ll know where they can be broken. Terry Pratchett (‘A Slip of the Keyboard’)

Genre is a type of story that has a visceral appeal to its audience

Storytelling is genre-driven and each genre has demands that must be understood and met… Since there are certain requirements that studio readers and audience members consciously and subconsciously expect to be met, the greater the chance you have of making a sale. Richard Krevolin

Know who your audience / readers are. Give them what they want.

Read more about Den Of Thieves

REVIEW: It’s a continuation of a successful franchise. The film is inspired by the real-life Antwerp diamond heist that took place in Belgium in 2003 and adds an element of realism and intrigue to the plot. The plot revolves around a high-stakes heist involving a notorious gang called Pantera, with Sheriff O’Brien going undercover to take down the criminals from the inside. It promises to deliver more heart-pounding action, intricate heist planning, and darker twists, making it an exciting addition to the franchise.

Gerard Butler, who plays the role of Detective ‘Big Nick’ O’Brien and Gudegast entertained ideas for Den of Thieves 2: Pantera not long after Den Of Thieves became a global hit. “We thought, how can we raise it to the next level?” the Butler remembers. “In Den of Thieves, we went to the Federal Reserve. How do you go even bigger than that?”

Butler contributed to shaping the story for the sequel. His creative input adds depth and continuity to his character. He embraced how Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is focused on building the dynamic between
Nick and Donnie, in a subversive “buddy movie” way. “I knew we had an epic tale full of character
and excitement. Donnie and Nick are on this collision course. Nick’s going to get his revenge, but
it doesn’t quite turn out the way you think. He’s been completely hoodwinked by Donnie, who got
the better of him at the end of the first film.”

“At its core, this film is a love story between a thief/gangster and a cop,” Gudegast adds. “It’s an
epic buddy film.”

Christian Gudegast directs from his original screenplay based on characters created by Gudegast
& Paul Scheuring. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCLA film school and began his career as a screenwriter, selling his first script, Black Ocean, to Oliver Stone. Starting his career as a writer on Jerry Bruckheimer’s first TV show, “Soldier of Fortune,” Gudegast wrote A Man Apart, The Rundown, and London Has Fallen, among others, and worked as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after script doctors for years. In 2009, he produced the award-winning documentary Sequestro about kidnapping in Sao Paolo, and directed, shot, and edited the documentary Shotcaller. His next film is Mafia X for Thunder Road.

The film picks up immediately after the events of the first movie, with Sheriff “Big Nick” O’Brien (Gerard Butler) on a relentless pursuit of Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) who has fled to Europe. Now, the
stakes have never been higher as enemies become allies, and the innate brotherhood, humour, and tension between Nick and Donnie reach new heights as they join forces to plot a massive
heist at the world’s largest diamond exchange.

Gudegast expands the franchise’s world and amps up the action, scope, stunts, and the evolving dynamic between Nick and Donnie.

The film is inspired by the real-life 2003 Antwerp diamond heist, often referred to as the “heist of the century” due to its audacity and scale.

The 2003 Antwerp diamond heist was orchestrated by Leonardo Notarbartolo, an Italian thief who posed as a diamond merchant to gain access to the building. The heist took place on the night of February 15-16, 2003, at the Antwerp Diamond Center in Belgium, one of the most heavily secured places in the world. Thieves stole loose diamonds, gold, silver, and other jewelry valued at over $100 million. The vault was protected by multiple security mechanisms, including infrared heat detectors, a seismic sensor, Doppler radar, and a magnetic field. he thieves bypassed the extensive security systems and spent hours inside the vault, opening 123 of the 160 safe deposit boxes. They left the vault in a pristine state to avoid detection. The heist went undetected until the following Monday morning. Notarbartolo and several members of his gang were eventually arrested, but most of the stolen diamonds remain unrecovered. The case remains one of the largest unsolved heists in history, and the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the stolen diamonds continues to intrigue people to this day.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera promises an even more ambitious and thrilling heist plot. The stakes are higher, and the action is more intense, making it a gripping watch for fans of the genre.

The film expands the world established in the first movie, introducing new characters and settings while building on the established lore. This expansion adds richness to the franchise and opens up possibilities for future instalments. The sequel boasts impressive production values, with stunning cinematography, elaborate set pieces, and high-octane action sequences. The attention to detail and commitment to delivering a visually spectacular experience elevate the film.

“I hope that audiences will find the film to be an authentic and thrilling ride,” concludes Gudegast. “I want them to feel the tension and emotional and physical toll this kind of heist takes on the characters. I want them to feel like they’re in the diamond center, with the breathing and the exhaustion and the sweat and having to be quiet – to take them into this insider’s view and live through that experience.”

These films offer a mix of action, comedy, and suspense, making them great choices for fans of the heist genre.

To Catch a Thief (1955) – A classic Alfred Hitchcock film. The film stars Cary Grant as a retired cat burglar who has to save his reformed reputation by catching an impostor preying on wealthy tourists (including an oil-rich widow and her daughter played by Grace Kelly) on the French Riviera.

The Pink Panther (1964) – This comedy-mystery follows the antics of the bumbling and inept French Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) as he tries to catch the elusive jewel thief known as “The Phantom.” The main target is the Pink Panther, a stunning diamond with a unique flaw resembling a leaping panther.

Snatch (2000) – Directed by Guy Ritchie, this British crime-comedy follows two main plots. One involves a stolen diamond that various criminals are after, while the other revolves around a small-time boxing promoter, Turkish (Jason Statham), who finds himself in deep trouble when a fight goes wrong. The stories intersect in unexpected and often humorous ways.

Flawless (2007) – A Crime drama film that delves into the world of diamonds and heists. The story is set in London in the 1960s and follows Laura Quinn (Demi Moore), an executive at the London Diamond Corporation who faces gender discrimination and a glass ceiling in her career. She teams up with Mr. Hobbs (Michael Caine), a janitor with a cunning plan to steal diamonds from the corporation’s vault. The heist involves a clever and meticulous plan that hinges on their insider knowledge of the company’s operations.

The Town (2010) – Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, this film focuses on a group of bank robbers who plan a heist in their hometown, with a stolen diamond playing a key role. The film is set in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, known for its high rate of bank robberies. Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) is a skilled thief who leads a group of bank robbers, including his volatile best friend, Jem Coughlin (Jeremy Renner). During a heist, they take a bank manager, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), hostage. After releasing her, Doug begins a cautious relationship with Claire, who is unaware of his role in the robbery. As Doug contemplates leaving his criminal life behind, he faces increasing pressure from the FBI and tensions within his crew.



TOP FILMS OF 2023 / 2024 FILM RELEASES / 2025 FILM RELEASES

Daniel Dercksen shares his top films of 2024

Daniel Dercksen is a published film journalist of 40 years who’s been teaching workshops and courses in creative writing, playwriting and screenwriting internationally since he formed The Writing Studio in 1999.


ALL OF US STRANGERS is a masterful blend of emotional storytelling, complex characters, and surreal atmosphere that makes it a profoundly moving film. The film delves deeply into themes of love, loss, and reconciliation. It captures the raw emotions of its characters, making the audience feel every moment of joy and heartache. The relationship dynamics between Adam, played by Andrew Scott, and Harry, played by Paul Mescal, are portrayed with authenticity and vulnerability. The characters are richly developed and multi-dimensional. Adam’s interactions with his parents, who appear as they were before their untimely death, add layers of emotional complexity and poignancy. This blend of reality and fantasy allows for a profound exploration of grief and unresolved emotions. Andrew Haigh’s direction is meticulous and sensitive to human behavior. His ability to create intimate and emotionally charged scenes makes the film an unforgetable experience. READ MORE

MARIA – Directed by Pablo Larraín, it profoundly impacts its audience through its moving portrayal of the last days of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas. The film captures Callas’s introspective journey as she reflects on her life and career during her final days. Angelina Jolie’s powerful performance brings depth and authenticity to the character, making her internal struggles and emotions resonate sharply with the audience.The film delves into themes of identity, artistic legacy, and the personal cost of fame. It portrays Callas’s search for her own voice, emphasizing the complexities of her character and her profound impact on the world. By focusing on Callas’s private moments, the film offers an intimate look into her vulnerabilities and strength. Larraín’s direction, combined with the cinematography by Edward Lachman, presents a visually stunning and emotionally charged narrative that mirrors the grandeur of Callas’s life. This artistic approach elevates the film, making it a significant piece in contemporary cinema. Its emotional depth, historical richness, and artistic excellence makes the film a significant and unforgettable cinematic experience. The film releases on January 31, 2025 in South Africa. READ MORE

CONCLAVE centers on a papal election following the sudden death of the pope. It delves into the complexities and secrecy of the conclave process, a traditionally closed and confidential event. Edward Berger’s direction ensures that the film not only tells a compelling story but also invites audiences to ponder the moral and ethical questions raised. His vision brings out the profound themes of faith, duty, and the human condition.The film’s narrative weaves political intrigue, personal secrets, and power struggles, making it a gripping and intellectually engaging experience. The film explores the power dynamics within the Vatican, highlighting the influence of politics and personal agendas in the selection of a new pope. This examination provides insight into the intricate balance of power and faith, and how they shape major decisions in the Church. The film delves into the dualities of faith and doubt, exploring how the cardinals reconcile their spiritual beliefs with their personal ambitions and secrets. It examines the facets of human nature, including virtue, temptation, redemption, and the complexities of making moral choices under pressure. Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini deliver standout performances, bringing depth and complexity to their characters. Their portrayals reflect the personal and ideological conflicts faced by the cardinals, making the film a compelling character study. Its significant contribution to contemporary cinema offers a rich blend of political drama, symbolism, and thought-provoking themes. READ MORE

THE HOLDOVERS is a heartwarming dramedy that poignantly delves deeply into the lives of its main characters. The unlikely bond and personal transformations between Paul Giamatti as a stern and unpopular professor, Dominic Sessa as a troubled student, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph as the head cook mourning her son, make the story a poignant exploration of human connection. Alexander Payne’s direction balances humour and melancholy, turning what could be a cliched “holiday movie” into a richly textured narrative about life’s unpredictability and the beauty of unexpected friendships. READ MORE

SOCIETY OF THE SNOW is a testament to the indomitable human spirit, deftly balancing harrowing reality with moments of hope and compassion. J.A. Bayona’s direction brings a profound sense of humanity to the film. His approach emphasizes the inner strength and resilience of the survivors, avoiding sensationalism and focusing instead on their emotional journeys. The breathtaking yet deadly Andes mountains are captured by Pedro Luque’s cinematography, emphasizing both their beauty and their menace. The stark contrast between the serene landscape and the dire situation of the survivors enhances the emotional weight. The film is based on the true story of the 1972 Andes plane crash in which a Uruguayan rugby team was stranded in one of the planet’s most hostile environments. Their ordeal, including extreme measures to stay alive, is portrayed with sensitivity and care, exploring the psychological effects on the survivors and their struggle with guilt and trauma. READ MORE

THE BIKERIDERS portrays the complex relationships within the biker community and examines the tension between the idealized American Dream and the reality of individual lives. Characters like Johnny sacrifice traditional family life for a constructed one with their biker family. The movie explores how modern American life shifts through these characters and scrutinizes the consequences of chasing grandiose dreams. Director Jeff Nichols, who is known for his talent in creating character-driven stories with a strong sense of place, builds a gritty and immersive narrative, masterfully capturing the essence of 1960s motorcycle culture and the complex dynamics within the biker community, making it a compelling and emotionally resonant film. READ MORE

POOR THINGS– Yorgos Lanthimos’s masterful direction brings a unique and eccentric style to the film, blending dark humour with deep philosophical questions, making the film both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. The film confronts patriarchal norms and highlights women’s autonomy and freedom in their sexual choices. Bella’s journey of self-discovery and liberation highlights the struggles against societal expectations and oppression. The film subverts traditional cinematic objectification and empowers its female protagonist, making a statement on gender dynamics. Bella’s resurrection and the ensuing quest to understand her new life delve into themes of identity and self-realization. This emotional journey is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, as Bella navigates a world full of wonders and tragedies. READ MORE

WOMAN OF THE HOUR – Directed by Anna Kendrick, it’s a significant film for its daring exploration of true crime, gender dynamics, and the unsettling intricacies of the human psyche. The film is based on the true story of Rodney Alcala, a notorious serial killer who appeared on the television show “The Dating Game” in 1978 while he was still at large. This chilling real-life event adds a layer of gravity and intrigue to the film. READ MORE

HORIZON: CHAPTER 1 blends a rich historical context with compelling storytelling. Directed by Kevin Costner, the film benefits from his nuanced understanding of Westerns, blending authentic historical details with compelling drama. It paints a vivid picture of the turbulent times, focusing on the settlers and the Indigenous peoples, capturing the complexities and conflicts of the era. Its epic scope sets the stage for a four-part saga, sprawling across the vast American frontier before, during, and after the Civil War. The film doesn’t shy away from the brutal realities of the time, including clashes between settlers and Indigenous tribes, making it a powerful exploration of survival and coexistence. READ MORE

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES serves as the latest installment in the iconic “Planet of the Apes” franchise, which dates back to 1968. Directed by Wes Ball, the film focuses on the journey of Noa (Owen Teague), a young ape from the Eagle Clan, as he evolves from a child to a leader. Similar to its predecessors, the film delves into ethical and philosophical questions, exploring the power dynamics between apes and humans. It reflects on themes of survival, co-existence, and the impact of technology on societies. The film boasts stunning visuals and special effects, creating an immersive experience and bringing the post-apocalyptic world to life. READ MORE

JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX is a masterfully impactful film thanks to its deep themes, exceptional storytelling, and powerful performance. The phrase “Folie à Deux” translates to “madness shared by two,” perfectly capturing the symbiotic and disturbing relationship between Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) as Joker and Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga). This shared delusion brings a new depth to their characters, emphasizing the psychological complexities of their bond. The film delves into the nuances of mental health, raising profound questions about sanity, accountability, and societal treatment of those deemed “insane”. Incorporating musical elements into a dark and chaotic narrative adds a layer of surrealism. Todd Phillips’ nuanced direction and vision elevate the film and challenges traditional superhero storytelling, focusing instead on the blurred lines between heroism and villainy, sanity and madness. This subversion leads to an introspective commentary on the nature of villainy and the fantastical elements of superhero films. Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga deliver mesmerizing performances, embodying their characters with depth and intensity. Their portrayal adds emotional and psychological weight to the film, making their descent into madness both compelling and disturbing. READ MORE

ONE LIFE serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that one person’s compassion and courage can have on the lives of many. Director James Hawes brings the incredible true story of Sir Nicholas Winton to life on-screen with a compelling and heartfelt narrative that tells the extraordinary true story of Sir Nicholas Winton, a British humanitarian who rescued 669 predominantly Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia just before World War II. It delves into themes of humanity, empathy, and the difference one person can make. By focusing on the personal stories of the children rescued and their emotional reunions with Winton decades later, the film underscores the profound impact of selfless humanitarian act. The film sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of history, ensuring that Sir Nicholas Winton’s contributions are recognized and remembered. It also emphasizes the importance of preserving and sharing such stories to inspire future generations. READ MORE

THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the film offers a chilling and contemplative look at the Holocaust from the perspective of an Auschwitz commandant and his family living next to the concentration camp. This unique viewpoint challenges viewers to confront the banality of evil and the complicity of ordinary people in horrific events. READ MORE

ORDINARY ANGELS – Directed by Jon Gunn, the film stays true to the essence of the real-life events while adding cinematic elements to enhance the storytelling. As a faith-based film, Ordinary Angels explores themes of faith, hope, and the impact of personal transformation. Sharon Stevens’ journey from struggling with alcoholism to becoming a beacon of hope for the Schmitt family is a central element of the story. The film highlights the power of community support and kindness. It showcases how ordinary people can come together to make a profound difference in someone’s life, emphasizing themes of compassion and solidarity. Despite the challenges faced by the characters, Ordinary Angels delivers an uplifting and optimistic message about the human spirit and the importance of helping others. READ MORE

HERE – Based on the graphic novel by Richard McGuire, Here tells a generational story about families and the special place they inhabit. The narrative spans multiple time periods, from prehistoric times to the present day, offering a unique and nonlinear storytelling experience. The film employs digital de-aging technology to allow the cast to portray their characters across different eras. This innovative approach adds a visually captivating element to the film, enhancing the storytelling. Here explores universal themes such as love, loss, laughter, and life, capturing the human experience in its purest form. The film’s focus on these relatable themes resonates with audiences on a deep emotional level. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, known for his visually stunning films, Here boasts impressive production values, including cinematography by Don Burgess and music by Alan Silvestri. READ MORE

GLADIATOR II – Directed by Ridley Scott, the sequel continues the story of the original Gladiator (2000) and maintains the same high production values and epic storytelling. that fans loved in the first movie. The plot delves deeper into the world of Ancient Rome, focusing on new characters and conflicts while still honoring the legacy of the original film. Overall, it stands out as a significant sequel due to its star-studded cast, epic storyline, visual spectacle, and has reignited interest in the story of Maximus and the world of Ancient Rome. READ MORE

DUNE: PART TWO – : Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film is known for its stunning visuals, including breathtaking desert landscapes and epic battle scenes. The production quality and attention to detail create an immersive experience for viewers. As part of the larger Dune franchise, the film has reignited interest in the source material and its themes of power, destiny, and human nature. It has also sparked discussions about the dangers of charismatic leaders and the impact of prophecy on society. Dune: Part Two stands out as a significant sequel due to its compelling continuation of the story, character development, visual spectacle, and thought-provoking themes. READ MORE

THE WILD ROBOT – The film is based on the popular novel by Peter Brown, which has garnered a dedicated fanbase. The adaptation brings the story to life with stunning visuals and a compelling narrative. The film explores themes of love, compassion, and selflessness. It tells the story of Roz, a robot who becomes stranded on an island and adopts a gosling named Brightbill1. Through their journey, the film highlights the importance of adoptive parenthood and the idea that love transcends biological connections. Directed by Chris Sanders, the film features stunning animation and breathtaking visuals that capture the beauty of the island and its inhabitants. It’s a thoughtful and heartwarming tale that resonates with audiences of all ages. READ MORE

SPEAK NO EVIL – Directed by James Watkins, the film is a psychological horror thriller that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with its tense atmosphere and unsettling plot, exploring themes of trust, hospitality, and the dangers of ignoring one’s instincts. It serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of being too polite or trusting. It stands out for its compelling story, strong performances, and its ability to blend psychological horror with social commentary, making it a notable film in the genre. James McAvoy delivers a standout performance as Paddy, the unsettling host. Critics have noted that McAvoy’s performance is one of his best since his role in “Split” (2016). READ MORE

HERETIC is the most shocking film of the year. Hugh Grant delivers a chilling performance as Mr. Reed, a character who turns a theological discussion into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. It simultaneously quickens the pulse and provokes thought, making it a standout film in the horror genre this year. READ MORE

BROS is one of the first gay romantic comedies produced by a major studio and features an openly LGBTQ principal cast. The film stars Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane as two gay men in Manhattan who avoid commitment but are drawn to each other. The film is co-written by Eichner, whose involvement ensures that the story is told from a genuine perspective, reflecting real experiences and emotions within the LGBTQ+ community. It addresses themes of love, relationships, and identity in a way that is both humorous and heartfelt. It challenges stereotypes and offers a more nuanced portrayal of LGBTQ+ individuals, contributing to broader cultural conversations about inclusion and acceptance. READ MORE

LONESOME– Directed by Craig Boreham, the film is a poignant and timely queer love story that explores themes of loneliness, isolation, and the search for genuine connection in a hyper-connected world. The film delves into the complexities of human relationships and the emotional scars that people carry. It portrays the journey of two men, Casey and Tib, who are both struggling with their own traumas and trying to find a sense of belonging. The film has received praise for its heartfelt storytelling, strong performances by Josh Lavery and Daniel Gabriel, and its ability to balance humor with emotional depth. READ MORE

Top Streaming Series

Richard Gadd delivers an autobiographical account of his own terrifying experience with a stalker. This personal connection adds a raw, palpable intensity to the narrative. Gadd’s willingness to share such a vulnerable part of his life makes this story exceptionally impactful. READ MORE
The Gentlemen TV series, created by Guy Ritchie, retains his distinctive blend of action, comedy, and crime drama. His unique style of storytelling, sharp dialogues, and dynamic direction make the series engaging and entertaining. READ MORE
Alfonso Cuarón’s Disclaimer revolves around a journalist whose life is turned upside down when a mysterious novel reveals a dark and hidden part of her past. The series has been praised for its nuanced storytelling and stellar performances, making it a standout production on Apple TV+READ MORE

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REVIEW

The Academy Award-winning director’s latest project is a star-studded Apple TV+ series that makes you think about everything differently. For more than 30 years into a wide-ranging career that spans pictures like the Frances Hodgson Burnett adaptation A Little Princess, the space reverie Gravity, and the memoir-as-film drama Roma, Cuarón was more interested in subtle emotional textures, now he brings his big-screen, big-story gifts to a limited series, an adaptation of Renée Knight’s 2015 psychological thriller Disclaimer.

“Renée Knight and I have acquaintances in common. She sent me the manuscript, and I really liked it. I just didn’t know how to make it happen as a conventional film. And so time passed, I went to do Roma, and toward the end of that Knight got in touch, saying, Hey, in case you’re interested, the rights are available. And that was a moment when I was very intrigued about exploring episodic TV. I enjoy many series, and they have amazing writing and amazing acting. But only very few have a cinematic approach. So I was intrigued. How can you hijack the conventional, writer-oriented show into something that is closer to cinema?”

Knight’s novel is lots of things at once: a thriller, a riff on the idea of the unreliable narrator, a meditation on how easy it is, with all the digital means at our disposal, to cancel a career or, worse, ruin a life, simply because we think we know all the facts. Yet in some ways, Cuarón—who also adapted the script—has taken the themes of Knight’s book and intensified them. His take is elegant and suspenseful, but it’s also compassionate. Disclaimer is about, he says, the stories that we build out of our own lives, which we then present to others—to the people closest to us but also to society. “As humans, we’re trying to cope with many different things,” he says, “but mainly, probably, with an immense sense of loneliness.”

In Disclaimer Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) is an acclaimed journalist and documentary filmmaker living a seemingly perfect life with her adoring husband, Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen) and their surly son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). But when a mysterious novel finds its way into her life, she realizes the story tells a long-harbored secret of hers that no one else has ever known—and now she must deal with the consequences of people potentially learning of something she thought was buried away in her past.


EPISODES& IMAGES

Multiple characters in Disclaimer believe what they want to believe, easier than reckoning with reality. When Cuarón was young, he’d seen Bernard Queysanne’s 1974 The Man Who Sleeps, written, in the second person, by the experimental novelist Georges Perec. In structuring Disclaimer, Cuarón wanted to try telling the story in first-person, second-person, and third-person voices: Kline’s Stephen is the “I.” The people around Catherine—anyone who might be tempted to judge her—are the third-person observers. And Catherine’s story is told in the second person: she narrates her own arc, as if rendering judgment on her own behavior—accusing rather than defending herself, perhaps.

The use of the second person, Cuarón notes, is rare in film, and maybe not the sort of approach you could pull off with just any actor. But Blanchett, he says, was more than just the star of the series. Though he usually doesn’t write a script with an actor in mind, this time was different: “I’m writing, and I’m thinking of Cate.” He knew how fortunate he was when she said yes, and he considers her a creative partner on the project. She’d marked up her script à la Dostoyevsky’s manuscripts. “Have you seen those? How he wrote arrows moving up and down, and scratching parts out, and little things that only he understood? That was Cate’s script.” She asked questions that helped him shape the story. And she was the first person, he says, to see the initial cut. Cuarón says her feedback was invaluable. “That was Cate. Incredible! I’m so blessed and lucky.”

But then, luck comes to those who are open to it. And Cuarón’s MO is to welcome the collaborative gifts of people he trusts, like his longtime friend and creative partner Emmanuel Lubezki, who has shot most of his movies. It was Lubezki’s idea to bring on a second cinematographer, Bruno Delbonnel, whose credits include films as varied in style as Amélie and Inside Llewyn Davis. Lubezki—Cuarón, along with just about everyone else, calls him Chivo—was the one who’d suggested changing the look of the film according to the shifting points of view: there are flashback scenes requiring a softer look, while sequences set in the present might demand higher contrast or slightly crisper images. “It was beautiful,” Cuarón says, “to see the conversations between the two of them collaborating.” Shooting with two cinematographers took a great deal of planning and coordination. But Cuarón is most aware of the demands he made on his actors—and how ably they met them. He had initially planned to write and direct just the pilot for Disclaimer. But once he started writing, he didn’t want to stop, and he agreed to direct the whole series. He decided to treat the project as one long film—which meant shooting more script pages each day, resulting in a much longer schedule.

Disclaimer is a powerhouse vehicle for both its director—allowing him to both play with different points of view and build an expansive, visually-stunning world filled with fleshed-out characters—and its stars, with indelible performances coming from stars Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, and Louis Partridge.

The show explores themes Cuarón has long explored in his previous work: family relationships, untold narratives, and, above all else, the idea of how masculinity can wind up harming both men themselves, and the women around them.

Discussions of masculinity come up frequently in the Mexican filmmaker’s work—first in his 2001 coming-of-age film Y T Mamá También starring Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal. That modern classic finds the pair as class disparate best friends Tenoch and Julio, who take a road trip with Luisa (Maribel Verdu), a woman who agrees to join when she discovers that her husband has cheated on her. The trio bond while talking about relationships and sexual experiences, and the overzealous sexuality of both Tenoch and Julio seems to be hiding an attraction they can’t speak about.

Cuarón’s 2006 dystopian film Children of Men, starring Clive Owen, finds a world where humans have been infertile for two decades and have brought society to the brink of collapse. Owen’s Theo, a former activist turned cynical government worker, is tasked to help stowaway the first pregnant woman in the world Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) via a money offer from his ex-wife Julian (Julianne Moore). Theo taps into his caretaking of Kee, and what he could contribute to a new society, in the wake of the loss of his son with Julian.

And 2018’s Roma, which won Cuarón his second Best Director Oscar (he first won for the space thriller Gravity), is a semi-autobiographical film that follows a Mixteco housekeeper, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) for an upper middle class Mexican family in the early ’70s. Cleo bonds with Sofia (Marina de Tavira) the mother of the family, about the indiscretions the men in their lives have caused them. Both of the men in question refuse to take responsibility for their actions that have irrevocably damaged the women’s lives.

Cuarón takes another look into the ways toxic masculinity can harm both men and the women around them in Disclaimer—a topic he was more than ready to discuss with Men’s Health over Zoom. The 62-year-old director got into it, bespectacled, talking passionately with his hands, about exploring masculinity in his previous work, the men of Disclaimer, and the harm of toxic masculinity.

“It’s a story where the main character is a woman, and at the end, the audience is confronted not only with a big reveal, but their own judgment. All the other characters around Catherine are silencing her; she’s constantly trying to speak and explain herself. Now, the truth she’s sitting on is difficult to articulate, so she needed time. She needed help; the help of an affectionate relationship that would be supportive. The audience is in a way silencing Catherine with their own judgment [about her secret].”

Renee Knight worked for the BBC directing arts documentaries before turning to writing. She has had television and film scripts commissioned by the BBC, Channel Four, and Capital Films In April 2013, she graduated from Faber Academy, a school sponsored by the eponymous British publisher, and known for nurturing breakthrough talent. Its alumni include S.J. Watson. Disclaimer is Renee’s first novel.

Disclaimer has a unique premise. Catherine, a successful documentary film-maker, receives a book entitled The Perfect Stranger. Turning the pages, she’s horrified to read about a day in her own life that occurred 20 years earlier, one she’s tried to forget. Intertwined with Catherine’s narrative is that of Stephen Brigstocke, an older, grieving widower who discovered among his late wife’s possessions, a manuscript that horrifies him. He has it bound into a book, and sends it to Catherine. The book contains details of her most closely guarded, terrible secret, one she’s kept hidden from her husband and son all these years. The only other person who knows what really happened, is dead; but The Perfect Stranger suggests Catherine’s secret is not buried with him.

Disclaimer has a unique concept. Can you articulate how it came to you?

I’d written an unpublished novel before this one. There was an event in my adolescence involving an old friend with whom I’ve maintained a friendship over the years. In that first book, I touched on that event, and when the manuscript was completed, it struck me my friend would recognize herself. So, I sent it to her before sending it off to my agent. While waiting to hear back from my friend, I was anxious about it, not wanting to hurt her. I kept thinking about it and the premise stayed with me: Wouldn’t it be shocking if you came across yourself in a book without any warning? One of my favorite things is going to bed at night with a good book–a time when you feel secure yet are at your most vulnerable. When I was waiting to hear back from my friend, the idea for this novel became embedded in my mind. My friend felt fine about my writing of her minor incident. As it turned out, the book wasn’t published, but the situation gave me the idea for this one.

What made you decide to use the present tense throughout major portions of the novel?

One character’s story takes place two years before the present time and I thought the present tense would provide immediacy for the reader. I kept thinking how I would feel if I were sitting in bed and came across a book about me. I tried writing in the past tense, but using the present tense seemed to fit better.

Disclaimer contains portions of The Perfect Stranger within it. In a sense, the novel-within-the novel becomes a character as well. Was that your intention?

Yes, in a way, it was. The book-within-a-book was the “missing” character. It’s the witness to an event. I found that element–the prose of The Perfect Stranger–the most straightforward to write.

In Disclaimer, you capture so very well the day-to-day life and feelings of people, both in the past and present times. Are there any novelists who’ve influenced you?

I think every book I’ve read has left its mark in some way. You can’t help but be influenced by what you read. There are writers who’ve had a direct impact on me. I particularly love the work of Lionel Shriver. I love reading Philip Roth, but I wouldn’t say he influenced my writing. I appreciate the honesty in other writers; actually, a fearlessness that’s apparent when people write.

What was the transition like going from documentary film-making to penning a novel?

The film-making was some time ago. My children are teenagers and I stopped working in television when they were quite young. When they were older, I didn’t think I could go back to television. I’d been away from it for a long time and lost the appetite for it. That’s when I started writing. So there was a bridge between the television and novel writing. In between, I tried script writing. It felt closer to what I’d been doing, namely documentaries. I then wrote some short stories, and eventually got into that first novel. The novelistic form seems to come more naturally for me than screenwriting.

What are the differences for you between script-writing and novels?

What I love about novel-writing is the interiority of it. I love really being able to get into a character’s head. I think skilled directors can do that in film, but I have much more freedom saying what I want to in prose than I would in film.



Larraín offers a unique and intimate look at the final days of Maria Callas and brings a fresh perspective to the biographical genre. He was inspired to make Maria as part of his exploration of influential women from the 20th century. After directing Jackie (2016) about Jacqueline Kennedy and Spencer (2021) about Princess Diana, Larraín saw Maria Callas as the final piece of what he calls his “accidental trilogy.”

Larraín was drawn to Callas’ story because of her legendary status as an opera singer and the dramatic arc of her life. He wanted to focus on the final days of her life, capturing the emotional depth and complexity of her character1. The opportunity to work with Angelina Jolie, who brought her dedication and talent to the role, was also a significant factor in his decision to take on the project.

By telling Callas’ story, Larraín aimed to highlight the personal struggles and triumphs of a woman who left a lasting impact on the world of music and culture.

Say Angelina Jolie: “I met Pablo Larraín many years ago and told him how much I respected him as a filmmaker and hoped to work with him one day.  He reached out to me about Maria, and he took the process of casting very seriously, which I appreciate. He really wants to make sure the artist is up for it and understands the job. I’m also a huge fan of writer Steven Knight’s work; it’s a very unusual script and construction. There’s a lot of bravery in the choices they’ve made in their storytelling, which says a lot about how capable they both are. I was happy that I was with a very serious filmmaker coming to me to do real work and expecting a lot of me and challenging me. That’s not always the case. It wasn’t just an opportunity to tell the story of Maria Callas, a woman I find interesting and care for, but it’s really to have a director who’s going to take you on a journey and is so serious about the work and tough on you. I like that he was tough on me! He’s a dream director, and I would want to work with him again and again. Also, I learned such a lot as a director myself, from watching him work.”

Angelina Jolie and Pablo Larraín during the filming of Maria

Steven Knight was also inspired to write the screenplay for Maria by his admiration for Maria Callas and her legendary status as an opera icon. He was already an opera fan and decided to delve deeper into the more remote and unknown elements of Maria’s life. Knight had the opportunity to build the screenplay around Angelina Jolie, who became attached to the project during the writing process.

He conducted extensive research and even accessed first-hand testimony from Ferrucio Mezzadri, Callas’ longtime butler. Knight and director Pablo Larraín chose to focus on Callas’ final days, finding parallels between the operas she sang and her own life. This decision helped to create a narrative that was both cathartic and reflective, allowing Maria to review her life before her passing.

Knight’s goal was to make the experience of flashing back not a torture for Maria but a cathartic replay, akin to rewinding a cassette and playing the important pieces. This approach adds depth and emotional resonance to the film, making it a compelling portrayal of the opera star’s life.

Maria follows the American-Greek soprano as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life in the public eye. The film reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days as the diva reckons with her identity and life.

What made the idea of a film about Maria Callas so appealing to you?

I was very lucky to grow up going to the opera house in Santiago with my family for many years. And I really, really loved it from a young age. Now it’s funny and beautiful to think that we would see some of the operas that had made Callas so famous, even though she was no longer alive at this point. I was just in love and floating after seeing them and then we’d go back home and then my mom would say, ‘Alright son, so you saw that, this is the real thing.’ She would play Maria Callas. I grew up with this presence of this next level of singer, someone who had the voice of an angel. Then later, of course, I got to know more about her life. So after doing Jackie and Spencer, it felt like the right ending for this process of these three movies. It’s also my first movie about an artist, and it creates a different dynamic for me personally on how to connect with the character and the story.

Did you understand the life of Maria Callas as something of an opera itself?

Many of the operas Maria Callas performed in are tragedies, so the main character that she played often is dead on stage in the last scene. The narratives of those operas are very different to her life, but I found there was always a bridge of relationship between Maria Callas and the characters that she played. One of the things that I talked to Steven Knight about at the very beginning was to understand that this is a movie about someone who becomes part of the tragedies that she played on stage. There’s some sort of a hidden map in the film where the piece of music that we use, whether it’s only orchestration or with vocals in it, is related to the moment in the film. They’re not just there because they worked where they are—they’re there because they have a dramatic purpose. Opera is a form of transcendence, and it’s a form of expressing emotions that you cannot say with words.

You mention Steven Knight – you’ve collaborated again after he wrote Spencer.

When I invited him to do this, I realized Steven was also a huge opera fan, so that was a good step. I went to him and said, “I think we should make a movie about the last week of her life.” We did a lot of research on Maria’s life and the end of her life, how the interactions of the operas she sang could create parallels with her own life. So that was a good starting point. And then talking to Angelina and Steven, we all understood that it was a film about someone that was never a victim. We are talking about someone that is in control of her will and her destiny, who knows what she wants to do and how she wants to do it. Steven really understood her character and how strong she was.

What made you choose the end of Maria’s life as the period you wished to chronicle?

Maria Callas was singing all her life for audiences, for others. And her personal life was always connected to her relationships. She was always trying to please someone, a relationship, a family member or a friend. And now in this film, at the end of her life, she decides to do it for herself. She’s going to try to sing for herself. So, this a movie about someone who is looking to find her own voice and understand her identity. It’s a celebration of her life.

Do you see Maria Callas as a survivor, given her tumultuous personal life?

I think she struggled a lot, and she had very sad moments. But there are a few biographies and there’s a certain number of things on which they all agree, and that is that Maria Callas was someone who was only truly happy when she was on stage. That was the way she fulfilled her heart and her soul. Yet she’s someone who at some point realizes that her voice is not going to be strong enough to be able to perform at the highest level, the only level she could ever accept. The film describes the difficulties of someone who has lost that element that not only made her famous, but also that created who she was in all human levels. But we’re not looking at her with pity, and I don’t think the audience should feel sorry for her. I think the audience will understand who she was and why we did it in the way we did with such a wonderful performance like Angelina has given.

What made Angeline Jolie the right actor to play Maria Callas?

There’s something about people like Maria Callas, but also Angelina Jolie—these women have a physical presence on a stage, in front of a camera or even just in a room. You feel the enormous amount of humanity they carry. There was no struggle for Angie to be Maria Callas and carry that weight, as she already has it. And then she also took preparing for the role so seriously – six or seven months of it. I said to her, “The best preparation you can have for this character, it is actually a process of getting to sing.” Then there’s also a level of fragility and sensibility and intelligence that Angelina has that can really make a difference. You feel that she disappears into the role in a way that you can enter the film and quickly forget that you’re looking at Angie. It requires a very powerful and immense talent, obviously, but also someone that has the dedication, the discipline and the vulnerability to do that.

Can you describe the process Angelina Jolie undertook to learn to sing opera?

This was the challenge, to make a movie about Maria Callas with her own voice, because why would you make it without it? It’s an essential element, of course. Angie had different stages in her preparation. At the start, it was with opera singers and coaches who helped her have the right posture, breathing, movement and the accent. She was singing very specific operas or arias, and most of them are in Italian. You have to sing it properly and get to the right pitches, and that means being able to follow the melody and sing it properly. We recorded her voice, her breathing, everything. There are moments in the film when you hear Maria Callas in her prime, when most of what you hear is Callas, but there’s always a fragment of Angelina. And then sometimes, it’s more Angelina than Callas. It’s a multilayered track that has different voices. So, Angelina really had to go for it—not only because it made the movie more possible in terms of the illusion, but to also create the right process for her as an actress.

You never considered just using Maria Callas’s voice?

I think it’s about being honest with the character and the process. To me, it’s the wrong path to take when there’s a form of cynicism in the performance, where the act is just trying to look right, get to the note and move the mouth in sync, etc., but the actor has never really experienced it in the right way. It could feel dangerously fake, not in the technicality of the singing, but also in the way that she inhabits the character. I think there’s an honesty in Angelina’s voice that you can feel very transparently.

Can you describe the process of capturing Angelina Jolie’s voice?

The only way to do it was she had to really sing the music properly, be in sync with Callas, and sing out loud. So then when you bring the Callas voice in the mixing, it would match organically. There isn’t a miracle kind of technology here. It’s really about Angelina’s work and the way that we were able to record that and to capture the sound. Angelina was absolutely exposed to singing, sometimes in front of 200 people, or 500 extras and she had to sing out loud by herself, and all people would hear was Angie’s voice alone. I would have my headphones on, I would listen to the orchestration, a little bit of Callas, and a little bit of Angie, so I was sort of mixing live. But she was metaphorically naked, voice wise, in front of hundreds of people. At the beginning, it was hard for her. She was almost apologizing to the crew, but everyone was saying, “Come on, it’s amazing. Just keep going.” Everyone loved her because she was not only doing well, but she was also so brave.

Aristotle Onassis and JFK are characters that are connecting figures to your previous film, Jackie. Are the films linked?

Well, somehow, they are, because they were people who were beloved when they were alive and remain icons today. Maria and Jackie were very strong women that conducted life the way that they wanted, and I include Diana Spencer in this, and they had natural interactions and connections, not only through Onassis or JFK, but also mostly through the kind of world that they were living in and they related to it. It’s a world that was very masculine, and they needed to struggle to find their own space—and they did it.

Did you have a greater understanding of Maria in that aspect because of the study that you’d done for Jackie as well?

Yes, of course. Maria says to JFK when they meet, she says something like, “We are very lucky angels who belong to this very specific and fortunate group of people” who can do anything they like. They are wealthy. They’re famous. They have an incredible place in this world, but they can’t get away from it. The fact that they all belong to that group doesn’t make them friends, but they do belong to the same group of people. That generation of people that saw the world with privilege, but also with authenticity and will.

Aside from music, was Aristotle Onassis the great love of Maria Callas’s life?

I think so. I think Aristotle Onassis was the love of her life, and I think they had different moments through their relationship. They were very often close in the 70s after he split with Jackie, but it was somehow a toxic relationship, I think, as well. She could just disconnect with the world and let everything be under his control. I do think there were moments of the relationship that weren’t very healthy. But I also think they came to a peaceful understanding of who they were as individuals and as a couple by the end of their lives.

Do you think that some of the harsh public criticism she faced was because she was a woman in the spotlight?

Yes, it’s the fact that she was a woman, and she had a temper, and she wouldn’t tolerate unprofessional things. She was criticized because of that. You would never say that about a man. Onassis had a huge temper, but that’s supposed to be okay because he was a man. Maria was a strong woman in times where that wasn’t really tolerated, where she would just say what she thought. She was outspoken, she had no fear, and she would just say what she wanted to do and perform in the best way in her own capacity, the maximum capacity, and became an icon. People were just not used to that. But the paradox of that is that by her being criticized, she became who she was. She became this inaccessible diva, and it created a hunger for her music and for her private life. So, she was on the covers of gossip magazines and opera magazines for four decades. It was absolutely unusual.

You mentioned you’ve always been an opera fan. Would you like to see Maria create greater curiosity to experience opera?

Opera started in the 16th century; they were folk music pieces that were sung in Italian, sometimes from the oral tradition. Then they became connected to popular stories at the time and were performed on stage. So, it started as a very popular form of art that was for everyone. Over the years, it became a more sophisticated kind of art. But opera singers like Enrico Caruso, Maria Callas and Luciano Pavarotti, and perhaps now Andrea Bocelli, these are figureheads who really worked to put opera back in its rightful place. It should be a very popular art form that should be accessible to the public. I think Callas was criticized by some when she made opera so popular. The aim of Maria is to have that operatic sensibility in a way that is popular. All the pieces in the film are beautiful and broad and have an ability to reach anyone.

“You are born an artist, or you are not. And you stay an artist, dear, even if your voice is less of a firework. The artist is always there.” Maria Callas

Maria Callas was one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century. The American-born Greek soprano garnered widespread critical acclaim and international fanfare, rising from modest circumstances to grace the stages of the world’s most illustrious opera houses in the 1950s and ’60s. She was an icon hailed as “La Callas” or “La Divina” (“the divine one”), revered for her astonishing vocal power, her technical agility, and the incredible passion she brought to her every role.

Born to Greek immigrants in New York on Dec. 2, 1923, Callas’s early homelife was upended by her father’s infidelity and her parents’ subsequent divorce. At the age of 13, Maria returned to Athens with her mother and sister and enrolled in the Athens Conservatory as a soprano under the tutelage of opera singer Elvira de Hidalgo. At 17, she made her professional debut with a modest role in the Royal Opera of Athens’ production of Franz von Suppé’s Boccaccio.

Only one year later, Callas won the title role in the company’s production of Puccini’s Tosca, playing a 19th-century Roman prima donna driven to a tragic death by the machinations of a powerful man who desires her. It was a part with which Callas would come to be strongly associated throughout her career.

Her confidence bolstered by her early success, Callas auditioned at New York’s prestigious Metropolitan Opera and was offered a contract to sing supporting roles. She declined, believing that the position was beneath her, and instead moved to Italy where she starred in a 1947’s La Gioconda at the Verona Arena. There, Callas met her husband, the wealthy industrialist Giovanni Meneghini. The pair married in 1949, with Meneghini taking over the singer’s business affairs as Callas’s manager. The same year as Callas’ breakout performance at La Fenice in Venice as Elvira in Il Puritani.

As Callas traveled the world, her reputation and stature grew with every performance. In 1952, she made her Covent Garden debut in Norma, starring in Bellini’s tragedy as the titular priestess, a doomed woman at the center of a love triangle during the Roman occupation of Gaul—a role that arguably became her true signature. Two years later, Callas performed Norma at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, marking her American debut.

In 1955, she returned to Europe for a career-defining performance as Verdi’s doomed heroine Violetta in La Traviata at Milan’s La Scala. The following year, she finally took the stage in Norma at the Met in New York, and for her appearance, she demanded a salary equal to the male singers and conductor Von Karajan, shocking the music world.

Callas’s exacting standards courted controversy, and they soon took a toll. Her voice became less reliable while Maria was still in her 30s, a time when sopranos typically are in their prime. While still unclear why she began to lose her voice, many attributed it to her weight loss at the time, causing scrutiny. Cancellations became more frequent for the star as she became too sick to perform, increasing the extreme backlash. Yet when she did take the stage, she continued to deliver magnificent performances until formally retiring in the 1960s. “I will always be as difficult as necessary to achieve the best,” she was quoted as saying.

At 41, Callas made her final operatic appearance on July 5, 1965, starring in Tosca at London’s Covent Garden, but Callas’ time in the limelight wasn’t over. Having parted ways with her husband in 1959, she’d struck up a torrid love affair with shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, which became the subject of great public fascination, as did her status as a fashion icon. She did continue to do concert tours, starred in Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1969 film Medea and conducted master classes at the Juilliard School, before moving to Paris in the mid-1970s and fading from view.

She died on Sept. 16, 1977, from a sudden heart attack at the age of 53.

Callas is remembered as an unparalleled artist and a groundbreaking presence in the world of opera, though others have painted her as a tragic figure, a woman whose own life mirrored the art form she loved. Some have even outrageously suggested she died from heartbreak in the wake of Onassis’s 1968 marriage to former U.S. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy—it was opera that was always her true love.

Pablo Larraín (Director, Producer) is one of the most celebrated Chilean filmmakers and producers working today. He is a founding partner of Fabula Producciones, a company dedicated to film and television production and one of the most prolific production houses in Latin America.

His films include No, starring Gael García Bernal, which was nominated for the Academy Award® for Best International Feature in 2013; El Club, which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2015 and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best International Feature Film; Jackie, starring Natalie Portman; and Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart, both of whom were nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards® for their performances in the films. His film El Conde won the Best Screenplay Award at the 2023 Venice Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Cinematography by Edward Lachman.

Through Fabula, he has produced numerous films and television series such as A Fantastic Woman, winner of the Academy Award® for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018; the documentary, The Eternal Memory, which was nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Documentary Feature and won the Goya Award for Best Ibero American Film. The television series include Midnight Family (Apple TV), El Dentista (ViX) and Baby Bandito (Netflix), as well as the documentary The Doomsday Cult of Antares de la Luz (Netflix).

Steven Knight is a leading British screenwriter, producer and director. He is the creator, executive producer and writer of BAFTA-winning television series Peaky Blinders, starring Cillian Murphy, as well as the hit series Taboo, SAS Rogue Heroes, This Town, The Veil and the Netflix limited series All the Light We Cannot See, which earned multiple nominations including for Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television at the 2024 Golden Globes. Knight also co-created international game show phenomenon Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

His first penned film, Dirty Pretty Things, was directed by Stephen Frears and opened the London Film Festival. It won four BIFAs, the 2005 Humanitas Prize for Film and earned an Academy Award® nomination for Best Original Screenplay, among other honors. Further screenplays for film include Eastern Promises and Spencer, and three that he also directed: Hummingbird, Locke and Serenity.

Knight is Co-Director of Digbeth Loc. Studios, a new TV and Film studio complex, which officially launched in Birmingham – his home city – in 2023. Beyond the screen, Knight has published four novels: The Movie House, Alphabet City, Out of the Blue and The Last Words of Will Wolfkin. He was also part of the creative team responsible for the opening ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Knight received a CBE in the New Year’s Honours List 2020 for services to Drama, Entertainment and the community of Birmingham. He has the highest honor from the Royal Television Society’s Midlands Centre – the Baird Medal – and in 2023 the Royal Television Society awarded Steven a Fellowship for his contribution to the UK television industry. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Worcester, an Honorary Degree of Doctor from Birmingham City University and an Honorary Fellowship at UCL.

Upcoming projects include Disney+ series A Thousand Blows, starring Stephen Graham, and theNetflix feature film installment of Peaky Blinders.


Vaughn Stein directed Cellar Door from a screenplay by Sam Scott and Lori Evans Taylor, exploring how deeply buried issues and unspoken desires can manifest into palpable fears and tensions, particularly within intimate relationships. They aimed to create an atmospheric and thought-provoking narrative that keeps audiences guessing while delving into the darker aspects of human nature.

They aimed to create an atmospheric and thought-provoking narrative that keeps audiences guessing while delving into the darker aspects of human nature.

The story revolves around Sera and John, who move into a dream home with an unusual condition—they must never open the cellar door. This enigmatic setup immediately captures interest and sets the tone for the mystery to unfold.

The film tackles the emotional weight of loss and the lengths people go to for a fresh start, making it a powerful narrative that resonates with many, delving into themes of sacrifice, pride, and the unknown’s impact on personal relationships. It explores how secrets and suppressed issues can manifest and strain relationships, offering a thought-provoking viewing experience.

Featuring cinematography by Vittorio Storaro, the film’s visual storytelling enhances its suspenseful atmosphere. The mystery surrounding the cellar door keeps viewers on the edge of their seats as they uncover hidden secrets and unexpected plot developments.

The story concept was developed by Sam Scott and Lori Evans Taylor, who jointly wrote the screenplay. Stein came on board to bring the story to life, infusing it with his unique directorial vision and style. His expertise in creating immersive, atmospheric narratives was essential in translating the screenplay’s suspenseful and psychological elements to the screen. Stein’s attention to detail and collaborative approach helped shape the film’s visual and emotional tone, ensuring each scene resonated with the intended impact. By working closely with the cast and crew, Stein navigated the challenges of production, harnessing their talents to deliver a film that captivates and thrills audiences.

Stein’s approach involved a blend of neo-noir and intense drama, ensuring that the film’s visual and emotional tones aligned perfectly with the story’s themes. He meticulously selected key actors—Jordana Brewster and Scott Speedman, among others—to embody the complex characters, bringing depth and authenticity to their performances.

Stein worked with production designers Mark Kelly and Natasa Paulberg to create sets that not only looked authentic but also contributed to the film’s suspenseful tone. The titular cellar door, in particular, was crafted to be a haunting symbol within the story. Understanding the vital role of sound in building tension, Stein worked closely with the sound design team and composers to create an auditory experience that would keep audiences on edge: Alex Parsons (Lead Sound Designer), Rebecca Townsend was the Sound Engineer who ensured the seamless integration of various sound elements, and Folley Artist Michael Collins: enhanced the film’s realism with expertly crafted sound effects.

Stein was heavily involved in the editing process with editor Michael Merriman, ensuring that the pacing maintained the suspense and that every scene served the story’s psychological depth.

Like many films, Cellar Door faced budgetary constraints, but Stein’s innovative solutions and collaborative team spirit enabled them to maximize resources without compromising quality. With tight shooting schedules, Stein kept the team motivated and efficient, ensuring that every shot was completed on time while still maintaining the high cinematic standards.

Through his direction, Stein ensured that the film didn’t just thrill audiences but also resonated emotionally, leaving a lasting impact. The final product was a testament to Stein’s vision—an engaging thriller that kept audiences guessing and ultimately proved to be a profound exploration of human fears and relationships.

  • The Others is a haunting tale where a mother and her children live in a secluded mansion and encounter mysterious events. This gothic supernatural psychological horror is directed, written, and scored by Alejandro Amenábar. Set in 1945, it tells the story of Grace Stewart, a woman living in a remote country house with her two photosensitive children who begin experiencing supernatural phenomena.
  • Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the gripping psychological thriller The Sixth Sense explores themes of trauma, guilt, and redemption, following Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist, who begins treating a young boy named Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) who claims he can see and communicate with the dead. Made on a $40 million budget, the film grossed over $672 million worldwide, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 1999.
  • A U.S. Marshal investigates a psychiatric facility on a remote island, uncovering dark secrets in Shutter Island. This 2010 neo-noir psychological thriller was directed by Martin Scorsese and based on the 2003 novel by Dennis Lehane. The story is set in 1954 and follows U.S. Marshal (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his partner (Mark Ruffalo) as they investigate the disappearance of a patient from the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane on Shutter Island. As they delve deeper into the investigation, they encounter disturbing secrets, psychological manipulation, and haunting memories from Teddy’s past.
  • The Orphanage (original title: El Orfanato) is a haunting and emotional thriller about a woman who returns to her childhood home, which was once an orphanage, and strange events begin to unfold. This 2007 Spanish gothic horror film was directed by J.A. Bayona and produced by Guillermo del Toro. It’s celebrated for its eerie atmosphere, emotional depth, and compelling story. The film follows Laura, who returns with her family to the orphanage where she grew up. Laura plans to reopen the orphanage as a facility for disabled children. However, shortly after moving in, her son Simón starts interacting with an invisible friend, and mysterious events begin to unfold. When Simón goes missing, Laura must confront the dark secrets of the orphanage and her own past to find him.

These films resonate deeply with audiences due to a combination of compelling narratives, strong character development, and the ways they invoke emotional and psychological responses.

The protagonists in these films are often relatable, enduring personal struggles and facing fears or moral dilemmas. Strong character arcs show growth and revelation adds depth as characters undergo significant psychological journeys that keep audiences invested.

The films use their settings to enhance the mood and tension. These films masterfully build suspense through atmospheric cinematography, sound design, and careful pacing. The fear of the unknown and unexpected plot twists keep viewers on edge.

They tackle universal themes like loss, identity, guilt, and redemption, which resonate on a deeper emotional level. The tension built up through storytelling often leads to a cathartic release, leaving audiences with a sense of resolution. Even in horror, this emotional journey can be satisfying and memorable.



Vaughn Stein is a talented British director and writer known for his distinctive style and work in various genres. With a background working as an assistant director on films like Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) and World War Z (2013), Stein has honed his skills in visual storytelling. He is known for his meticulous attention to detail and ability to craft immersive cinematic worlds. He worked on notable films like Terminal (2018) and Inheritance (2020), showcasing his ability to create suspenseful narratives with complex characters. His captivating visual style often incorporates elements of neo-noir and surrealism.

Screenwriters Sam Scott and Lori Evans Taylor bring a wealth of experience to their writing.

Sam Scott is an acclaimed author known for his rich and engaging narratives. His unique style and storytelling prowess make him a notable figure in modern literature. Some of his bestselling books on Goodreads include: The Salvation of Eli Ussher, Brand Justice and Justice at Jericho Springs.

Lori Evans Taylor is an American producer and writer celebrated for her work on TV series and films. Notable projects she has been involved in include the TV Series‘s Lucky Dog, Wicked Wicked Games, and 1000 Ways to Die.


REVIEW: A Complete Unknown offers a comprehensive look at Dylan’s early career and his lasting legacy. It captures a transformative period in music history, particularly the 1960s, when Bob Dylan’s shift from folk to rock had a profound impact on the genre. The film highlights Dylan’s role in shaping the cultural landscape of the time, influencing not just music but also social and political movements. It showcases Dylan’s evolution as an artist, providing insight into his creative process and the courage it took to defy expectations and pursue his artistic vision. Timothée Chalamet’s performance as Bob Dylan has been widely praised. Critics have noted that he “channels Dylan in looks, sound, and attitude” without resorting to mimicry. Chalamet’s portrayal captures Dylan’s “slouched posture, mumbling voice, and stoic attitude”, making it feel like Dylan himself is on screen. James Mangold’s direction has been praised for its authenticity and emotional depth.

Mangold recognized that Bob Dylan’s story required a unique approach. Given Dylan’s enigmatic and transformative persona, a conventional biopic would indeed fall short. With A Complete Unknown, which Mangold co-wrote with Jay Cocks, he brings his extensive experience from 19 diverse films. His ability to traverse various cinematic genres while maintaining a strong humanist touch makes him the right director to capture the essence of Dylan’s journey.

What interested Mangold about this time in Dylan’s life were the personal questions the material raised – notions of inherent genius and talent which certain artists are simply born with – and the blessings and burdens of that talent which can, at the same time, make you wildly popular yet utterrly alone.

The Complete Unknown offers a fascinating exploration of Bob Dylan’s rise to stardom amid the cultural upheavals of the 1960s. The film captures the essence of a young Dylan as he navigates the burgeoning folk music movement, interacts with influential figures, and transitions from an unknown vagabond to a rock-and-roll icon. James Mangold’s vision delved into Dylan’s relationships, his electrifying musical evolution, and the turbulent times that shaped his ascent.

The backdrop of events like the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Civil Rights Movement provides a powerful context for Dylan’s journey, highlighting the intersection of music, celebrity, and culture. With Mangold’s previous successes in the music biopic genre, partculalry his 2005 film Walk the Line. It’s no surprise that he brings a unique and humanist perspective to Dylan’s story, avoiding the conventional biopic approach.

The early 1960s in the United States was indeed a time of significant transformation. The nation was grappling with various social, political, and cultural changes. Anti-war and civil rights activism were at the forefront of this period. The arts scene, especially in lower Manhattan, was thriving with modern jazz by Miles Davis, the daring comedy of Lenny Bruce, and the pop art movement led by Andy Warhol’s Factory Studio.

Within this vibrant environment, the folk music movement, spearheaded by figures like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, was gaining momentum. Young Bob Dylan arrived in January 1961, guitar in hand, ready to make his mark. He was embraced by a movement that unknowingly needed a leader, setting the stage for his rise to fame.

Timothée Chalamet in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved. Credit: James Mangold

Dylan’s journey from an unknown musician to a rock-and-roll icon reflects the broader societal shifts and artistic explorations of the era. This portrayal offers a nuanced understanding of Dylan’s ascent and the cultural landscape that shaped his music and legacy. It’s a fascinating exploration of a transformative period in American history and the arts. Dylan’s influence and enigmatic persona, coupled with his refusal to conform to artistic norms, make this film a captivating portrayal of an iconic figure whose timeless songs continue to resonate across generations.

Dylan’s ascent indeed came at a pivotal moment in history, with the Cold War casting a shadow over global affairs. The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of catastrophe, followed by the tragic assassination of JFK in 1963, which deeply impacted the nation. Amidst this turmoil, the Civil Rights Movement gained momentum, exemplified by the 1963 March on Washington, where Dylan performed just before Martin Luther King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.

This period marked a clash between old norms and emerging ideals, and while many took to the streets, Dylan channeled his beliefs into music that resonated with a generation. Over the next six decades, his status as an iconic figure solidified, with his timeless songs and lyrics being reprised by artists across genres.

Despite his influence, Dylan has remained an enigma, refusing to be confined by artistic norms. His ability to defy expectations and continually reinvent himself has kept him relevant and intriguing to the culture at large.

Mangold’s A Complete Unknown captures this multifaceted journey, portraying a time of intense social and political upheaval and the rise of a musical legend who has left an indelible mark on history. While evoking these specific cultural moments in Bob Dylan’s life, A Complete Unknown aims to have universal appeal as well. Like Dylan himself, its power lies in connecting across generations.

Mangold felt fortunate to spend time speaking with Dylan throughout the screenwriting and pre-production process. One thing that became clear to him was the burden of what to do with your dream once you’ve manifested it.

“You can be really good at writing songs and you can be really good at recording them, singing them, and playing them,” he says. “But that doesn’t make you necessarily good or receptive to what stardom or fame brings, or the burdens of putting a shine on and being available to millions of people who love you, hate you, resent you, or have expectations for you.”

For Chalamet, it was an opportunity to study and absorb one of the most consequential figures of all time, and to perhaps even leverage his own connection with today’s audience to expand that imprint all the more.

“Lots of things are inspired by Bob without people really knowing about it,” Chalamet says. “So, this is like a humble entreaty to create a bridge to Bob Dylan, for not only a younger audience but for audiences that don’t know him.”

Director James Mangold and Timothée Chalamet on the set of A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Producer Heineman adds that while a younger audience might not be as familiar with Dylan as an older audience, they can definitely be galvanized by the tale of a self-made success story. Dylan’s lyrics resonate as much now as when they were written in the 60s and are often covered and performed by artists inspired by his timeless songwriting.

“It’s not just about Bob Dylan,” Heineman says. “It’s about the birth of an artist. It’s about someone, as Bob would say, creating themselves, and I think it’s universally inspirational to people that if you have a dream, you can manifest it.”

To Mangold’s early point, A Complete Unknown represents just a sliver of Bob Dylan’s life and times. But it’s a thematically resonant sliver that gives insight into how a star was born and how a culture shifted. Dylan’s controversial set at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival incinerated barriers between genres and generations. It popularized folk rock in an instant and marked a stark divide between yesterday and tomorrow. His August release that year, Highway 61 Revisited, featuring the anthem of the era “Like a Rolling Stone,” went on to be counted among the greatest albums of all time. In 2023, he released his 40th studio album, showing no signs of fading from the rock-and-roll culture he helped to create.

The journey began with Rosen optioning Elijah Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric!: Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties. This book captures the significant moment in 1965 when Dylan shocked the world by performing with an electric band at the Newport Folk Festival.

Collaborating with Oscar-nominated screenwriter Jay Cocks, they adapted Wald’s book, creating a foundation for this cinematic project. In 2018, Searchlight Pictures and a creative team, including James Mangold, Timothée Chalamet, Fred Berger, Alex Heineman, Bob Bookman, Peter Jaysen, Alan Gasmer, and Rosen, came together to bring Dylan’s iconic story to the screen.

This collaborative effort promises to provide a deep, nuanced look into a pivotal moment in music history, showcasing Dylan’s groundbreaking shift to electric music and the cultural shockwaves it created.

Director James Mangold and Timothée Chalamet on the set of A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. Photo by Macall Polay, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Chalamet, fresh off his critically acclaimed roles in Call Me by Your Name and Dune, brings a dynamic presence to the project. Although he initially knew little about Dylan beyond his iconic status, Chalamet was drawn to the role because of the complexity and depth of Dylan’s character.

Mangold, recognizing Chalamet’s intuitive acting skills and charismatic presence, saw the potential for a powerful creative partnership. This synergy between director and actor promises to deliver a nuanced and engaging portrayal of Bob Dylan, capturing the essence of the musician’s journey and the turbulent times that shaped his rise to fame.

Chalamet’s commitment to understanding and embodying Dylan’s multifaceted persona, combined with Mangold’s vision and experience, sets the stage for a compelling and memorable film. It will be fascinating to see how Chalamet interprets and brings to life the enigmatic and influential figure of Bob Dylan.

“There are two versions of a Bob Dylan movie you could make,” Chalamet says. “You’ve got a version that is a behavioral master class on a guy who didn’t really make eye contact that ofen and the mystery that surrounded him, or you do something that could be disingenuous to his life and work, a greatest-hits compilation that sort of ignores the fact that his career wasn’t a straight trajectory. Jim was quick to walk a fine line between demystifying Bob and not doing a sycophantic thing.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent industry strikes in 2020 caused delays, but this period allowed Chalamet to delve deeper into his role. The extended preparation time helped him understand Dylan’s character and improve his proficiency as a musician and singer. This immersion in the role, as Chalamet describes, led him to fully embrace the persona of Bob Dylan.

“Once I was in it, there was no coming back,” Chalamet says. “I was fully in the Church of Bob.”

Chalamet’s dedication and Mangold’s vision promise a compelling and nuanced portrayal of Dylan, capturing the essence of the musician’s enigmatic and influential journey. He had his work cut out for him.

For Mangold, there was no version of A Complete Unknown that didn’t feature actors doing their own singing. Mangold built off the rapturous response to the real vocals of Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon as Johnny and June Carter Cash in Walk the Line as performers whose on-screen portrayals were steeped in the authenticity of live recordings.

Timothée Chalamet in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Mangold’s vision for these kinds of films is to avoid falling victim to facsimile while striving toward something more transcendent. He knew that as a spectator, feeling could best come through live performance in the way that Dylan himself won over his fans for decades on the road.

Says Mangold: “I didn’t want Timmy to disappear. It’s a performance. I wanted Timmy to bring who he is
to Bob. If it becomes just a series of mannerisms and vocal impressions, there is no one really there.”

Adds producer Heineman, “As Jim would put it, you have to create your own version of the character. You
can’t just do mimicry or try to create exactly who the person is. So, while Timothée studied Bob tremendously and obviously learned the music and everything about the world that Bob lived in, he also created his own version of Bob.”

Chalamet dedicated himself to intense musical study and training for five years, which allowed him to not
only hone in on the required skillset, but to explore Dylan’s songs and make them his own. Meanwhile, he and celebrated voice coach Eric Vetro watched hours of Dylan’s performances and interviews, paying close a`enaon to small details like his posture and how that influenced his voice.

“If you really want to capture the essence of Bob, it’s very mula-layered,” Vetro says. “He has a lot of different qualiaes to his voice. It’s sort of like a wine. And Timothée has a really good ear. He can grab onto an idea really fast and he knows how to execute it as an actor.”

The actor’s aptitude also stretched to Dylan’s chosen instrument, according to guitar coach Larry Saltzman. Throughout the years of production delays, Chalamet mastered both the guitar and harmonica. His portrayal includes live performances of Dylan’s iconic songs, adding depth and authenticity to the film.

“When learning guitar, there’s a rhythmic thing that has to happen, and I believe that people are either born with this or they’re not,” Saltzman says. “And it’s so important when you watch Bob play because he’s an orchestra of one. I would show a song to Timmy and I would explain to him, ‘Don’t get nervous if this takes you a minute. This is difficult.’ But somehow, within 90 seconds, the guy was doing it. He had really inhabited the person and musician that Dylan is.”

The production of A Complete Unknown had a significant advantage in managing the chaos of live, improvisational musical performances, thanks to the expertise of production mixer Tod A. Maitland. With five Academy Award® nominations to his name, Maitland has pioneered and refined the on-set recording process for live musical performances. His experience includes working on iconic films like Oliver Stone’s The Doors and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.

Maitland’s innovative techniques and deep understanding of capturing live music on set ensured that the film’s musical elements were recorded with precision and authenticity. His expertise allowed the production to navigate the complexities of live performances and deliver a rich, immersive auditory experience for the audience.

With Maitland’s contributions, A Complete Unknown promises not only a compelling narrative and visual experience but also a soundscape that authentically represents the dynamic energy of Bob Dylan’s music and the era it emerged from. This attention to detail in the sound department further enhances the film’s overall impact.

Timothée Chalamet in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Every well-worn classic and every chosen lyric is part of Mangold’s narrative fabric. Fluidity was key, and Chalamet’s prowess in this regard was uncanny, according to music producer Nick Baxter.

“We knew that we needed to capture a lot of this stuff on set and have our actors prepared to do it,” Baxter says. “The fact that Timmy learned these songs and can perform them under all different circumstances, for example scenes where he’s writing, or showing someone a song for the first time, or performing, is incredible. He’s not beholden to anything. He can stop, walk away from the mic, mess up a lyric, add a harmonica solo, and he can go up and down in tempo and pace the song differently. I don’t know if this movie would really work without him being able to do that.”

Mangold’s biggest takeaway when he first approached the material was its fable-like qualities. In his vision, Young Dylan had a sense of his own destiny when he travelled in 1961 to Manhattan with nothing in his pockets and a guitar on his back to meet his hero, Woody Guthrie.

“We didn’t want to draw conjecture that would have demystified the way life was for Bob in Minnesota,”
Chalamet says. “That’s why I love the title of the movie, The Complete Unknown, Some stuff is left to the imagination, because Bob’s ethos as an artist is the myth of self-creation.”

In the film, Woody Guthrie is portrayed as a revered figure in the folk music scene, almost like a divine presence. Timothée Chalamet describes Guthrie as the “dying god” encountered at the beginning of Dylan’s journey. Guthrie, suffering from Huntington’s disease, symbolizes the old guard of folk music.

Meanwhile, Pete Seeger, Guthrie’s close friend, is positioned to take over the leadership of the folk movement. However, Bob Dylan, through a combination of talent, intuition, and determination, eventually rises to prominence and takes the reins of the movement. This dynamic shift highlights Dylan’s impact and his ability to shape the direction of folk music during a transformative period.

Mangold’s A Complete Unknown captures this transition beautifully, showcasing the passing of the torch from Guthrie to Dylan, and the profound influence Dylan had on the folk music scene and beyond. It’s an intriguing portrayal of how one individual’s determination and unique voice can redefine an entire movement.

Scoot McNairy in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN.© 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Scoot McNairy, who plays the role of Guthrie, was aware that when we meet Guthrie in the film, he had lost his ability to speak due to the progression of his neurodegeneraave condiaon. “It is one of the hardest roles that I’ve ever played,” he says. “You’re trying to act without all the tools that you’re really used to. Your mannerisms, your tone, your physicality, all of that is taken away from you. The only thing you have to speak with is your eyes.”

Edward Norton in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN.© 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

For Edward Norton, the opportunity to learn and play Seeger’s banjo-bound music was a huge hook in and of itself. He’s an actor drawn to those kinds of rich and challenging tasks. He was drawn, as was Chalamet, to the chance to engage a new generation with Seeger and Dylan’s contributions to the cultural fabric. Theirs remains one of the most consequential partnerships in music history, all the more so for how they grew apart, a considerable narrative thread in A Complete Unknown.

“There’s something really interesting to me about the evolution of their alliance,” Norton says. “The reasons you might admire Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger can be divergent without diminishing either one. What’s interesting about their relationship has to do with the way that people can cross paths, be on the same path and then diverge without judgment. There’s so much polarization today, and this relationship is ultimately about finding empathy and being able to understand where someone is coming from.”

Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN.© 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Bob Dylan’s activist spirit indeed evolved over time, and the film highlights two significant relationships that played a crucial role in this transformation. Sylvie Russo, played by Elle Fanning, a character representing the real-life Suze Rotolo, is portrayed as a forthright artist and freedom fighter. Rotolo’s influence on Dylan was profound, both personally and politically, as she was deeply involved in the civil rights movement.

Timothée Chalamet and Monica Barbaro © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Additionally, the film features Joan Baez, the renowned singer and activist, who had a significant impact on Dylan’s career and activism, and is played by Monica Barbaro. Baez and Dylan shared a close professional and personal relationship, and she played a key role in introducing him to a wider audience and supporting his burgeoning activism.

Through these relationships, Dylan’s activist spirit was nurtured and awakened, contributing to his evolution as an artist who used his music to voice his beliefs and ignite a generation. Mangold’s A Complete Unknown seems to capture the essence of these pivotal connections, showcasing how they helped shape Dylan’s journey and his legacy as an influential figure in music and social activism.

Rounding out the film’s trio of artistic influences on Dylan’s journey is the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash. Played by actor Boyd Holbrook, Cash – the subject of Mangold’s 2005 film Walk the Line – comes to represent an endorsement of Dylan’s rebellion – and a partner in his progress. “Make some noise, B-D. Track some mud on the carpet,” as Cash encourages him in the film

Boyd Holbroo and Timothée Chalamet © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Early-1960s New York was a wonderland blossoming with artistic and Boheme energy that Mangold was keen on resurrecting for the screen.

“Jim imagined a textured movie that was grity and grimy with peeling plaster and decaying walls and rust and soot and cigaree butts and trash,” says Mangold’s production designer of the last decade, François Audouy. “Modern day New York has a more antiseptic sort of quality now though. It’s been sandblasted and cleaned up, we actually found that texture and these fixed-in layers became a really big asset for us. It turns out that the other side of the Hudson River looks more like New York than New York does now.”

It’s fascinating to see how meticulous the visual design of A Complete Unknown is. François Audouy’s extensive look-book, filled with 200 pages of inspirational images and photographs, provides a rich visual foundation for the film. Sharing this with Phedon Papamichael, Mangold’s longtime cinematographer, ensures a cohesive vision.

Don Hunstein’s iconic photography, especially the session with Dylan and Suze Rotolo that resulted in the cover of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, serves as a key inspiration. The discussions about the Kodachrome look of the 1960s emphasize the nostalgic and authentic feel they’re aiming for in the film’s visuals.

Papamichael’s use of the Sony Venice 2 digital camera combines the best of past and present. His custom-made lenses, a hybrid of old B-series anamorphic lenses from the ’60s and ’70s, offer a unique texture reminiscent of films like The French Connection or The Last Detail. The anamorphic aspect ratio allows for intimate close-up shots while capturing the surrounding environment, enhancing the film’s immersive quality.

Mangold and Papamichael’s collaboration, stretching back to the 2003 thriller Identity, underscores their strong working relationship and mutual understanding of visual storytelling. This attention to detail and dedication to capturing the essence of the era promises a visually stunning and evocative portrayal of Dylan’s journey in A Complete Unknown.

James Mangold’s versatility as a filmmaker is truly remarkable. His body of work spans a wide range of genres, each characterized by its emotional depth and unique storytelling. Rather than being confined to a single genre or motif, Mangold’s films challenge us to feel and reflect deeply.

Starting from his early success with the Sundance Independent film Heavy, Mangold has transitioned seamlessly across genres:

  • From the intense cop noir of Cop Land,
  • To the mental institution drama of Girl Interrupted,
  • The romantic fantasy of Kate & Leopold,
  • The musical biopic Walk the Line,
  • The traditional western 3:10 to Yuma,
  • The gritty pulp horror Identity,
  • The beloved comic book hero tales in Logan,
  • And the period car racing film Ford v. Ferrari, which was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Mangold’s ability to navigate these diverse genres while maintaining a strong, emotionally resonant voice is a testament to his talent and vision. Each film offers a distinct experience, showcasing his mastery in crafting compelling narratives that connect deeply with audiences.

It’s clear that Mangold’s A Complete Unknown promises to be another standout addition to his impressive filmography, blending his expertise in music biopics with his knack for evoking powerful cultural moments.

James Mangold’s journey into filmmaking is as fascinating as his diverse filmography. The son of renowned painters Robert Mangold and Sylvia Plimack Mangold, he grew up in New York’s Hudson Valley. His artistic upbringing undoubtedly influenced his creative path.

Mangold graduated in film and acting from The California Institute of the Arts and broke into the film industry at the young age of 21 with a prestigious writer-director deal with Disney Studios. After spending a few years in Hollywood, he decided to further his education at Columbia University’s film school, where he studied under the guidance of Oscar-winning director Milos Forman.

It was during his time at Columbia that Mangold began writing Heavy (1995). The film went on to win the Director’s Prize at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival and was selected to represent the United States at Director’s Fortnight in Cannes. This early success marked the beginning of a prolific and varied career for Mangold.

From his independent film roots to his mainstream successes, Mangold’s career reflects his ability to navigate and excel in a wide range of genres. His background and experiences have clearly shaped his unique approach to filmmaking, allowing him to create powerful, emotionally resonant stories that connect with audiences.

Jay Cocks is a highly esteemed screenwriter with a remarkable career. He has received two Oscar nominations for his screenplays of The Age of Innocence and Gangs of New York, both directed by Martin Scorsese. In addition to these acclaimed works, Cocks has also contributed to Silence, another film directed by Scorsese, and Strange Days, directed by Kathryn Bigelow and based on an original script by James Cameron.

Before becoming a celebrated screenwriter, Cocks had an illustrious career as a film and music critic for Time magazine. His deep understanding of film and music has clearly informed his screenwriting, allowing him to create richly textured and compelling narratives.

Cocks’ collaboration on A Complete Unknown brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the project, enhancing its potential to be a standout film.

© 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.



“The main inspiration for making Society of the Snow is Pablo Vierci’s book because we knew the story, but the book revealed to us a world of many other little stories within the ‘official’ story,” says producer Belén Atienza. “Pablo decides to tell what happened on the mountain from 16 points of view, one for each of the survivors, and that gives it an exceptional human richness. It was while reading the book that we realised the deep complexity that this story has on many levels — psychological, emotional and anthropological. In fact, thirty years had to pass before its main characters could reflect on and tell it.”

“Such a powerful story in J’s hands made the project a very exciting journey. J is a filmmaker who masterfully handles all genres, and this story gave him the chance to work with almost all of them — drama, adventure, action and tragedy — as well as explore the most transcendent aspects of the experience those young Uruguayans went through in the mountains,” says Atienza.


“For this project to become a reality, we’ve spent 10 years developing it, designing it, and figuring out how to finance it.” says Atienza. “Ten years during which we’ve explored different ways to make it happen. When we realised the level of production that the film required to carry out J’s vision, we approached Netflix because we saw that they were betting heavily on projects by great directors. The response was immediate and positive, and their commitment throughout the production process has been very strong. Society of the Snow could not have been made without a partner that from the beginning understood the production challenge in terms of timing and logistics as well as creativity. We are very grateful for the support, trust and relationship with Netflix.”

“Part of what’s so exciting about a project like this is that responsibility of making a film based on a true story. You want to do it because you know it’s a story that teaches you things, that puts you in a place you’re not normally in, that forces you to ask yourself questions. And in a way you also want to continue the legacy, because even though for decades it has affected different generations, it’s still a story that new generations have yet to discover,” says producer Sandra Hermida.

Directed by J.A Bayona, the screenplay for Society of the Snow was crafted by Bayona, Bernat Vilaplana,
Jaime Marques-Olearraga, and Nicolás Casariego.

In 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which had been chartered to fly a rugby team to Chile, crashed in the heart of the Andes. Only 29 of its 45 passengers survived the accident. Trapped in one of the most hostile and inaccessible environments on the planet, they have to resort to extreme measures to stay alive.


For writer Pablo Vierci the project started with a short email written by J.A. Bayona in 2011.

“It was a short letter, very emotional, written to all the survivors and to me, as author of the book (although in reality it’s a book told by them). And that letter was so emotional, and dove so deep, that we were all fascinated by the idea that there was a completely new, very exciting, very profound version from that point of view. It was an overwhelming and thrilling email where he explained that he had used the book Society of the Snow to write The Impossible, which hadn’t yet come out, and he told us what he felt was needed to tell the story of what happened in the Andes.

“The survivors and I are childhood friends, we’re classmates, I’ve known them all their lives, but their lives
have inspired many works, and not all of them have been well-received. It was difficult, so many years later, for someone to appeal to them. J.A. Bayona managed to appeal to 16 people, and to me, in an email of less than a page.”

Gustavo Zerbino, left, and writer Pablo Vierci pose for a portrait to promote the film “Society of the Snow” in Los Angeles. Zerbino is a survivor of a 1972 plane crash in the Andes. ASSOCIATED PRESS

“In 2016, J.A., Belén and Sandra bought the rights to the book and from there we started to work seriously on the project. Before adapting the book and creating the script, there was an intense research and documentation phase. In Uruguay, we interviewed the survivors endlessly, along with J.A., Belén and Sandra. We worked together and we talked often,” Vierci says. “I think that what J.A. managed to do was combine the intimate and the emotional, diving deep into each person’s personality. I’m not just talking
about the survivors, but also those who died, through the memories of both the survivors and the family members that we interviewed.

“J.A. always wanted to have absolutely every single fact about what happened with both the living and the dead. He wanted to find the truth, although the truth isn’t always the reality, so to speak, because the truth is often much deeper.”

The script, written by J.A. Bayona, Nicolás Casariego, Jaime Marques and Bernat Vilaplana, used the book as a starting point and then enriched it with all the information taken from the director’s hours of interviews. Marques adds that “the new material was rich and detailed, it barely left space for imagination. Despite how many years had gone by, the survivors had very specific memories about what happened.”

Casariego says that one of the main goals when writing the script was to be completely faithful to what
happened. At the same time, he adds, “the group was the real main character, including those whose role in survival was less well-known, or who died along the way. There are no heroes. There are survivors, and there are those who stayed on the mountain. And those who came back, in reality, also stayed on the mountain. They try to accept the role that was thrust upon them because surviving goes far beyond getting out of there. It’s much more complicated than that.”

In that sense, the entire screenwriting team believes that one of the great achievements of the script is telling the story from Numa’s point of view. “His role isn’t that of a classic hero, but of action and triumph. Its power is at the spiritual level, in telling the story of those who never left and who are often forgotten. Because in their way, they gave the most. And they’re still with us,” Casariego says.

Jaime Marques expands by saying “as we follow the events through Numa’s eyes, we’ve transformed the story from one with a main character to one told by a chorus, where each one of the characters has their moment, big or small, and their own voice. The movie is a fitting tribute to those who survived and those who stayed on the mountain. Without the latter, the former would have never been able to tell their story.”

Vierci views the process of adapting his book in a positive light: “They gave control to some excellent screenwriters. The most important thing, in my mind, was shedding light on what had been hidden before. I always knew that what happened back in ’72 had infinite layers, many of which we’d never managed to uncover. And now I’m convinced that, with this movie, we’ve been able to reach layers, or levels of awareness, that we didn’t know existed, and that I only now know. I think this symbiosis of the intimate, of the heart, with spectacle is explosive. And J.A. does it marvellously, because he happens to have experience in both spheres: in the singular, the psychological, the sense of going within to uncover what’s not immediately visible, and in the spectacular, because this is spectacular. J.A. captured both the majesty and the solitude.”

Director J. A. Bayona (center) on the set of ‘Society of the Snow.’ QUIM VIVES / NETFLIX © 2022

HOW DID YOU COME ACROSS SOCIETY OF THE SNOW?

I read the book Society of the Snow more than 10 years ago while I was preparing to film The Impossible, and it turned out to be very inspiring. The title of The Impossible, for example, came to me when I read a statement by Roberto Canessa, one of the survivors of the Andes. I remember sharing excerpts from the book with Naomi Watts and Tom Holland during breaks between takes. The two films tell the stories of two human tragedies that share an idea of survival that is not only physical but also emotional.

WHAT INTERESTED YOU MOST ABOUT THE BOOK?

Pablo Vierci manages to get you into the mind of each of the characters, and you experience something extreme that puts you face to face with death — and from there, the focus is on living. It’s a fascinating and complex story. His book is full of strong contrasts between light and dark, and it’s very human. I was especially interested in the sense of guilt that permeates throughout the story, which dismantles the classic hero’s tale of films that depict these kinds of stories. In the book, Roberto Canessa addresses the dead 40 years after the accident and asks them to peacefully accept having experienced the life they did not have. One of the film’s themes originates from this idea: the need to establish contact between the living and the dead to write a story that highlights the fundamental role played by everyone, including those who stayed behind.

WHAT ROLE DID PABLO VIERCI PLAY IN THE MOVIE?

He was the custodian of the story and characters, but I never felt that he constrained my vision. On the contrary, I felt supported and safe with him by my side. The survivors were also fundamental — their enthusiasm galvanised the film and my point of view. We went through an exciting and creative process together. If any questions came up on set, Vierci would pick up the phone, and we would talk to the
people who had first-hand experience of the situations we were trying to recreate. It was a unique experience.

DID VIERCI ALSO AGREE WITH THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE FILM?

Yes, he supported it from the very beginning, even when that point of view differed from that of the book. In his work, the story is told by the 16 survivors. We include those who died. He thought it was a brilliant idea and always supported it

IT’S YOUR FIRST TIME AS A SCREENWRITER

With Society of the Snow, I didn’t want to strictly follow a script. The story was well known, so I was more interested in capturing powerful expressions and images than the facts themselves. Having direct access to the survivors was an extraordinary source of information, so I decided to recreate what happened with their help. We gathered a group of more than 20 young actors and rehearsed for two months. A lot of new ideas came out of that. During filming, more images and situations emerged that we incorporated into the script. This story could not be told from a distance — we needed to fully immerse ourselves and to feel the cold, the hunger and the isolation of the mountain. The film comes not only from a previous script but also from the experiences and ideas we explored during rehearsals, shooting and editing.

QUIM VIVES / NETFLIX © 2022

DID YOU ALWAYS FEEL IT WAS CRUCIAL FOR THE ACTORS TO MEET THE SURVIVORS?

Always. I give the actors the space and the confidence to improvise. But for that to happen, information is necessary. That’s why it was essential for them to connect with the survivors and the other families. During the shoot, the guys were committed to their characters, and they put their hearts and souls into it. I am very proud of the result. Working with the actors is the part of this profession that I love the most and that brings me the most joy.

THIS IS YOUR FIRST FILM IN SPANISH IN OVER 15 YEARS. HOW WAS THE EXPERIENCE OF FILMING IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE AGAIN?

For me, filming in English was difficult at times. Added to the insecurities of any director is the disadvantage of not being able to defend yourself in your own language. I would have liked to have shot Society of the Snow earlier, but it took us 10 years to finance this film. I had to film Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and The Rings of Power to earn the right to direct this story as it was meant to be — in its original language, in the places where it happened, and with the ambition with which we approached the project. Shooting this film was liberating not only because of the language, but also because it allowed me to rediscover myself as a director.

HOW DO TWO SURVIVAL STORIES SUCH AS THE IMPOSSIBLE AND SOCIETY OF THE SNOW DIFFER FROM EACH OTHER?

There is an important difference in terms of the time frame: from the 72 hours that the survivors of The Impossible lived through to the 72 days that the characters in this one go through. The experience is very different. In this film, there is room for reflection, for asking questions. The context is also very different. Society of the Snow is about life in a place where life is not possible. The characters have to reinvent it. Relationships, customs and bonds are reinvented.

IT CAN’T BE EASY TO TELL THE STORY WITH SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED

Reaching an agreement with all the survivors and families of the deceased was vital to this project and everyone responded unanimously and favourably to the approach to the story. The survivors were instrumental, their enthusiasm fueled the film and my perspective.

NETFLIX © 2022

THE TRUE STORY INVOLVES A RUGBY TEAM AND THEIR COMPANIONS. IT’S BASICALLY A GROUP OF MEN. IN CONTRAST, YOUR FILMS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR HAVING GREAT FEMALE LEADS. HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS CHANGE?

It’s true that the film represents a change, and I found it very interesting to be able to use that real basis to reflect. We’re talking about men in a very specific context — Latin America in the seventies. They all end up on the mountain with a set of masculine roles that were strongly defined by society, but the mountain forces them to question and break from those roles. They are men who have to learn to love and care for each other, both physically and emotionally — they sleep in each other’s arms, they constantly massage each other at night, they heal their wounds. I was very interested in portraying a type of masculinity that was not related to the heroic or to the most spectacular action but that was already present in the bodies, gestures and small interactions between them. In that sense, for me, the mountain makes the characters leave behind their preconceived ideas about masculinity in the same way that it also makes them rethink their relationship with spirituality.

ANOTHER THEME IN SOCIETY OF THE SNOW IS FAITH

At a pivotal moment in this story, the characters set off blindly down the mountain, with no clear destination and to certain death. For me, it’s not an act of faith but of dignity. Dignity was also expressed in those who died giving encouragement to their companions. These behaviours are the result of a profound transformation. In a situation of complete abandonment, when everything has been taken from you, you have the ability to choose how to die. And they did it by giving of themselves to their friends. I’m sure that, for many of them, it was a transcendent experience. For me, it’s not a religious film but a spiritual film.

QUIM VIVES / NETFLIX © 2022

WHAT WERE THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS ABOUT FILMING SOCIETY OF THE SNOW?

One of our main decisions was to go for authenticity and realism. Achieving that on a set, where the snow isn’t real, is very complicated. That’s why we shot most of it in the high mountains, in places that are difficult to access, facing snow, wind and cold. This involved a great deal of effort in terms of organisation, getting the crew and filming equipment there, and adapting to constant changes in the weather.

DO YOU REMEMBER ANY SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE SHOOT THAT ARE PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT?

The most important thing for me was to get the actors to form a bond similar to the society they represent in the story — a strong and solid group of people that will support each other in difficult times. Creating that space between actors is something we manage to do over time during casting, rehearsals and filming.

Enzo Vogrincic in Society of the Snow. QUIM VIVES / NETFLIX © 2022

WHAT QUALITIES DID ENZO VOGRINCIC HAVE THAT MADE HIM THE PERFECT ACTOR TO PLAY NUMA, THE FILM’S MAIN CHARACTER?

Enzo’s an outstanding actor with an impressive screen presence. But his character is also similar to Numa’s. They are two hard-working people who care a lot about helping their companions, and at the same time, they avoid being the centre of attention. The fact that Enzo shares a similar sensitivity to Numa helped a lot when it came to working with the character.

THE PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE ACTORS THROUGHOUT THE FILM IS IMPRESSIVE

The actors were brave and committed wholeheartedly to their performances, experiencing a small measure of the cold and hunger the survivors would have endured. The entire process was supervised by doctors, nutritionists and a personal trainer who accompanied them week by week.

YOU TRAVELLED TO THE VALLEY OF TEARS, WHERE THE PLANE WENT DOWN. HOW DID YOU FEEL?

It was amazing to visit the Valley of Tears — in the same place and at the same time of year as the crash. It’s a fascinating and terrifying place. The first night I spent there was one of the worst of my life. The altitude sickness made me lose track of time, and the constant headache was excruciating. But experiencing the extreme cold, lack of oxygen, and constant exhaustion helped us understand what the main characters went through. We travelled to the Andes up to three times during production, and shooting some scenes there was an unforgettable experience.

HAVE THE SURVIVORS BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE FILM?

Yes, all the survivors saw the film together in a cinema in Montevideo several months before it was finished. They were nervous because they had not read the script, but ultimately, they loved the realistic and authentic way their story was told. For me, as a director, it was a very important moment. Seeing them and hearing their reactions left me feeling reassured and grateful. I will never forget that day.

J.A. Bayona and Enzo Vogrincic on the set of Society of the Snow. QUIM VIVES / NETFLIX © 2022

J.A. BAYONA (DIRECTOR, SCREENWRITER, PRODUCER)
His directorial debut, El orfanato (The Orphanage, 2007), was shown at Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival and won myriad prizes, among them seven Goya Awards. Since then, J.A. Bayona (Barcelona, Spain, 1975) has become one of the most prominent Spanish
filmmakers on the international scene. In his second film, he made the leap to English-language productions with The Impossible (2012), a story of survival inspired by real events. Much like his first film, it received many awards. For his third film, Bayona created a supernatural story, much like his first: A Monster Calls (2016), a drama about loss, won nine Goya Awards. His fourth film has otherworldly elements as well: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), in which he put his personal stamp on the celebrated franchise created by Steven Spielberg, who executive-produced the film.

JAIME MARQUES / NICOLÁS CASARIEGO/ BERNAT VILAPLANA /J.A. BAYONA (SCREENWRITERS)
Nicolás Casariego (Madrid, Spain, 1970) is a screenwriter and novelist who worked on the scripts for ¿Tú qué harías por amor? (Carlos Saura Medrano, 2000) and Y decirte alguna estupidez, por ejemplo, te quiero (Antonio del Real, 2000). He wrote Intruders (Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, 2011) along with Jaime Marques (Madrid, Spain, 1968), with whom he has returned to work on Society of the Snow.

Marques is co-screenwriter of, among other works, Noche de reyes (Miguel Bardem, 2001), Thieves (2007), which Marques himself directed, and Valley of the Dead (Javier Ruiz Caldera and Alberto de Toro, 2020). Bernat Vilaplana, a prestigious editor, has written various shorts and debuts this year as a feature-length screenwriter on Free Fall (Laura Jou; premiere pending) and Society of the Snow.

This is J.A. Bayona’s first feature-length work in which he appears as a screenwriter.

PABLO VIERCI – (AUTHOR OF THE BOOK “SOCIETY OF THE SNOW” AND ASSOCIATE PRODUCER)
Pablo Vierci (Montevideo, Uruguay, 1950), the author of the book that inspired Society of the Snow as well as an associate producer of the film, is also a writer, journalist and screenwriter. His published works include Los tramoyistas (1979), Pequeña historia de una mujer (1984), Detrás de los árboles (1987), 99% asesinado (2004), La sociedad de la nieve (Society of the Snow, 2008), De Marx a Obama (2010), Artigas – La Redota (2011), El desertor (2012), Ellas 5 (2014), Tenía que sobrevivir (I Had to Survive, 2016; written with Roberto Canessa), El fin de la inocencia (2018) and La redención de Pascasio Báez (2021). Society of the Snow, a bestseller in Latin America, has been translated into English, Italian, Catalan and Portuguese. Vierci has received numerous awards for his literary work, such as the Uruguayan National Prize for Literature in 1987 and 2004 (for the books Detrás de los árboles and 99% asesinado, respectively), and the Gold Prize from the Uruguayan Chamber of Books in 2009, for Society of the Snow. Vierci also has his own experience with film and television. Among others, he worked on the scripts for Aqueles dois (Sergio Amon, 1985), El viñedo (Esteban Schroeder, 2000), Matar a todos (Esteban Schroeder, 2007) and The Story of Artigas (César Charlone, 2011)


When the lives of musicians, with all their drama, triumphs, and struggles, are translated into film, the result can be both inspiring and captivating.

It’s a testament to the power of storytelling that these films can make us feel connected to the real people behind the music, while also allowing for creative flourishes that heighten the emotional impact. Whether it’s through a faithful biographical account or a story inspired by true events, the blend of fact and fiction can often resonate deeply with audiences.

2025 FILM RELEASES / FROM PAGE TO SCREEN / COURSES FOR WRITERS


The film poignantly follows the journey of Jude, a young man from Liverpool, who travels to the United States in search of his estranged father. In America, Jude meets Max, a rebellious student, and the two become close friends. Max introduces Jude to his sister, Lucy, and a romance blossoms between Jude and Lucy.

The core of the story revolves around the romantic relationship between Jude and Lucy and how their love for each other is tested by external events.

Across the Universe stands out for its bold storytelling, creative visuals, and heartfelt performances, making it a memorable and significant film.

Overall, Across the Universe offers something for everyone, whether you’re drawn to its music, visuals, historical context, or emotional depth.

  • The film celebrates the transformative power of art and music, using The Beatles’ songs to convey the characters’ emotions and the era’s cultural shifts. The inspiration behind “Across the Universe” is rooted in Julie Taymor’s desire to create a film that captures the spirit of the 1960s through the lens of The Beatles’ music. The Beatles’ Music: The film’s concept revolves around incorporating the iconic and timeless music of The Beatles. The songs serve as the narrative backbone, driving the story forward and expressing the characters’ emotions.

  • The film is set during a tumultuous period in American history, marked by the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the counterculture revolution. Taymor aimed to capture the essence of the era and its impact on young people. The Vietnam War is a central theme, influencing the characters’ actions and beliefs. The film explores the impact of the war on individuals and society. Lucy’s transformation from a sheltered girl to an impassioned activist highlights the spirit of rebellion and the desire for change that defined the 1960s. Lucy’s involvement in anti-war activism and her relationship with radical groups reflect the political unrest and student protests of the time. The film explores the tension between peaceful protest and more radical forms of activism.
  • Taymor’s background in theatre and her distinct visual style influenced the film’s aesthetic. Her previous work, including “The Lion King” on Broadway, showcased her ability to blend realistic and fantastical elements, a technique she brought to Across the Universe, creating a visually stunning and imaginative experience. She drew inspiration from her own experiences and memories of the 1960s, as well as her love for The Beatles and their music.
  • The film addresses issues of racial inequality and the fight for civil rights. This is depicted through characters like Jojo, an African-American musician who faces discrimination and violence. The film includes scenes inspired by real historical events, such as the Detroit riots.
  • The film captures the spirit of the counterculture movement, emphasizing themes of peace, love, and rebellion. Characters like Sadie, a free-spirited singer, and her band symbolize the era’s artistic and musical revolution. The film also portrays the communal living and experimentation with drugs that were part of the hippie lifestyle.

  • The film’s use of vibrant colors, surreal imagery, and The Beatles’ music creates a sensory experience that mirrors the psychedelic culture of the 1960s. Songs like “I Am the Walrus” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” enhance the film’s exploration of the era’s consciousness-expanding experiences.
  • The characters’ journeys reflect the broader social changes of the 1960s. Their experiences of love, loss, and self-discovery are set against the backdrop of a society in flux, highlighting the personal impact of larger cultural and political shifts. By weaving these elements into the narrative, Across the Universe offers a rich and multifaceted portrayal of the 1960s, making it a significant and evocative film that resonates with audiences.
  • Innovative Use of Beatles’ Music: The film is a musical that uses 34 songs by The Beatles, but none of the original Beatles appear in the movie. Instead, the actors perform the songs, making the music an integral part of the character’s experiences and emotions.
  • Across the Universe appeals to a wide audience, but it is especially enjoyable for Beatles Fans and those who enjoy musicals will appreciate the film’s unique blend of storytelling, music, and visual artistry. The performances and choreography are engaging and creatively executed. Art and Film Lovers will appreciate artistic and imaginative cinema. The striking visuals and innovative use of color and effects create a memorable experience. The film’s setting in the 1960s, a transformative period in American history, makes it appealing to anyone interested in the cultural, political, and social movements of the era.

  • At its core, the film is a love story. The romance between Jude and Lucy is central to the plot, making it a great pick for those who enjoy heartfelt and emotional narratives. The film’s themes of self-discovery, rebellion, and personal growth resonate with younger audiences who are navigating similar experiences.
“It is definitely a narrative, linear, cinematic story that takes you all over the map of that time. We’re in subways, battlefields, helicopters, riots, bedrooms, schools, gymnasiums. Each song was conceived to take you to a different place. And instead of having production numbers that are just pure dance, which is what Broadway does, I use other techniques—animation and collage—to create what I would call production numbers in film.

Julie Taymor is an accomplished American director, playwright, and costume designer, born on December 15, 1952, in Newton, Massachusetts. She is best known for her innovative and visually striking work in theater, opera, and film.

Key Highlights of Her Career: The Lion King: Taymor’s stage adaptation of Disney’s “The Lion King” debuted in 1997 and won her two Tony Awards for Best Direction and Best Costume Design. The show has become one of the longest-running musicals on Broadway.

Her 2002 film “Frida,” about the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, received five Academy Award nominations and won two Oscars for Best Makeup and Best Original Score.

Taymor has directed numerous operas and theater productions, including “The Magic Flute,” “Oedipus Rex,” and “Titus Andronicus.” Her work often incorporates elements of puppetry, masks, and Asian-inspired aesthetics.

Taymor’s unique style and ability to blend different cultural influences have made her a prominent figure in the world of performing arts. She continues to inspire audiences with her creative vision and storytelling.

Word choice is an important aspect of writing that should never be overlooked. It can significantly impact the effectiveness and clarity of your writing. Through the deliberate selection of precise and evocative language, you have the power to craft enthralling and immersive content that captivates your readers / viewers / listeners and leaves a lasting impression. Strong word choice can unlock images, emotions, and more.

The words we choose can paint vivid pictures, evoke emotions, and convey our thoughts precisely. Crafting the right message is like picking the perfect colours for a canvas. Whether you’re writing an essay, a story, or even an email, word choice shapes the reader’s experience and understanding.

The exact language used by the writer to communicate meaning and educate the reader is referred to as word choice. Word choice is the use of rich, colorful, precise language that communicates in a way that moves and enlightens the reader.

Correct word choice is vital.

  • Clarity and Precision: The right words help convey your message clearly and precisely. Ambiguous or inappropriate words can confuse your readers/audience and obscure your intended meaning.
  • Tone and Mood: Words set the tone and mood of your writing. Whether you aim to be formal, informal, serious, or humorous, your word choices play a pivotal role in establishing the right atmosphere.
  • Engagement: Vivid and expressive words can captivate your audience/ readers, making your writing more engaging and enjoyable.
  • Persuasion: In persuasive writing, the right words can influence your audience/readers emotions and thoughts, helping you make a stronger, more compelling argument.
  • Credibility: Precise word choice can enhance your credibility by demonstrating your knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

If you use the wrong word to communicate your intended point:

  • You weaken your writing and undermine your credibility
  • It makes you look like you ignored proofreading your work before submitting
  • It makes it clear that you don’t know the correct word.
  • It confuses readers when you use the wrong words in your writing, a wrong word can completely alter its sentence’s meaning.

Words are like ingredients: even a small change in the recipe can affect the finished dish. Words have power. They can make you seem intelligent, important, and enthusiastic about what you are saying.

Consider your word choice to be the fingerprint of your writing

Every writer uses words differently, and as those words come to form poems, stories, books and screenplays, your unique grasp on the English language will be recognisable by all your readers. Style isn’t something you can point to, but rather a way of describing how a writer writes.





2025 Film Releases


(Listed Alphabetically / Click on Titles to Read Features)

PANDA BEAR IN AFRICA

REBELLIOUS, RED ONE

VANYA, VENOM: THE LAST DANCE



Werewolves & Wolf Men have rich, fascinating histories in folklore and pop culture

The movies have had lots of creatures — vampires, zombies, mummies, aliens, monsters made in a lab — but nothing has bitten into our collective imagination like the werewolf. As the ancient lore of “lycanthropy” (aka “werewolf-ism”) was adapted to the big screen and audiences saw human-to-animal transformations, the traditions were set: From the classic 1941 Lon Chaney-starring The Wolf Man (which itself followed 1935’s Werewolf of London), through Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, the 1956outsider-as-hunted beast flick The Werewolf, and through the 1961 Hammer horror
entry Curse of the Werewolf (starring Oliver Reed), the werewolf genre was beloved even before it leapt to a high point with the 1981 classics The Howling and An AmericanWerewolf in London.

On the second appearance of a global supermoon that triggered a worldwide event, turning millions into vicious werewolves, the world prepares for neighbors and loved ones to become snarling, flesh-ripping monsters.

Directed by Steven C. Miller from a screenplay by Matthew Kennedy the film melds high-tension action, neighborhood-invasion thrills, and character-rich adventure pivoting around scientist and ex-soldier Dr. Wesley Marshall and ups the ante on the genre, boasting stunning set pieces, a winning cast, and creature design and cool throwback-style practical special effects.

Director Steven C. Miller on the set of WEREWOLVES, a Briarcliff Entertainment release. Credit: Todd Stefani / Briarcliff Entertainment. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.

Boasting propulsive action and credible practical effects reminiscent of 1980s horror high-marks, Werewolves blends classic horror, action-adventure, and creepy contagion terror to spawn a new take on the fearsome beasts that have long feasted on our imagination.

“I’m a kid of the 1980s, and so since I grew up with those kind of practical effects in horror action films, I definitely wanted that in Werewolves,” says Miller, who notes proudly that he was born in the “Great Werewolf Movie Year” of 1981, when The Howling, An American Werewolf in London, and the Albert Finney-starring flick Wolfen opened to acclaim. “That was 100 percent what we were going for with this movie.”

“This movie respects the audience, it respects genre fans, and it respects horror-film history,” says producer and industry veteran Myles Nestel. “We all know where the genre has gone and where we’d like it to go. This movie isn’t a rehash of things people have seen before. We’re trying to do something unique, and something horror fans will respond to.”

“I love slow-burn werewolf movies, but this movie is definitely not that — this is in-your-face from the start,” says Miller. “The action keeps hitting you. We don’t let off the gas, ever. And there are moments, including in the opening, that have a much bigger feeling, with more scope to the action. It really amps up what we’re trying to get the werewolves to do in the film.”

As Nestel describes it, “Werewolves is almost punk in the energy it brings to the screen.”

“In addition to the practical effects and creatures and all of the action, there’s also this idea in the story that the people who were werewolves during the previous supermoon and survived, they’re almost like addicts — they need to change again,” says Nestel.

“They want to turn but can’t, and so as the new supermoon arrives, there’s a question of, what will happen when they’re werewolves again? They have stretch marks and scars on them from when they became werewolves and then turned back, so there are all these little subtexts throughout the movie.”
Says Miller, “I think a lot of times, especially in more recent werewolf films, the werewolf sort of gets left in the background in terms of the thrills or the unique feel of the creature. In making this movie, I thought, ‘Okay, this movie definitely has an ’80s vibe to it, so I’m going to make sure that we’ll see straight-up, practical-effect transformations.’ I wanted to make sure it felt intense — that was my first goal.”

Frank Grillo as Wesley Marshall in director Steven C. Miller’s WEREWOLVES, a Briarcliff Entertainment release. Credit: Todd Stefani / Briarcliff Entertainment. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.

Adds Nestel, “It was never a debate about whether this film would be CGI or practical effects. It was always going to be practical. It’s an indie film, but we wanted to try and put the best practical effects on film and wanted to do it with the best in the world. And since we were creating a ‘werewolf apocalypse’ and wanted the film to feel tactile, that was the right route to go. We want viewers to feel that these werewolves are living, feeling, breathing creatures, and you get a better sense of that with practical effects. You sense you could reach out and touch them. We made about six werewolf suits and we we hired you know the best creature players in the business to to be in those suits. Every step of the design process was the right choice.”

Miller, whose directorial credits include action hits including Line of Duty, Escape Plan 2: Hades, First Kill, and Marauders, knew what he wanted from the get-go, says Nestel.

“As a filmmaker, Steven has everything in his head before he shoots — we of course storyboard, but he just knows what he wants,” says Nestel. “He always wants to keep the camera moving to enable a kineticism. Werewolves will take Steven to new levels. We already have a sequel set, and maybe a whole universe we’ll build out.”

In the horror-thriller Werewolves a supermoon event triggers a latent gene in every human on the planet, turning anyone who entered the moonlight into a werewolf for that one night. Chaos ensued and close to a billion people died. Now, a year later, the Supermoon is back. Two scientists try to stop a mutation that turns people into werewolves after being touched by a super-moon the year before. Steven C. Miller directs from a script by Matthew Kennedy. Starring Frank Grillo, Katrina Law, Ilfenesh Hadera, Lou Diamond Phillips

“I was looking at classics like An American Werewolf in London and The Howling, obviously, and a movie called Silver Bullet that has a sense of a community fighting back against a werewolf, and also a terrific werewolf film set in Scotland called Dog Soldiers — but I was really looking at how the werewolves moved in those films,” explains Miller. “We looked at all kinds of horror movies in general just for context and what those movies felt like.”

“I wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel in terms of werewolf design,” says Miller. “But I did think that audiences might have forgotten what werewolves actually look like because we’ve seen so many recent werewolf films use some unexciting CGI. So, I really went into the movie thinking that a lot of audiences actually haven’t seen practical-effect werewolves like this, certainly not recently. I wasn’t really trying to reinvent the look as much as I wanted to try and update it a bit, make it feel cool again, and give it to its own aesthetic — to give it things that would make these werewolves even more menacing.”

“It was important to me to make sure that these creatures felt big and felt terrifying and to not show too much of them,” adds Miller. “Sometimes it was just showing them in silhouette or maybe just putting them next to a human being to show how big the werewolves actually are.”

Says Nestel, “Steven and I were right there in terms of approving every single stage of the werewolves, what they looked like, how they would move, everything. One thing Steven said early on that was a huge addition, was that we should have some of the werewolves still have remnants of clothing on them — little things that make each one unique and you know who there were in some cases before they were transformed.

That way, the werewolves sort of retained part of the human beings they were, even though they’re horrific animals now.”

“We were really trying to make the movie gritty, so audiences would feel like they just stepped into an ’80s blockbuster,” says Miller. “When you’re dealing with monster movies, it is so important that they feel alive, because even if they look great when they’re built, if they get on set and they don’t come alive, it won’t work. The effects artists we had were in communication with the production design team and the lighting team constantly — and sometimes it’s the littlest things that make them realistic. Even spritzing the puppets and animatronics with water! We had many different departments working together to create a fun, exciting creature design.”

To makes the rampaging, fanged beasts of Werewolves meet the standard of classic horror flicks but also bring something fresh to the screen, Miller and cinematographer Brandon Cox worked with a top crew including Richard Mayberry (Painter/Creature Effects), Ricky Diadone (Key Makeup Artist), Peter Murphy (Sculptor and Painter for Creature Effects), Marielena Ramirez (Makeup Department Head), Jen Roomes (Painter & Fabricator/Creature Effects) and Sara Villareal (Special Makeup Effects Artist) — all of whom used their artistry to place the action in stark and memorable sets from production designer Tyler Bishop Harron.


The agony of becoming something monstrous against one’s will and turning into a beast is inherently tragic. This struggle between human and beast creates a compelling narrative of identity and horror.

Werewolves and Wolf Men are not just tragic figures but also forces of chaos. Their transformations often lead to violent rampages, making them both feared and pitied. Films like The Wolf Man (1941) and An American Werewolf in London (1981) highlight the carnage and bloodshed accompanying these transformations, leaving a trail of terror in their wake.

These characters have left an indelible mark on popular culture. From the classic Universal monsters to modern reinterpretations, Werewolves and Wolf Men continue to fascinate and frighten. They have been depicted in various ways, from fearsome predators to sympathetic victims, reflecting our changing views on monstrosity and humanity.

They are iconic because they tap into deep-seated fears and emotions, making them enduring figures in the world of horror. Whether they are tragic heroes or terrifying monsters, their stories continue to enthral and terrify audiences worldwide.

A Wolf Man is a human with wolf traits

Wolf Man typically refers to a man who has the characteristics of a wolf. Think of it as a person with wolf-like features and behaviours but not necessarily the ability to transform fully into a wolf.

The Wolf Man (1941) is a cornerstone of werewolf lore in cinema, featuring Dr Larry Talbot who turns into a werewolf, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) is a crossover film bringing together two iconic monsters, The Monster Squad (1987) is a fun horror-comedy where a group of kids takes on classic monsters, including the Wolf Man. Wolf (1994) is a pschological thriller featuring Jack Nicholson as a man who starts transforming into a wolf,and The Wolfman (2010) is a modern reboot of the original 1941 film, offering new special effects and a darker tone to the classic story. From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare Wolf Man (2025).

Wolf Man films tap into universal themes that resonate deeply with audiences.

  • Transformation and Identity: The concept of transforming into a werewolf explores the duality of human nature. It reflects the struggle between our civilized selves and our primal instincts. This inner conflict is something many people can relate to on a personal level.
  • Fear of the Unknown: Wolf Men are often shrouded in mystery and lore, feeding into our natural fear of the unknown. The idea of a person turning into a beast during a full moon adds an element of unpredictability and suspense that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
  • Tragic Heroism: Characters like Larry Talbot in “The Wolf Man” (1941) embody the tragic hero archetype. Their plight evokes sympathy, as they grapple with their curse and the havoc it wreaks on their lives. This blend of horror and tragedy creates a compelling emotional narrative.
  • Visceral Horror: The transformation scenes often involve gruesome special effects and provide a visceral thrill. The physicality of turning into a beast and the subsequent rampages are visually and emotionally impactful.
  • Myth and Legend: Wolf Man films are rooted in ancient myths and folklore. These stories have been passed down through generations, adding a timeless quality to the films. Audiences are fascinated by the rich history and cultural significance of these creatures.
  • Moral Ambiguity: Wolf Man films often explore themes of morality and choice. The protagonists are frequently depicted as struggling with their inner demons, raising questions about free will and destiny. This moral ambiguity adds depth to the narrative.
  • Cultural Reflection: Over the years, Wolf Man films have evolved to reflect contemporary issues and fears. These films adapt to changing societal contexts, keeping the genre fresh and relevant.

A Werewolf is a mythical creature

A Werewolf is a mythical creature that can transform from a human into a full wolf, usually during a full moon. This transformation is often depicted as painful and uncontrollable. The lore around werewolves includes various methods of becoming one, such as being bitten by another werewolf or cursed.

Classic werewolf films include Werewolf of London (1935) features Dr. Glendon, who turns into a werewolf after being bitten by a strange creature, John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London (1981) blends horror and dark comedy, Joe Dante’s The Howling (1981) is known for its intense horror and transformation scenes. The Company of Wolves (1984) is an atmospheric and symbolic adaptation of Angela Carter’s short stories, mixing werewolves with fairy tales. Blackout (2024) follows a small town terrorized by a mysterious werewolf. Hellhounds (2024) offers a unique blend of monster movies and action genres, depicting a secret war between werewolf bikers and those dedicated to hunting them down.

Boasting propulsive action and credible practical effects reminiscent of 1980s horror high-marks The HowlingAn American Werewolf in London, and Silver BulletWerewolves (2024) blends classic horror, action-adventure, and creepy contagion terror to spawn a new take on the fearsome beasts that have long feasted on our imagination.

Cult Classics include Ginger Snaps (2000), a Canadian horror film that explores werewolf transformation as a metaphor for puberty, the British film Dog Soldiers (2002) features a group of soldiers who encounter werewolves during a training exercise, and the Underworld series (2003-2016) blends action and horror, focusing focuses on the war between vampires and werewolves.

In the animated Hotel Transylvania series (2012-present) a friendly werewolf character provides a more humorous take on the creature, and the stop-motion animated film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) Wallace and his dog Gromit face a vegetable-ravaging “were-rabbit.”

Werewolf films have captured audiences’ imaginations for a variety of reasons:

  • Folklore and Mythology: Werewolves have been a part of human folklore for centuries, with stories spanning various cultures. This historical and mythological background adds depth and intrigue to werewolf tales. These mythical creatures have appeared in stories and legends from various cultures around the world. Stories of shape-shifting humans date back to ancient civilizations. The earliest known references to werewolves can be found in Greek mythology, such as the tale of Lycaon, who was turned into a wolf by Zeus. During the Middle Ages, werewolf legends were widespread in Europe. These stories often depicted werewolves as cursed individuals who transformed during the full moon. The fear of werewolves was sometimes associated with witchcraft, leading to trials and executions.
  • Symbolism: Werewolves often symbolize primal instincts, inner demons, or the battle between civilization and savagery. This duality allows for rich storytelling and character development. The symbolism in werewolf lore is rich and multi-layered, which is one reason these stories are so compelling. The primal instincts of Werewolves represent the raw, untamed side of human nature. They embody the primal urges and instincts that lie beneath the surface of our civilized selves. This duality creates an intriguing tension in storytelling. The transformation into a werewolf can be seen as a metaphor for internal struggles and battles with one’s darker side. It’s a powerful way to explore themes of guilt, shame, and the fear of losing control. Werewolves often symbolize the conflict between the orderly, rule-bound aspects of society and the chaotic, savage aspects of the natural world. This can be a reflection of societal fears and the tension between progress and primal instincts. The process of changing into a werewolf can represent broader themes of transformation and identity. This can be particularly resonant during periods of personal change, such as adolescence, where individuals struggle with their evolving identities. Werewolves tap into a deep-seated fear of the unknown and the uncontrollable. The unpredictability of when and how a person might transform adds a layer of suspense and horror to the narrative.
  • Relatability: The concept of transformation and dealing with an inner monster can be seen as a metaphor for personal struggles, such as puberty, addiction, or emotional turmoil. This makes the stories relatable on a deeper level.
  • Suspense and Horror: Werewolf films often blend elements of suspense, horror, and action. The anticipation of transformation and the terror of the creature’s appearance keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
  • Literary Influence: Werewolves have also been a popular subject in literature, from early works like “The Werewolf” by Clemence Housman to more modern novels such as “The Wolfen” by Whitley Strieber and “The Last Werewolf” by Glen Duncan.
  • Modern Popularity: Werewolves continue to be a staple in contemporary horror and fantasy genres, appearing in films, TV shows, and books. They symbolize our primal fears and the struggle between human and beastly natures.

REVIEW: We Live In Time uniquely portrays the complexities of life, love, and loss through its characters’ deeply personal journeys. Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield’s performances bring authenticity and raw emotion to their roles, making their struggles and triumphs feel real. The film’s narrative structure is non-linear, which mirrors the way people often remember their lives—out of order, with key moments highlighted. This approach adds depth and layers to the storytelling, allowing viewers to piece together the characters’ histories and relationships much like a puzzle. It handles grief and hope delicately, exploring how the characters cope with grief and find moments of joy1. The film does not shy away from the harsh realities of life but balances these with moments of love and connection, making it both heartwarming and heart-wrenching. Director John Crowley employs a range of cinematic techniques that enhance the film’s profound impact. From visual storytelling to a thoughtful score by Bryce Dessner, each element contributes to the film’s overall sense of intimacy and realism. Nick Payne’s screenplay significantly contributed to the film’s impact, he intricately crafted nuanced and multi-dimensional characters that are not merely characters on a page, but fully fleshed out individuals with complex emotions and relationships. Payne’s writing captures the essence of human emotion, weaving in moments of introspection, vulnerability, and strength. The dialogue is crafted to be authentic and relatable, allowing viewers to see reflections of their own lives and experiences in the characters’ conversations. This relatability helps to ground the story in reality and make its impact more profound. The screenplay adeptly balances moments of light and darkness, joy and sorrow. This balance ensures that the film resonates on multiple emotional levels, offering a holistic and well-rounded narrative experience.

Modern-day Londoners Almut and Tobias literally crash into each other as bewildered strangers. A decade later, having remade one another’s lives, they’d do anything to never let each other go. But no love story
is truly straightforward. And this light-handed, deep-hearted portrait of a marriage mirrors how we truly experience love: in fits and starts, outside linear logic, in fleeting but indelible moments that are gorgeous, funny, high anxiety, delirious, sad, and revelatory, sometimes all at once.

Crowley, known for his warm, delicate look at love and migration in the Oscar-nominated Brooklyn, allows We Live in Time to be driven as much by pure performance as playful structure. Mining a chemistry that is not just instant, but intensifying, Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh create in guarded Tobias and fiery Almut a distinctly contemporary couple—two fiercely independent people with no idea how to combine their already-crammed lives and well-formed doubts, but who are moved to try. Their push-and-pull slides from flirtation to resistance to compromise to parenthood to defiance of the clock ticking against them by making their best moments last.

Says Crowley, “I was drawn to the idea of using time cinematically to express what it truly feels like to be on the inside of a relationship. Three different periods in Almut and Tobias’ relationship run against each other throughout the film: one period which spans several years, one period of about 6 months, and
one single spectacular day, the day their child is born. We’ve blurred the edges so audiences can drift between them and feel all the ways they blend into and inform one another.

When time becomes scarce, the couple’s reaction turns life-affirming. “Almut and Tobias are confronted by grief, as we all are ultimately, but this only sharpens their humour, their joy, their desire to live consciously,” says Crowley. “Their beautiful energy stands in opposition to life’s darkness.” Pugh felt drawn in by a fresh approach to the kind of smart, sparkling romances she was raised on, one that renders vivid the way love presses up against the confines of time and pushes us to risk more. “I was spoiled growing up by all the Notting Hills and Four Weddings and A Funerals, these quintessentially British, very human storylines we all wanted to watch, and be part of, and hopefully have one day. And this story taps into that same rich level of romance,” she says.

She continues, “The moment Almut and Tobias lock eyes, you know, no matter how much they wind each other up and how much they’ll evolve, they’re meant to be together. You’re totally ready to follow them through their every single high and every single low because their love feels so pure and real. And
no matter what is happening, there is always levity with this life-grabbing couple.”

Adds Garfield, “This is a story that cracks your heart open to the beauty and mystery of life, that honors the people who anchor us to this existence. The big lesson Tobias learns from Almut is that in any life worth living, you’ll inevitably have losses, but you’ve got to let in as much love as possible.”

In the deeply moving romance We Live In Time,  Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield)  are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. Through snapshots of their life together – falling for each other, building a home, becoming a family – a difficult truth is revealed that rocks its foundation. As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken.

Love and Payne: The Screenplay

The accidental, crash-bang collision of rising chef Almut and cereal marketeer Tobias began in the mind of acclaimed British screenwriter and Tony-nominated playwright Nick Payne.

Payne had earlier explored love across multiple quantum universes in his much-loved play Constellations. But now he started thinking about the effects of more everyday time—specifically, how we handle the fact that, one way or another, we’re constantly running out of it. This story couldn’t be a play, he knew, because nothing mimics the very keeper of time, memory, like a motion picture camera.

Nick Payne and John Crowley

“On screen you can go anywhere,” Payne says. “So, I felt in a film about how a couple lives when their time is running out, you could play with time in a way that gives the audience a thrilling experience of it.”

When he pitched the ambitious love story to SunnyMarch (Benedict Cumberbatch and Adam Ackland’s production company), they were thrilled by its unconventional approach to romance; producer Leah Clarke says “Nick was given free reign.”

“It felt very fresh and like nothing that we’ve seen before” explains Ackland. And so Payne began to craft a story that would soon inspire a brilliant creative team to breathe life into it, including producer Guy Heeley, Crowley as director, and actors Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh.

While the DNA of classic cinematic romances clearly courses through the story’s veins, Payne fractured the flow, allowing Almut and Tobias’s years together to run into and out of one another like a tapestry, in a similar manner to how relationships unfold inside our anxious, uncertain, dream-laden minds. He
then anchored the film in a part of London not often seen on screen—not glam, edgy, or fairy tale London, but South London’s leafy middle-class suburb of Herne Hill. And he had Almut and Tobias meet not in the flush of youth but in their 30s, when they already have fully formed lives, precious little personal time, and accumulated scar tissue wrapped around their hearts.

“Chances are they’ve both had a few relationships before you meet them,” Payne notes. “And I think you make quite different decisions when you fall in love in your 30s, which interested me.”

While avoiding romcom antics, Payne imbued Almut and Tobias with a keen sense of life’s funnier side. “I wanted the humour in the film to arise as easily as it could from the temperament of these two people,” he explains. “I saw Almut and Tobias as both naturally funny so it’s part of their rapport from the start.”

When SunnyMarch shared the script with Crowley, he was excited to read it. But there was trepidation, too, he confesses. Though he’s always adored Payne’s vision, he was sure he wasn’t about to return so soon to the territory of heartbreak. As he read, he realized he was wrong. Still, it wasn’t the heartbreak in the script that got to him. It was how light and true Almut and Tobias felt, how much he liked spending his own time with them, and how excited he was by not only the creative risks of the structure but the emotional challenges of flipping a tale of mortality into a sharply honest ode to life.

“You don’t really choose what you do. It chooses you,” Crowley muses. “And when I finished Nick’s script, I thought OK, this is what I’ll be spending the next year-and-a-half of my life doing. I liked that Almut and Tobias’s love story didn’t have smooth edges, that it was sparky and tangled and honest in ways that intrigued me. I liked that Almut and Tobias are not particularly looking for anyone in their lives when they meet, but one day turns into another and you see how they start to build a life in that way. I liked the way the story is set outside linear time because it becomes about the choices Almut and Tobias make inside their relationship, which felt like something fresh. And I especially liked being able to play cinematically with time, which is so elemental to the nature of film, within what is also just a very funny, human, moving story.”

Crowley was keenly aware the pitfalls of melodrama lay in the film’s path. But he was clear-eyed that authentic emotion was the way out of them. The key, he says, was for Almut and Tobias to have “an absolutely truthful, embodied depth to them, which meant needing two great actors.”

“I thought, ‘What an opportunity to work with such deep themes and ideas through such elegant, delicate, subtle storytelling,’” says Garfield. “Love is such a vital human experience, and this story reminds us of the many ways that love runs through our lives. It’s not just a romantic love story. It’s equally a love story about a daughter and what her parents want to give her. It’s about the lasting ripples of love and how they permeate everything. If, while you’re reading a script, you’re crying and laughing within minutes of each other, you know you’re in great shape.”

Garfield continues, “Since Boy A, I’ve changed so much as an actor, and John has changed so much as a filmmaker, yet we always kind of knew one day we’d find a project together that felt just as meaningful to us. I love and trust in John as one of our most emotionally powerful filmmakers.”

Says Pugh of her approach, “I saw Almut as a really driven and really normal single woman, someone I could see myself in, and someone who I think audiences will see themselves in. It felt absolutely wonderful to play someone going through so many of the things someone my age really goes through, and it was nice to act off instinct. It wasn’t hard to reach for inspiration because I personally know so many wonderful, hardworking, opinionated women just like Almut.”

The greatest influence on Pugh’s performance became simply the profound connection she and Garfield felt from the get-go, which only kept growing. “Andrew and I had to go to places that were hugely intimate and hugely bare,” she reflects, “and I was so lucky to have the kind of deep trust in both Andrew and John to really go there. Andrew meticulously works on every single beat until it is true and right, creating a magical experience where I felt completely held in every way. Every single take felt so alive that Almut and Tobias became real to us, as did their caring and tenderness with each other.

The Micro and The Macro

When the gratifying production wrapped, Crowley knew the film’s journey was not even half over. As he headed to the editing room with Justine Wright (Locke), he anticipated the biggest challenge of his career to date. “I’ve been a big admirer of Justine’s work, and I knew this was going to be a long, daunting
edit since we were working with non-linear time and we would be trying to carefully balance micro moments with the macro of these two lives,” he says.

Crowley continues, “Ultimately, we had to break the structure of the film, rip everything out, and build it back, to allowing these three different chunks of time to flow together in a way that isn’t jarring, that gives you enough information, that’s true to the characters, and yet simultaneously feels playful and emotionally true. There is no fast way through that process. We were thinking a lot about time, and it took a lot of time, as well as patience. But along the way we made some great discoveries that brought us back to what we loved most about the story.”

For all its shifts through time, the story of Almut and Tobias leaves off with a notion that is starkly timeless: that what means the most to anyone is to live so well it inspires those around us.

At a time when cinematic romances that aren’t strictly frothy romcoms are increasingly scarce, Crowley hopes We Live in Time feeds an audience hungry for such stories.

“It’s one of the most primal stories you can tell, isn’t it?” reflects Crowley. “Two individuals meet and try to make sense of their lives together, only for life or fate or whatever you want to call it to have a different idea of their future, which only makes them love each other more.”

Garfield and Pugh say Almut and Tobias also left their marks on them. “It’s one of those stories that makes you want to do all the things you’ve always been telling yourself you should do but haven’t,” says Pugh. “We’re only here, all of us, for a very short amount of time on balance, so what a magical thing to spend that time loving others.

Garfield concludes, “What happens between Almut and Tobias comes down to questions we all ask ourselves: How do we do this thing called life? How do we love freely? How do we take the bridle off and let ourselves expand? When you take all the restrictions to love away, that’s when you find yourself as fully in the moment as possible.”


Director John Crowley

With a background as an award-winning theatre director, John Crowley received critical acclaim and his first awards in film in 2003 with his first feature Intermission, which starred Colin Farrell. He followed this with an adaptation of Harold Pinter’s Celebration starring Michael Gambon, Boy A starring Andrew Garfield and Peter Mullan and Is Anybody There? starring Michael Caine. He directed two episodes for the second series of True Detective for HBO, starring Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams.
Brooklyn, adapted by Nick Hornby from Colm Toibin’s novel and starring Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson and Emory Cohen, won the Best British Film BAFTA 2018 along with three Academy Award
nominations. John’s latest film The Goldfinch, adapted from the Donna Tartt novel by Peter Straughan, starred Ansel Elgort, Aneurin Barnard, Jeffrey Wright, Nicole Kidman and Sarah Paulson, and was released by Warner Bros. In 2022, John directed a four-part adaptation of Kate Atkinson’s award-winning novel Life After Life for the BBC/House Productions. John recently directed Black Mirror S6’s ‘Beyond The Sea’ starring Aaron Paul. His latest A24-produced film We Live in Time.

Writer Nick Payne

Nick Payne is a playwright and screenwriter. His theatre work has played in London’s West End and Broadway garnering sell out audiences and multiple awards. His film Midwinter Break, directed by Polly Findlay and starring Ciaran Hinds and Lesley Manville, wrapped this summer and will be releasing soon. He is working on film, television and theatre projects in the UK and the US.


Read the review

From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director Leigh Whannell, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man, questioning: “What if someone you loved became something else?”

Perhaps no filmmaker has been more daring and visionary in reimagining a Universal classic monster character than writer-director Leigh Whannell, whose 2020 Blumhouse hit The Invisible Man transformed the 19th century H.G. Wells novel and 20th century horror movie into a terrifying 21st century allegory for gaslighting and domestic abuse. And no filmmaker, it’s fair to say, was better equipped to reinvent the hairiest of potential monster-movie adaptations: the Wolf Man.

“When Universal asked us what Blumhouse’s take would be on Wolf Man, I knew that Leigh should be the captain. His unparalleled ability at extracting terror from relatable moments allows him to show horror that is not fantastical, but tactile and immediate,” producer Jason Blum says.

Ancient tales of werewolves, or wolf men, date far back almost as old as humanity itself, rising out of ancient lore, recorded as early as 2100 BC. The tales of lycanthropy— the transformation of a man into a wolf—became so ingrained in European folklore that they inspired werewolf trials in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, dying out around the same time that America’s famed Salem witch trials began. Werewolves would later appear in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula and his short story, Dracula’s Guest.

Werewolves & Wolf Men have rich, fascinating histories in folklore and pop culture

The wolf man made his first film appearance in 1935, with Werewolf of London, and then became immortalized in pop culture beginning with the 1941 Universal classic starring Lon Chaney, Jr. The Wolf Man. In the decades since, the character has prowled through almost every decade and film genre, morphing from malevolent terror (1981’s The Howling) to body horror (1981’s An American Werewolf in London) to middlebrow comedy (1985’s Teen Wolf), and from romantic hero (1994’s Wolf starring Jack Nicholson) to tortured tween sex symbol (2008’s Twilight and subsequent franchise).  

Christopher Abbott stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Julia Garner), fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (Matlida Firth). But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without.

“My first answer was, ‘No. I just did The Invisible Man. I don’t want to follow that up with Wolf Man,’” Whannell says. “But then I thought of an angle that I could take it in. I had to walk around the block and find my way into it. In the past, the character of the werewolf has been wrapped around this big transformation, like the famous scene from An American Werewolf in London. That Wolf Man was superbly designed by Rick Baker and is the watermark for practical effects. It’s impossible to top what he did. So much so, that I thought that we should not try to improve upon that, but to take it in a completely different direction.”

Director Leigh Whannell, Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner on the set of Wolf Man. © 2024 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

That direction anchored the film and the characters in a grounded, real world. As Whannell and fellow screenwriter Corbett Tuck developed the script, the story evolved into the tale of Blake Lovell, a husband and father struggling with a turbulent past. The broken product of a survivalist father and a beloved mother grappling with ALS, Blake thought he had put a cruel childhood to rest. Now raising a daughter in the San Francisco Bay area with journalist Charlotte, the wife from whom he has grown distant, Blake is tortured by long-buried secrets that threaten his chosen family.

When Blake learns that his father has died and bequeathed him the Lovell farm, he and Charlotte decide to take a break from the city hustle and recalibrate in central Oregon. The night they arrive, however, they stumble upon a diseased creature—neither man nor animal—who threatens to tear apart their tenuous hold on one another.

As the night progresses, Blake begins to transform into something unrecognizable. But unlike in every previous incarnation of the Wolf Man, Whannell decided that we, the audience, would change with him. “I started thinking about seeing the Wolf Man changing from the Wolf Man’s perspective,” Whannell says. “A lot of the wolf man history has been about this curse, and that a full moon can bring it out in you. I wanted to do with this character what David Cronenberg did with The Fly. He drilled down to the essence of a previous film that could be considered quite comical. Same with John Carpenter’s The Thing. These movies take their monsters seriously and have no room for winking or poking fun.”

By allowing the audience to experience Blake’s transformation both from Blake’s perspective and the perspective of his wife and daughter, the film, Whannell realized, could have husband and wife within two separate spaces, with only the audience simultaneously seeing both sides. “One would live in the human world, and one in the animal one,” Whannell says. “Once I saw this couple as no longer having the ability to communicate, this was my tipping point. Blake would be listening to his wife speak and literally not understand what she was saying. I loved the idea of mixing dialogue from one of the characters in a way where you couldn’t understand the other.”

As always, Whannell’s goal is to understand the root emotional truths of the characters he is creating, and then to build the horror on the foundation of those truths. The terror becomes real to the audience because although we have not encountered an actual invisible man or a wolf man in our lives, we recognize the man within the monster. “You make the movie when you write it,” Whannell says. “Shooting is all interpretive art. I listened to a lot of music when I was writing, finding an emotional way into the story. I asked myself, ‘What gives me goosebumps? What makes me cry?’ Through those feelings, you find the movie. My approach is to strip out the window dressing and to find the core of what’s scary about these characters. If you do it right with a horror film, you can dig deep into someone’s subconscious.”

Charlotte (Julia Garner) and Blake (Christopher Abbott) in Wolf Man. © 2024 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

To do it right, though, Whannell needed a cast that could deliver that emotional truth. He found them in Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner and Matilda Firth. “This is a situation that is very heightened,” Whannell says. “You’re using prosthetic makeup. Many elements could be ludicrous if we didn’t handle them with care. Every time I would watch Christopher, Julia and Matilda in the scenes, they brought so much of themselves. That is what you have to do in these moments of humanity. You have to breathe life into these words.”

Abbott was drawn to the role by Whannell’s interpretation of the marital breakdown between Blake and Charlotte. “You watch them start to try to reconnect, and as the events of the film happen, their connection is taken away,” Abbott says. “Blake loses the ability to communicate. That’s the tragedy. Everyone can relate to having issues and not connecting well with a partner. What if that’s taken away from you? For example, with an actual illness.”

Abbott knew that he would be spending hours in the makeup chair as he prepared to play the Wolf Man, but his main concern was that Blake’s humanity continue to shine through. He was relieved that the makeup team ensured that their work wouldn’t inhibit his. “I could still act through the prosthetics,” Abbott says. “They didn’t shackle my performance. My face would move in different ways when I was wearing them. I would look in the mirror and play with it. The prosthetics did a lot of the work. An idea can only go so far, but when you have physical limitations, they force you to make a choice.”

Abbott and Whannell discussed at length how Blake would evolve, or rather, devolve, over the course of the film. “Leigh and I talked a lot about illnesses from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s,” Abbott says. “In terms of the transformation, it was letting go of the reality of what it is to be a healthy human and stripping that away.” It helped, too, that Blake’s transformation was done practically, with makeup and prosthetics, rather than with VFX.   “The fact that it was happening on the day, and our crew was experiencing it with us—viscerally, in real time—reminded us that we were making something special,” Abbott says.

Charlotte (Julia Garner) and Ginger (Matilda Firth) in Wolf Man. © 2024 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Garner found herself riveted by the script and drawn to this story of love and loss. “It’s about connection and grief,” Garner says. “When somebody’s in front of you and they’re slowly disappearing, it’s not a sudden death, but a slow process. Early on, Leigh discussed wanting to connect and then having that person not be there anymore. When we started prepping, I told him that I wanted it to feel that the audience was going through the seven stages of grief in one night. When Blake is going through the physical stages, Charlotte is going through the mental ones.”

Wolf Man, Garner says, is, at its emotional core, an exploration of a family that is breaking apart, even though none of them wants it to. “They want to stay connected,” Garner says. “There are certain events that keep them from reconnecting, but they’re fighting for that family unit. It is about connection, but it is also about grief. When somebody’s slowly disappearing in front of you, it’s not a sudden death. It’s this slow process.”

Creating that intense bond between Garner, known as “Julie” to her friends, and Abbott was aided by the fact that they had a little-know shared history. “A long time ago, Julie and I did our first independent feature together,” Abbott says. “To come around and do this again was fantastic. Julie brings pure emotionality to this part. For a good chunk of the film, the audience sees the events through her character’s eyes.”

Creating Wolf Man’s World

To create Wolf Man’s physical environments, director Leigh Whannell hired acclaimed Australian production designer Ruby Mathers. This film marks Mathers’ first foray into the genre of horror. “This was a script that I felt I hadn’t read before,” Mathers says. “There was a classic-horror element to it but, at the same time, there was a realism and subtext in the script that drew me to it. Having seen Leigh’s previous movies, I thought, ‘I want to work with that guy.’”

Wolf Man is the third collaboration between director Leigh Whannell and fellow Australian cinematographer Stefan Duscio, having previously made The Invisible Man and Upgrade together. Duscio was also the director of photography for the 2014 comedy The Mule, which co-written by Whannell. “Stefan is my conjoined twin, creatively,” Whannell says. “He loves movies. He talks the talk, and he walks the walk. He’s dug into this world, and I relate to that level of obsession. We can talk for hours about how movies are made and our heroes in film.”

(from left) Director of Photography Stefan Duscio and Director Leigh Whannell on the set of Wolf Man. © 2024 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The duo’s collective goal is to operate at the level of their cinematic idols. “We don’t want to imitate them, but we want to create something that gets close to what they’ve done,” Whannell says. “I’m the one who comes up with the crazy idea and has no idea how to do it. Stefan breaks it down into engineering and discovers how we’re going to achieve this with lights and lenses. Somehow, in the middle, between engineering and creativity, we create a Venn diagram of something visceral, horrifying and sad.” Duscio admires that Whannell writes for both sound and vision. “Leigh’s thoughtful about how he wants to use those elements in the screenplay and in the final movie,” Duscio says. “The Invisible Man became about suggesting someone was there all the time and getting you into the psychological headspace of Elisabeth Moss’ character. These unmotivated camera moves became the film’s hallmark, the opposite of what you want to do as a camera person. You want to stay locked to your lead actor. We deliberately panned into these empty corners of the room to suggest he could be there at any time. Right from the outset, Leigh asked what we could do in Wolf Man to put us in Blake’s psychological headspace.” They would come to call it “Wolf Vision.”

While Whannell was writing Wolf Man, he became fascinated by this idea that, in-camera, you could switch between the human world and the animal one. “I always like to use the camera as an extra character,” Whannell says. “With Invisible Man, I felt like the character knew more than the protagonist did. With Wolf Man, I liked this idea that the camera could switch between the two worlds in a way that humans couldn’t. The characters of Blake and Charlotte couldn’t see through the wall of their respective worlds, but the camera could. The camera could cross over, and therefore the audience gets to see that crossover.”

As Blake’s senses becomes more finely attuned to darkness, he begins to perceive everything around him more sharply. The production team called it “Wolf Vision.” “Blake can now see in the dark,” Duscio says. “His aural senses become incredibly heightened. He can hear everything. We’ve latched onto that with both hands to show what the world is like from Blake’s mind.”

Whannell and Duscio wanted the film to reinvent how we see the night. “Blake is starting to see more into the night,” Duscio says. “This was not an effect for effect’s sake but is embedded within the character of Blake and within Christopher Abbott’s performance.”  

Brought to life by hair and makeup designer Jane O’kane (The Meg, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) and two-time Oscar-nominated prosthetic designer Arjen Tuiten (Pan’s Labyrinth, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), the Wolf Man’s signature look had to reflect unique stages of Blake’s transformation. From myriad lenses and canine teeth to deteriorating skin and wounds that refuse to heal, the transformation marks Blake’s gradual loss of humanity.

Director Leigh Whannell wanted the film to honor the original makeup artists of the 1941 Universal classic, The Wolf Man, starring Lon Chaney, Jr., whose makeup was designed by the legendary Jack P. Pierce. “If you think about that look that was created for the Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein in 1931 or Lon Chaney’s Wolf Man in 1941, those were things that audiences had never seen,” Whannell says. “Those images have lasted because they’re so striking. Anybody dealing with monsters today lives in the shadow of these artists. Every makeup artist whose name is etched into the Hall of Fame—from Rick Baker and Rob Bottin to Stan Winston and Jack Pierce, all these artists have created something brilliant that sticks in your mind.”

It was critical to Leigh Whannell that Wolf Man might stand out for its use of effects. “I love practical effects and the artists who create them,” Whannell says. “These effects were important because, first and foremost, I wanted them to feel real. CGI is beautiful and can be employed in great ways, but it’s all about how you deploy that artform. Here, I felt that the best way to represent it was more practical. I needed this film to exist as if we were making a monstrous version of A Marriage Story, right in front of you.”

Whannell had never taken a character through such a dramatic physical transformation. “When you’re working in supernatural horror, a lot of the horror is implied,” Whannell says. “It’s what you can’t see that’s scary. I wanted to make my own version of a creature feature. This film is my tribute to the ‘80s movies I loved growing up—ones that were driven by practical effects and told horror stories that were creative in their use of bodily morphing. In The Thing and The Fly, CGI was not yet an option.”

Whannell leaned into the premise that Blake doesn’t realize he’s morphing. As his skin begins to scale and his extremities elongate, our hero grows in confusion. “Blake loses his ability to understand what human beings are saying,” Whannell says. “Blake’s vision changes, then the physical changes begin, and his vision begins to alter. His skin morphs: his fingernails and teeth come out. It’s a tribute to body horror. That’s one of the great sub-genres of horror that I love. Our bodies are the source of all our pain, as well as our joy.”

At Blake transforms into the Wolf Man, his hearing changes. His hearing becomes so acute that he can hear an insect walking. The audience, seeing the world from Blake’s perspective, gets to hear it, too. “Blake is hearing things at this totally different pitch, and that’s a dream from a sound-design perspective,” Whannell says. “This allowed us to throw out the rule book of how human beings hear the world and surround the audience with a different plane.”

To create the film’s critical sound design, Whannell turned to two acclaimed sound design artists who have worked with him on every one of his films: P.K. Hooker (M3GAN, Five Nights at Freddy’s) and Will Files (Alien: Romulus, The Batman). “I wanted Wolf Man to be an aural assault,” Whannell says. “I wanted to enter another world through sound, because a lot of the experience of becoming a Wolf Man is experienced through hearing. I wanted to give audiences something bigger than watching a film at home.”

Because Blake’s transformation changes both how he sees and how he hears, the film’s cinematography and sound design needed to work in tandem in every scene. That matters in every film, of course, but in Wolf Man it is the joint composer of terror. “There’s a sequence where Charlotte and Ginger are hiding in the barn and the Wolf Man enters,” cinematographer Stefan Duscio says. “That was a sequence where we utilized both Wolf Vision and sound to create a thrilling sequence. Charlotte and Ginger can hear only silence and can see only blackness. But when we rotate around to the Wolf Man’s perspective, he can see, and hear, everything about the way they’re moving.”


Finding your unique voice as a writer is an exciting and rewarding journey.

As you write, you explore and articulate your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This process of self-discovery helps you understand yourself better and discover new facets of your identity.

Developing your voice empowers creative freedom and allows you to express yourself authentically and creatively. There are no limitations on how you can convey your ideas, making the process liberating and enjoyable.

Your unique voice helps you build a strong connection with your readers/audiences. When your writing feels genuine and original, readers are more likely to engage with and relate to your work.

The process of honing your voice involves continuous learning and improvement. Each piece of writing contributes to your development as a writer, boosting your confidence and skill.

Finding your voice is a milestone that brings a sense of accomplishment. It signifies that you have developed a distinct style that sets you apart from others. Writing becomes more enjoyable when you embrace your unique voice. You can take pride in your work and find joy in the act of creating something that is truly yours.

Embracing this journey can transform your writing from a task into a fulfilling creative endeavor.

Uncover and cultivate your distinctive style

  1. Read Widely and Critically: Expose yourself to a variety of genres, styles, and authors. Pay attention to what you enjoy and why. Notice how different writers use language, structure their sentences, and develop their characters.
  2. Write Regularly: The more you write, the better you understand your preferences and strengths. Experiment with different styles, perspectives, and tones. Don’t be afraid to write badly at first; it’s all part of the process.
  3. Reflect on Your Experiences: Draw inspiration from your life, emotions, and experiences. Authenticity often leads to a unique voice. Think about your passions, struggles, and memories—how can they inform your writing?
  4. Find Your Message: What are the themes or messages you feel passionate about? Understanding what you want to say helps in shaping how you say it. Your voice often reflects your worldview and values.
  5. Listen to Yourself: Pay attention to how you speak and express yourself in conversations. Your natural speech patterns can provide clues to your writing voice. Record yourself talking about a topic you’re passionate about, then try to translate that into your writing.
  6. Seek Feedback: Share your writing with trusted friends, writing groups, or mentors. Constructive feedback can help you identify your strengths and areas for improvement.
  7. Be Patient: Finding your voice takes time. It’s a gradual process of discovery and refinement. Celebrate your progress and enjoy the journey.

Remember, your voice is a blend of your unique experiences, perspectives, and creativity. Keep writing and stay true to yourself, and your voice will emerge naturally.

Predictable writing can choke the creativity of both writers and readers, leaving no room for thrilling exploration. Originality is the magic potion that transforms engagement into an unforgettable adventure.

When audiences and readers can foresee the outcome, the suspense evaporates. The thrill of not knowing what lies ahead keeps the heart racing. Predictable plot twists are like empty promises, reducing the emotional highs and lows, turning key moments into missed opportunities. Without these surprises, a story can feel too mechanical, too clinical.

Stories following a conventional path lack flavor. They become a rehash of the same old tales, and nobody likes leftovers. Characters that stick to clichés fail to resonate, offering nothing fresh or truly relatable. When character arcs don’t surprise, their journeys feel uninspired.

Predictable characters often fall into clichés, failing to offer fresh, relatable, or complex portrayals. Without surprising evolution, their journeys lack inspiration.

Introduce unexpected elements, subvert expectations, and craft unique characters to keep stories engaging and emotionally powerful. These techniques ensure readers remain invested, always eager to see what thrilling surprise is next around the corner.

  • Play with Structure: By leaping between different time periods, telling the story from various vantage points, and weaving in unexpected plot twists, writers can inject life and thrill back into their narratives. These elements keep the stories dynamic and emotionally gripping, ensuring readers remain hooked and eager for the next surprise.
  • Subvert Expectations: Develop characters that defy stereotypes and clichés. Breathe life into them by giving them unique traits, unexpected backgrounds, and surprising depths. These characters will captivate readers and audiences, making the story feel fresh and electrifying.
  • Experiment with Style: Mix short, punchy sentences with longer, more descriptive ones. This combination keeps the narrative dynamic and captivating, holding the reader’s attention. Give your narrator or main character a distinctive voice or tone, one that stands out and adds a unique flavor to your story.
  • Incorporate Themes and Symbols: Use recurring symbols or motifs to add depth and layers to your narrative. These elements enrich the story, making it more intriguing and multifaceted. Explore themes that contrast, creating tension and complexity for a richer reading experience.
  • Evoke Strong Emotions through conflict;: Utilize both internal and external conflicts to propel the story forward, creating a whirlwind of drama that keeps readers hooked. Internal conflicts delve into the characters’ psyche, revealing their fears, desires, and moral dilemmas. External conflicts introduce tangible challenges, riveting readers as characters navigate their environments.
  • Craft characters and situations that readers can emotionally connect with, ensuring they feel every triumph and setback deeply. These elements weave together a rich, engaging narrative that resonates on multiple levels.
  • Use of Setting: Bring your setting to life with vivid, sensory descriptions. Paint a picture with your words—describe the sights, sounds, smells, textures, and even tastes. Make readers feel like they’re right there, immersed in the world you’ve created. From the rustling leaves in the forest to the bustling sounds of a city street, every detail adds depth and vibrancy to your narrative.







The choice between writing a screenplay and a novel depends on your preferred storytelling style and the type of story you want to tell. Do you want to immerse readers in the inner world of your characters, or do you want to see your story come to life on the screen?

  • A screenplay, also known as a script, is a written work that serves as the blueprint for a film or television show. It outlines the narrative and includes dialogue, character actions, and scene descriptions. Screenwriting often involves collaboration with directors, producers, and other writers to refine the story and ensure it aligns with the vision of the final film or show. Screenplays are an essential part of the filmmaking process, turning creative ideas into structured narratives ready for production.
  • A novel is a long-form work of fiction that tells a story through prose. It allows authors to explore complex characters, detailed settings, and intricate plots over an extended narrative. Novels are a versatile and powerful form of storytelling, offering endless possibilities for creativity and expression. Whether you’re reading or writing one, they provide a deep and immersive experience.

They have distinct differences and offer unique challenges and rewards

  • Screenplays follow a strict format, with dialogue and action written in a specific way. This makes them quick reads but requires adherence to industry standards. Typically structured around three acts (beginning, middle, and end) with clear turning points and climaxes. Dialogue is crucial in screenplays, driving the story forward and revealing character traits. Screenplays rely on visual and sound elements to tell the story. Descriptions of scenes are usually concise, focusing on what can be seen or heard on screen. Screenwriting often involves working with directors, producers, and actors, making it a more collaborative process. Crafting a screenplay allows you to bring your imaginative vision to life, using dialogue, action, and visual elements to tell a compelling story. You get to create entire worlds, filled with unique characters and settings, and see them come alive on screen. Writing a screenplay can be a fulfilling and transformative experience, offering numerous rewards both personally and professionally.
  • Novels have a more flexible format, allowing for varied styles and structures. They can be long or short, with chapters divided in many ways. Novels provide more room for exploring characters’ thoughts, backgrounds, and inner lives. Authors can delve into subplots and detailed descriptions. Novels allow for creative and descriptive language, with the ability to play with prose, style, and pacing. Novelists have control over the pacing, with the ability to slow down or speed up the narrative as needed. Writing a novel is often a solitary endeavour, requiring self-discipline and extensive revisions. You get to create intricate worlds, characters, and plots, fully immersing yourself in your creative vision. It allows you to express your thoughts, emotions, and imagination in a nuanced and expansive way. Writing a novel can be a transformative experience, offering a blend of emotional satisfaction, creative expression, and professional achievement. Whether it’s a story that’s been bubbling inside you for years or a new idea that’s just taken root, the journey of writing a novel is filled with unique rewards.

Similarities

Both require strong storytelling skills, including plot development, character arcs, and thematic depth, offer opportunities for unique creative expression, allow writers to build compelling worlds and characters, and involve crafting multiple drafts and revisions to polish the final piece.

Turning your Screenplay Into A Novel


REVIEW: Directed by Woody Allen, the film carries his distinctive style and wit, blending elements of comedy, drama, and thriller. The storyline, revolving around a young woman’s unexpected rekindling of an old high school friendship and subsequent affair, intricately explores themes of love, betrayal, and manipulation. This complex narrative keeps audiences intrigued and invested. Characters like Fanny, played by Lou de Laâge, and Jean, played by Melvil Poupaud, are richly developed, showcasing a range of emotions and morally grey areas. These multidimensional characters add depth to the story. The collaboration with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro ensures that the film is visually stunning, with elegant and meticulously crafted scenes that enhance the storytelling. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and received positive reviews, highlighting its artistic merit and impact.

In Coup De Chance we meet Paris-based Jean (Melvil Poupaud) and Fanny (Lou de Laâge), a glamorous and wealthy couple living in a splendid, typical Haussmannian building in the west end of the city. Jean is a charismatic, highly successful businessman – even though some of his friends hint, jokingly or out of jealousy, that he has benefited from his partner’s sudden passing. Not only is Jean a charming character, but he most importantly likes to feel in control of things, sometimes even making his luck. “Many successful businessmen feel that they make their luck and that they’re not at the mercy of chance,” the director continues. “Luck is not the whole thing by any means, but Jean is the controlling kind so much so that, as we find out early on, he may have extended himself into illegality to get rid of his partner.”

After she had a painful marriage and eventually broke up with her first husband, Fanny, unnerved by her failed marriage, was attracted to Jean who appeared as stable and reliable. “This attractive, wealthy man came along at a good time in her life, just as she felt confused and needed to be comforted,” says Allen. “She let him take over her life in a way that was generous and comforting to her. She liked it but if she had met him under less stressful circumstances, perhaps she would not have necessarily married him.”

Fanny gradually realizes she’s not at home with her husband’s shallow crowd of people and that it’s boring for her to spend weekends at his country estate, hunting and playing golf. “She’s a bright, cultivated young woman who’s always had an artistic leaning and thought of herself as marrying a musician, a painter or a writer,” adds the filmmaker. “Actually, she married one and he turned out to be artistically stimulating – and If her first husband hadn’t been a druggie, she would have remained in the world of art.”

Niels Schneider and Lou de Laâge in Coup De Chance. Courtesy of Videovision Entertainment

When she accidentally bumps into Alain (Niels Schneider), a former classmate turned writer, in the street, Fanny is swept off her feet. Not only does it rekindle his attraction to her, but she realizes even more acutely that she’s not living the life she was intended for and that she has become, to Jean, a kind of trophy wife he’s proud to show off to his friend circle. “Alain has very little money, so he lives in an inexpensive attic apartment of sorts, but his lifestyle resonates with Fanny’s Bohemian spirit,” says Allen.

“Alain appreciates the influence of chance and luck in life – he has observed it and has lived it, unlike Jean who is a much more controlling, rigid personality,” adds the director. “My feeling is that luck and chance play a much greater role than people care to admit – they like to think that if they work hard if they apply themselves and discipline themselves, they will be able to control their lives. But it is only partly true, even if it is a slightly unnerving thought.”

Fanny (Lou de Laâge) and Jean (Melvil Poupaud) look like the ideal married couple – they’re both professionally accomplished, they live in a gorgeous apartment in an exclusive neighborhood of Paris, and they seem to be in love just as much as they were when they first met. But when Fanny accidentally bumps into Alain (Niels Schneider), a former high school classmate, she’s swept off her feet. They soon see each other again and get closer and closer…



Lou de Laâge and Niels Schneider discussing a scene with writer-director Woody Allen during the filming of Coup De Chance. Courtesy of Videovision Entertainment

“I speak only English, so I never thought I’d get a chance to work in another language, but I found that it was fine because you can tell if a person is acting believably or acting not believably,” says Allen. “And I wrote the script, so I know what they’re saying in every scene. So, if I feel somebody made a mistake, I can ask the script supervisor and the cameramen that do speak the language.”

Allen admits that he didn’t know any of the actors playing in Coup De Chance, but that all the cast members he picked from videotapes were first-rate actors and appropriately correct for the parts. He was introduced to them briefly before the shoot and, as with all of his collaborators, he let them have an enormous amount of creative freedom. “I wanted them to be able to put things in their own words and speak as regular French citizens,” adds the director. “They didn’t have to obey my script rigidly – they could relax and improvise and speak as they would speak under similar circumstances. When you give them such freedom, you get fine performances.”

Melvil Poupaud and Lou de Laâge in Coup de Chance. Courtesy of Videovision Entertainment

The Actors

“I grew up watching Woody Allen’s films and he’s a filmmaker that has always been a part of my inner world ever since I was a teenager. When you look at his filmography, you can see his evolution as a director, as an actor and as a human being,” says Lou de Laâge. “I’d never have possibly imagined that I would be offered to play in a Woody Allen film. Being a part of his journey as an artist, at one particular moment in time, felt amazing. When I got the script, it came with a note where Woody told me that he offered me the part but that if I didn’t like it, I could just say so. Such elegance is rare.”

Lou de Laâge in Coup De Chance. Courtesy of Videovision Entertainment

“Most importantly, the writing was superb. I read it in one go, just as you read a novel. Scripts are often burdened by unnecessary scenes and lengthy parts, but in this case you could tell the writer was so experienced. The writing was so accomplished. I didn’t feel like I had to come up with a backstory as you just understood this young woman tended to dive into whatever came her way,” says Lou de Laâge.

“The script was perfectly balanced between tragedy and comedy – and it was all brought to a climax that is typical of Woody Allen’s genius. In this film, every frame, every creative decision – whether it has to do with editing or music – bears a constant balance between pathos and humour, between a sense of threat and of light-heartedness – so you laugh and experience thrills all at once thanks to this amazing ambivalence. The vaudeville-farcical element connected the film to a tradition of French drama, but it was imbued with a darker, more ambiguous dimension through my character, both monstrous and charming,” says Melvil Poupaud who plays Jean.

“I was surprised by the ending which expresses Woody Allen’s vision of existence – life is a roll of the dice and we’re all at the mercy of destiny. The structure of the script, which is unrelenting despite its tale-like quality, reminded me of Éric Rohmer.”

Niels Schneider and Lou de Laâge in Coup De Chance. Courtesy of Videovision Entertainment

“From the outset, Woody said to me, ‘It’s a complex, charming, unnerving, threatening, gentle role’ and he added, ‘I’ll be there to help you.’ Through his words I could feel that he was somewhat close to the character and that he related to him from the inside. I think Jean felt like running away from the world – he suffered as a child and was afraid things would escape him. This childlike, fragile quality makes him relatable – to a certain extent. It was a wonderful part to play as, within the same scene, he can be charming and win everybody over with his charisma, and in the blink of an eye, he can reveal a much darker side.”

“I was told he didn’t speak much and remained behind the monitor. When we first met, he actually was quite taciturn but on our second meeting, he was much more talkative. On set, after three or four takes, he’d ask us if we wanted to try something different. He paid great attention to our acting, to our desire to suggest things. He was very much into directing his cast and you could feel he very much enjoyed himself like someone being energized and exhilarated by the production. As we moved forward, I felt he was getting even happier and in top form as the film meant a great deal to him.”

Says Niels Schneider, who plays Alain. “I grew up with Woody Allen’s films ever since Husbands And Wives and he’s one of the few filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Ingmar Bergman and Francis Ford Coppola whose movies I can watch over and over again with equal enjoyment. During lockdown, I watched Woody’s entire filmography all over again – and he’s to me one of the greatest writers, directors and auteurs alive. So it was a an obvious choice when I was offered the part – even though it felt unbelievable that I was going to appear in a Woody Allen film! Along with John Cassavetes, Woody Allen is also the most independent filmmaker there ever was. He always found financing to keep full creative control on his fims and not be influenced by Hollywood.”

Woody Allen discusses a scene with Melvil Poupaud during the filming of Coup De Chance. Courtesy of Videovision Entertainment

I played Coltrane at home to get in the mood right off and I realized it was all about the writing – the lightheartedness, pace and musical quality of the dialogue; the soulful characters that each had beliefs and a natural banter; and themes that cut across his filmography. You can find, just as in Match Point, life’s irony, the fact that no matter how much you struggle and believe you have some control over your existence – in the end, you’re quite insignificant and you hardly have any control over your life. I was awestruck by the script as it conveyed beautifully this feeling on existence in a profound and light-hearted way, without any contrived humor and comical effects.”

The cinematography and the various colors, from warm and golden hues to colder tones, enhance the city’s beauty and express the characters’ emotional journey. Coup De Chance marks the fifth time that Allen has collaborated with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, after Café Society, Wonder Wheel, A Rainy Day In New York and Rifkin’s Festival. “Most of the trick to make a good picture is to surround yourself with first-rate collaborators,” continues Allen. “You need to pick them out appropriately and then don’t sit on top of them – let them express themselves artistically. With Vittorio, we always work the same way. He reads the script, we have a conversation about what the feeling of the picture should be, and as with all of my collaborators, I give him an enormous amount of freedom. He’s a great artist and almost everything he does naturally is beautiful.”

Niels Schneider and Lou de Laâge in Coup De Chance. Courtesy of Videovision Entertainment

Just as he usually does, Storaro sought to emphasize visually the opposition between the two protagonists. “I connected warm tonalities with Fanny, using the beautiful midday light or the warm light of the sunset as these are the moments when she meets with Alain,” the director of photography explains. “To enhance Fanny’s sense of freedom, I mostly filmed her with a Steadicam and went with a longer lens connected to her. It was quite the opposite with Jean as he’s associated with the moonlight and so I filmed him with a very wide angle, showing that he practically moved in a very straight line.” Likewise, he wished to give the gorgeous Parisian apartment – Jean’s ultimate territory – a bluish tone that intensifies as the tension builds. “In fact, the walls of the apartment were white,” adds Storaro. “But I realized that if I let the natural light filter through the windows and if I set the camera in ‘artificial mode’, the walls came out bluish. Woody was sold by the idea even if he wanted a very light blue at the beginning and a darker blue at a later juncture. I showed him he needn’t worry as you could increase the bluish tonality by increments.”

Just like Storaro’s cinematography, the places and neighborhoods of Paris visited by the characters offer an idealized vision of the city – that of Woody Allen’s. Once again, the director gave much leeway to production designer Véronique Mélery who had never worked with him before and did not give her specific references.

“We mostly had a conversation about the characters and their psyche, but I quickly realized that he wished to showcase the Paris he loves and film the city in all its glory,” says Mélery. The Luxembourg Garden, the classically beautiful grand avenues of the West End, the Montmartre neighborhood already featured in Midnight in Paris all relate to the director’s memories. The country house turned out to be slightly more challenging. “We’d visited the house on the first day of scouting”, she continues. “The place’s obvious charm and soul, and the surroundings were perfect. But Woody wanted to find a place closer to Paris. So, we went back to scouting but never found the ideal location and after weeks of research, we happily came back to our initial choice.”

Just like the locations and the production design, the costumes, in their own way, help tell the story and emphasize the moments of tension and emotion. As a six-time collaborator with Woody Allen, costume designer Sonia Grande has developed a professional shorthand with the director, so that she knows instinctively what he likes. “There are certain colors he doesn’t like, and the wardrobe must have a light, drawn appearance,” she says. “He doesn’t like excessive layers of clothing over the actors’ bodies, covering or sheltering them too much.”

As for the director, he trusts Grande totally. “I’ve worked on a number of pictures with Sonia and I let her express herself artistically,” he notes. “If an actor or actress comes in wearing something that I feel is wrong, I’ll tell Sonia, but that’s rare. If you let a collaborator such as her do what she wants to do, because she understands the script so well, nine out of ten times what she wants to do instinctively is correct.”

Woody Allen had a wonderful experience shooting a film in Paris in French and he’d be happy doing it again. While he kept the same methods that he uses when he shoots in the US and has worked with many of his long-standing collaborators, he made an exception for the soundtrack.

“Usually in all my pictures I have much older jazz music which is the music that I like,” he concludes. “But since I was making a French picture, I paid homage to the French cinema of the 1950s and 1960s, like Louis Malle’s Elevator To The Gallows I discovered when I first became aware of the French cinema. French filmmakers at the time used Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Quartet and a kind of modern jazz in general. So, that’s the style I used for Coup de Chance and it worked out very well.”

The journey began when a friend once told Halina Reijn about a woman who, across her entire 25-year marriage, had never experienced an orgasm with her husband. She was both awed by and in some ways unsurprised by that possibility.

In Babygirl, Romy, played by Nicole Kidman, is a product of this internalization. As a polished CEO and a mother and wife living in New York City, she lives in a world of careful control, tight scheduling, and an all-too-keen awareness of how she’s perceived at the heights of a male-dominated field. In her own long-term marriage, she has also never truly found pleasure with her sweet, caring, and artistically driven husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas).

As Romy attempts to hold together her gilded persona, she is quickly undone after she meets Samuel (Harris Dickinson), an intern who appears to her almost as an angel come to rescue and torment her from within her cage of suppressed desire. Im- mediately he clocks her, seeing in her a desire to finally lose control, and he begins to prod beyond the surfaces she has so carefully constructed.

So begins an unconventional love affair between the high-powered female CEO and her young, audaciously puckish male intern. It’s a cat and mouse set-up, one in which the axis of power is constantly, thrillingly shifting, and which at first glance resembles the heyday of sexual thrillers in the ‘90s.

If Reijn was confronted with the contradiction of sexuality impressed upon women in society — to be constantly sexual- ized and yet to never exercise agency — she found vindication and solace, if a conflicted form of it, in the movies’ depiction of women getting what they want. “Those movies, when I saw them, they were like, ‘Oh, actually, it’s not so crazy, all these things that are going on in my head!’” she says. “These movies are super dear to me, but of course they are almost all directed by men, all written by men.”

In Reijn’s hands, the genre’s deliberate goading of sexual mores becomes something deeply human and bitingly fun, an erotic thriller for an age where everything is permitted, but the American puritanical moral impulses still run deep. And ulti- mately, at the core of the forbidden fruit is a seductive, tender act of self-acceptance for its protagonist.

“My question was about self-love. Mainly, how do I love all parts of myself?” Reijn says. This line of thinking was inspired by Ver- hoeven, who directed Reijn, an actress before she became an acclaimed filmmaker, in a major supporting role in Black Book. “Paul Verhoeven always told me I could only make a movie if I had a specific question. For this story I wondered: Are we an- imals or are we civilized? Can we make peace with the animal inside of us? Is it possible for the different parts of ourselves to co-exist and, in turn, for us to love our whole selves without shame?”

These ideas and Reijn’s approach — to take the edgy, titillating mold of sexual thrillers and witness it through a distinctly contemporary female gaze — was an utterly new experience for Kidman, who speaks about her time shooting the film as a fever dream of sorts.

“I’ve made many sexual films, but this is different,” Kidman says. “Doing this subject matter in the hands of the woman that wrote the script, that’s directing it and is a really great actress herself — we became one in a weird way, which I’d never had with a director before. When you’re working with a woman on this subject matter, you can share everything with each other.”

In Kidman’s tour de force turn is a fractured and unusually re- latable portrait of a woman conflicted by her own desires, a performance of a certain kind of powerful, tightly-wound, up- per-crust New Yorker going back to her characters in Eyes Wide Shut and Birth. Romy struggles to balance the unwieldy duali- ties of her desire and her civilized exterior — the accomplished executive and matriarch, and the woman who, underneath it all, wants to give in, let loose, and release herself.

In other words, Reijn’s film not only earnestly contends with — and teasingly complicates — our ideas around sexuality, gender, and desire, but also our contemporary discourse around those very things. As Romy and Samuel haltingly ex- plore sexual fantasies, laying out then relishing in bending the rules and boundaries of their dalliance, the film confronts our culture’s great thorny shadow — power and sex — only to glee- fully flip it all on its back, upside down, and right side up again.

“That whole relationship between the two of them is just going: Who’s the cat? Who’s the mouse? Who’s using who? And you could also ask that about Romy and Jacob — who’s using who?” Reijn says, referencing Romy’s theater director hus- band. “Would he live in a house like that with his salary from the theater? I don’t think so. They’re all using each other because they’re all humans.”

The film becomes what Reijn calls a playground, an entertaining, sexy, and often dangerous-feeling experience in which we can consider the complexity of desire in a safe environ- ment. “It’s not a documentary,” Reijn says. “It’s all fake. We’re all buying a ticket, we’re all going to experience this together.

We can talk afterwards. I was very sure that it was needed, es- pecially moving to America, where sexual morals seem very suppressed. I wanted to explore that, but in a very human, warm way.”

That is perhaps most apparent in the film’s depiction of Romy and Samuel’s whirlwind affair, in which the forbidden fruit might very well be the source of their mutual attraction.

Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson / Credit: Niko Tavernise / Courtesy of A24

“This movie is absolutely a love story and absolutely full of passion and romance for me,” Reijn says of Romy and Samuel’s relationship. “I want the whole audience to fall in love with her, and I want the whole audience to fall in love with him and to be seduced by their love. To want them to be together even though you know it’s not the ‘right’ thing to want.”

Even as their affair is forbidden, it also provides a sanctu- ary of sorts in which their connection is true and beautiful, a hurricane of passion and real romance. It makes for, in a film structured and driven by lust and unspoken urges, scenes that can go from uncomfortable and funny (and from uncomfortably funny to actually funny), to passionate and sexy, to heartbreak- ing and cathartically tender, all in the span of a few thrilling, tightly staged minutes.

“Whatever we think about their relationship, within their safe room where they meet each other, they are very honest and they’re incredibly themselves in a raw, moving way,” Reijn says. “There’s a beauty in it despite the fact that they’re doing something that is forbidden. Within that, they are completely themselves and he has the capability to be incredibly warm and empathetic towards her and also towards his own needs and wants.”

A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.



When Reijn began writing the script for Babygirl, Kidman “was definitely in my mind,” Reijn notes. “I did think she would be one of the very few people who would bring the courage to a character like this. It’s not necessarily from the start a very likable character. She has a lot of layers. You have to be able to play all those different roles.”

That is, the roles that Romy presents as, and the ones she wants to tamp down. The complexity of her role, and the nakedness underneath when she is stripped of her masks, presented Kidman with what she describes as a bracingly new challenge.

“I’m always trying to find more inside me,” Kidman says of her approach to her career. “I just need someone to come along and say, I’m going to help bring that out of you.” She found it in Reijn from the start. “We talked for about an hour after I read the script, and we were just completely intertwined from that point on. It really has been the most unusual relationship to me.”

Halina Reijn, Nicole Kidman / Credit: Niko Tavernise / Courtesy of A24

“She is so incredibly smart, and the chemistry between her and me was a dream,” Reijn says. “It was almost telepathic communication.” It was a kind of cosmic artistic alignment that was particularly crucial on a film that involved so much vulnerability. Kidman says frankly, “I wouldn’t have made it if it wasn’t with Halina.”

The same, she notes, can be said for her male counterparts in Dickinson and Banderas, “who were like, yes, we will come and be there with you and be your partners in this storytelling, but we’re not the center of the story. I love them for being there with all their openness. They were so generous to us.”

In Dickinson, Reijn, who had been immediately drawn to the actor after seeing him in Beach Rats and Triangle of Sadness, found a fluid embodiment of Samuel’s shifting, often competing dualities of confident masculinity and a tender, boyish sense of empathy.

“It looks almost like it’s improvised, but it’s not,” Reijn says. “It’s so hard to do because he can look in one shot like a 12-year-old little boy, and then in the next, he’s a man, a totally confident 45-year-old guy.”

When Reijn paired Dickinson up with Kidman over an initial Zoom call, she could immediately sense their ability to slot into the see-sawing power games of their characters.

“They were very vulnerable, sweet, but also having fun,” Reijn recalls. “I really just looked at them and listened to them and took a step back. There’s an insane amount of respect, but also playfulness between them. I could immediately see they would be each other’s equal.”

Dickinson, though, admits that he was intimidated by Kidman. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t,” he says. “She’s obviously a force of nature as a performer, as a person. Incredibly impressive and professional, but also really dictates the energy on set.”

The two, Reijn notes, “made a point that they didn’t want to get to know each other too well” before production began, perhaps helping to inspire the somewhat antagonistic distance between their characters in the film, particularly early on.

On set, though, Dickinson says, “we very quickly got comfort- able with each other. That was necessary for the dynamic that we have as characters. I think Samuel isn’t afraid of her and isn’t intimidated by her, so I had to really just be comfortable in her presence. But she made that very easy. She’s very calm, very cool.”

Kidman, though, speaks of the space of vulnerability that she entered with Dickinson and Banderas with a kind of rever- ence, a realm of performance that was inhabited rather than discussed. The experience of where they went, it seems, stays mostly between them. “That’s kind of like sacred territory, and I promised Harris, and I promised Antonio, that place of artistic sacredness, we hold it in that bubble — that’s where it exists,” Kidman says. “If that translates into the performances, fantastic. That’s where it stays, and that’s how it stays. But it doesn’t get dissected intel- lectually because it’s all too magical.”

Antonio Banderas, Nicole Kidman, Credit: Courtesy of A24

While Dickinson tapped into the young, playfully goading other man, Banderas played Jacob, a theater director and the du- tiful, cuckolded husband, a role that, on paper, might seem diametrically opposed to the character he typically cuts: the dominant, dangerous men in his acclaimed films with Pedro Almodóvar, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! and The Skin I Live In. Reijn wanted somebody who was not “shy or obviously intellectual” but rather someone who was particularly masculine, even as “it was not an obvious role for masculine men to play the husband of this very strong and powerful character.”

“It was very important to me that it is not his problem — it is her journey, it is her problem,” Reijn notes. “It’s not his masculinity. It’s not that he’s not able to be a dominant man in bed. I wanted him to be a very interesting, amazing man. I wanted their mar- riage to be good in essence.”

Banderas, in some ways the archetype for a kind of suave and sensitive masculinity, seemed perfect. “I thought he would never do it,” Rejin says. “I was so nervous to meet him and speak to him, but he immediately said yes.”

The actor gravitated immediately to the script, finding it “very courageous about desires that we all human beings have and not all of us have the courage to express that have to do with sexuality and a way to understand our own traumas.”

Playing the man pushed aside, Banderas, an icon of the screen, was particularly generous and helped set the tone on set in surrendering himself to the production.

“He was the hardest worker, open to any direction, incredibly playful and sweet, and made everybody feel safe,” Reijn says. “He made Nicole feel super seen and safe in the sex scenes that they had. He brought a vulnerability and a strength that I’m totally grateful for.”

Banderas, though, directs the praise onto Reijn and Kidman, the two women he credits for shepherding the film. “These two women are a dream — powerhouses,” he says. In particular, the film allowed him to finally work with Kidman, who he calls “one of the best actresses ever.”


Halina Reijn is a visionary filmmaker, producer, actress, and author known for her ability to craft subversive and provocative narratives that challenge conventions and push boundaries.

Reijn’s latest feature is the erotic thriller Babygirl, which she wrote, directed and pro- duced with with 2AM for A24. Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson and Antonio Banderas star in the film which is making its world premiere at the 2024 Venice Film Festival before being released later this year. Previously, she directed A24’s Bodies Bodies Bodies starring Pete Davidson, Maria Bakalova, Amandla Stenberg, and Rachel Sen- nott. The film had its world premiere at SXSW and earned Reijn a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Director. Reijn’s critically acclaimed directorial debut, Instinct, premiered at the Locarno Film Festival in 2019, followed by bows at TIFF, BFI London, and Les Arcs. Produced under Reijn’s Man Up banner, the film received a European Film Award nomination for Best Debut Film and was The Netherlands’ sub- mission to the Academy Awards for Best International Feature.

As an actress, Reijn most recently starred in, created and produced the television series Red Light, earning her the award for Best Actress at the Dutch Film Festival and the series a Dutch film award for Best TV Show. She also starred in the Oscar-nominat- ed film ZUS & ZO, Paul Verhoeven’s Black Book, which premiered at the 2006 Venice Film Festival, and in Valkyrie, opposite Tom Cruise. On stage, Reijn has been recog- nized for standout performances in leading roles in Hedda Gabler, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Human Voice, winning several awards for her performances.


Prequels provide an opportunity to explore the origins and motivations of characters, adding depth to their story arcs. They allow filmmakers to expand the world of the original films, introducing new locations, characters, and lore.

Prequels can evoke nostalgia by revisiting familiar settings and themes while offering fresh perspectives.

Prequels provide an opportunity to explore the origins and motivations of characters, adding depth to their story arcs. They allow filmmakers to expand the world of the original films, introducing new locations, characters, and lore. Prequels can evoke nostalgia by revisiting familiar settings and themes while offering fresh perspectives.

Since the outcome is often already known, prequels must find creative ways to maintain suspense and engagement. Maintaining consistency with the original films can also be challenging, especially when dealing with established lore and character development. Prequels must satisfy long-time fans while attracting new audiences, balancing familiarity with innovation.

Some prequels offer new perspectives on familiar events, shedding light on untold stories and lesser-known characters. Introducing new mysteries and questions that intrigue the audience, even if they know the ultimate outcome. Ensuring that the visual and stylistic elements align with the original films while still allowing for creative exploration.

Prequels can be a thrilling way to dive deeper into beloved stories and characters, adding layers of complexity and richness to the original narratives.

Prequels delve into the backgrounds of beloved characters, providing insights into their origins and motivations. This exploration can transform a character’s arc and add depth to their actions in the original storyline. In “Better Call Saul,” the prequel to “Breaking Bad,” we learn about Saul Goodman’s transformation from Jimmy McGill, a struggling lawyer, into the shady, morally ambiguous attorney we know.

Prequels often reveal connections between characters and events that were previously unknown, creating a richer and more interconnected universe. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” reveals the mission to steal the Death Star plans, a crucial event that connects directly to the beginning of “Star Wars: A New Hope.”

Expanding the universe of the original story, prequels often introduce new locations, cultures, and elements that enrich the narrative landscape. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” explores the magical world of the 1920s, adding historical context and new magical creatures to the Harry Potter universe.

They can address and resolve plot holes or unanswered questions from the original story, providing a more complete and coherent narrative. Prometheus, a prequel to Alien, explores the origins of the Xenomorphs and the Engineers, shedding light on the mysteries introduced in the original series. Alien: Romulus is is part of the Alien franchise, set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986).

The mystery and appeal of prequels lie in their ability to expand on beloved stories, uncover hidden layers, and enhance the overall narrative universe. They invite audiences to re-engage with familiar worlds while discovering new facets and deeper meanings



Read more about The Lion King

REVIEW: Mufasa: The Lion King is a masterpiece that resonates deeply with audiences. The film explores universal themes such as the cycle of life, the journey to self-discovery, courage, and redemption. These themes have a timeless appeal, touching on fundamental aspects of the human experience. Characters like Mufasa, Simba, Scar, and Rafiki are richly developed and unforgettable. Their unique personalities and journeys allow audiences to connect on an emotional level. The film imparts important life lessons about responsibility, the consequences of one’s actions, and the power of forgiveness and hope. Mufasa’s wisdom and teachings to Simba are particularly impactful. The breathtaking animation captures the grandeur of the African savanna, creating a vivid tapestry that pulls viewers into the world of Pride Rock. The film’s score, featuring music by Elton John and Hans Zimmer, is iconic. The songs and orchestral pieces elevate the emotional intensity and joy of the narrative. The Lion King has had a significant cultural impact, inspiring countless adaptations across various media and resonating with different generations since its release. Simba’s journey from a carefree cub to a responsible king mirrors the struggles many face in finding their identity and place in the world.

Mufasa: The Lion King broadens the definition of family. “Mufasa and Taka’s relationship is the foundation for the incredible journey of this film, and the starting point for what will become the found family we know and love across the franchise,” says producer Mark Ceryak.

“It is through their brotherhood that we are thrust into the adventure; they would do anything for each other and so they must to survive. Taka, Eshe and Obasi are Mufasa’s original found family, but it’s through Mufasa and Taka’s bond that they expand their circle with Rafiki, Sarabi and Zazu. Familial bonds are at the core of everything we experience in this story.”

Blending live-action filmmaking techniques with photoreal computer-generated imagery, Mufasa: The Lion King captures the richness and diversity of Africa’s landscape. The look is both stunning and surprising, showcasing the locale like never before—including snowy scenes.

(L-R): Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre), Eshe (Thandiwe Newton), and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) in Disney’s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Jenkins, who describes the story of Mufasa’s life before he was king as a journey film, says, “At the beginning of our movie, Mufasa gets washed away from the habitat that we’ve come to expect of ‘The Lion King.’ He gets washed all the way down the continent, and he has to work his way back. That gave us this opportunity to really cover all of these different environments and climates.”

Exploring the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, Mufasa: The Lion King enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe. 


Disney’s all-new coming-of-age tale of the future king of the Pride Lands kicked off production in Spring 2022 in a new and unique facility in downtown Los Angeles—its nondescript exterior concealing the cutting-edge cinematic technology within. Directed by Jenkins from a screenplay by Jeff Nathanson, the big-screen adventure is produced by Adele Romanski, p.g.a., & Mark Ceryak, p.g.a., and executive produced by Peter Tobyansen.

Jenkins worked alongside animators and digital artists at the Moving Picture Company to create the look of the film. MPC’s animators and digital artists bring a cast of Disney’s beloved animal characters to life for a third time following 2016’s “The Jungle Book” and 2019’s “The Lion King.”

(L-R) Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre), Young Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga), Taka (voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Sarabi (Tiffany Boone). Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“The look of the film was really important to me,” says the director, who was inspired by the films and stage musical that audiences have long embraced. “This film had to stand on its own.”

Filmmakers worked in digital virtual reality to scout locations and plan the shoot for the movie. With influences from real locations throughout Africa, a defining journey was envisioned and executed for Mufasa, future leader of the Pride Lands, capturing Jenkins’ lyrical style, emotion and vast vision for the film.

From the production design and cinematography to the digital design, animation and editing, filmmakers blended approaches from animation and live-action. Teaming up with artists and technicians from MPC, filmmakers worked in digital virtual reality to scout locations, plan and shoot the movie. With their collective talent and dedication, they meticulously captured the essence of Jenkins’ vision, infusing every frame with a captivating blend of emotion and beauty.

Friedberg’s virtual process aligned in many ways with a live-action approach. After researching, scouting, securing and documenting the locations, his team began designing and building the sets, beginning with concept art. “It’s complicated, involving hundreds of drawings that can take weeks,” he says. “The next layer was the virtual set, a three-dimensional space we created based on the concept art.”

(L-R): Sarabi (voiced by Tiffany Boone), Taka (voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.), Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre), and Rafiki (voiced by Kagiso Lediga) in Disney’s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Friedberg was eager to create the kind of expressive imagery that Jenkins gravitates toward. “There is emotion in each frame,” he says. “We wanted the story to be sensory and intuitive and emotional.”

As with 2019’s “The Lion King,” “Mufasa” is a blend of animation, photoreal CGI and live-action filmmaking techniques. Visual effects supervisor Adam Valdez and his team have benefited from advances since audiences embraced a new look for Simba and his quest. “As computers get faster and Unreal Engine gets more sophisticated, we are able to better create a photographic feeling during this process. In the past, it’s been more primitive-looking. If you think about mood and suspension of disbelief in a movie, this is critical. We don’t just want this work to look like moving versions of storyboards. We want it to evoke feeling, and we want it to feel like it’s tonally in line with where they think the scene is going. And that all has an impact on how you design shots.”

To get a three-dimensional sense of Friedberg’s sets and to plot out and/or review shots, and angles and scenes in the world of “Mufasa,” the team regularly donned headsets and trekked to Africa via a virtual-reality setup. “Crucially, it allowed the team to develop a physical relationship with the sets and locations,” says Friedberg.

(L-R): Afia (voiced by Anika Noni Rose), Mufasa (voiced by Braelyn Rankins), and Masego (voiced by Keith David) in Disney’s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

With a career rooted in live-action filmmaking, cinematographer James Laxton, ASC, got an opportunity to explore an entirely new playground. “I really took a deep dive into the virtual production tool set,” he says. “I was very interested in trying to understand some of the virtual capture tool sets in hopes that it would free me up to not limit myself to a live action approach. Clearly, the process is different, but the anchor is the story that Barry wants to tell. There are a lot of differences in terms of lighting the set and how light plays and atmosphere levels—all that stuff is made in the computer with a lighting team, so sky’s the limit. You have such freedom to do anything. Your only limit is your imagination, which is a pretty powerful concept.”

(L-R): Taka (voiced by Theo Somolu) and Mufasa (voiced by Braelyn Rankins) in Disney’s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Laxton applied his live-action background to digital filmmaking. “The set was designed in the computer, starting with Mark Friedberg’s creations—concept art and plans—then Adam Valdez’s amazing team animated that set and then my lighting team began their work, starting to virtually light to our visual specifications and that came to the stage with us when we began to shoot the movie,” he says. “Camera moves and angles and lighting, these are all part and parcel of the job of cinematographer. It’s just not in a literally physical space. In some ways, it’s quite a similar process to live action—color palette, movement, lighting—these elements we consider in live action, too.”

Editor Joi McMillon, ACE, worked with Jenkins to create early reels of the film using voice recordings and storyboards. The resulting roadmap informed animators, cinematographers and the rest of the team as the film came together. McMillon continued to refine it as production/post production progressed. The process differed from the live-action titles she’s worked on for Jenkins, including “Moonlight,” “If Beale Street Could Talk” and “The Underground Railroad.” “Usually when Barry and I work together, it’s after production,” says McMillon. “That’s when we start to dig in and try to figure out what each scene and sequence are about based on the script and everything that has been shot.”

McMillon’s history with Jenkins and live-action filmmaking informed every edit. “My editorial team and I have an old-school approach,” she says. “I know how specific Barry is about transitions and the feelingcoming in and out of scenes. So, even though we might only be turning over a little bit of a section, I would build in a transition in and out of the scene, which was crazy to do before we’d seen the film in its entirety. But we soon found a groove and became accustomed to that way of working.”

The powerful blend of epic vistas, details from the natural world and music define the rising king’s adventure. Hundreds of artists across three continents dedicated four years to digital world-building, animation, digital cinematography and complex visual effects that required the unprecedented use of the latest computer graphics techniques, immense data and computing power. Add to that a compelling score and a host of all-new songs—the result is a piece of tremendous scope and drama.

(L-R): Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) and Taka (voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.) in Disney’s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“The music of ‘The Lion King’ has always been iconic,” says Jenkins. “It takes Western music, the work of Elton John, and blends it with the sound of the continent, of Africa, which was really important to me. Lin-Manuel Miranda really embraced and understood that. We all got together and tried to excavate the wonderful work they did on the original film, but then take the energy of Lebo M—who, to me, is the voice of ‘The Lion King’—and go somewhere new.”

Says producer Adele Romanski, p.g.a., “OK, let’s be real, those OG ‘Lion King’ songs are bangers. But Lin-Manuel Miranda is a musical genius, and I think as soon as folks hear the new songs he wrote for the film, they will join the Elton John and Tim Rice jams from LK ‘94 in the ‘Lion King’ musical canon.”

Miranda, who wrote original songs for “Mufasa: The Lion King” that are produced by Mark Mancina and Miranda, with additional music and performances by Lebo M, says he found an immediate connection with the story. “When I read the screenplay, I felt like the places where the songs needed to happen really just popped out,” he says. “In fact, [for] at least a few of the songs, the titles of the songs I ended up writing were originally lines of dialogue in the screenplay. ‘I always wanted a brother’—there’s a line of dialogue—and I built the whole song around that title. I’m always looking to the screenplay for clues as to what wants to sing.”

Miranda also looked for opportunities to have a little fun. “It’s a harrowing journey that our characters go on,” says the songwriter. “I think it’s my job to write ‘joy bombs’ in the middle of this movie—moments of pure joy and escape in that same way that when you first saw ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Hakuna Matata’ came out of nowhere and delighted you.”

The film’s original score was composed by Dave Metzger. Nicholas Britell contributed to “I Always Wanted a Brother” and contributed several original score themes as well.  

Supervising sound editor/re-recording mixer Onnalee Blank, CAS, MPSE, created the sonic equivalent of a full assembly, a companion to editor Joi McMillon’s visual iteration, all before cameras rolled. If the soundscape feels immersive, it’s because of Blank’s dedication to authenticity.

Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) in Disney’s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BARRY JENKINS (Directed by) is a film director, writer, producer, and screenwriter. In 2016, he won the Academy Award for best picture for “Moonlight” as well as the Golden Globe Award. His screen adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel “If Beale Street Could Talk” received critical acclaim and won a best supporting actress award for Regina King at 2019’s Academy Awards. His adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel earned multiple awards, including the AFI Award for TV program of the year, the ASC Award for outstanding achievement in cinematography in motion picture, limited series or pilot made for television, BAFTA TV International Award, the DGA Award for outstanding directorial achievement in movies for television and limited series, the Golden Globe for best television limited series, anthology series or motion picture made for television, 2022; the Image Award for outstanding directing in a drama series; the Golden Reel Award for outstanding achievement in sound editing – limited series or anthology and earned seven Emmy nominations.

Born Nov. 19, 1979, in Liberty City, Miami, Fla., Jenkins was 12 when his father died leaving his mother, who struggled with drug addiction, to raise him and his three siblings. He attended Northwestern Senior High in Miami where he played football. In 2003, he graduated from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He worked as a carpenter and co-founded an advertising company called Strike Anywhere.

Jenkins first got into film by being drawn to French and Asian New Wave Cinema. At film school at Florida State he made a seven-minute short film, “My Josephine” (2003), about a couple of Arab immigrants who ran a laundromat and dry cleaners. He identified with characters who were outside the mainstream and “decided to take my experience of feeling like an ‘other’ as a Black man in the South, and use that as a way to empathize with my characters.”

His first experience with Hollywood-style filmmaking occurred when he worked in Los Angeles as a director’s assistant on Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Production Film production of “Their Eyes Were Watching God, “(2005) based on Zora Neale Hurston’s novel. In 2008 he wrote and directed “Medicine for Melancholy,” which won critical acclaim. A low-budget independent film, it was a story about the relationship between two people in over a twenty-four-hour period in a San Francisco neighborhood undergoing gentrification. In 2011, he wrote and directed “Remigration,” a sci-fi short film also about gentrification.

Jenkins co-wrote the screenplay for his second film, “Moonlight,” with playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney. “Moonlight was a coming-of-age story of a gay Florida youth who, over the course of 16 years, discovers “the nature and meaning of manhood.” After a troubled childhood, where he is neglected and mistreated by a drug addicted mother, he becomes a brooding teenager, confused about his sexuality. Finally, as a young adult he understands and accepts himself.

Jenkins’ next film, “If Beale Street Could Talk” (2019), like “Moonlight, garnered considerable praise, winning the 2018 Independent Spirit Award for best film and best director, and a nomination for best adapted screenplay at the 89th Academy Awards. A love story, the film, based on James Baldwin’s novel, was a dream come true for Jenkins, who worked with the Baldwin Estate. Regina King won best supporting actress for her role as Sharon Rivers.

JEFF NATHANSON (Screenplay by) has been a screenwriter for over thirty years. His credits include the “Rush Hour” series, “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Terminal,” “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,”  “Tower Heist,” “Pirates of the Caribbean — Dead Men Tell No Tales” and “The Lion King.” This year, he not only wrote “Mufasa: The Lion King,” but he also wrote and produced “Young Woman and the Sea” starring Daisy Ridley. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.  


Read more about Mufasa: The Lion King

“It’s such a beloved property,” says Favreau, who directed the film from a screenplay crafted by Jeff Nathanson (Catch Me If You Can, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), based on the 1994 screenplay by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton.

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Jon Favreau

“Disney has had tremendous success with the original animated version and then the Broadway musical. I knew that I had to be very careful with it,” says says Favreau. “I felt a tremendous responsibility not to screw it up. I wanted to demonstrate that we could be respectful of the source material while bringing it to life using mind-blowing techniques and technologies.”

Widely considered an animated masterpiece, beloved by fans worldwide, Disney’s 1994’s classic The Lion King won Academy Awards for the original song Can You Feel the Love Tonight (Elton John, Tim Rice) and original score (Hans Zimmer). In 1997, the stage production inspired by the film made its Broadway debut, subsequently winning six Tony Awards®; 22 years later, it remains one of Broadway’s biggest hits, recently marking its 9,000th show.

A FUTURE KING IS BORN – In Disney’s all-new “The Lion King,” Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. Featuring JD McCrary and Donald Glover as young Simba and Simba, ©2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Now, with the live-action release audiences can journey to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.


“I went on safari to Africa six months prior to first talking to Disney about doing this film,” says Favreau. “I remember when a warthog ran by our safari vehicle, one of the people in our group started singing ‘Hakuna Matata.’ And then when we saw lions up on a rock, they all said, ‘Oh, look, it looks like Lion King.’ This story has become a frame of reference that everybody now knows and accepts. It pops up in music, on TV shows, in comedy routines, as part of sketches. It’s continually referenced. It’s such a deep part of our culture that it felt like there was a tremendous opportunity to build on that and to retell the story in a different medium.”

THE LION KING – Featuring the voices of Florence Kasumba, Eric André and Keegan-Michael Key as the hyenas, and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Disney’s “The Lion King” is directed by Jon Favreau. © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Environments were designed within a game engine; state-of-the-art virtual reality tools allowed Favreau to walk around in the virtual set, scouting and setting up shots as if he were standing in Africa alongside Simba.

According to producer Karen Gilchrist, the director sought to root the film in reality—and did so in unexpected ways. “He wanted to capture those things you can’t quite explain,” she says. “Having director of photography Caleb Deschanel actually working the wheels or having a dolly grip, you get those magical things that happen with the human touch. Not always having the perfect shot, the perfect sunrise, the perfect sky—that was really important to Jon.”

Once the film was created within VR, Favreau shifted gears and directed the film during the animation process. Ultimately, the complex team of artists, technicians, live-action professionals and cutting-edge animators created what is essentially a new way to make a movie. But is it live action or animation? “It’s hard to explain,” says Favreau. “It’s like magic. We’re reinventing the medium.”

But, adds the director, “We’re not reinventing the story.”

For Favreau—much like Walt Disney before him—story comes first. He set out to preserve the soul of the original film, while allowing the performances, artistry, music and humor to unfold organically.

“I understood going into this how important that powerful inherited relationship was with the original film,” says Favreau. “There is such a rich tradition surrounding this material. We are dealing with archetypes and struggles going back to Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ and earlier. Betrayal, coming-of-age, death and rebirth—the cycles of life—are the foundation of all the myths around the world. Then bring in such strong emotional cues like the music from Africa and the songs that Elton John and Hans Zimmer collaborated on.”

Much like the Broadway show presented the classic story in a different medium, Favreau’s contemporary approach added dimension, emotion and realism to the film.

THE LION KING – Featuring the voices of John Oliver as Zazu, and JD McCrary as Young Simba, Disney’s “The Lion King” is directed by Jon Favreau. © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“We definitely are not shy about going back to the old material, but it is amazing how much you can change and update invisibly. And that’s the trick—you don’t want it to feel like you’ve imposed yourself upon the film. We don’t want to cross the line of making something feel too intense, or lose the thread of what we remember about the old film. Comedy works differently. Music works differently. The animals’ natural combat works differently. It’s a family film, an adventure film. But there are areas, even in the original film and in the stage play, which are very intense and emotional. It’s a balancing act because we want to hit those same feelings and the same story points, but we don’t want to overwhelm the audience in a way that the earlier production had not.”


George Huang is back in the director’s chair after a little over 20 years with Weekend in Taipei. Huang had first broken out with the 1994 Hollywood satire Swimming with Sharks, which he wrote, directed and was the dialogue editor and sound effects editor.

In the action-packed WEEKEND IN TAIPEI John Lawlor is a pit-bull DEA agent married to his job – there’s not a bad guy he can’t stop, nothing he won’t sacrifice to close out a case. Joey Kang is a top “Transporter” in Taipei – fast-driving and fast-thinking, she’s difficult to pin down, impossible to catch. The two of them weren’t supposed to fall in love, but fate brought them together… before forces of crime and corruption tore them apart. Now, 15 years later, fate puts Joey and John on a collision course during a weekend in Taipei.  And the two will discover that the only thing harder than falling in love… is falling back in love.

Directed by George Huang, screenplay by Huang and Luc Besson.


How did this project come about?

I’d worked on several projects with Virginie Besson-Silla, and then this one came along. Luc and I got together and exchanged a number of ideas. We wanted the plot to be as spontaneous as possible, and then we worked on the action scenes and thought about their feasibility. We also worked on character development. It was a lengthy process, but honestly, it was quicker than on most films. It took two years from our first meeting to the finished film.

As writer and director, what were the main difficulties you had to face?

It’s quite an advantage to play both roles. It’s not really an obstacle, because there are a lot of elements that you can’t write down in the script and that only exist in your head. For example, when the crew asked me “What kind of clothes are the characters supposed to wear?” or “What kind of car do you want us to use?”, I’d already thought about it. But once I’m on set, because I know the story down to the last detail, I’m able to answer all the team’s questions. 

The biggest challenge of this project – but also its greatest asset – was the international dimension of the team. Most of the team was from Taipei, and there were a few French post supervisors, notably for the physical stunts and cars, and the cinematographer… and others, like myself, who came from Hollywood. So some spoke Mandarin, some French and some English. Sometimes it’s a bit complicated, but once you know what you’re doing, you just have to take the time to explain it better. So that was the hard part. But it’s also exhilarating to work with people who have different approaches to cinema, and to draw on the best of each culture.

How did you orchestrate the casting?

Let’s start with Luke Evans. He’s a star! He’s played Dracula, Owen Shawn in the Fast & Furious saga, Bard in The Hobbit. He’s the kind of first-rate actor you dream of working with one day, but tell yourself he’s unattainable. We sent him the script and he very quickly responded positively. I think it’s a role that stands out from his previous films. He’s done a lot of physical training and he’s grown in stature, and we’d never seen him in an action film with such muscular scenes. But he’s also a very sensitive actor. For the lead role, we couldn’t have wished for an actor who combines these two facets.

We also met Gwei Lun Mei, who is extraordinary and whose work I knew. She plays dark, brooding characters in films like The Insider and Black Coal Thin Ice, but she also has a bubbly side, and it was great to be able to draw on both sides of her personality. We often joked that she had something of Margot Robbie’s character in Babylon!

As for Sung Kang, he’s another wonderful actor. We knew each other a little because there aren’t many Asian-American actors in Hollywood, although we hadn’t yet had the opportunity to work together. I was impressed by the power of his acting. He wanted to arrive two weeks ahead of schedule in Taipei to train for fight scenes and stunts. Above all, even before taking on the role, he was particularly keen for us to pay close attention to the representation of the Asian community in cinema. There are very few Asian actors in major Hollywood productions, and Sung is one of them.

Can you also tell us about the youngest actor in the film?

We found Wyatt, who plays Raymond, thanks to the hard work of the casting teams in Taipei. We had to find a 13-year-old boy in Taiwan who spoke good English and could act. He didn’t have much experience. He has a natural gift and a sunny personality that attracts people. Everyone wants to be friends with him. He’s the character who sets the plot in motion – the one everyone wants to catch and protect. For such a character to be believable, he has to be extremely endearing. And that’s the kind of character you’d be willing to fight for.

What were the biggest challenges on set?

In all honesty, when you’re shooting a film, every day is a new challenge. Apart from the translation problems, the hardest thing to deal with was the schedule. We shot in Taipei in summer, which many people had advised us against doing. As it happens, we were there during one of the hottest summers in history! It’s particularly difficult to shoot an action film involving chases and fights in the heat and humidity. But, paradoxically, that’s also what helped us in a way. In the third act, a spectacular battle breaks out, which was supposed to take place in the streets of Taipei, and when we were scouting the locations, we were swimming after a ten-minute walk. It was terribly hot!

It was unimaginable to spend several hours in the street. The poor actors would have run off. So we moved the final battle to a cinema where images from Zhang Yimou’s The Secret of the Flying Daggers are projected onto the actors. This makes the final battle more cinematic and aesthetically pleasing than we’d written it. So you always have to know how to adapt. It’s complex, but the end result is all the better for it.

How did you go about directing the film?

Frankly, the greatest source of inspiration was the city of Taipei. It’s a city of extraordinary visual richness. You can be right downtown, in the heart of a bustling, glittering metropolis with all its lights, and then, ten minutes later, find yourself in the middle of the mountains and lost in the forest. This biodiversity, with its spectacular aesthetics, became the visual signature of the film. We had the opportunity to shoot in extraordinary locations, such as the beachfront at Dawulun or the Ellipse 360 Tower. The Marriott hotel also gave us the freedom to shoot complicated action scenes… Taipei was a real goldmine for a shoot. I can’t wait to see how other foreign directors can make use of the Taipei setting. After all, we’ve only filmed a few locations, and there are many more to discover. I’d also like to make a special mention of our Art Director, Wern-Ying Hwarng, who directed all the film’s decor and costumes.


“Like any good villain story, there’s a price to pay when you try and take a shortcut to doing the right thing, or you try and step outside of who you really are, says Chandor.

Kraven The Hunter is the action-packed, R-rated, standalone story of how one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless gangster father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.

As Kraven—born Sergei Kravinoff—embarks on a bloody journey of revenge and vigilantism, he gradually becomes a villain. “Kraven believes that he can make the world a better place through breaking basic tenets of society and fundamental rules of decency,” Chandor continues. “But he believes he’s doing that to serve the greater good. He absolutely does.”

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who plays Kraven, says that the tragedy of Kraven’s story is that he did not have to be a villain. He has been molded by his father, Nikolai, played by Russell Crowe, to have the inner strength to take over the family business—and to be as unforgiving and violent as his father is. For Taylor-Johnson, the root of Kraven the Hunter is in Sergei’s decision to break free of his family’s legacy of crime and cruelty – but instead of making him a savior, that decision ultimately turns him into an even more terrifying kind of criminal.

At the heart of it, Taylor-Johnson explains, is his relationship with his brother, played by Fred Hechinger. “Sergei’s younger brother, Dmitri, has been shunned from the beginning as the inferior sibling,” explains Taylor-Johnson. “Dmitri has been living under his father’s disapproval and abuse, and Kraven decides he’s had enough. He can’t tolerate his father’s corruption anymore—he’s going to go on his own path and make things right. Kraven promises his brother that he’s going to protect him.”

“Ultimately, that promise is his biggest downfall,” Taylor-Johnson continues. “Because even though he says he’s going to be there, his actions show otherwise. By abandoning and neglecting Dmitri, he loses the trust of his brother, and mirrors everything he hates about his father.”

Directed J.C. Chandor, previously the helmer of such films as A Most Violent Year, All Is Lost, and Margin Call, the screenplay is by Richard Wenk and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, with a story by Richard Wenk, based on the Marvel comics.


“One of the amazing opportunities about the film becoming an R-rated film was actually digging into Kraven’s origin,” he says. That was important, Chandor says, because it was the only way to tell the story of Kraven’s journey honestly. “You see this tragic moment when Sergei, this kid filled with testosterone and rage, kills these two guys as a teenager. He’s given a choice—he could have walked away from that incident, and probably never had anyone know that it had happened. But in that moment, there’s some element of bloodlust that he loves. There’s a justification for it: ‘These were bad guys, and I just took them off the planet, and that feels good.’ It’s that uncontrolled rage that is at the heart of this story, but you really would not have been able to walk anywhere near any of those topics in a PG-13 film.”

For Taylor-Johnson, the volatile mix of tactical skill and violent rage exhibited in the film grounds Kraven and sets him apart. “This is like no other Marvel superhero movie, because Kraven isn’t a superhero,” Taylor-Johnson says. “He’s not an alien. He’s not a monster. He’s a man who has been trained as a skilled hunter and killer.” And as the film continues, Kraven will make big decisions about how to use those skills.

To tell the story of a street-level villain, Chandor and his team relied on practical filming locations instead of more VFX-heavy environments. “We shot a lot of this film in England,” Chandor says. “The sun is out, the hills are rolling. Everything you see in this film is the real deal.”

“It grounds the film,” says producer Avi Arad. “All of the action, all of the violence, hits different because it’s the real world.”

Taylor-Johnson found that the practical locations enabled him to embrace Kraven’s character more deeply. “The best action sequence you’re going to see is Kraven running barefoot through the streets of London,” he says. “He doesn’t care about the broken glass piercing his feet. He’s an animal. He’s a raw beast.”

“In this scene, Kraven is running along the River Thames, desperately chasing a bunch of guys who have kidnapped his brother,” explains producer Matt Tolmach. “He’s literally running after, climbing on, trying to tear apart a van that’s making its way across the city with his brother in it. They’re heading towards a helicopter, and Kraven is doing everything he can to stop them before they take off.”

Filling out that real-world landscape is a cast of morally complicated characters. Russell Crowe plays Nikolai, the man at the root of Kraven’s path to villainy. “Nikolai is a very wealthy man, and his kids have grown up with great privilege,” Crowe says. “He’s also a very harsh judge, and he puts his kids under a lot of pressure because he expects them to succeed and excel. As they get a little older, it’s not necessarily a very comfortable place to be when your father is extremely successful and demanding, and has a penchant for violence.”

Crowe, who played Zeus in Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder, enjoyed the chance to explore the darker side of the Marvel universe. “This film has quite a dark tone,” he says. “It probably visits areas of relationships and emotions that some of these other comic book heroes don’t because of that darkness.”

Along with his training, Kraven gets an assist from a character fans of the comics will immediately recognize: Calypso, played by Ariana DeBose. She becomes one of the few people Kraven trusts. “The relationship between Kraven and Calypso is meant to feel like lightning in a bottle,” says DeBose. “It’s sort of this cosmic, astrological, spiritual meeting of two beings who are just destined to be in each other’s lives.”

“Calypso is the rock and the anchor of Kraven’s world,” says Taylor-Johnson. “These two characters have a deep connection to one another. She’s spiritual; she has a sort of intuition and an instinct that guides her. And she is just a badass in her own right.”

As she aids Kraven, Calypso is bolstered by her own family history. “Calypso is exploring who she is, and a part of that is digging into her ancestry,” says DeBose. “I’ve talked a lot in my career about using your lineage and your heritage. It’s a point of pride, it’s a point of strength, it’s what makes you unique.”

Another comic book character making the jump to the big screen is Aleksei Sytsevich, who becomes the Rhino. Alessandro Nivola, who plays Aleksei, sees the character as fundamentally flawed—driven by his insecurities, he’s ruined by his own hubris. “J.C. really liked the idea of this character as somebody who has some kind of deficiency and is trying to supplement that through science,” Nivola says. “And it ends up causing him more suffering than he had before. There’s the feeling of that person being trapped by his own physicality and not being able to escape that I think is very true to the essence of the character.”

Finally, Christopher Abbott plays the mysterious assassin known as the Foreigner. “The Foreigner is one of those guys that has nine passports,” Abbott says. “He has fun playing with other people, and in a way, he’s gotten lost in his own multitude of personalities. He assumes a lot of identities, and he almost doesn’t know who he is anymore. He’s a bit of a charmer, a bit of a jokester, but still dangerous.”

To capture the raw, physical nature of Kraven’s character as he interacts with the characters and world around him, Taylor-Johnson worked closely with the film’s stunt coordinators to make every action sequence feel real. As part of that, Taylor-Johnson also took on much of the stunt work himself. “I trained and put on almost 35 pounds of muscle,” he says. “It was really important for me to do the stunts, because it’s part of the character. It’s the way he moves. That’s why you’re always seeing me on top of a truck or jumping off a building, just like any other stunt man. I want people to believe and know that Kraven is coming from every part of me.”

Aaron Taylor Johnson in Columbia Pictures and Marvel KRAVEN THE HUNTER. ©
2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Chandor is an American filmmaker, best known for writing and directing the films Margin Call (2011), All Is Lost (2013), A Most Violent Year (2014), Triple Frontier (2019) and Kraven the Hunter (2024). His accolades include nominations for the Academy Awards, the Golden Bear and two National Board of Review victories for Best Picture. Read more

Richard Wenk is an American film screenwriter and director best known for his work on The Equalizer film series (2014–2023), which has every installment rated by CinemaScore at the A range. Read more

Art Marcum and Matt Holloway are an American screenwriting duo, best known for writing the scripts of movies like Iron Man and Punisher: War Zone. Read more


For screenwriter Mark Bomback it was a gift to adapt Garth Stein’s beloved novel The Art Of Racing In The Rain, which features a wise and philosophical dog who longs to be reincarnated as a human.

“Oftentimes when you’re writing a screenplay, you have two tools only: dialogue and action, that’s it. You wish you could get into the interior lives of characters in other ways, like novelists do, but you only have these two things. In this film, we have the opportunity to enter Enzo’s head through voiceover and his narration. It’s probably one of the most critical tools I had in trying to adapt the story, says Bomback, who dealt with another kind of animal when he wrote the screenplays for The War for the Planet of the Apes, and Wolverine.

While primarily a writer of feature films, Mark Bomback recently created the series Defending Jacob. In addition, he has advised at the Sundance Institute’s New Frontier Story Lab, and has taught screenwriting at his Alma mater, Wesleyan University.  

Like the novel, the film is narrated by the wise and philosophical dog, Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner). Through his bond with his owner, aspiring Formula One race car driver Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia) , Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition and understands that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life.  The film follows Denny and the loves of his life: his wife, Eve, their young daughter Zoë, and ultimately, his true best friend, Enzo. Enzo has seen a documentary about Mongolia, where it’s believed that when a dog finishes living his lifetime as a dog, his next incarnation will be as a man. Enzo longs to be reincarnated as a human, with opposable thumbs and a speech-facilitating tongue.

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Bomback, who had not been much of a dog person before, says, “There is something about these creatures who live in our homes, who are privy to the most sacred moments in our lives and have this real unconditional love for the humans in their lives. There’s this presence in the room that loves you more than you love yourself.”

“To me, his voice – and this is directly from the novel – is such a rich one because he is incredibly emotionally connected to everything, and is constantly trying to soak up experience as much as he can.  But he also has quite a wry sense of humor, and then he’s almost like an alien in some ways, trying to interpret human behavior and he does this sort of reverse of what we do when we see animals and anthropomorphize them and give them human attributes. He winds up thinking of humans in terms of canine attributes. He’s a very unique narrator and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one exactly like him.”

Bomback explains, “We are not privy to anything that Enzo wouldn’t be privy to.  It is at once a challenge, but really a blessing when you’re writing a story like this because it forces you to approach scenes in a very unique way. You have to maximize moments and really get a lot of information out in terms of narrative and character development. But it also makes you step back and think about the stuff you’re not seeing.”

Director Simon Curtis (Goodbye Christopher Robin, My Week with Marilyn) says, “Enzo’s brilliant voiceover is very insightful. Sometimes it’s very accurate, sometimes it’s flawed, but that’s part of the enjoyment.  Sometimes he gets it right, sometimes he gets it wrong, but he’s a very well-meaning dog who wants to learn in the hope that he can come back as a human in his next life. One of the things I’ve most enjoyed about this shoot is that there are scenes in this film that one has seen hundreds of times – the birth of a child, the leading character being put into handcuffs, the wedding, and so on – but seeing them from a dog’s point of view makes those scenes very fresh and original.”

Producer Tanya Landau adds, “We all have feelings that our dogs are human and have human thoughts, but this put it into perspective. The metaphor that the dog has for being present, and how he relates that to Denny’s racing, as well as Denny’s journey, made the whole thing very special.”

Landau says Enzo is a very spiritual soul. “He’s seen this documentary on reincarnation and he wants to learn everything he can from Denny and imprint it on his soul. He wants to remember so when they meet when he’s human, and they shake hands, they’re going to share that wisdom. That was the most important thing that we kept throughout the story.  Enzo is always the voice of spirituality. Humans aren’t always aware of it, but it seems like animals might be.”

“Enzo is every dog,” says author Garth Stein. “We had different dogs for different book covers, for the hardcover and paperback. And in its 38 languages, every language has a different dog on the cover. Every culture has its own representation of Enzo. In the books, it’s a conversation I’m having with the reader and the reader gets to project his or her own dog onto it.”  Stein says that human relationships with dogs are: “All about unconditional love. They don’t ask much from us, we don’t ask much from them, except for love. And that’s a really true and wonderful relationship. I think it would be great if we, as people, could treat each other a lot more like dogs. I mean in a good way. All love, no judgment. No expectations, except love.”

Stein visited the set during production and he and his three sons appear as extras in one of the racing scenes.  He says he had given up expectation of the film getting made when he got a call, saying it was finally moving full speed ahead with Fox 2000.  “I was like, wow, this is kind of cool!  In a sense, there were two stages of my joy.  There was the stage of the build of the book getting bigger and bigger and bigger – and having an enduring kind of legacy. And now, there’s a new level of excitement – it’s going to be a movie, and Kevin Costner is going to do the voice! I get the tingles just thinking about it. This is crazy!”

Among the things Denny tells Eve are “That which you manifest is before you,” “When I’m in a race car, I’m the creator of my own destiny” and “Create your own conditions, and the rain is just rain.”

“Racing is a metaphor,” says Curtis. “Denny and Enzo want to find a way to apply the lessons of the racetrack to help them navigate the complexities of real life.

“Enzo” and Milo Ventimiglia in The Art Of Racing In The Rain

Author Garth Stein says he really enjoyed the idea of writing a philosopher dog.

“A lot of that came from the Mongolian concept of reincarnation. But it’s an outsider’s story.  It’s based upon the idea that a dog, being a disinterested character, would make judgments about the world he sees. And how maybe people could improve their lives if they just thought a little more about the implications of their actions.”

When Stein wrote the novel, he notes, “I was racing in a class of spec cars, so all the cars are the same. The trick with that is – we have to improve the driver. In the paddock, we would all talk about how do we get a better mental approach to racing, so we could be faster as a driver — because our cars were pretty much the same. And out of that came all these things in the book. Your car goes where your eyes go. All these sorts of lessons we apply on the track. And my friends and I would sit around and say – if we could apply the rules that make you better as a race car driver to our own personal lives, we’d be really good people. We wouldn’t care about something that’s already happened on a racetrack – it’s already happened, you can’t change that.  You can only change what’s in front of you. So you can’t waste any energy thinking about it, feeling bad about it, or judging other people about it. It’s done. It doesn’t matter how I got here. This is where I am on the racetrack. How do I improve my position?  And so the idea of Enzo transitioning that to the human condition — that was the trick of it. Where it came from, I don’t know, Enzo taught me that.”

Stein says, “The idea of that which you manifest is before you is really about if we can approach something with the proper preparation and the proper mental state, essentially, we can make almost anything happen. It’s about making sacrifices and having discipline within ourselves to create something. On the racetrack, it’s very much a mental game. You’re driving very fast and you’re driving in a very big, sometimes very expensive, very heavy car, that could theoretically kill you at any moment. Therefore, you’re playing a mental game. And you need to have some kind of mental fortitude to understand that you have the capacity to achieve things. It’s all about preparation, mentally and physically. I think the idea applies to almost everything. Sports is a terrific metaphor for art. The luckier you are, the better you are, the luckier you get.”

Bomback says the metaphor behind The Art Of Racing In The Rain that speaks most to him is, “I think there’s a tendency in all of us that when things are outside of our control, to either throw up our hands or lay blame on other factors or in some way say, ‘I guess this just wasn’t meant to be.’ I think the lesson that Enzo learns, that Denny has internalized but is struggling to abide by because he’s thrown so many obstacles, is that ultimately the rain is only what you let it be.  And to what extent can you apply your own will and take a situation that is out of your control and bring it around to where you ultimately want to go.”

Curtis says it’s about a “Sense of wonder and being positive.  Luck happens to people who create their own luck. Some things you can’t control in life, but it’s not a bad feeling. I think the central dilemma in this film is for Enzo and Denny to apply to complex real-life lessons they’ve learned on the racetrack. Enzo has watched this Mongolian documentary and that’s helpful – because he’s not that sad at the end of his life as a dog because he’s so thrilled with what’s to come.”

Ventimiglia says, “We never know what our life is going to look like. We can dream and imagine, but we don’t really know what it’s going to be until we’re in it, right then it’s happening. You can prepare, but you can’t plan for these things until they happen. The idea of rain – you know it’s coming, but you don’t exactly know when. The idea is that you have to be present and you have to try and almost dream a little bit ahead so you can have a level of reaction.  Denny talks about racing in the rain, and how if he creates the circumstances that he’s in, then he can control it because the rain is an unknown factor. If you’re fighting against it, it’s going to win. But if you’re using it to create your own conditions, then you can control the outcome.”

He notes, “There’s a lot of Enzo’s philosophy that we characters don’t get exposed to because we’re not hearing the narration. But when you read the script and the book, you see this hopeful way of looking at humanity through the eyes of an animal that wants so badly to be human, you start to understand the power of impact that we have as people. You can change direction and hopefully, you can be more empathetic and understanding of what someone is going through. And hopefully, you can be more emboldened to be a better person, compassionate, good and loving. You have a choice. I think there’s a lot to learn from Enzo’s view of the world and his desire to want to be a good person in his next life. It’s encouraging. And exciting. I feel like that is Enzo’s sole desire, to experience life with opposable thumbs and not a flat tongue. But it’s also an opportunity for Enzo to do what’s right. He says he will imprint on his soul the experiences that he has so he can carry them on to the next. And I think that’s one of the valuable things we need to understand so we can impact and make a difference. We really can change the course of someone’s day or potentially someone’s life. It’s exciting to know that that sits in the heart and soul of an animal.”

Producer Patrick Dempsey says, “There’s mindfulness in sport. It’s Zen and it’s like whatever you’re thinking, whether you’re conscious of that or not, it will manifest itself physically in front of you. You can kind of control your own destiny that way. I think that’s the brilliance in this novel and what Garth really was exploring as a writer. And I think it’s so true in life.  Especially in the world that we’re in right now, it’s really important messaging. The metaphor for ‘racing in the rain’ is that there’s a spirituality, a philosophy, a religion in racing. It’s not really the battle with your competitor, it’s the battle with yourself. And that hits all of us, it’s a universal message.”

“There’s a tone in this film that the world needs right now,” says director Simon Curtis. “It’s about human connection and kindness and doing the right thing and I think in this time we live in it’s all very good to hear that. “It’s a love letter to family, it’s a love letter to animals and it’s a love letter to optimism.”

“It’s a story you may know,” says Milo Ventimiglia. “It’s an emotion you may feel when you look at your own pet’s eyes and you see them beaming back at you.  It makes you feel good about being a human, about being a person.  And hopefully, it spreads a positive message in the world when there’s a lot of negativity out there. I’m grateful to be a part of a project that is inherently good and is promoting good.”


Revolving around the themes of depression, guilt, grief, responsibility, dysfunctional families, and post-traumatic stress disorder, the plot of Manchester At The Sea follows a depressed and grief-stricken man who becomes the legal guardian of his teenage nephew after the death of his brother.

The film received critical acclaim and was widely counted among the best films of 2016; the National Board of Review listed it as the top film of 2016. Critics complimented the performances of Affleck, Hedges, and Williams, as well as Lonergan’s screenplay and direction.

At the 89th Academy Awards, Manchester by the Sea won Academy Awards for Best Actor for Affleck and Best Original Screenplay, and additional nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Hedges), and Best Supporting Actress (Williams). Affleck also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama; the film was also nominated in four other categories. The British Academy Film Awards nominated the picture for six awards, of which it won Best Actor in a Leading Role for Affleck and Best Original Screenplay. Since then, it has been considered to be among the best films of the 21st century.

After his brother’s death, Lee Chandler is named guardian to his 16-year-old nephew, Patrick. This forces him to return to his hometown and confront his past.



You saw “Manchester By the Sea” as a story of a guy going through the steps that lead him nowhere.  

I was interested in someone who has endured something that was unbearable, but because of his attachments to the rest of his family, he can’t simply disappear. My fantasy always has been—I have a daughter—my fantasy has always been that if she lost her life I would kill myself. Because I couldn’t bear to be alive. That may or may not be true, I certainly hope I never find out, and you’re not even supposed to say things like that, but that’s the thought you have as a parent. And so, how people survive what they survive is a mystery to me. It’s interesting that what causes that amount of anguish, and can help you through it, is love, and you don’t feel that kind of pain unless you lose someone you love. But love is the only thing that can get you through that kind of distress. There are other situations in which love is of no use whatsoever, like when you’re being murdered and massacred by ISIS, it doesn’t matter how many people love you, they’ll still cut your head off.

It has to be a challenge to make a film that works toward that but also to make a film with a character who is so interior, so inexpressive.

There’s just certain conversations he’s just not interested in having. I see him as being extremely active. I never noticed that he didn’t say much until people started point it out to me. Because, to me, every day [for him] is a struggle to not collapse. A very active struggle. He works very hard to get through every day in a way that he can stand. He’s sometimes not successful. He’s in so much pain. He has got so much emotional burden to carry that he’s got to work very hard to keep it at bay or he just can’t function. He does it by trying to relegate everything into small tasks. When he has a bigger task he tries to do that too, but it is not as successful because once human beings become involved it becomes very difficult to control your environment.

manchester-by-the-sea-michelle-williams-casey-affleck
Michelle Williams and Casey Affleck in Manchester By The Sea

Regarding your casting of Casey Affleck in the lead role of Lee: how did you get him to express what you wanted most from the character, especially in terms of the restraint within his performance? 

Well, he’s an amazing actor and an amazing person. We’re very good friends now. We were friends before, but we’re very close now, I would say. I don’t know if he would agree because he’s frequently wrong about everything, so he might have the wrong idea about that too. But he has an amazing worker bee attitude towards the part he plays. We had the most interesting in-depth, interminable discussions about the character: where he was at, why he was acting this way in this scene, why he wasn’t acting one way in another scene, where he was later, why did he react to the kid. [Casey’s] first comment was that he felt he was being very mean to the kid, his nephew; he wasn’t being comforting about when his father died. In the beginning of the discussion months later, we knew how the character was getting through his days after this terrible thing that had happened to him, and we both worked out together where he was at. It’s easy for him to be mechanical and cut off from the doctors and nurses who are trying to express sympathy, but his nephew gets to him. So it’s about who gets to him and when, and what shakes him out of the routine that he’s established in order to survive what’s happened to him, was a source of really interesting and really productive discussions. We talked about it months before the movie started, we talked about it every day on the set, we talked about it even after he saw the movie. It was really interesting and I learned a lot doing that.

How exact do you plan films, not just with characters, but in directing? How exact do you imagine these projects? 

It’s always … you have one idea. Well, ideally, you have one idea that works in your head. And then you start with that, and then other people come along and either don’t get it and you try to get them to it, or they have some other idea that is germinated from your idea or related to it, and it enhances it and makes it better. And then you build on it together. That’s the really fun part of that. That goes for every element of the film, of acting, cinematography, the sound mixing, the locations, everything. When that’s all going well, it’s really fun. But I like the actors to stick to the dialogue as best they can, some pieces of dialogue I don’t really care that much, some I really do care, I couldn’t say why, it depends on the line. But I usually feel like [actors] should work within the dialogue and not outside of it. But apart from that, the behavior and how you shoot it, and where the emphases go and in the editing of course too, it’s all, “I know this works, and where can I go from there?”

There are many moments [in your films and plays] of people being stupid or putting their foot in it or just not expressing themselves clearly.

I know I write about that a lot, people misunderstanding each other, but I don’t do it on purpose. I don’t know what that is. But I do remember high school really vividly, and college, too, in some ways. After that, it all becomes a murky, semi-grown-up blur until this moment. Which will then be absorbed into the blur later. But I remember the grown-ups from then, too. I remember people’s parents. I remember watching other people’s parents and my parents trying to cope with us and feeling bad for them, while also going off privately and making fun of them in a snotty teenage way. It’s clearly a bad situation for everybody. [both laugh] I also remember being a little kid really vividly. But I couldn’t write scenes about that because I wouldn’t know how to write what a little kid says. But when you’re a teenager, you’re so self-conscious and so self-aware for some reason. And I remember what people talked like very well. And then you get older, and you see teenagers, you hear them in the streets, half showing off and half nervous. And you just watch them, their physicality, like, three boys in the street, and you can tell which one’s the leader, which one’s nervous, if they all are really comfortable with each other … Their body language is so clear. Or, if it’s girls, you’re like, “Okay, which one’s the cute one? Which one’s the popular one? Which one’s the kooky friend who’s hanging around?” And these hideous things they have to be. They seem very much like everybody else, but times ten.

This is not a film that you set out to direct. Was there a point at which it was either you had to direct it or it would go away?

I don’t think that ever came up. I think it was just a question that Matt was going to direct it all the time it was being written. Then, when he read the script, by that time his schedule had constricted. Also, I think he was enthusiastic about the idea of me directing it. It was never put to me like, “If you don’t direct it, we’re not going to be able to do it.” He said, “I think it would be a really good idea for you to direct it. I think you’ll do a great job.” Whether that’s true or not, I thought about and decided I did want to direct it because I’d gotten very attached to the material in the interim.

Was it hard to make the decision to come back to directing after the break and after your last experience?

No, not at all. I knew I would at some point. I wasn’t sure it was going to be with this because I was writing it for Matt.

When you know you’re going to do a piece and set it in a place like this, how does the accent influence approach to dialogue?

I approach dialect by trying to write down what I hear in my imagination. In this case I heard them speaking with this regionalism and that just works its way into the script. I wanted to avoid certain clichéd expressions. Nobody says, “wicked,” or anything like that. It’s not a favorite expression anyway. Even nowadays most of the people say in a sort of self-referential way because they have seen it in the movies so much. I avoid that one. Other than that, you know where your characters are from, you know how they talk and you write that down.

What steps do you take to get the region correct? If you don’t get it right, I’m sure you’ll get called on the details. How did you make sure you got it right?

You just try to follow the details, really. Details give you the bigger picture. I did a fair amount of research on the town and of the area when I was writing the script. A lot more when I got there in pre-production. Then we integrated as much of the environment as we possibly could on the fly when we were there. I really like dialogue. I’m really interested in it. I’m really interested in verisimilitude because that’s how I personally build up my work. There are a lot of approaches that don’t necessarily have to do with verisimilitude, but that’s my way in.

I’ve noticed movies that take place in certain specific locations. I’ve noticed movies where everyone sounds the same and you can tell they all have the same accent coach. I didn’t want to do that. My wife [actress J. Smith Cameron] shoots a TV show called Rectify in a small town in Georgia. You go down there and a lot of people have a strong local accent and a lot of people don’t. I don’t see that in a lot of movies. Usually if it takes place in Maine everyone has the same accent. When you really go to Maine everyone has a different accent. I wanted to make sure their were characters who did not have a regional accent and there are several. When you go to Manchester, Gloucester, and Cape Ann, a lot of people have the local accent, a lot of people don’t. I wanted to reflect that. I knew which characters I wanted to have a specific local accent and which ones I didn’t. There are a lot of transplants.

We were scouting the movie and ran into two guys who came out of a boat repair shop, they both had thick Southern accents. One of them was from Alabama and one of them was from Tennessee. They lived there for 20 years. It was really hilarious because they had these strong Southern accents. They were like, [adopts Southern accent] “Oh, yeah. I’ve lived up here for my whole life practically. I love it.” And you’re standing in the middle of Gloucester Harbor. They’re covered with grease from the boats and they’re just chattering away in their Southern accents. You just try to stick to the particulars and it often gives you the bigger picture.

You’re used to creating plays and movies that are complete pieces and the idea that open-ended story would be something new.

It is a very different form. It took me a while to get into screenwriting and filmmaking. I started out as a playwright, and I’m still a playwright, but I was in my early thirties before I ever tried to write a screenplay for myself. I was doing it to make a living but it took awhile for me even do that. I think it might just be a trick of my imagination, just a switch to jump the track and go over to the television world. I don’t know.

Something about the long form appeals to me. One of the main worries about a play or a movie is that they are only supposed to be so long. The fact that if you can do the show over four episodes or four hours, or eight episodes, eight hours, or eight two-hour episodes if you happen to have that much to say or write about, that’s very liberating.

When do you know when a movie is done?

When your adjustments start to make it worse instead of better, you have to stop.

What’s a sign of that?

Just that when you watch it you’re like, “Why did I do that? That’s not better. That’s worse.” You’re in there, you have this great idea. You’re like, “Oh, wow! That scene’s really good, but this other take we didn’t use is so great. Maybe I could just get a couple of lines from that take in there. Switch those out.” Then you do all this fussing, you do a screening and you step back and you’re like, “Oh. This is not as good.” When you see more breaking down than improving, it’s time to stop.

As a playwright and screenwriter, what is your attitude when going into the editing room? 

It’s been different every time. I have only done three movies. The first movie I was so nervous on the set because I never directed before, that when I got to the editing room it was a complete and utter relief because it was just like writing. All the materials were there, it was like writing a script and then trying to make it the best version of it. I had all the materials, the editor Anne McCabe and I worked on the individual scenes and put them together, we stepped back and looked at them, the same as you write a bunch of scenes and then read the whole act of a play. You notice things, go back. So, it was a breeze. It was really fun and easy and familiar to me. “Margaret” was so challenging because there are so many balls to keep in the air, but it was really fun too, in a different way. Again, you just have to keep the whole thing in your head, but I had a very clear idea of how to edit that too. But the trouble came from outside. But I knew what we were doing, and finally, [we] more or less got to do what we wanted to do in the extended version, years after years of torture and misery and rescue from critics and friends and Twitter. That was very unpleasant, and then a miracle at the end. That multiple story form I am very interested in pursuing again.

This movie, I wasn’t sure how to edit. We went in and we just started playing the scenes. I had an idea for the beginning should be a bit of his routine, and I knew I wanted to establish the routine. The idea of starting the film the way it starts now was a later idea which I think works. It was more feeling your way through it, I think. It’s tricky because you have all of these takes and all of these performances that are great, and you have to decide what shapes a scene. Casey also makes you do hundreds of takes because he won’t stop until you tell him to go home, if there’s a somewhat better way to do it he wants to do it. And I’m a little bit that way too, sometimes. So, it’s hard to decide which one of his dozen great deliveries of this line to use. But eventually, a cohesion appears.


kenneth-lonergan

Kenneth Lonergan’s first film, You Can Count On Me (2000), which he wrote and directed, was an Academy Award® and Golden Globe® Nominee for Best Screenplay’ and won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize, Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, NY Film Critics Circle, LA Film Critics Circle, Independent Spirit Award for ‘Best Film’ and Best Screenplay, among numerous other awards and nominations. Lonergan’s second film, Margaret (2011) and Margaret – Extended Edition (2012), won the European Film Critics’ FIPRESCI Award at the Vienna Film Festival, the Traverse City Film Festival Founders Prize, and received widespread critical acclaim both in the U.S. and abroad, as well as becoming a cause celebre among  cinema  journalists  and  critics  worldwide.   He  also  co-­‐wrote  the  screenplays  for  Analyze  This and Gangs Of New  York (2002 WGA and Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay).       His plays include This Is Our Youth (1996),  Drama  Desk  Best  Play  nominee,  2015  Tony  Award  Best  Revival (Steppenwolf); The Waverly Gallery (2000), Pulitzer Prize finalist; Lobby Hero (2001), Drama Desk   Best Play nominee, Outer Critics Circle Best Play nominee, 2002 Olivier  Award  nominee  for  Best  Play  during its West End run; The Starry Messenger (2009), and Medieval Play (2012).


Reuniting the director, writer and stars of Forrest Gump, Here is an original film about multiple families and a special place they inhabit, directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay by Eric Roth & Zemeckis, based on the graphic novel by Richard McGuire.

Told much in the style of the acclaimed graphic novel by Richard McGuire on which it is based, Tom Hanks and Robin Wright star in a tale of love, loss, laughter and life, all of which happen right Here.

Here tells the story of the generations of people who live out their lives in one spot on Earth. Stretching from prehistory to the present day, the film is an odyssey of all the love and loss that can unfold in a single place.

Here is almost a time travel movie,” says producer Jack Rapke. “Time is moving, but the space we’re in is constant. Styles change, couches get threadbare, new people come in and change everything, but the geometry and geography of that room never changes. There’s a blend of very different storylines about life lived to its fullest, or perhaps lives that weren’t quite lived to their fullest.”

For Tom Hanks, Here is about the countless choices and crossroads that make up a human life. “Everybody always says, ‘oh, life’s too short,’” Hanks says. “No, it’s not! Life is long! It goes on for a really long time, and with that comes a constant refocusing of reference points. Everything you give up is based on one moment. Everything that you say out of anger or love is always based on this one individual moment, and eventually those individual moments become this kind of primordial soup of where you came from. And the only thing you can be is who you are at the next moment that comes along.”

“We all know we’re not going to be here forever,” says Oscar-winning writer Eric Roth. “But while we’re here, what are the moments that matter? As we picked and chose what we were going to take from the book, we thought about all the things in life that seem fleeting at the time, but in retrospect, are actually everything to us.”

At the center of the film’s mosaic of stories is the relationship between Richard Young, played by Hanks, and his wife, Margaret, played by Robin Wright. “Richard and Margaret are brought together because they fall in love,” says Zemeckis. “They go through a lot of the trials and tribulations that life throws at you, but they really do love each other. It’s that love that keeps them together through all the life issues they have to deal with.”

Richard dreams of being an artist, but when he becomes a teenage father, he feels pressured to create a stable life for himself instead of pursuing his passion. “Richard grows up in a house where the threat of money, the threat of not having money, is the lifeblood of what goes on,” says Hanks. “His parents grew up in a very volatile, dangerous kind of daily existence. That’s not the case for the generation that was born after World War II.” That generational divide between Al and Richard has given Hanks a personal connection to Richard’s character. “I was always forced through this prism of being worried about money, terrorized about money,” he says. “That’s the difference between a happy-go-lucky, joy-filled life and one of constant burden.”

Director Robert Zemeckis with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright on the set of Here Copyright © 2024 Miramax Distribution Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

For Hanks, Zemeckis, Roth, and Wright, Here is a joyful reunion: it’s the first time the four have worked together since Zemeckis’s 1994 groundbreaking, Oscar-winning film Forrest Gump. “We all know each other so well,” says Hanks. “Any time we had a meeting or a conversation, there is a ‘no ego’ rule of law that says that any suggestion is to be listened to. One of the things Bob always says is, ‘what do you think of this?’ and we start mixing it up, which is a huge advantage in coming into it. The long gestalt communication that we have is surprisingly void of past references. We didn’t sit around and talk about, well, we did this on blank, or the four or five movies that I’ve made with Bob. They’re gone, baby, gone.”

“I’ve been looking to do a movie with Tom and Robin and Eric forever because I just love working with them,” says Zemeckis. “And any time you get a chance to work with people who you enjoy working with and who are fantastically talented, you do it.”

Wright plays Richard’s wife Margaret, who moves in with Richard and his parents while Richard tries to figure out how to support his growing family. “Margaret and Richard meet in high school and just hit it off,” says Wright. “And then all of a sudden she’s pregnant. She dreams of becoming a lawyer, and she lives in an era in which women are starting to get more opportunities, but she has to move her whole life in with Richard and his family. She’s in pain, and she starts to resent Richard for keeping her in a home that doesn’t feel like hers. She’s also internally angry with her mother-in-law Rose for just being a housewife and giving up her voice.”

“You can ask, why are these people together?” says Hanks. “Are they opposites or do they complement each other? Is their happiness true happiness, or is it a chimera? Is their relationship something they actually deserved, or is it something that just happened to them? The beauty of Richard and Margaret is that they accept that once there’s this fabulous other creature involved—their child—it’s going to end up being the definition of their lives.”

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright with the family, his sister, Elizabeth and Mom, Rose (Kelly Reilly) and dad, Al (Paul Bettany). (c) Copyright © 2024 Miramax Distribution Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

But Hanks and Wright’s characters are only two pieces of the puzzle. Paul Bettany plays Richard’s father, the troubled WWII veteran Al. “We first meet Al when he’s 22,” says Bettany. “He was six years old during the Great Depression, so he’s terrified of poverty and very focused on keeping a roof over his family’s head. The stress of that, coupled with undiagnosed PTSD, leads to him self-medicating with alcohol. He’s perhaps not the greatest father or husband that has ever been, but I feel such love for him because he’s just desperate to do the right thing. He’s trapped in a very rigid gender role where he believes the beginning and end of his commitment is to provide, and I think that’s as suffocating for him as it is for his wife and children. But he adores his family. They’re everything to him.”

At the same time, Al doesn’t know how to give Richard the support he needs as a young father. “It’s sort of heartbreaking,” Bettany says, “because his reaction to the news that Margaret is pregnant is to say to Richard, ‘I wanted something more for you.’ But he does it in a way that suggests that some version of life stopped for him when he himself had children.”

Kelly Reilly plays Rose, Al’s wife and Richard’s mother. “I come from a line of women who were centrally stay-at-home mothers and homemakers,” says Reilly. “There was a beautiful pride in caring for their families and being the heart of the home. In previous generations, career opportunities or ambitions outside of the home were not as easily attainable for women as they are now. As we know, these have been hard-fought by the women who came before us, but I truly love Rose’s devotion to her role as a wife and mother; I didn’t want to judge it as incomplete. She gives it everything, and it brings her so much joy.

Hanks found it intriguing to explore the dynamic of three generations sharing one roof. “In all those scenes, what isn’t said is as important as what is said,” he explains. “There are moments of silence that really do speak volumes about what goes on in that house. Do you ignore what just happened, or do you have to comment on it? Do you have to fix it, or do you get up and leave the room? These are the dynamics that go into any family that is inhabiting the same space. There are pressures and blessings that have to be navigated, enjoyed, and dealt with.”

Along with Richard and his family, Here tells many other stories, including that of Pauline, a fretful 1908 wife and mother played by Michelle Dockery. “Pauline’s husband is a pilot,” Dockery says. “She’s not happy about his flying interests, because it’s such a dangerous hobby. She’s quite an anxious person, and she’s really terrified of something bad happening all the time. She likes to be in control. But no matter what, you can’t predict what’s going to happen.”

“One of the things we’ve said a lot is that the room is our primary character,” says producer Jeremy Johns. “There’s the primary cast, of course. But the room has played such a big role.”

“You, as an audience member, are like the walls,” says producer Derek Hogue. “You’re present, seeing the story unfold in this space. When the characters have a bad day at the job, getting fired, going to graduation—normally the story would fall on those beats. But in our movie, you get to see the aftermath of life beating up every character. You see it from a different perspective, with different energy.”

To create that living, breathing space—along with the epic story of the generations who pass through it—the filmmakers relied on a variety of filmmaking techniques.

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in Here (c) Copyright © 2024 Miramax Distribution Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Zemeckis knew he would have to think carefully about how to portray the cast members at different ages, from teenagers to grandparents. To create a seamless and believable sense of aging, the filmmakers worked with VFX studio Metaphysic, which used thousands of archival images of Hanks and other cast members to create digital makeup for the actors.

“Bob has historically always pushed the cutting edge of technology,” says Hogue. “This technology essentially learns what a person looked like at a particular age. Then you feed it some new footage and say, ‘make that person look like they’re this age,’ and it will effectively close its eyes and imagine what that person looks like. It’s finally pushed us through the uncanny valley and into something that is believable and looks beautiful. In some ways, it’s more flexible and usable than traditional face replacement, because it enables the actors’ microexpressions to come through. That was one of the things that Bob always hated about prosthetics—it’s hard for the actor to move and emote the way they naturally would.”

“When you’re doing a story that’s as complicated as this one, where you’re in different windows of time overlapping each other, that would be a very difficult thing to do with different actors playing the same character,” says Zemeckis. “This tool allows really great actors like Tom Hanks or Robin Wright to perform their characters as young people, so the audience doesn’t have to take the leap of looking at a completely different person and saying, ‘oh, that was him when he was young.’”

Dual monitors on set showed the cast and crew what each actor looked like, in real time, with and without their digital makeup. “On one monitor, we had raw footage,” says VFX supervisor Kevin Baillie. “On the other monitor, we had very young faces swapped onto the actors, and the monitors were both running as if they were being filmed through a live-action camera in real time. So Bob could watch young Tom and Robin perform live on set, as he was directing them.”

That setup helped each cast member make sure their movements and mannerisms matched the ages they were playing. “It’s one thing to put a 25-year-old face on Tom Hanks with a 60-year-old’s posture,” says Rapke. “It’s another if Tom can adjust his posture so that it matches the face. It was amazing how the actors could make adjustments based on what they were seeing on the monitors.”

“Regardless of how successful the digital makeup is, if the performance it’s being put onto isn’t entirely believable, it’s not going to work,” says Baillie. “Having real-time feedback that the actors could work with was crucial in making the movie successfully.”

Zemeckis also wanted to honor the innovative storytelling in the original graphic novel. “Richard McGuire’s book is fascinating, because the novel takes place in one visual position on Earth and the world changes around it,” Zemeckis says. “McGuire does it graphically by having these panels painted over the same view. There are different panels in different times, and sometimes they’re larger, sometimes they’re smaller, and sometimes they overlap as the years change. In translating the story to film, we used that same visual look to capture the feeling of different stories overlapping and speaking to each other across time.”

Because the drama of the film all unfolds in one place, Zemeckis employed a unique style of filming, using just one camera angle to capture a wide view of the characters’ lives. “It took an entire lifetime of movie-making to know how to tell this story,” says Zemeckis. “When you do a movie that takes place from one camera position through centuries of time, every single scene has to work within that frame. It sounds really simple, but to make every single scene work for every character in every different time period, it becomes the most complicated set that you can imagine.”

“We actually developed a new lens at Panavision under the guidance of the genius Dan Sasaki,” says director of photography Don Burgess. “We were searching for this particular look. We were just searching for depth of field. We were searching for the perfect angle of the camera and the perfect height, so that Bob could block his actors and structure the scenes, and we could tell the story from minimal focus to infinity.”

However, since the camera couldn’t be moved or adjusted, factors like the actors’ height differences required some creative blocking. “I had a little trench I walked in,” laughs Bettany, who measures 6’3”. “The Paul Bettany Trench. All of these pieces would come out, and it was like Tetris fitting them back in. Sometimes there were people beneath the camera swapping it out for when different people were walking. So as I get closer to the camera, I stay in shot because actually I’m walking down a slope.”

The filmmakers also used LED technology to make the set feel richer and more immersive. “Nowadays, we use something called virtual production, where the visual effects process is actually brought on set,” says Baillie. “In this film, everything that you see out the window of the room is actually projected on a big computer screen, effectively, using a high-performance video game engine to create the neighborhood outside. So visual effects now is no longer just what’s in post-production. It’s actually happening during the shoot as well.”

“When we first started, we thought, well, the obvious thing we’re going to do is just put a blue screen outside the window, because we have so many seasons and times,” says Zemeckis. “But the LED screen is magnificent because you can just change the light in real time. You can say, ‘I’d like the sun to be a little lower,’ and they just dial it in and the shadows become longer outside your window. You don’t have to wait weeks for post-production to see how it all comes together.”

“The LED makes the lighting feel real,” says Burgess. “What really sells it and makes it believable is the way the light from the LED hits the coffee table, the reflections in the mirror, a painted wall, the floor.”

Family and friends gather for the wedding of Tom Hanks (Richard) and Robin Wright (Margaret). (c) Copyright © 2024 Miramax Distribution Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Production designer Ashley Lamont used extensive research to design every aspect of the film’s many historical environments, both inside the house and on the LED. “Even in the prehistoric scenes, Bob and Ashley were very careful about making sure there was some language in the frame at all times that signaled that we are in the same place but in a different time,” says Hogue. “Whether that was a rock or the colonial house out the window, you always know where you are. There’s something connecting you and showing you that this is the same place.”

“You really have to art direct every single aspect of that set,” says Lamont. “Every single shot is a oner, and you can’t tweak anything, so you have to love it.”

Along with the set, the costumes had to both convey the essence of each character and anchor the audience in each time period. “This film is a saga made up of individual moments,” says Zemeckis. “So when Eric and I were writing the script, we had to hone in on the ‘red dot’ of each scene and make sure that came through. Costumes had to do the same thing. The costume has to present who the character is in each time period. We needed someone who is as brilliant as our costume designer Joanna Johnston to be able to understand that and pull that off. You can imagine when you’ve got so many characters, so many different costume changes, and you’re manipulating them through so many different time periods, and they all have to work in the wide shots and closer shots. That was very important.”

All of those technical decisions, from bleeding-edge technology to classic practical effects, combine to tell a story both intimate and epic in scope. “We’re sitting here, right now, on a sphere that rotates once every 24 hours and is moving at 1,000 miles an hour, but we don’t feel it,” muses producer Bill Block. “This movie evokes a similar feeling. Heraclitus said that no man ever steps in the same river twice, because he’s not the same man and it’s not the same river. That notion of flux, impermanence, mutability—that’s what this story is about.”


ROBERT ZEMECKIS (Director/Co-Writer) won an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe and a Director’s Guild of America Award for Best Director for the hugely successful and popular motion picture Forrest Gump. The film’s numerous honors also included a Best Picture Oscar and, for Tom Hanks, a Best Actor Oscar®.

Early in his career, Zemeckis co-wrote with Bob Gale and directed Back to the Future, which was the top-grossing release of 1985 and for which Zemeckis shared Oscar® and Golden Globe nominations for Best Original Screenplay.  He then went on to helm the sequels Back to the Future Part II and Part III, completing one of the most successful film franchises in motion picture history.

Zemeckis has continued to bring an impressive number of popular films to the screen including the comedies Used Cars and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, the romantic adventure Romancing the Stone starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, and the macabre comedy hit Death Becomes Her starring Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis and Goldie Hawn.

He also directed Who Framed Roger Rabbit, cleverly blending live action and animation in a feature film, resulting in a worldwide box office smash hit. Zemeckis then re-teamed with Hanks, directing and producing the unique contemporary drama Cast Away, which opened to critical and audience acclaim.

He directed and produced Contact, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey, based on the best-selling novel by Carl Sagan. He also co-wrote and directed the motion-capture film The Polar Express starring Tom Hanks as a charming train conductor taking children on a magical adventure to the North Pole.

Zemeckis produced and directed his second motion-caption film, Beowulf, which starred Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie, based on one of the oldest surviving pieces of Anglo-Saxon literature, written before the 10th Century A.D. He released another advanced motion-capture film, A Christmas Carol, based on the celebrated and beloved classic Charles Dickens story, which he both wrote and directed for The Walt Disney Studios.

Zemeckis returned to live action direct with the critically-acclaimed dramatic feature Flight for Paramount Pictures, starring Denzel Washington. Under the direction of Zemeckis, Washington received an Academy Award© nomination for his role.

For The Walk, he directed Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ben Kingsley in the story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit’s historic 1974 attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.

He directed the romantic thriller Allied, starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, telling the compelling story of the relationship between a Canadian Intelligence Officer and a French Resistance Fighter against the backdrop of WWII in 1942 North Africa.

Along with Caroline Thompson, Zemeckis wrote the screenplay for Welcome to Marwen, which he directed for Universal Pictures. The film starred Steve Carell as real life artist Mark Hogancamp, who created a miniature WWI-era village as a way to recover from a violent assault. He then directed The Witches for Warner Bros. Studios.

Zemeckis produced such films as The Frighteners, Monster House, and Last Holiday, and as a producer brought the true life story of The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio starring Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson to the big screen. Along with Bob Gale, he wrote Trespass. He and Gale also wrote 1941, which began a long-time association with Steven Spielberg.

Zemeckis helmed Pinocchio, which he co-wrote for The Walt Disney Studios. He was nominated for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures by the Producers Guild of America.

In 1988 Zemeckis, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey partnered to form ImageMovers, a production company dedicated to telling character-driven stories across many genres for film and television incorporating both cutting-edge and innovative digital technology.

For the small screen, his directing credits include episodes of Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” and HBO’s “Tales from the Crypt.” He served as EP on “Medal of Honor” for Netflix, “Blue Book” for The History Channel, and “Manifest” for NBC and Warner Bros.

In March, 2001 the USC School of Cinema-Television celebrated the opening of the Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts. This state-of-the-art center is the country’s first and only fully digital training center and houses the latest in non-linear production and post-production equipment as well as stages, a 50-seat screening room, and USC student-run television station Trojan Vision.

Here will close out the 2024 60th Anniversary edition of the Chicago Film Festival, where Zemeckis will receive the Festival’s Founder’s Legacy Award.

Academy Award® winner ERIC ROTH (Co-Writer) Eric Roth attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, Columbia University, and UCLA. His first produced screenplay was Robert Mulligan’s The Nickel Ride, which premiered at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival.

Among the movies Mr. Roth has written include The Drowning Pool with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward; Suspect starring Cher, Dennis Quaid and Liam Neeson; Mr. Jones starring Richard Gere; and Rhapsody in August for the legendary director Akira Kurosawa. He wrote the Academy Award® for Best Picture-winning Forrest Gump, for which he won the Oscar® and the Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Other films include The Horse Whisperer directed by and starring Robert Redford; The Insider, for which he was nominated along with Michael Mann for Best Adapted Screenplay; Ali, directed by Michael Mann and starring Will Smith; Munich directed by Steven Spielberg, for which he was nominated along with Tony Kushner for Best Adapted Screenplay; The Good Shepherd directed by Robert De Niro and starring Matt Damon; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, for which Roth was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close directed by Stephen Daldry and starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, which was nominated for Best Picture; and A Star is Born starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, for which he was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay along with Bradley Cooper and Will Fetters. Roth produced David Fincher’s Mank starring Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried, which was nominated in 2021 for Best Picture. In 2022 he was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay along with Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts for Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. He wrote with Martin Scorsese Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Mr. Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone, which was nominated in 2024 for a Best Picture Academy Award® as well as for a BAFTA Award for Best Film, a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture and Best Screenplay, and a WGA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

In television, Roth was the executive producer of five-time Emmy Award-nominated Best Drama “House of Cards” for Netflix, “Berlin Station” for Paramount Television and Epix, and 2018 Emmy Award-nominated Outstanding Limited Series “The Alienist” for Paramount Television and TNT. He is executive producing with Billy Crystal the show “Before” for Apple TV+.

Roth won the prestigious Laurel Award for Screen in 2012, the Writers Guild of America West’s lifetime achievement award. He lives in Los Angeles and has 7 children and 6 grandchildren.

RICHARD McGUIRE (Author) is a regular contributor to The New Yorker. His comics have appeared in The New York Times, McSweeney’s, Le Monde, and Libération. He has written and directed two omnibus feature films: Loulou et Autre Loups (Loulou and Other Wolves, 2003), and Peur(s) du Noir (Fear[s] of the Dark, 2007). He designed and manufactured his own line of toys, and is the founder and bass player of the band Liquid Liquid. Here was based on his six-page comic that appeared in RAW magazine in 1989 and was quickly acknowledged as a transformative work that expanded the possibilities of the comics medium.


Wonder tells the inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman. Born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school, Auggie becomes the most unlikely of heroes when he enters the local fifth grade. As his family, his new classmates, and the larger community all struggle to find their compassion and acceptance, Auggie’s extraordinary journey will unite them all and prove you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out. Jacob Tremblay (Room) tackles the one-of-a-kind role of Auggie Pullman, whose birth defects and multiple surgeries have kept him out of school — until now. Jettisoned into what is for him the brave new world of the 5th grade, Auggie steps into an unexpected journey. All Auggie ever wanted was to be an ordinary kid, but as his sister keeps telling him, you can’t be ordinary when you were born to stand out. Though he once found solace inside a space helmet, suddenly he must face a whole universe of gawking kids who don’t yet know how to face him back. Now, in a year by turns funny, tough and beautiful — Auggie and all around him are transformed by the things that count most: friendship, courage and the everyday choice to be kind to everyone in your path.

Read more about White Bird: A Wonder Story

Published in 2013, the book took considerable risks. Were readers really prepared to follow a boy who, due to a genetic condition, was born with a pronounced “craniofacial difference” that could stop strangers? It turns out that readers were more than intrigued by Auggie Pullman.

Palacio’s humorous yet pull-no-punches take on Auggie’s life – and her inclusion of the many viewpoints of those in his orbit – honed in on something on the minds of many people: that in today’s world we can get so caught up in surfaces, we no longer see what people are going through beneath.

While many novels explore dark worlds of dystopia, Wonder took a 180, demonstrating that a riveting story can revolve around something as seemingly basic as figuring out how to be good to other people. “I’ve always thought of Wonder as a meditation on kindness,” summarizes Palacio.

Spread from hand to hand, family to family, the book sold more than 5 million copies, but its impact went deeper as it also sparked a grassroots “Choose Kind” movement and inspired readers to share their own stories. The book soon lured Hollywood attention as well. Film producers Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman of Mandeville Films both read the manuscript on the same night and did not wait to jump. “We called each other and we were each in tears, I’m not ashamed to admit,” recalls Lieberman. “We’d both fallen in love with this beautiful tale of compassion and friendship.”

Adds Hoberman: “The story spoke to so many things we believe in. We loved how the story is told through multiple points of view; and how it encompasses an entire American neighborhood so everyone can identify with someone in the story. Most of all, we loved that it touches on the idea that we’ve all felt like outsiders at some point — and shows what can happen when you reach out to others.”

Lieberman and Hoberman were especially excited to explore a type of character still rarely seen on screen: one who completely defies the notion that physical differences can even begin to define us. When they got on the phone with Palacio, the simpatico was evident. Palacio told the producers that she had always felt if a movie of her book were to be made she would impose just one condition: that it absolutely must preserve the book’s upfront style and not try to soften Auggie’s reality.

“When I wrote the book, I wasn’t striving for something that would become a worldwide phenomenon. I wrote the book without any expectations — I didn’t even know if it would be published,” Palacio admits. “I just wanted to write a little book with a simple message of kindness, so that’s how I thought the movie should also be approached. I was convinced Todd and David had that same vision.”

She goes on: “Other filmmakers had talked about not even showing Auggie, which I felt was disrespectful to kids with craniofacial differences. I didn’t want a movie that would minimize the severity of Auggie’s facial differences, because that’s such an important aspect of who he is. It was very important for me — as it was for Todd, David and Stephen Chbosky — to make sure that the audience sees Auggie front and center from the very beginning.”

What Auggie candidly calls “that looking-away thing” in Wonder – that humiliating moment when people avert their eyes from him — actually inspired the creation of his character.

R.J. Palacio openly admits that she was the one who, in 2008, found herself running from, rather than engaging with, a child who looked different in an ice cream parlor incident. A graphic designer by day and hopeful writer by night, she was out with her kids when she did something she deeply regretted.

She takes up the story: “We found ourselves sitting next to a child who had a severe craniofacial difference, who looked very much the way I describe Auggie in the book.”

But it didn’t end there. Feeling shame, Palacio wanted to face up to her response, to turn the tables on it, by looking at it from the most important POV: the child who unwittingly sparked it. “I started thinking about what it must be like to live everyday facing a world that doesn’t know how to face you back. I began writing the book that night.”

That’s when Auggie Pullman sprang into being, along with an entire cast of characters who took Palacio by surprise. “All the characters that started coming to life on the page felt so real to me that they motivated me to keep at it,” she remembers. “I feared that if I didn’t finish the story no one else in the world would ever have the chance to meet them, and I really wanted the world to meet these characters.”

Palacio very specifically decided to make Auggie a middle-schooler, but one about to attend school for the first time ever, an event he gears up for like a spaceman entering an alien world. “That 10-to-12 age frame is so wrenching under any circumstance because it’s so raw,” Palacio observes. “It’s when kids are figuring out who they are and who they want to be. Everything’s evolving – bodies, friendships, interests, relationships with parents. It was a great time to have Auggie first encounter the world.”

At first, Palacio did not know a lot about craniofacial differences, so she dove into as much medical and first-hand family knowledge she could find. She determined that Auggie was likely born with Treacher-Collins Syndrome, which, though caused by a mutation in just a single gene, can result in a radically altered formation of the bones of the face. Some people have such a mild form they don’t even know they have it. Others have bones that grow into a skull shape that can interfere with breathing, hearing and seeing, often requiring multiple reconstructive surgeries before age 5.

Despite all the medical issues associated with Treacher-Collins, the kids who live with it are like all kids – curious, sensitive and resilient. Both realities combine to create a unique experience for every family. But most families find one aspect hardest to navigate: the often unthinking reactions of others.

This led Palacio to tap into something else she’d wanted to examine for a long time: the roots of ordinary compassion. “Every parent wants a better world for our children, but sometimes we forget that it is very simple things that create that. That’s why I wanted to fill this book with many different examples of how important just being nice to one another is,” she explains.

That focus could have gone terribly wrong, could have been gooey and sentimentalized. But Palacio’s writing avoided the melodramatic. It was raw, candid and sharp. When the book hit the shelves, it was embraced by the craniofacial anomaly community, who had long awaited the chance to see their stories, but equally by many who have known the loneliness of being different in any of millions of ways.

Says Palacio of her philosophy that kindness is something people not only need to heed but to practice: “I really do believe that inherently people want to be good and, given a chance, want to do the right thing. But the thing we have to confront is that we all have to work at it. That’s all anyone can ask: try your hardest to be your best.”

That core theme is what drew Julia Roberts to Palacio’s book. Says Roberts: “I think that if we could really hold on to the concepts of this book of simply being fair and understanding, we would be in better times. For me, it has been a really wonderful reminder to find more ways in a day, or even in a conversation, to choose the nicer way rather than the faster, sarcastic or negative way.”

Wonder 2

Their first thought went straight away to Stephen Chbosky, with whom they had just worked on the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast – and who also happens to be a novelist. Chbosky previously adapted (then directed) his own book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, into a film that garnered the 2013 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature.

Says Lieberman: “The most important quality we needed for Wonder was the ability to evoke emotion without being manipulative or heavy-handed. Stephen is astute emotionally, but at the same time he’s lighthearted and can blend humor into profound themes.”

As it turned out, Chbosky initially declined the offer, in part because his wife had just given birth and felt he was in no position to dive in, and also because he thought he didn’t want to do another school-based movie on the heels of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. But as pursuit by Hoberman, Lieberman and Lionsgate continued he finally sat down to read the book, just to see what he might be missing.

That was all it took. Chbosky couldn’t walk away from what he considers a “coming of age story for this generation.” He explains: “Having my son, Theodore, made the story personal to me, and I was ready. What struck me most in the book is that the sum of every choice you make creates your character. You alone can make the choice to be a hero in your life – to stand out, to be yourself, to act on your best nature.”

Rather than place the focus entirely on Auggie, he embraced the book’s tangle of viewpoints in his approach. “Auggie’s bravery has a ripple effect on all these characters,” Chbosky points out, “and the different points of view help you realize there are things everyone is going through, not just Auggie. That’s where empathy begins.”
As things took off, Chbosky and Palacio forged a tight bond, especially as Chbosky joined with co-writers Jack Thorne and Steve Conrad to adapt the novel.

Palacio wasn’t sure what to expect, but found herself handing her trust to Chbosky. “Stephen brought so much artistry but also respect for the words,” she says. “Every script choice he made felt spot on. I hope fans will see that Stephen went out of his way to honor the book’s characters – big and little – and they are all in there as I imagined them. The film might not follow every tiny detail, because you can’t in this art form. But Stephen brought something vital: that key feeling in the book I call laughing/crying.”

For Palacio nailing that duality of tones was the bottom line. “I think one reason the book has invited so many people is that the Pullman family is not sad, they’re joyful people making the most of what they’ve been dealt,” she reflects. “That’s how real families are. I was gratified that Stephen understood that less could be more in letting these characters be themselves.”

The script evolved with the entire team in synch. Says Lieberman: “The novel really was the best blueprint so we didn’t deviate much.’’ Palacio was always there to lend support. “She was invaluable, offering insight on everything from script to casting,” says Hoberman. “She’s at the core of the film’s family.”

Wonder 3
Jacob Tremblay (Room) tackles the one-of-a-kind role of Auggie Pullman, here discussing a scene with director Stephen Chbosky

“If every person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary – the world really would be a better place.” — Mr. Tushman

Part of the Wonder phenomenon has been empowering young people to more confidently confront the poison of bullying, bigotry and ostracism. “The book has sparked international anti-bullying campaigns,” notes Lieberman.

“One of the most important things is that the story explores the many different ways people get bullied. Emotional bullying is a big deal to me, and it’s one of the reasons I really responded to the book. Bad behavior has been going on forever, but with social media you now have people treating others unfairly on an even wider spectrum, so the need for these kinds of stories is more timely than ever.”

Palacio now speaks with kids around the country about bullying as part of the Choose Kind movement started in response to the book, and has had thousands sign her Choose Kind pledge. She says it helps to remind kids that the attitude they have now towards others will affect them their whole lives.

“When I talk with kids, we talk about how you would want to be remembered 80 years from now. Do you want to be remembered for moments of unkindness? Or do you want to be remembered for being the person who was brave enough to go over to the new kid in class and make friends? That’s when kids start to get it, when they start to see what they do even in a small way really, really matters for a long time.”

But Palacio says that much as her book is anti-bullying that alone is not enough. She hopes the book and now the movie will inspire everyone to be proactive, to take the one extra step to give someone a boost or a helping hand. “Sometimes it doesn’t take much at all to make a huge impact,” she points out. “The best part about small acts is that you never know when you might actually be saving someone’s life.”

Palacio notes that the operative word in the Choose Kind movement is choose, something she thinks Stephen Chbosky and the cast and crew of Wonder brought to the fore in the movie. She concludes: ““You can’t really mandate kindness. What you can do is inspire people to see and feel what it is like to walk in someone else’s shoes.”


Palacio

R.J. PALACIO (Author) lives in New York City with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. For more than twenty years, she was an art director and graphic designer, designing book jackets for other people while waiting for the perfect time in her life to start writing her own novel. But one day several years ago, a chance encounter with an extraordinary child in front of an ice cream store made R. J. realize that the perfect time to write that novel had finally come. Wonder is her first novel. She did not design the cover, but she sure does love it. Her other books include 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts and Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories. Learn more about her at rjpalacio.com or on Twitter @RJPalacio.

Stephen Chbosky

STEPHEN CHBOSKY (Screenwriter/Director) wrote and directed the feature film adaptation of his novel, the #1 NY Times and international bestseller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The film was well received critically and won several awards (GLAAD, Independent Spirit, People’s Choice). The novel also enjoyed the distinction of being on the ALA’s Most Challenged Books list seven times and was Number 10 on the most banned books in America list for 2000 – 2009. In the past year, he co-wrote the screenplay for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which enjoyed both critical and box office success (#8 all-time domestic and #10 all-time international). A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he graduated from the University of Southern California’s Filmic Writing Program. His first feature, The Four Corners of Nowhere, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. He wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of Rent and co-created the post-apocalyptic TV drama, Jericho. He is currently writing his second novel.

STEVEN CONRAD
Steven Conrad

STEVEN CONRAD (Screenwriter) is the writer of The Pursuit of Happyness, The Weather Man and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. He also is the writer and director of the television series “Patriot.”

Jack-13-700x455
Jack Thorne

JACK THORNE (Screenwriter) began his screenwriting career on Shameless and Skins and lead wrote the darkly comic C4 series Cast Offs, broadcast in 2009. Jack’s television work includes The Fades for BBC3, and This Is England ’86, “88 and most recently 90. Jack created Glue” (E4) 2014 and his original pan-European crime thriller for Sky and Canal+. “The Last Panthers” aired autumn 2015 in Europe and in the States on Sundance Channel last year.
In film, Jack wrote the original films The Scouting Book for Boys and War Book and adapted Nick Hornby’s A Long Way Down. Jack also writes for the stage, amongst other work Let the Right One In transferred to the West End in spring 2014 and The Solid Life of Sugar Water transferred from the Edinburgh fringe to The National Theatre after a successful tour last year. Jack wrote Harry Potter & the Cursed Child from an original story by JK Rowling, John Tiffany and himself which is currently running on the West End and in Spring of 2017 his adaptation of Woyzeck played at the Old Vic starring John Boyega.
Jack is currently adapting Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials for Bad Wolf, Newline and BBC One, is writing on the Philip K. Dick anthology series for Channel 4 and Sony Pictures TV, and is penning The Eddy to be helmed by Damien Chazelle for Netflix. Features in development include; Dirt Music for Wildgaze Films and Film Four, an adaptation of the graphic novel Radioactive by Lauren Redniss for Working Title & Shoebox, Secret Garden for Heyday Pictures and StudioCanal, Intertia for Temple Hill and Fox 2000, and The Aeronauts for Mandeville and Amazon Studios.


Read more about MOANA

Three years have passed since Moana’s inaugural voyage. She’s an experienced wayfinder now, so when she’s called on by her ancestors to take on a decidedly dangerous mission, she’s up for the challenge. Older and wiser, Moana knows she’ll need help this time—even beyond the shapeshifting demigod Maui. “Her calling is bigger than she is,” says producer Yvett Merino. “It’s all about connecting—connecting in the larger sense with the Pacific Island peoples—and we get to see how she connects with her community, her crew, her little sister.”

When audiences met Moana in 2016, they fell in love with Motunui and the Pacific region that inspired it. “One of the major things that makes the story of Moana so universally loved is the world,” says director Jason Hand. “It’s rare when the look of a film—the quality of the water animation and effects—is commented on by so many people. The world of ‘Moana’ is a visual feast.

Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. The ocean comes with impossible challenges: stormy seas, complicated curses and the Kakamora. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

For producer Christina Chen, bearing witness to the making of the movie was extremely gratifying. “You really see the pursuit of perfection across all the different art forms, whether you’re in story and editorial, or cinematography and layout, or animation—all the way through post production. It’s been an incredible honor to see the level of attention to detail that people have and their passion to the craft. People pour their hearts and souls into every single frame.”

According to director Dana Ledoux Miller, who wrote the screenplay with Bush, the story of Moana 2 was inspired by the island communities themselves. “There are old stories within the Pacific of meeting points for navigators from different islands,” she says. “We were inspired by that idea that people would travel to find each other—we imagined that, generations ago, many ocean channels led to one island, enabling wayfinders from across the ocean to come together to learn from each other through shared experiences. But long before our story began, a god didn’t like that human connection, so he decided to sink that island to the bottom of the ocean, cursing their meeting place and making all those channels disappear.”

“No matter what age or place we are in life, we are always growing and changing,” says director David G. Derrick Jr. “Moana’s island of Motunui and her people are thriving, but she knows that they’re not done growing. There must be people out there beyond their island—and when she actually finds evidence of it, she must go farther than any of her ancestors have ventured to find the answers to her questions.”

Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) receives an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors and must journey into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The ocean, says director Jason Hand, is everything. “The ocean connects us,” says Hand, who—like Derrick—worked on the first film as a story artist. “Everywhere we go, people talk about the setting of our film, the inspiration behind it, the natural beauty of the Pacific—it really is a magical place. We’ve connected with so many people from the Pacific Islands and there is such a deep respect for nature and where they live. That sense of place and deep respect for community were core inspirations as we shaped the story.”

The filmmakers were committed to representing the Pacific Island communities and peoples respectfully and with integrity.

“Coming on to write ‘Moana 2’ felt like an incredible responsibility—both to the characters and to my community,” says Ledoux Miller. “In thinking about what Moana’s continued story might be, I thought a lot about what it means to be a Pacific Islander. Our lives are built around community and connection. There’s a phrase that’s often used in the Pacific, and it’s been said by many people: ‘The ocean isn’t what separates us, it’s what connects us.’ That’s always resonated with me.”

As Moana 2 kicks off, Moana, a leader of her people now, doesn’t understand why they haven’t encountered others as they’ve explored the seas. “In a vision, Moana is visited by one of Motunui’s original wayfinders, Tautai Vasa, who tells her about the island Motufetū that was lost long ago,” says Bush. “Moana will have to risk everything to take on Nalo, the god of storms, and find this long-lost island that connects the people of the ocean. This is a voyage like no other, and if she can fulfil the mission seen in her vision, she’ll need a crew.”

And not just a crew, of course. Heihei the chicken and Pua the pig are along for the adventure, as well as the extraordinary demi-guy himself. “You can’t tell Moana’s story without Maui,” says Derrick. “We love these two characters together. They push on one another—they make each other better. And there’s so much comedy to be had with the two of them.”

Maui has a very important role to play in the mission. “Breaking the curse is a lot more complex than any of them imagine,” says Ledoux Miller. “She needs Maui to help get her through many complicated twists—she has a lot to learn about what’s being asked of her and what she’s willing to do to find Motufetū, break the curse and open the channels.”

Moana 2 reunites Moana with Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), Heihei the rooster and Pua the pig three years later for an expansive new voyage through dangerous, long-lost waters. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Auli‘i Cravalho returns to the big screen as Moana; Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as the charismatic demigod. “We were so excited to once again work with Auli‘i and Dwayne,” says producer Yvett Merino. “The dynamic between their characters is magical. And this time, we get to expand the cast of characters, welcoming amazing talent to Moana’s adventure. They bring so much personality to this new journey.” The voice cast also includes Hualālai Chung as Moni, Rose Matafeo as Loto, David Fane as Kele, Awhimai Fraser as Matangi, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda as Simea, Temuera Morrison as Chief Tui, Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Rachel House as Gramma Tala, Gerald Faitala Ramsey as Tautai Vasa, and Alan Tudyk as Heihei.

For Moana 2, the filmmakers called on Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa‘i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina to create the music and songs for the new big-screen adventure. According to Merino, Barlow and Bear hit the ground running. “When we had our launch meeting with them, they showed up having already written something—we listened to what became our opening song, ‘We’re Back,’” says Merino. “It takes you right back into Moana’s world. And we’re blessed to have both Opetaia and Mark back, who brought so much to the music of the first film, working all together to create something truly special.”

“Music is always such an important part of all of our stories, whether it’s a musical or not,” says producer Yvett Merino. “‘Moana 2’ is a stunning, sweeping musical, and music plays such an important role. The songs throughout the film help move the story forward in such a special way, the score is so dynamic. It has been such a great experience.”

The musical legacy leading up to “Moana 2” is profound—the team was deeply inspired by the characters, world and music “Moana” delivered. Says director Jason Hand, “The music in this film will make you laugh, it will make you think. It’s going to set up camp in your mind. It’s truly unforgettable.”

“I think music can make the difference between walking out of a theater not feeling anything and walking out feeling all the emotions,” says Barlow. Adds Bear, “I’m biased—I think music is everything in movies. It’s such a powerful storytelling tool—it can bring back memories, take you to new places. It can make you cry; it can make you feel all the things.”

Their ability to think fast and capture all the feels in a scene proved bountiful. “Music is one of the biggest components of the ‘Moana’ universe, so it was very important to us to have songwriters who understood the assignment,” says director Dana Ledoux Miller. “They’re two young women at the pinnacle of their careers, who are bold and adventurous. They saw Moana, they felt what we wanted for her, and they pushed the boundaries of what’s possible.”

Moana 2 takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers. © 2024 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

The film welcomes to the big screen fan-favorite characters, as well as new faces and terrifying new threats. Danny Arriaga, art director–characters, says artists were loyal to the style established for the first film. “It’s a world we all know and love,” he says. “We imagine that the new characters have been part of this world all along, we just didn’t get to meet them until now.”  

Adds head of animation Kevin Webb, “Since the broader style was developed for the first film, setting up the second film was an archeological process—studying what made the visuals of ‘Moana’ so successful. To me, it’s a caricatured naturalism with a big focus on sculptural appeal.”

Fellow head of animation Amy Lawson Smeed points to “Moana” directors Ron Clements and John Musker—veteran Disney Animation filmmakers. “Their history in animation really lent itself to this style with pushed facial expressions and poses,” she says. “We worked with the designs of the characters to find that balance between caricature and naturalism—some designs might lean one way, so we’d take the animation the other way.”

Rob Dressel, who was director of cinematography–layout for Moana and serves in the same capacity for “Moana 2,” was among the filmmakers who trekked to the Pacific Islands when the first film was in development. “It was an incredible trip with a lot of hiking, a lot of being on the sea,” he says. “The look of our film and how we wanted to shoot it really came from being in that space. Our job is the world—how you see it.”

Moana 2 sends Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) on an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Adds Behzad Mansoori-Dara, fellow director of cinematography–layout for “Moana 2,” “There is always a real-life reference—whether it’s animation or lighting or camera work, we’re always looking at real-life reference to find inspiration and amalgamate it all—that keeps it grounded. And that’s true of everything you see in the movie. Everything from a flower that may or may not exist in the real world to all-out fantasy elements—there are pages and pages of reference.”

Always top of mind for all the filmmakers is the story—how does my contribution support the storytelling? Says Sucheta Bhatawadekar, director of cinematography–lighting, “Comedy scenes tend to be lit brightly, without dark shadows. For scary scenes or action scenes, we want a lot of contrast so we can feel that punch in the story. The songs have a very different energy, depending on what the song is. And there can be different lighting scenarios within one single song.”

Moana 2 expands the world of the ambitious wayfinder, and audiences will be invited to journey to a host of fantastic locales and approaches to bringing them to life on the big screen.

The Ocean, a vast and stunning body of water full of life and activity, reprises its role as Moana’s biggest fan and support system. “In ‘Moana,’ we realize the ocean is a living, breathing being with emotion,” says screenwriter/executive producer Jared Bush. “In the new story, we learn how far it reaches and how it connects people. And the ocean is once again there for Moana—until it can’t be.”

Filmmakers at Disney Animation revel in transporting audiences to places unseen or never imagined. The key to making even the most magical characters or fantastical places believable to moviegoers lies in anchoring the story in reality. That can mean incorporating the physics of water or weather into an ocean simulation, populating an island with plant life that would really have existed in the locale, or ensuring the characters steer a canoe—one modeled after actual canoes of the era—with proper techniques. The effort calls for a lot of research and a desire to learn from the experts. “We dive deep into every single detail when we make our films,” says Kalikolehua Hurley, senior manager, cultural. “On ‘Moana 2,’ every frame that you see on the screen was created with a lot of care, integrity and collaboration. We truly want our stories to celebrate and resonate with the communities and the cultures that inspired them.”

For director Dana Ledoux Miller, capturing the true essence of the Pacific Islands and its communities means so much. “I am Samoan, and it’s not often that we see Pacific Islanders on screen—definitely not on the scale of a Disney movie,” she says. “I was six months pregnant with my first child when I saw the first film. The first song rings out—it’s in Tokelauan and Samoan, and hearing those beautiful words so powerfully in a big theater filled with people, I thought, ‘My child is entering a world that’s so different than the world that I grew up in. What’s possible is so different.’ ‘Moana’ changed the narrative for Pacific Islanders—about who we are and what’s possible.”

Moana 2” reunites Moana with Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage to the far seas of Oceania. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

As was done on the first film, filmmakers assembled a team of cultural experts in anthropology, history, dance and movement, canoes and navigation, linguistics, and various cultural practices from the Pacific Islands. The group, the Oceanic Cultural Trust, has advisors who were part of the first film’s Trust, as well as new members. “So much of our story is rooted in the mythology and cultures of the Pacific Islands,” says producer Christina Chen. “Every single step, every single decision—both character- and world-building—it’s so critical that we do it respectfully. Our Trust has been with us every step of the way as we’ve built Moana’s fantastical world. From providing cultural advice and support for design, choreography reference and language to inviting us into the emotional headspace of a wayfinder, they, and their collaboration with us, have helped propel the story forward.”

The Oceanic Cultural Trust consists of more than a dozen experts in a variety of fields.

Hurley, who is Native Hawaiian, leads the Trust, as well as provides guidance culled from her own experiences.

  • Dr. Dionne Fonoti is a Samoan cultural anthropologist  based in Apia, Samoa and has served as the Trust’s lead consultant since the first film. “Dionne is a legend here at Disney Animation,” says Ledoux Miller. “She’s the first person we call whenever we have a question about anything cultural in the world of Moana.”

Adds Hurley, “On ‘Moana 2,’ Dionne met regularly with us, helping to guide our film’s cultural aspects, from art to story and animation.”

Says Fonoti, “We’re always very cognizant of our roles and the huge responsibility we have. There’s a phrase that I have heard from a good friend of mine. She always says that we need to ‘interrogate with wisdom.’ So, you don’t remove the ability to interrogate, you just interrogate in very wise ways. And I think that we’ve found ways to do that so that we’re sensitive to history, sensitive to the people, sensitive to the community, but also sensitive to anybody who watches the film. It’s really exciting, because more of our people are involved in ‘Moana 2’; we’re going deeper into story, deeper into elements of culture. That’s what we want the trajectory of these stories to be.”

  • Su’a Peter Suluʻape is a master tattooist, lives in Wellington, New Zealand, and hails from one of two Samoan tattoo family lineages. “Su’a not only helped us with tattoos by looking at motifs and translating them for our art teams on both films,” says director David G. Derrick Jr., “but he also generously provided motifs from his own family’s lineage that our artists could iterate off of, and he also designed a very special tattoo for us too.”
  • Hinano Murphy and her husband Frank Murphy hail from Mo‘orea and shared their knowledge and connection to Tahitian history, culture, and environments as a cultural expert and geographer, respectfully. “Since the first film’s earliest research trip, Hinano and Frank have helped our teams understand key cultural tenets, such as ‘knowing your mountain’—or knowing where you come from,” says director Jason Hand.
  • Tiana Nonosina Liufau provided choreography references for many songs for both the first and second films. She and her dance troupe, Nonosina Polynesia, based in Anaheim, Calif., are known worldwide. Liufau is of Samoan, Tongan and Native Hawaiian descent, and her choreography draws from the wide varieties of dance styles seen in the Pacific. “Dance and movement are so instrumental in this film,” says Chen. “Tiana helped visualize everything from a haka to a big celebration with lots of dance. Tiana not only helped design the movement, she provided the story behind it, what the characters would be feeling and the motivations behind the choreography.”
  • Dr. Grant Muāgututiʻa is a Samoan linguist out of Oceanside, Calif., who helped on all language aspects of the film, including the creation of names of new characters and locations, and served as a dialect coach. Says Ledoux Miller, “One of the things I love about working with Dr. Grant is the way he’s able to connect the various languages of the Pacific—the similarities and the differences that speak to how each of our cultures have evolved but also stayed connected, which in a lot of ways speaks to the core themes of our film.”
  • Lāiana Kanoa-Wong is a Hawaiian language and cultural educator from O’ahu, Hawai’I who provided Hawaiian cultural consultation and led hand-on experiences for ‘Moana 2’ filmmakers and crew to deepen their understandings of Oceanic voyaging and ceremonial practices. “We really cherish Lāiana,” says producer Yvett Merino. “His time in Burbank and Vancouver with our teams connected us more deeply as a crew and cemented our commitment to celebrating Pacific voyaging traditions in this film.”
  • Tweedie Waititi is an advocate and champion of Māori language and culture and is at the helm of the Māori language version of ‘Moana 2.’ “Tweedie brings a very strong voice to our team,” says Hurley, “helping us to ensure that all the Māori cultural elements are done with care.”
  • Millicent Barty, an oral historian and founder of the Kastom Keepers from the Solomon Islands, worked closely with the team on the film’s Kakamora characters and storyline, in addition to providing cultural consultation from a Solomon Islands cultural worldview. “Millicent taught us so much about the Kakamora, from their love of bananas to their cherished status as people-helpers. She really helped us deepen their storytelling, including the awesome Kotu,” says Hand.
  • Nainoa Thompson, Native Hawaiian, is a traditional deep-sea navigator and CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society whose input served as key inspiration and reference for the film’s voyaging and wayfinding aspects. Says Hurley, “Nainoa is a hero to many of us in the Pacific for his leadership in traditional Pacific navigation and environmental stewardship. It is our privilege and honor to collaborate with him.”

Adds Chen, “We looked to Nainoa Thompson from a technical standpoint—like what Moana would do in a storm. But he also has such a breadth of storytelling that comes from decades of experience, he helped us get into the emotional headspace of a navigator. He taught us that once you understand the ocean and the wind clearly, the idea of getting lost is not terrifying, like a novice might think. Getting lost is the pathway to magic. It’s about trusting yourself, trusting your instincts and knowing that you can find the way. We realized that this is how we can really push Moana forward.”

  • Lehua Kamalu, also Native Hawaiian and a navigator with the Polynesian Voyaging Society, provided valuable insights from her specific lens as a female captain and wayfinder. “We all look up to Lehua,” says Hurley. “She’s outrageously smart—able to recall the rising and setting positions of hundreds of different stars at so many different latitudes. She’s an inspiring leader, having navigated and captained open-ocean, long-distance voyages. And she’s a lot of fun.”
  • Thomas Raffipiy, a navigator from Satawl, is nephew to master navigator Papa Mau Piailug, Nainoa Thompson’s mentor, and lent his vast knowledge of canoes from across the region to the team. “Tom can tell you in an instant if a canoe is rigged correctly and how it should look when it moves,” says Merino. “His expertise helped our teams ensure the integrity of the engineering of our canoes.”

The availability of the experts proved valuable to team members new to the world of “Moana,” including Sucheta Bhatawadekar, director of cinematography, lighting. “For ‘Moana,’ the production team did extensive research, including visiting the islands—we had a wealth of knowledge to pull from, including photography and videos. There were some painters that we looked to for inspiration like Herb Kawainui Kāne and A.J. Casson, which was valuable in terms of stylization. A big highlight was when Lāiana Kanoa-Wong came to our studio for a blessing and, as a bonus, gave a presentation on wayfinding. It put so many unexpected ideas in our minds—all these details of how they did wayfinding back then. It really informed our creative decisions.”

The story itself is rooted in the real-world belief systems of Pacific Islanders, says Hurley. “We are taught from a young age that it’s all about community. We believe that as a village, we are stronger and can get more done when we’re working together. So, for Moana to go on an even bigger adventure this time, she had to go with more people—she recruits a crew and must lead them. Seeing Moana make more connections also ties into the belief that the ocean doesn’t separate us, the ocean connects us.”

Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

JASON HAND (Directed by) makes his feature directing debut on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana 2,” following a distinguished career as a story artist and head of story (“Encanto”) on some of the most popular Disney Animation films in recent history. His work on the original “Moana” feature includes a major contribution to the “Shark-Head” scene, where Maui uncontrollably shifts shape. For “Zootopia,” Hand played a key role in creating and storyboarding the hilarious DMV scene featuring an agonizingly slow sloth clerk. He also received an Annie Award in 2022 for best storyboarding-feature for his work on “The Family Madrigal” opening song sequence for “Encanto.” His other major story credits for Disney Animation include “Big Hero 6” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet” (storyboard supervisor), among others.

“Working on the first ‘Moana’ was my favorite assignment, because the film is just so magical,” says Hand. “It’s also the film that I’ve watched with my family more than any other. When David Derrick asked me to join him in directing ‘Moana 2,’ I didn’t hesitate for a second. This all-new adventure brings back those characters that everyone loves with new songs and great storytelling. It’s a very powerful thing to have everyone at the studio—both in Vancouver and in Burbank—coming together to make this film something incredibly special.”

Born and raised in Simi Valley, Calif., Hand grew up loving the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes shorts (especially the ones directed by Chuck Jones), and remembers having his “socks knocked off” when his dad took him to see a re-release of Disney Animation’s “The Jungle Book” when he was 8 years old. Even at that young age, Hand was captivated by the amazing level of character development, the juxtaposition of the music into that world, and the entertainment value of the drawings. He grew up in a family that loved and respected the arts (his mother owned an arts and crafts store), and his father (who worked in concrete construction for the major studios and occasionally brought him to visit movie sets) encouraged him to follow his dreams.

Hand’s dreams led him to California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where he met kindred spirits and focused on the various creative aspects of animation and live-action filmmaking. As a lifelong film buff, he recognized animation as a way to bring together his love of drawing and filmmaking. Prior to CalArts, Hand worked at the acclaimed visual effects studio Dream Quest, where he had hands-on experiences making models.

After graduating from CalArts with a BFA in 2002, Hand worked as a layout artist and background designer (with Bill Perkins) on a number of animated projects, including several for Disneytoon Studios. He was hired at Disney Animation in 2005, and his first assignment was as a layout artist on “The Princess and the Frog.” A short time after that, Hand was selected to participate in Disney Animation’s story internship.

DANA LEDOUX MILLER (Directed by/Screenplay by/Story by) is a Samoan writer and producer. She was the co-showrunner of Netflix’s “Thai Cave Rescue” limited series and an executive producer on “Last Resort” as part of the Break the Room Initiative and set up at Quibi. Prior to that, Ledoux Miller wrote for AMC’s “Lodge 49,” as well as ABC’s “Designated Survivor,” Netflix’s “Narcos” and HBO’s “The Newsroom.” She is a graduate of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and was born and raised in Long Beach, Calif.

DAVID G. DERRICK JR. (Directed by) helms Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana 2” following his role as a story artist on the original Academy Award®–nominated film. Derrick joined Disney Animation to work on “Moana,” drawn to the story by his own Samoan ancestry and personal connection to the title character’s quest to understand her heritage.

“I felt like I was on the journey with Moana. I have ancestors from Samoa, and just as Moana comes to understand her heritage, working on and researching this film brought me closer to my own.” Traveling with his brothers and sisters to reconnect with their Samoan heritage, Derrick recalls, “We learned how to husk and crack a coconut without any tools. We cooked our dinner in a traditional Samoan oven called an umu.”

Derrick previously served as a story artist at DreamWorks Animation on such films as “Megamind,” “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Rise of the Guardians,” among others.

Born and raised in Farmington, Utah, Derrick decided to pursue a career in the animation industry after seeing Disney Animation’s “Tarzan” while in college. He studied character animation at CalArts.

JARED BUSH (Screenplay by/Story by/Executive Producer) is the Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, overseeing all aspects of the creative direction of the studio, beginning the role in September 2024. Bush is currently directing and writing “Zootopia 2,” the sequel to the Academy Award®–winning feature for which he was co-director and co-writer. The film will release Fall 2025. Bush is also executive producer and co-writer of “Moana 2”; Bush was the screenwriter of the first “Moana.”

During the 13 years Bush has been a writer and director at Walt Disney Animation Studios, beyond his work on the “Moana” and “Zootopia” films, he received an Academy Award®, a Golden Globe® and a BAFTA Award for “Encanto,” for which he was director (with Byron Howard) and co-writer. In 2021, the same year as “Encanto,” Bush was also the executive producer for the Oscar®-nominated “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Additionally, Bush was the executive producer for the series “Zootopia+,” for which he received a Children’s and Family Emmy® Award.

He is also a writer of the upcoming live-action version of “Moana,” which is based on the Disney Animation film for which he wrote the screenplay. Bush has also written and advised on several projects in collaboration with Disney Animation Creative Legacy and Walt Disney Imagineering, including Zootopia land in Shanghai Disney Resort as well as the upcoming “Zootopia”- and “Encanto”-themed attractions in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Walt Disney World.

Bush began his career as a script reader for director Robert Zemeckis and, prior to joining Walt Disney Animation Studios, developed original television series for Revolution Studios, Fox and NBC, and feature film projects for New Line Cinema, Columbia/Tristar and 20th Century Fox.

A Harvard University graduate with a degree in English and American literature, Bush is an avid musician, and currently resides in Los Angeles with his college sweetheart and three sons.

ABIGAIL BARLOW (Original Songs by), 25 years old, is a Grammy®-winning singer, songwriter and composer best known for her glittery, addictive pop songs and musical series “What If Bridgerton Was a Musical?” After breaking the internet with her “Bridgerton” TikTok series, Barlow and her writing partner Emily Bear wrote, produced and engineered “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical” concept album, winning the 2022 Grammy Award for best musical theater album. In doing so, they became the youngest composing team to ever win in the category, and made history by being the only women among their fellow nominees. Barlow and Bear make history again this fall as the youngest and first female composing team to write original songs for a Walt Disney Animation Studios theatrical feature with “Moana.”

As a teenager, Barlow found a worldwide audience on the internet live-streaming platform YouNow. She became a 2016 YoungArts Finalist and founding TikTok creator, where she fostered her love of writing and performing her original music in real time for a growing fan base. Now, with over 2.4 million TikTok followers, a Forbes 30 Under 30 nod, and 75-million-plus independent streams, Barlow continues to release solo music and perform her pop music, building a fan base with her sticky pop bangers and heart-wrenching ballads alike. Barlow’s strength as a songwriter also leads her to write with and for other artists, and she asserts her influence in the music industry by making a commitment to work regularly with female writers and/or producers, as well as to offer a writers fee for all her solo releases, becoming the first artist to take such a stand advocating for her songwriting peers and colleagues.

Recently, Barlow has worked on music with/for artists including Gayle, Meghan Trainor, Freya Ridings, Kylie Cantrall, Daya, Zolita and others, collaborating with pop heavy hitters including Ryan Linvill, Jakke Erixson, Jonas Jeberg, Jackson Foote, JORDY and Jesse Saint John. Barlow lends her musical theater storytelling, clever lyricism and killer hook sensibility to every song, always collaborating with the mission to amplify the artist’s voice, vision and style.

Barlow performed her debut live shows in L.A. and New York last winter and continues to perform regularly with both her pop show and her musical theater work with Emily Bear. Barlow will also contribute music to the “Phineas and Ferb” reboot coming soon to Disney+, and is always hard at work developing properties from both existing IP and her own imagination. As part of Barlow & Bear, she is at work on numerous other projects for film, TV and stage.

Barlow displays a well-rounded portfolio, with her passions for female empowerment, fitness, women in audio, and musical theater leading to brand collaborations with Bose, Shake Shack, Dolby, PetSmart, and Taco Bell (2024 Clio Award). She maintains a vibrant and influential presence in the Broadway, songwriter/producer, and influencer communities, positioning herself in a unique crossover space unlike any other entertainer today.

EMILY BEAR (Original Songs by) is a Grammy®- and Emmy®-winning composer and songwriter. Barlow and Bear are the youngest duo and the only female songwriting team to write a full soundtrack for a Disney animated film.

While Bear was still in single digits, she was performing as a pianist on the world’s most legendary stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center, Montreux Jazz Festival and the White House. When she was 9 years old, her mentor, Quincy Jones, produced her chart-topping original jazz album, “Diversity.”

In 2022, at the age of 20, she won the Grammy® Award for best musical theater album for “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical” album, which she co-wrote with Abigail Barlow. Barlow & Bear broke barriers by composing the musical live on social media, composing 16 songs in 5 weeks, resulting in more than 300 million views on TikTok. Bear co-wrote, produced and orchestrated the project, which shot to No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes pop charts within 1.5 hours of its release and reached the top five albums worldwide. That same year, Bear received an Emmy® Award for her original score for “Life Centered,” a PBS documentary. In addition, Forbes Magazine included her on its prestigious “30 Under 30” list.

Last year, Bear not only scored the soundtrack for the film “Dog Gone,” starring Rob Lowe and which became the No. 1 film for Netflix worldwide, but also toured with the legend that is Beyoncé on the Renaissance World Tour as her pianist.

Bear is also a founding member of the Recording Academy’s new Songwriters & Composers Wing, and she has raised millions of dollars for charities through events and performances. Bear has multiple musical projects in the works across theater, film and TV, as well as her own solo album.

OPETAIA FOA‘I (Original Songs by) is a composer, singer, guitarist and founder of the Contemporary Polynesian band Te Vaka. He also contributed music for and performed on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ original 2016 hit “Moana.” Foa‘i is recognized as one of the Pacific Islands’ most influential cultural and musical ambassadors. From the beginning of his career he has been on a mission to tell the stories of his seafaring ancestors and to share his culture with the world, writing predominantly in his native languages (Tokelauan, Tuvaluan and Samoan).

Foa‘i was born in Samoa and immigrated to New Zealand at the age of 9. Growing up, he was always surrounded by the rhythms, voices, sounds and dances which remain firmly as his foundation to this day.

In 1997 he released his debut album, “Te Vaka” (meaning “The Canoe”), and the Te Vaka band made its international debut with a three-month European tour, going on to play major festivals, including the Wintershall Charity Rock Concert, WOMAD Festivals around the world, and an appearance at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Foa‘i wrote and produced the second Te Vaka album, “Ki Mua,” whose single “Pate Pate” got to No. 1 on radio stations around the Pacific Islands and into the Top 10 on World Music charts around the world. They finished the year with a nomination for best international achievement at the New Zealand Music Awards. Te Vaka’s third album, “Nukukehe,” received a nomination from BBC Radio 3’s World Music Awards for best artist in the Asia/Pacific category, and their fourth album, “Tutuki,” released in 2004, entered the European World Music chart at number four and won best Pacific album in the New Zealand Music Industry Awards.

After four more albums, the Creative New Zealand “Senior Pacific Artist” award for his contribution to the Pacific Arts, two best Pacific album New Zealand Music Awards (for “Olatia” and “Amataga”), two “Best Pacific Group” Pacific Music Awards (2008 and 2010), an Australian Songwriting Award for best international song (“Tamahana”), ISC first place (“Tamahana”), a Hawaiian Music Award “Polynesian Category” (“Haoloto”), and two “Best Pacific Language Song” Pacific Music Awards (“Haoloto” and “Amataga”), Foa‘i was approached by Disney Animation to contribute songs for the musical animated feature film “Moana,” alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda and GRAMMY®-winning composer Mark Mancina.

His songs in the film include “Logo te Pate,” “An Innocent Warrior” and theme song “We Know the Way” (with English lyrics by Miranda), plus other collaborations with the music team. His own Te Vaka vocalists and drummers are also featured in the songs and score. Foa‘i and Te Vaka performed at the world premiere of “Moana” at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, and in 2017 he received the “Special Recognition for Outstanding Achievement Award” at the Pacific Music Awards and the “International Achievement Award” at the New Zealand Music Awards. In 2017 Foa‘i signed to Walt Disney Records to release “Te Vaka’s Greatest Hits: Songs That Inspired Moana.”

Foa‘i resides in Sydney, Australia, with his wife, and is the father of four. He continues to create music and is currently working on his 12th studio album.

MARK MANCINA (Original Songs by/Original Score by) is a three-time Grammy® Award–winning film composer and Tony®-nominated music producer. He has scored over 60 films and television series including “Speed,” “Bad Boys,” “Twister,” “Training Day,” “Con Air” and more.

Mancina has collaborated with Walt Disney Animation Studios for decades, composing scores for “Moana,” “Brother Bear” and “Tarzan.” He also produced the original songs written by Elton John and Tim Rice for the 1994 blockbuster “The Lion King,” as well as songs for the upcoming live-action Disney film “Mufasa.”

For the Disney Theatrical Productions adaptation of “The Lion King” on Broadway, Mancina produced the score and composed additional music and lyrics. He was nominated for a Tony Award® for best original score in a musical and received Britain’s Ivor Novello Award for the London production.

His musical collaborators include Opetaia Foa‘i, Phil Collins, Lebo M and Clint Eastwood.


The Write Foundation is the first step in the write direction, laying a solid foundation for a Perfect Story and securing development funding.

During the last 24 years The Writing Studio has shaped the successful careers of many of South Africa’s leading filmmakers and storytellers and is now honing the skills of future writers in the art and craft of storytelling.

The Write Journey offers 3 courses for screenwriters and novelists:

  • The Write Foundation is the first step in the write direction, laying a solid foundation for a story that will secure development funding.
  • Once the foundation is set, The Write Craft takes writers through the process of building the first draft (or rewrite).
  • Working closely with our script editor, The Write Draft explores the editing and refinement of the finished draft, getting the screenplay / novel ready for the marketplace.

The Write Foundation focuses on aspects that relate to the marketability of your story, ticking off all the boxes that producers and investors look for. It is not just about learning how to write but learning to write and market yourself in a way that is attractive to managers, producers, and studios.

With funding organisations such as the NFVF (National Film and Video Foundation) it is essential for writers to deliver an MTP/research document that summarises the foundation of the story you are writing.

If you have built a solid foundation for your story, it will also make it easier for you to write the First Draft of your story.  If you have already completed a draft and are working on a rewrite, The Write Foundation can also help you to solve problem areas in your draft. 

Without a solid foundation for the screenplay/ novel, writers will deliver an underdeveloped and flawed draft that is dull and lifeless.

The Write Foundation explores and develops the building blocks to build your story.

  • Who are you as a storyteller and storymaker? If you want to be a writer, there are some basics you must know from the outset, before start thinking about writing your masterwork.
  • What is the IDEA for your story? A great story begins with a great idea. Before you can put one word to paper, you must know what you want to write.
  • What GENRE will you set your story in? What type of story do you want to write, and who you are writing for?
  • What is the PREMISE of your Story? The hardest thing about writing is knowing what to write.
  • What is the CONCEPT of your Story? It is time to take the seed of an idea and dramatise it, to define who and what the story is about and articulate it.
  • What is the THEME of your Story? All great writing is about something. You need to know what the intention, objective or controlling idea – theme – of your story is.
  • What is the TITLE of your Story? A dull, confusing, or pretentious title will put people off.
  • Who are the CHARACTERS in your Story? Focus on the people who live your story and identify and create your characters: Protagonists, Heroes and Anti Heroes; Antagonists and Villains; and supporting and function characters.
  • How to write CHARACTER BIOGRAPHIES. A biography of the character is the reader’s introduction to the character and is articulated by the physical, visual, and behavioral attributes the writer ascribes to any given character.
  • How to write a TREATMENT and SYNOPSIS. Treatments help the writer acquire an overview of the story, the synopsis is a brief summary of the story.
  • Take OWNERSHIP of your writing. The Top Sheet will write to protect your intellectual property and have enough information to warrant the funding of the development of your story, and give those interested to develop your project a crisp, clear overview of what your story is about.

For the full agenda and registration details, send us an email

Copyright © The Writing Studio 1998 – 2024 / All Rights Reserved

The Write Craft is the first step in skillfully creating the first draft of your story.

Once you have built a solid foundation for your story with The Write Foundation, it is time to action. 

If you have already completed a draft and are working on a rewrite, The Write Craft can also help you to solve problem areas in your screenplay and novel. 

As a writer, you will constantly ‘show don’t tell’ and must grasp visual dynamics that are important tools in writing your story, know who you are writing about and crawl under the skin of your characters, master the essence of dramatic structure, control your story creatively, outine and format your story.

In The Write Craft course there are twelve units that each have self-tasks that you must research and complete in your own time, as well as tasks to submit to your coach to make sure that you are on the right track – during this process, your coach is there to help you understand the material and solve problems.

You will also write your first draft with guidance from your coach.

The Write Craft takes you through the process of writing your first draft:

  • Being a WRITER – To get your story off the page and to the big screen, small screen, or stage, you need to see the bigger picture. One of the most important issues that an aspirant screenwriter must come to terms with, and fully master, is the difference between the writing process and the development process.
  • The Craft of VISUAL NARRATIVE – Grasping visual dynamics is an important tool in writing a screenplay for film or television, but is equally important for any writer who would like to perfect the art of visual narrative.
  • Creating CHARACTERS – We will give you tips on writing characters for the screen, explore 21 elements that define characters.
  • STRUCTURING your story – Structure is discipline, it is the starting point in the process of writing.
  • PLOTTING your story – You will explore four different plots to structure your story, the relationship between plot and subplots and 14 structural points /structural signposts that will help you to write a solid story outline.
  • OUTLINING your story – The function of your story outline is to write what happens in your story from opening to ending, identifying the story events (scenes) of the most important events in your protagonist’s life.
  • FORMATTING – Readers — interns, assistants, story analysts, professional readers – producers, managers, actors and agents — know what it’s like to open a script that is properly formatted
  • Writing the FIRST PAGE – Now it is time to write your screenplay. There is a moment in the development process that separates an idea from a screenplay. It starts with the letter F. FADE IN
  • Writing ACT ONE: Set-Up – The setup has five pivotal moments: The opening, ordinary world, inciting incident (catalytic event), dilemma and first major turning point (first choice) 
  • Writing the ACT TWO: Confrontation – The middle section is the confrontation between these opposing forces and forces the protagonist to deal with the new situation they have entered as a result of the first choice made.
  • Writing ACT THREE: Resolution – The purpose of the resolution is to solve the story problem and to confirm the theme of the story.
  • What happens after THE END? You will look at the secret to standing out as a screenwriter, finding your authentic voice as a screenwriter, and how to market yourself.    

For the full agenda and registration details, send us an email

Copyright © The Writing Studio 1998 – 2024 / All Rights Reserved

The world has changed. The only habitable place left for humanity is in the high mountains, above 8000 feet. Below 8000 feet dwell the creatures that killed 95% of the human population less than three years ago. To save the life of his young son, a father (Anthony Mackie) is forced to venture below “The Line” with a scientist (Morena Baccarin) he despises, but who just might hold the key to defeating the monsters, and a young woman (Maddie Hasson) determined to keep them both alive long enough to save the human race.

Directed by George Nolfi / Written by John Glenn, Jacob Roman, Kenny Ryan

Imagine a world where 95% of the population has perished, but the remaining 5% live in serene, mountaintop communities above 8000 feet, untouched by the death and destruction below.  These virtual Gardens of Eden offer everything a person could need: food, water, safety, and stunning natural beauty. The question that intrigued me was, could humanity truly thrive in such a world? What would people become when all their physical needs are met, but they are isolated from the rest of the world? This film starts with that premise and then takes you on a gripping journey, where our characters must venture below The Line at 8000 feet that defines their lives.  It’s in this descent that we confront a deeper question: Is the very technology and intelligence that helped us evolve and create great civilizations also driving us toward destruction?

Bringing this story to life, especially for a third time working with Anthony Mackie, alongside the incredible talents of Morena Baccarin and the rest of the cast, was both challenging and exhilarating. We shot in breathtaking yet demanding locations — from operating ski lifts in the Colorado Rockies to deep within an active mine, a mile underground. These settings aren’t just backdrops; they elevate the tension and stakes of the film, creating a truly immersive, theatrical experience. Our entire team was all-in, pushing boundaries to ensure that this movie not only entertains but also makes you question the future of humanity.

GEORGE NOLFI, P.G.A. | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

George Nolfi directed, wrote, and produced The Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Anthony Mackie and The Banker, starring Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson, which won the NAACP award for best independent feature in 2021.  His screenplay credits include The Bourne Ultimatum, Ocean’s Twelve, and The Sentinel.  He was the creator, showrunner, and principal director of the television spy series, Allegiance. With Elevation, Nolfi reunites with Mackie for their third collaboration, alongside Morena Baccarin, in a high-stakes action-thriller set against the dramatic landscapes of the Colorado Rockies. Nolfi studied international affairs, political science, and philosophy as an undergraduate at Princeton University and graduate student at Oxford University and UCLA.

JOHN GLENN | WRITER/PRODUCER

Glenn is a showrunner, director, and executive producer who has worked with a multitude of A-list actors, producers, and most every studio and network in film and television. His historically inspired vision of Robin Hood has been ordered to series by MGM+ and Lionsgate, and he is also developing The Assassin for Max, starring Matthew Fox, along with several other film and television projects. Glenn’s notable previous work includes SEAL Team, DreamWorks’ Eagle Eye, and production rewrites for films like Law Abiding Citizen and Clash of the Titans. He is represented by CAA and Entertainment 360.

KENNY RYAN, JACOB ROMAN | WRITERS

After meeting in college, KENNY RYAN and JACOB ROMAN teamed up to sell their first script, DAVID VS GOLIATH (a 300-style take on the Biblical epic) to Sony Pictures.  Since then they’ve sold multiple feature projects around town, most recently ELEVATION, which they wrote and co-produced with Brad Fuller and John Glenn.  Starring Anthony Mackie & Morena Baccarin and directed by George Nolfi, the film will be released theatrically by Vertical on November 8th. 

Their latest feature is SLEEPING BEAUTY, a high-concept action thriller they’re producing alongside Scott Free, with Madelaine Petsch attached in the lead role. 

On the TV side, they spent three seasons as writer/producers on the CBS network primetime hit SEAL TEAM starring David Boreanaz and Max Thieriot.  They’re currently Co-Executive Producers on the Lionsgate/MGM+ show ROBIN HOOD, premiering fall 2025. 

Kenny and Jacob have developed a reputation as hyper-collaborative and highly generative writers, with an ability to breathe emotional life into conceptually muscular stories that appeal to a broad audience.


The story of one man’s effort to preach the one true religion, Heretic weaponises the familiar charms of star Hugh Grant, resulting in one of his most indelible and delicious roles as the charming, compelling and ultimately diabolical Mr. Reed.

Heretic mixes elements of horror and psychological thriller as it casually unfolds into an intricate
cat-and-mouse game after two Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) ring his doorbell.
Crackling with rich dialogue and cerebral debate, it follows the young believers as they match wits with their host’s rarefied intellect. Forced to choose between belief and disbelief, they find themselves plunged into the darkest labyrinths of Reed’s mind.

“When you sit in a room and try to think of scary ideas for a movie, for us there’s nothing more terrifying than death,” says co-writer-director Bryan Woods. “All horror movies in one way or another are about death — it’s the thing we fear most in life, and we use religion to try and make sense of what happens
when we die so we can feel safe. But when we delve too deep into the subject, sometimes we’re left feeling less safe.”

“Heretic is about faith, self-determination, belief, caution, friendship, curiosity, and our innate desire as human beings to solve the great mysteries of our existence,” says producer Stacey Sher.

Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.


Best friends since their childhood in Bettendorf, Iowa, writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have developed a cinematic partnership over a decade resulting in some of the most visceral and terrifying works in memory, including A Quiet Place, their 2018 breakthrough smash as screenwriters.

Through their subsequent works as writer-directors, Beck and Woods mastered the fine art of terrorising audiences with everything from cosmic raptors (the futuristic adventure-thriller 65) to rural haunted houses (the slasher Haunt) to the scariest place of all — the human mind (The Boogeyman, based on Stephen King’s short story).

Woods and Beck exude a palpable love of the cinema — in addition to filmmaking, the duo recently opened an arthouse cinema in Davenport, Iowa, near where they were raised.

“We are best friends first and foremost, and we love movies — we’ve been making them together since we were children and we continue to write, direct and discuss movies every day together,” says Woods. “There’s always been this wonderful competitive collaboration when we work together, where we push each other to do better.”

Adds Beck: “It’s always about trying to surprise the other person. We write, direct and produce 100 per cent side-by-side, so there is a degree of letting each other be our first audience, which is exciting. Even before we begin writing something, we’re discussing a scene’s tenets and individual beats. Because we’ve known each other for so long, we’ve gone through personal and professional setbacks and failures. But it all funnels its way back into the work.”

With Heretic, a psychological thriller about Mormon missionaries who find themselves entrapped in the clutches of a different kind of screen monster — one who loves to talk, in words that become a coercive weapon — Beck and Woods were presented with a wholly new creative challenge: marrying deep religious conversation with the horror movie.

“For a long time, Scott and I have talked about doing a movie about religion and investigating religion. Big life questions have always surrounded us, and cults were a fascination from an early age,” says Woods. “We thought it would be cool to make something in the vein of Inherit the Wind, where religion intersects with science, or Robert Zemeckis’ Contact, melding religion with a science-fiction story.

The kernel of Heretic emerged when they were teenagers making short films in college. While location scouting in Iowa for a short film about Armageddon, they knocked on the door of a sweet elderly couple whose property was surrounded by a white-picket fence. Invited inside their quaint and pristine domain, the couple offered tea and conversation — and much more.”

“They were the most unassuming people imaginable, and we started telling them about our little movie about the end of the world in which a meteor arrives and destroys all life on Earth,” says Woods. “As they were sipping their tea and nodding along, they told us they knew the meteor was coming — in fact, it was
arriving in a couple of months and would wipe us out completely. We realised we were stuck in the house as this un-setting undertone crept into our conversation.”

Beck and Woods have long been drawn to topical horror movies like Night of the Living Dead and Invasion of the Body Snatchers — pop entertainment commenting on the Vietnam War and the Red Scare, respectively.

“These are genre movies and perennial favourites in our cinematic lexicon, addressing social concerns while uncovering deeper truths for the audience,” says Beck. “With Heretic, we wanted to provoke our audience into thinking about how religion fits into their lives, and how they’ve come to these conclusions.”

“We thought it would be special to write something frightening where the scares emerge from the dialogue — through its words and ideas,” Woods continues. “We hadn’t seen that before, and if we did our job effectively, the audience could bring their own ideas about religion to the movie — what we believe or don’t believe.”

They wrote an early draft of Heretic as a spec script, without a producer attached. But after getting stuck on the story’s multi-dimensional central character, Mr. Reed, who is awash in cerebral theories about religion, philosophy and the meaning of life and death, they put the script aside and set about writing
A Quiet Place.

“We put it on hold because we felt we needed to learn more about religion to catch up with Reed’s knowledge,” says Woods. “As we started writing this complex character, we realized that he’s a genius who knows more about the subject than we could ever know in our lifetime, or at least knew at the
time.”

By the time they came back to the project, they had read up on the major religions and experienced life events that could be infused into the script, including Woods’ marriage to a Mormon. Both filmmakers had grown up with religion, but it wasn’t until they sat down and engaged in dialogue with actual Mormon missionaries that they could muster up the confidence to complete the script.

“We have a ton of close friends from different faiths, from basic Christianity and Scientology to Mormonism, which we’ve become very close to and fascinated by,” says Woods. “We started getting this idea about two female missionaries who knock on the wrong door — and how that could be a platform
for a discussion on the major religions. How religion became a system of control also became very interesting to us.”

That system of control is manifested in the character of Mr. Reed, who at first glance is a kindly old man who wants to engage in discourse with his young visitors. But as the story unfolds, and Reed’s encyclopedic knowledge of the subject hits the missionaries by force, the girls realize they are trapped
inside something bigger than all of them.

After the success of A Quiet Place, which grossed nearly $400 million at the box office, Heretic made its way in completed form to Sher, who found it thought-provoking and spectacular in equal measure.

“What stood out for me was how terrifying Heretic was, and how meticulously researched,” says Sher. “The characters are extraordinary in their depth, but it’s also a lot of fun. This is a genre movie combining suspense and horror that’s also provocative and happens to be about something. The audience goes on a roller coaster ride, but they leave the theater thinking about some seriously heavy stuff.”

(L-R) Scott Beck, Chloe East, Bryan Woods / Credit: Kimberley French

Heretic opens on a bawdy exchange between Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, young missionaries taking a break from ringing doorbells and baptizing converts in suburban Colorado. Sister Paxton (Chloe East) is naïve and just learning about the mysteries of Magnum condoms, while Barnes (Sophie Thatcher), a transplant from the streets of Philadelphia, has more hard knocks, nursing the wounds of her father’s death, and her own near-death experience.

In Paxton and Barnes, the filmmakers wanted to create smart yet searching characters in the mold of the missionaries they met when they were researching the script.

“Sometimes you could perceive this almost surface-level naivete in the missionaries we spent time with, which is easy to laugh at and color a certain way in the writing,” says Woods. “But we found them to be super smart and cool and even badass in their views on religion, society and culture. We wove that into our characters, because what we wanted most from Paxton and Barnes was for Reed to underestimate them.”

One gift to the production was the fact that both Thatcher and East had grown up in the Mormon church, both leaving the fold as teenagers to become actors.

Like the intricately wired and deceptively staid suburban home that comes to entrap Paxton and Barnes on their mission, their host Mr. Reed at first glance appears harmless, effusive and unassuming as he ushers his young visitors inside his sanctum on a rainy afternoon.

But as Heretic unfolds, and the Sisters become prisoners of Reed’s garrulous machinations, a different portrait of the man emerges. Isolated in his fortress of a home, immersed in simulation theory and Dante’s Inferno, Reed has barricaded himself inside the singular study of religion, and more specifically religious control.

“This is a very complex and curious mind at work, who is experimenting, investigating, simulating and trying to uncover the one true religion in the confines of his suburban home,” says Woods. “He’s going to extreme lengths to find that answer for himself.

“He’s inspired by some people I’ve known who for whatever reason have always found themselves a bit lonely and have compensated with attention-seeking pranks and magic tricks and provocative outspokenness in debate,” says Grant. “Reed was probably an academic and teacher, one who attracted
quite a following among his students — but who was at some point encouraged to leave the university by the authorities.”

As background for the role, Grant studied religious iconoclasts like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, and researched serial killers and cult leaders to find out what motivated them to do evil.

Set in suburban Colorado, predominantly inside Mr. Reed’s house, Heretic filmed not on location, but in Vancouver, where production designer Phil Messina (The Sixth Sense, The Hunger Games) constructed multiple sets representing the successive interior rooms of the Reed home. With its tiny windows, locked
doors and deceptive corridors, this is every inch Reed’s world: a dark realm containing multitudes, not unlike his mind.

For a story so rife with dialogue and religious debate, the filmmakers did not want Heretic to feel like a stage play, and tapped Chung-hoon and Messina and to bring Reed’s sinister fortress to life as cinematically as possible. “We talked early on about making sure the house is a character in its own right — a fourth character that looms over the three principal characters,” says Woods. “The claustrophobia comes out of that.”

“We had to figure out the psychology of Reed early on to understand why his house appears the way it does, serving as a kind of weapon against his young visitors,” says Beck. “Reed is God-playing in a way, pulling these characters through each room so it feels like a gauntlet or a game, consistently evolving to worse and worse places. It became about marrying the character of Reed with the production design and finding a methodology behind it to show how his mind works.”

To shoot the tight corridors and uncanny, vertiginous spaces in the house, the filmmakers brought on veteran cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon, best known for his acclaimed and starkly beautiful genre-bending films with director Park Chan-wook, including acrobatic fights and violent revenge in Oldboy, the gorgeous canvasses and tender sex scenes of The Handmaiden, and chiaroscuro bloodbaths in the Catholic-vampire-erotic-horror-film Thirst. His more recent English language work, the blockbuster Steven King adaptation IT and Edgar Wright’s Dark Mirror of 60s London, Last Night in Soho.

Filmmakers Scott Beck & Bryan Woods burst onto the Hollywood scene with ’ A Quiet Place, based on their original screenplay. Beck & Woods’ script earned them the Saturn Award for Best Writing, alongside Best Original Screenplay nominations from the Writers Guild and the Critics Choice Awards, and was named one of the year’s ten best scripts by The Tracking Board Hit List. Variety went on to name Beck & Woods to their annual 10 Screenwriters to Watch list.
Most recently for Beck & Woods was Sony Pictures’ sci-fi thriller 65. The film is an original screenplay written by the duo, on which they also serve as directors and producers under their Beck/Woods banner. The project was a reunion for them and Sam Raimi who is also a producer of 65.
The duo also wrote the screenplay and served as Executive Producers on The Boogeyman, based on Stephen King’s iconic short story of the same name. The short story, first published in 1973 and later
released in King’s 1978 collection Night Shift, followed a man who’s recently lost all his children to a creature lurking in the closet.
Other credits for the filmmakers include 2019’s acclaimed thriller Haunt, which they wrote and directed for producer Eli Roth, Sierra/Affinity, Broken Road Productions, and Nickel City Pictures.
Beck & Woods are also co-owners of The Last Picture House, a specialty cinema and social lounge with 35mm capabilities. The movie theater is located in their hometown of Davenport, Iowa and opened in 2023. Beck & Woods are members of the Directors Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America.



“Despite the socio-political context, this is not a story that occurs in the exterior world of reality. It’s more of an inner journey and the tension between interior and exterior worlds is very exciting to work with cinematically,” says Greek-South African film director and screenwriter Etienne Kallos of the astounding South African film Die Stropers (The Harvesters).

Die Stropers (The Harvesters) is an internationally co-produced feature film set within the rural Free State region of contemporary South Africa, an isolated stronghold of the Afrikaans ethnic minority. It is a psychological drama exploring the coming-of-age of a new generation of Afrikaans youth. It tells the story of obedient Afrikaans teenager, Janno, who witnesses his childhood come to an abrupt end on the day his fiercely religious mother, Marie, brings home a mysterious street orphan, Pieter, to foster on the family’s remote cattle farm.

WATCH ON SHOWMAX / Read the review of Die Stropers (The Harvesters)


Etienne Kallos is a Greek-South African film director who studied theatre and then worked in non-fiction before doing his M.F.A. in Film Directing at New York University. Etienne. Kallos’ short non-fiction film ‘Jane’s Birthday Trip’ screened at the Berlin International Film Festival and was a national finalist for the Student Academy Awards. His fiction short, ‘No Exit’ screened at 2006 Slamdance Film Festival and another short, ‘doorman’, was presented at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival (Cinéfondation section) and at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. His thesis film, ‘Firstborn’, was the first Afrikaans-language film to win the Corto Cortissimo Lion d’Or for Best Short Film at the Venice Film Festival in 2009. Die Stropers (The Harvesters) is his first feature film.

Q & A with Writer-Director Etienne Kallos

What is so special about the Free State that you set your first feature film there?

It’s a fascinating region, the “bible belt” of South Africa, the heart of Afrikaner culture, all maize fields, farmhouses and church steeples. From a distance it looks like time stands still in the Free State but of course, up close, that’s not the case. The eastern part of the region is especially intriguing; it is wilder than the western region, and there is something mysterious and powerful in that landscape, something that captures you and won’t let go.

I come from Cape Town myself so the first time I even heard of the eastern Free State was though the late Reza de Wet, a wonderful Afrikaans playwright and teacher who was my mentor when I studied theatre at Rhodes University.

When I first visited the eastern Free State, I was struck by how these beautiful Free State farms could be a paradise, yet there are bars on windows, and fear in the air. A loneliness too. Hearing about farmers being murdered is not uncommon. With the South African government continuing to threaten ‘re-appropriation of (Afrikaner) land without compensation’, it brings up fascinating notions of what it means to ‘belong’.

What is your perception of the rural farming population?

I respect the way the Afrikaners work the land – they are devoted to it. And I like the new generation.

I wanted to explore adolescence and tell a story about the first generation to be born completely outside of the Apartheid system. The issue of this legacy is never addressed directly in the film, yet it is pervasive and expressed by the feeling of alienation of the young protagonist, Janno, through his loneliness, his fear of being judged, and how lost he feels.

Brent Vermeulen and Alex Van Dyk in Die Stropers (The Harvesters)

How do you live with the weight of post-colonialism on your shoulders? Do we have to literally and figuratively burn the structures of our ancestors to become African?

This is my experience too – the fracture and conflict inherent in being an African of European descent. The experience of fracture is important to me as a storyteller, to love and hate in the same breath, to belong and be a stranger at the same time: You grow up oblivious and then, suddenly, as a teenager, you realise that you don’t really belong in your family, in your community, in your culture.

It is a universal experience, this loss of childhood, but I wanted to give it a rural setting. When you live in a city you dominate space, whereas in the countryside, it’s the other way around: The land and the elements control you. The silence of the countryside exaggerates every decision you make, every action you take, and throws it back at you.

Etienne Kallos with Brent Vermeulen during filming of Die Stropers

Describe the writing process.

I used the award money from my short film ‘Firstborn’, which had won the Golden Lion for ‘best short film’ at Venice in 2009, among other awards, to fund research trips to the Free State.

At the time I was pursuing many different leads over the country, trying to figure out what my first feature project would be about. I was immediately struck with how willing and eager the Afrikaans community was to share with me. The door opened wide and I walked through it.

In 2010 I flew to Johannesburg, rented a car and drove around the Free State and KwaZulu Natal meeting people – farmers, orphans, high school students, social workers.

My first draft of the script was a compilation of research materials. It was just too broad, not a story yet. Eventually, I had to throw out most of my research and find a single thread, a single point of view. I started a second draft after I had returned to the USA and was teaching my first semester at NYU.

Alex van Dyk and Brent Vermeulen in Die Stropers

Where does the story about two adversarial brothers come from?

I feel fractured somehow and wanted to explore this experience through Janno and Pieter and their complicated dynamic. This kind of ‘brotherhood’ cannot be described sufficiently in words, but it is exciting to dramatize. Despite the socio-political context, this is not a story that occurs in the exterior world of reality. It’s more of an inner journey and the tension between interior and exterior worlds is very exciting to work with cinematically.

How did you move onto production?

I completed a second draft in 2012 and applied to the Cannes Cinéfondation Residence program and to the Sundance Screenwriting Lab. Both programs selected my script, so I was working between Paris and Utah. The script won two awards. It received the Fondation Gan’s ‘Prix Opening Shot’ for best screenplay at Cannes and the Mahindra ‘Global Filmmaker Award’ at Sundance.

With these two prizes and a Golden Lion for ‘best short film’, I thought my first feature film would be easy to finance. But it wasn’t the case.

I kept on travelling and researching, establishing connections with generous farmers – the harvest sequence, for instance, was literally a gift from a farmer who gave us his maize crops, trucks and threshers for a day.

This film was only made possible through the generosity of the Afrikaans people. I would drive around at random and knock on farmers’ doors. Sometimes I would literally dream of a farmhouse and then I would wake up and drive around trying to find it.

In the end, a South African producer brought a Canadian producer on board, who in turn brought on board Sophie Erbs, from the French company Cinéma Defacto, to co-produce the film. The first two partners dropped the project, but the good relations I had built with Sophie allowed us to make the film together. She hasn’t stopped fighting for the film since I met her six years ago.

How did you find the two boys who play Janno and Pieter?

I wanted the actors to be 14 or 15, an age when emotions still shape bodies. I knew having older boys play younger wouldn’t work. Kids at that age grow up fast, so I postponed the casting for as long as I could. Afrikaner society is quite conservative, so it wasn’t easy to gain access as the script explores sexuality in part. Half the schools refused to allow me to hold auditions, parents too.

But I also met youths and their parents who believed in me and the project. Just ten days before the shoot I finally cast the two young actors, it was pretty stressful. I knew there had to be chemistry between them, and that such chemistry would come, in part, from their contrasting personalities.

Brent Vermeulen with Etienne Kallos during filming of Stropers

The character of Janno was written as physically fragile; he gives the impression of not being able to cope with the demands of farm life. But Brent, who plays the part, is quite the opposite – he is a high school wrestler and rugby player. Nevertheless, from the first audition in a Paarl high school, I knew that it would be him. I could sense under his reserved demeanor a unique, frenetic emotional quality, something unspoken and inspiring. More importantly, I could sense that it would not scare him to explore his inner life. He had the underlying emotional strength required for the part.

When I found Alex, who plays Pieter, he had just turned 14 and had no acting experience whatsoever. In contrast to Brent, who is more urban with his love of hip-hop and Kanye West, Alex comes from a family of farmers in the Durbanville area. He has a natural charisma that the camera loves and whereas Brent’s freneticism feels emotional and subterranean, with Alex it’s all extroverted and physical. They were a great match.

Etienne Kallos with Alex van Dyk during filming of Stropers

Was Pieter adopted by the family to replace Janno?

That’s what Janno thinks. My job was to bring to light his fears, his own perspective, to explore the limits of a single point of view. What his parents actually think or do isn’t what the film is about. Janno’s point of view is unstable, unreliable. He overhears whispers, insinuations, conversations and then forms an opinion based on those snippets of information. He craves unconditional love. His parents have difficulty expressing their feelings. But that doesn’t mean they don’t love him.

The storytelling had to remain ambiguous, especially as it’s about a young person who does not know good from evil yet. The music, for instance, does not convey joy or sadness – it strikes a balance so that the audience can participate in the story, have a full experience and form their own conclusions. Pieter isn’t some lost city child who finds redemption through his contact with nature. Speaking of redemption would imply a judgement of the characters – you must sin in order to be redeemed – and I don’t judge them like that.

Why does Janno contemplate the family photo gallery so often?

All farmhouses in the region have a family portrait gallery on the walls, to protect them from loneliness and provide comfort. Every farmer wants to look up and feel that his family has been there for three centuries. It is a way of saying, “we belong to this land, look at all those who came before us.”

Which community do I belong to? Which land do I belong to? These questions form part of the main themes in the film.


Today, not to belong to a place or community is a common experience, as we hear and read every day stories of immigrants, refugees and exiles around the world. In South Africa, the very idea of belonging is evolving and that is part of the story.

As for Janno, the pictures on the wall are not a comfort, they are a weight against which he pushes. He is moving towards a new Africa, a new sense of place that has not been discovered by the older generations.

Describe the cinematography.

Michal Englert is a fantastic Polish cinematographer. I think it was my photographs of the Free State, which I had taken over a few years driving around the region, that convinced him to come on board. At that point I already had most of the shooting locations mapped out.

He came early so that we could travel the area together and brainstorm. I also watched a bunch of classic Polish films, some of them with religious motifs, like Jerzy Kawalerowicz’s ‘Mother Joan of the Angels’, so that I could understand his cultural point of view.


Together we made a shot list and storyboarded some scenes. It was a tricky balance as I wanted to capture the landscape with fresh eyes and yet I didn’t want the image to transform the landscapes – they are already unique and beautiful. For instance, it was always a dream of mine to shoot at Sterkfontein Dam, the unbelievably beautiful lake where we staged the rugby and fishing scenes.

Michal is also great at hand-held camera work, so we explored the tension between static wide shots that create such a strong sense of place and then hand-held shots that explore Janno’s point of view.

I see the ‘nightclub scene’ as part of South Africa’s future: On my travels I was surprised to find that every farming town on the border between Free State and KwaZulu Natal had a small Chinatown area, immigrants coming in through neighbouring Lesotho. They don’t care to speak English or try to be white, instead they speak Zulu or Sotho. I thought how great it would be to create a ‘Chinese shebeen’; they don’t exist yet but they will one day. Yes, the scene has a dreamlike feel, but to me the whole film is dreamlike, like a chamber play.

Are there elements of Greek tragedy?

Well yes, I am ethnically Greek after all!

A few years ago I visited the island of Rhodes with my mother and attended a live performance of a Greek tragedy for the first time. It was ‘Iphigenia in Tauris’. I was struck by the intensity of the acting, Iphigenia came onto stage crying and was hysterical from start to finish.

That Greek style of sustained intensity, controlled madness, is exciting to me. It had an impact on how I chose to tell the story of The Harvesters.


Womack wanted Joika to show what it really took to become an elite ballerina in such a fiercely competitive atmosphere, – something that she felt had never truly been shown in film. And, having seen Napier Robertson’s’ multi-award-winning The Dark Horse, Womack felt he was the person she could entrust to do so. With raw, unflinching honesty Womack poured out her story to Napier Robertson and was involved every step of the way through script development and production.

Joy Womack was one of very few Americans to ever be accepted into the Moscow State Academy of
Choreography is commonly known as the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Founded in 1773, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious ballet schools in the world and provides a potential pathway to being selected into the elite Bolshoi Ballet Company.

Joika is not so much about ballet as it is a dramatic story set in that refined hothouse milieu. The bedrock of the film’s narrative is perhaps best expressed by the person who lived it, the classically trained dancer Joy Womack: “I believe ballet is a bridge between countries and cultures. It’s an international language, a way for people to meet and create and do things without words. It’s about beauty and celebrating something that is bigger than just the basic functions of being human.”



From Napier Robertson’s perspective, authenticity was a must. “The film really has to delve into the minds and physicality and dedication of those who inhabit this world, but not in a movie way. That’s why I asked Joy to be the film’s choreographer. I felt there was nobody better to be making the movie within that capacity than Joy herself. I also needed her encyclopedic knowledge of ballet. Not only did I have her constantly involved as I was writing the script, but she was behind the camera with me figuring out all these huge dance sequences – and doing a phenomenal job – as well as dancing herself in it.”

Joika is based on the true story of Joy Womack, who made history as an American ballerina who was accepted into the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. At fifteen years old she left her family home in Texas to travel to Moscow to follow her dream – to become a Prima Ballerina at the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet Company.


A powerfully engaging, gripping, and immersive journey of Joy Womack’s formative experiences in Moscow, Joika was brought to the screen under the skilled hand of writer-director James Robertson Napier, and his creative team, as the very first New Zealand-Polish co-production.

Napier Robertson met Joy in 2016 and was completely captivated. He says “She’s an incredible person. I’m often around people who work very hard and are passionate about what they do, but Joy was at another level in her dedication to her art. I was blown away and moved by her story. I felt it was much more than just her getting into the Bolshoi. I’ve wanted to use film to bring to life the story of an incredible, complex and inspiring human being who possesses a beautiful and deeply emotional story. A story that I feel should be more widely known.”

Joy Womack

As the writer-director of The Dark Horse (2015) based on the story of champion speed chess player Genesis Potini, and, more recently as Co-Director on Whina (2022), based on the story of Dame Whina Cooper, James Napier Robertson is well versed in dramatisations of real-life stories. “My approach is to invite that person – or those people – into the process as much as possible. Joy is young, incredibly intelligent and has a huge amount of self-awareness, everything was on the table – we just kept talking.”

Womack herself refers to the initial meetings with Napier Robertson as an ‘a-ha!’ moment of no return. She explains, “Before that, I was in denial – or disbelief – that it [the film] might ever happen. It’s such a joy for me to work with people who are so passionate about what they do. James and I are aligned in that. He’s put his heart and soul into telling my story. I knew that it would be in good hands. I felt respected and honoured that him, and the team brought me into the process.”

Napier Robertson’s script covers the period of time from when Womack first entered the BBA to her
performance in the International Ballet Competition Varna, a biennial event in Bulgaria. Widely referred to as ‘The Olympics of Dance’, it can be a significant launch-pad for those pursuing careers in classical dance.

“I was 15 years old when I came to Moscow,” says Womack, “Without my parents. I lived there by myself and went straight into Russian school so I could learn the language.”

Given the nature of cinematic storytelling, Napier inevitably had to be selective about how he shaped the entirety of Womack’s richly, sometimes distressingly complicated experiences in Russia for the camera – something she understood and accepts. “The film spans almost ten years of my life in two hours, so things are quite compacted and compressed.”

Talia Ryder in Joika. © JOIKA NZ LIMITED / MADANTS SP.Z.O.O.2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Napier Robertson recognised how vital it was to get the film’s casting right. Especially crucial was making the right choice of who would embody Womack. “As I was writing the script, I remember thinking that the only way it would work is if there’s a truly exceptional performance in the lead. The character of Joy is in almost every scene. It’s a huge and incredibly demanding role, and with that comes a lot of pressure. Talia Ryder has exceeded what I had hoped for. She’s done a phenomenal job.”

Getting cast in Joika was, says Ryder, “…An answer to all my prayers. This felt like something where I could
really bring a big part of myself to a character I actually understood. I love acting, but dance is my number one thing. I’ve been dancing since I was three years old. But it’s a very different part of my life compared to Joy’s life. She’s another breed. Going up to teachers and asserting yourself or trying to prove yourself and asking for a role – those are all things I understand, but differently. They’re skeletons of situations I’ve been in before.”

Ryder trained privately for a year before stepping into Womack’s shoes in Joika. “I love ballet and had a ballet foundation technique, but it was never my strong suit. I’m more of a contemporary dancer, so I had to get whipped into shape.” She seems to have taken the pressure of playing a real human being, who also happened to be on set throughout the shoot, in her stride. “It’s amazing to have that person be right there, because they’re the best resource you can have. Joy was so open about a lot of moments in the script, answering some really personal questions because she wanted to help me give a completely honest portrayal of her. I was like, ‘’I just wanna make you proud of my portrayal of you.’’ But I also have my own ideas about a character, so it’s really about collaborating, and talking.”

This certainly applied to Ryder’s working relationship with Napier Robertson, too. “He’s really been
encouraging,” Ryder enthuses. “I’m a detail-oriented actor. I like to talk about everything down to the pair of socks I’m wearing. James spoke with me for so long about how the choices you make can completely change the feel of a scene. They could go in a million different ways. It’s about looking at every moment as important, and then taking the time to make sure you’re happy with the results.”

Womack, for her part, also carries considerable admiration for Ryder. “Ballet is something we dancers spend most of our lives trying to perfect. Doing that in a short amount of time is quite difficult. Talia took on a big challenge. It’s very brave of her wanting to dance as much as she could in the film. I’m proud of her for how much she poured herself into it. I helped as much as I could, making sure that the choreography was manageable yet ambitious enough to show the Russian classical style.”

But, as Womack admits, the blur between her life and the movie version of it was occasionally disconcerting. “Joika is one of my first experiences working in film, and I was trying to separate the choreographer role I’d been given from ‘’This is about me.’’ It’s kind of surreal. It was interesting, and weird too, to see in the dance class scenes how well Talia had done her homework and picked up little quirks of mine.”

Still, Womack was the person best placed to know what would ring truest during the filming. “I was touched and honoured to sit at James’ side during the shoot and say, ‘Hey, this doesn’t seem believable,’ or to offer some small detail or other that might make a scene seem more authentic. And he was completely open to me taking ownership of everything dance-related.”

Diane Kruger plays Volkova, a queen bee of classical dance who can make or break the raw, young talent in her charge – including the central character of Joy. “Volkova is an ex-prima ballerina,” Kruger says, “A famous teacher and a director at the Bolshoi Academy who has given her life to the ballet. I’ve tried to find a truth to her that can be as uplifting and warm as it can be ice cold. She has great discipline, but also a good heart; she’s not someone who’s mean for no reason. She truly loves her students and will do anything to try and help them flourish in a world that’s really tough. She can be as hard as nails because she expects the best from them. They are like her children. As we learn in the film, she has a very frayed relationship with her own daughter; there’s a lot of heartache and regrets there. There’s also a sadness to Volkova that really attracts me. She has no friends or family. She never married or found love. And she has no time for the human aspects of why we are not all prima ballerinas.”

Volkova is loosely based on a couple of people in Womack’s life, but principally a woman who was her coach at the Kremlin Ballet (a company she joined after leaving the Bolshoi). “She became like a mother to me,” Womack recalls, “And yet she demanded excellence and perfection.” Some elements of Volkova’s character are also taken from another female teacher in Perm who, says Womack, had a reputation for being highly physical in class. “She was notorious for abusing her students. Yet my partner Mikhail Martinuk (Womack’s dance partner for many years, including at Varna) had nothing but good to say about her.”



It was James Napier Robertson who was charged with the task of immersing viewers in the intensely dedicated creative environment top-rank ballet demands. Belindalee Hope, one of the film’s producers, readily sings his praises. “James is an incredible actor’s director with the skills of a writer, and it works so harmoniously. He has the whole story completely mapped out in his head. He knows every beat of the film, how he wants to shoot it, and how he wants the audience to feel. He’s determined and dedicated, and it’s his obsession that makes this film great.”

As a writer and a filmmaker Napier Robertson knew what had to be done in order to do justice both to Joy Womack’s story and ballet itself. “The character of Joy puts herself through some incredible circumstances. It was crucial that an audience who knows nothing about ballet will inherently understand why someone would be so devoted to it. Part of it is the wonder and awe of this world. It’s very stylised and visually striking, and then there’s the music, and movement which has such a dynamic athleticism. The film had to capture all of that. It had to look strong and beautiful and be an incredibly powerful, visceral experience for an audience, but at the same time it’s tough, hard and gritty and not trying to be a fluffy version of that world.”

For Napier Robertson that meant “colour and light, the anamorphic lens, frame rates, camera movement –
everything to embrace the theatrical nature of ballet, but never to the point that we start to feel disconnected from the characters. There has to be an emotional journey with Joy that the audience goes on as well. We have to understand it at a much deeper level.”

Much of that depth arose from the circle of Polish specialists hired to work on Joika and their respective teams.

Many conversations were had between Napier Robertson, Production Designer Joanna Kaczynska and
Cinematographer Taumusz Naumiuk. “Talking, talking, talking was the starting point for me on the film,” says the cinematographer. Tomasz, or Thomas, Naumiuk. “Then I asked myself, ‘What can my input be to
Joy’s story?’ There’s no one word that can explain and represent it. It has so many turning points it would be disrespectful to use just one word. But maybe ‘trance’ will do.”

Naumiuk’s idea was to shoot Joika as if it were “Kind of like Degas on acid.” He continues, “We knew already a few ballet stories on film, but we wanted to make something not so common. Ballet, for our main character, is like a religion, or like being a drug addict.”

“There hasn’t been a ballet film like this before,” agrees Talia Ryder. “I think people are going to be really
shocked at how intense some parts of the ballet world are. I hope people will become immersed in that world and appreciate all the hard work dancers go through to look effortless. I also hope that after watching it they’ll want to go and support ballet, see local shows, and make ballet a part of their lives.”

“What makes my story worth telling?” Womack wonders, “And unique enough to be turned into a film? That’s a question I’ve been asking myself. I may not have the most successful career in the entire world, but I’m young and involved and still going. What I do have is dedication and a work ethic. No matter what hits me, in my career, I try to persevere. No matter what hardships might happen, I still have a love for ballet.”


His 2015 film The Dark Horse was nominated for over 50 awards at festivals around the world and won over 30, Variety stating it “exceptional…the most deserving cinematic export to emerge from New Zealand in years”, The Australian calling it “outstanding…a work of the highest artistic excellence” and the RNZ Film Review declaring it “one of the greatest New Zealand films ever made.” Napier Robertson won New Filmmaker of the Year at the 2014 Spada Awards, and The Dark Horse won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Score at the 2014 New Zealand Film Awards.

In 2018, Napier Robertson wrote and directed two episodes of Australian mini-series Romper Stomper, which won Most Outstanding Miniseries at the 2018 Logie Awards. In 2019 he worked on BBC mini-series The Luminaries, and in 2020 he directed 100 year-spanning Dame Whina Cooper biopic epic, Whina. Whina recently completed it’s theatrical run in New Zealand, taking it’s domestic box office by storm and grossing well over $1M. The film will be released in other territories around the world in the coming months.


The Favorite is a dark yet comic story about three hugely commanding women jockeying with raw abandon for love, favour and power that feels very contemporary.

The Favourite has been plucked from real history, set against the outrageously aristocratic tableau of 18th Century royals and marks the first period film of acclaimed Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth, The Lobster, The  Killing Of A Sacred Deer, and Poor Things) from a screenplay crafted by a first draft by Deborah Davis, a British lawyer, journalist and scriptwriter, and rewrites by  Lanthimos  and Tony McNamara, one of Australia’s most respected and revered film and television creatives, and celebrated playwrights.

“When you make a film set in another time it is always interesting to see how it relates to our time-you realize how few things have changed apart from the costumes and the fact that we have electricity or internet,” says Lanthimos,  who has directed a number of dance videos in collaboration with Greek choreographers, in addition to TV commercials, music videos, short films and theatre plays. ”There are so many ongoing similarities in human behaviour, societies and power.”


Olivia Colman as Queen Anne

From the veiled world of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) – the last (and historically most ignored) of the Stuart line of Britain’s rulers— who though infamously gouty, shy and disregarded, nevertheless reigned as Great Britain became a global power. It is through Anne’s intricate relations with two other women of cunning and aspiration—her lifelong intimate friend and political advisor Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz), and Sarah’s penniless cousin turned social-climbing chambermaid Abigail (Emma Stone) – that the film dives into a whirlpool of manipulations and emotions that define the phrase “palace intrigue.”

As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfill her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.

The film creates its own very alive universe, with Lanthimos playing freely with the external events of the day to service and motivate the inner lives and personal politics of his characters. And speculations aside, no one truly knows what went on verbally, physically or otherwise behind the doors of Queen Anne’s court, let alone in her bed.

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For a story of such sprawling history, The Favourite takes place in a very insular world: largely within the confines of the Royal Palace’s walls where power plays, seductions, blood orange throwing and the occasional duck or lobster race transpire, detached from the realities of the outside world.

Though the film plays like a bedroom farce with global consequences, screenwriter Tony McNamara, who worked closely with Lanthimos from an original screenplay by Deborah Davis, concurs that it is ultimately a love story.

“The story is about how complicated love is, and how who you are as a person can be perverted and deformed by those complications,” he says. “We called it a comic tragedy and that’s what it is. It’s about these people who love each other, but there are so many other aspects of their personality and aspects of what they want in the world-at-large that get in the way of staying in love.”


“What interested me most were these three characters, their power, their fragile relationships and how the behaviour of so few people could alter the course of a war and fate of a country. It is also for me a love story that can be quite funny and dramatic and gets dark,” says Lanthimos.

Queen Anne may be England’s least known ruler, not least of all because she left no heirs to speak of her, despite an extraordinary 17 pregnancies. (In fact, had Anne left an heir, there may have been no United States as such, since George III may never have been King.) Ascending to the throne at the turn of the 18th Century, essentially because no other Protestant successors to the Stuart royal line were available, she assumed the role of Queen just as England was on the verge of a tidal wave of changes. Anne would oversee a war with France, considered the first world war of modern times, and the uniting of England with Scotland to forge the Kingdom of Great Britain. She would also confront a shocking new era of acrimonious national division, with Whigs and Tories taking sides as partisans and bitterly battling each other for influence as a young two-party political system was born.

For the world of rapidly enlarging personal and political agendas in which she moved, Anne was not an obvious match as Queen and ruler. Plagued by incessant ill health, notoriously meek, anything but glamorous with her myriad skin and joint ailments, and having only a limited education, she was perceived as highly susceptible to manipulation.

This in turn meant Anne was beset upon by a flurry of people competing to gain influence by finding a way to gain her trust—or perhaps, her heart.

The singularity of Lanthimos’ vision sparked the producers to wonder how he might approach the manifold themes of Queen Anne’s power struggles. “Yorgos’ style can be elegant, simple and complicated all at the same time,” observes producer Ceci Dempsey. “He is an enigmatic individual who has this amazing ability to communicate through his films. There is a kind of subliminal magic that goes on with his storytelling, a kind of alchemy where you watch one of his films and a few days later you’re still coming up with more questions. He can be incredibly provocative in all the best ways.”

The two women who made their way deep into Anne’s inner sanctum created a triumvirate of female power-players uncommon for any time period, let alone in the so-called days of pre-Enlightenment.

Rachel Weisz as Lady Sarah Churchill,

The first was Lady Sarah Churchill, the legendarily sharp and alluring Duchess of Marlborough, Anne’s BFF since childhood who, once Anne took the throne, became a primary political adviser and perhaps (according to rumors that have swirled for centuries) her lover. The second was Abigail Masham, who was Sarah’s cousin by birth but reduced to destitution by family bankruptcy, joining the royal household as a lowly maid.

Nevertheless, Abigail would set in motion an epic, impassioned battle with Sarah to become Anne’s new “favourite,” making herself indispensable to the Queen, while pushing Anne in the opposite political direction that Lady Sarah was pulling.

Emma Stone as Abigail Masham

That was the historical account. But the bones of the story come to life with a psychological and sensual resonance that escaped the history books.

It started with a screenplay by Deborah Davis, which producer Ceci Dempsey and her company Scarlet Films started developing two decades ago.

Deborah Davis

“The first draft of the script landed on my desk seemingly out of the blue,” Dempsey recalls. “It was a fantastic story of betrayal with a rare opportunity to see brilliant women behaving badly, and the fact that it’s based on a true story made it even more appealing. Since then, the script has gone through countless mutations but the core story, that of three women each struggling to survive by betraying the others, has endured.”

Davis had a wide canvas to work with from a historical standpoint, but felt compelled to focus on specific relationships in the brief but tumultuous reign of Queen Anne. “My focus was on the female triangle in Queen Anne’s bedchamber and this shift in Anne’s affections from Sarah to Abigail,” notes Davis. To research this triangle, Davis combed through volumes of letters between Sarah and Anne and Abigail and Harley. While a vivid picture of Sarah has been painted by her own memoir, “the original evidence for Abigail is sparse and comes mainly from Sarah,” says Davis, adding “there were interesting snippets to be found elsewhere where Abigail emerges as a ruthless chambermaid, and her trajectory clearly reveals her ambition.” The experience of researching this era in English Royalty led Davis to a better understanding of the period not always written about in history books. “My focus was always on the three women,” says Davis. “I wanted the audience to discover a period in 18th century English history where women held power and influenced events on the British political and European stage.”

It was in 2009 that Element Pictures’ Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe and Lee Magiday came aboard, and together with Dempsey became acquainted with Yorgos Lanthimos, a director hailing from Greece who was making waves with his Oscar-nominated film Dogtooth, a darkly absurd and devastating story of an isolated family that confines its children with unsettling consequences. Film4 boarded the film in 2013, developing the project alongside the filmmakers and co-financing alongside Fox Searchlight and Waypoint Entertainment.

Recalls Guiney, “We both felt that Dogtooth was an extraordinary exploration of the nature of a family. It showed Yorgos’ ability to explore different facets of our lives–be it family, be it love, be it  companionship, or whatever it might be—by telling heightened stories that exist in parallel worlds that nevertheless evoke the very essence of how we interact with each other.”

Says producer Ed Guiney: “We knew that if Yorgos were to take on the British costume drama, he would re-shape it to create something utterly unique. That was exciting. Yorgos is someone who not only has a vision, but can marshal that vision to say something bold, distinctive and inspiring. When you find people with that kind of vision, you roll with them wherever they might take you.”

When they shared the early draft of The Favourite with Lanthimos in 2010, he saw “something kind of extraordinary and very unusual in it,” says the director. “I was intrigued by the idea of making a film that had three women as main protagonists. It seemed very rare back then.”

All the while Lanthimos continued to ponder The Favourite, while the team searched for a writer whose voice could mesh with his.

They found a catalytic match in Australian playwright and screenwriter Tony McNamara, who seemed to share a tantalizing way of probing the weirdness and wildness of everyday human behavior.

Tony McNamara

As Guiney explains, “Tony’s writing is incredibly distinctive. He has great tonal dexterity, where he can leap from high drama to tragedy to comedy all in one scene. I think it’s reminiscent of Yorgos as a filmmaker in that he can compress many different kinds of emotional contradictions into a single beat. It felt like a great marriage when they came together. It unlocked the potential of the film for Yorgos, knowing he had a writer who could go the whole distance with him.” Adds Dempsey, “Tony shares Yorgos’ irreverence, wit, unpredictability, love of the absurd and dark, dark humour. They also share the same kind of artistic discipline, which was so important.”

McNamara says he was drawn to the film precisely because Lanthimos was clear that he did not want to make anything remotely resembling standard period drama fare. In fact, he wanted to break the genre.

“I loved being given the chance to wonder: what liberties could really be taken? It was a great opportunity to do something unlike anything I’d done before.”

Favoring complexity and feel over slavishness to historical fact, Lanthimos and McNamara discussed guidelines that informed the rewrite from the start.

“We talked about having the characters feel contemporary, to be so complicated that you can’t just read their intentions quickly—or you think you can but you soon realize you can’t,” says McNamara. “We were seeking a certain freshness, a certain irreverence and a certain fun in the dialogue and the action of the scenes.”

In thinking about the script’s architecture, the pair honed in on the women’s converging relationships. “We chose early on not to make the movie one person’s story,” McNamara elaborates.

“The idea was to follow this triangle, to see how these three lives intersecting affect history. It was important that no one woman owns the POV of the story.”

Certainly one convention of costume drama McNamara and Lanthimos torpedoed was staid manners.

“That was one of the things in period films I didn’t like – how polite they were,” McNamara says. “And even though we knew this was society of manners at that time, underneath that we wanted to show a sort of casual cruelty. Society was rigid and you were stuck where you were, so all you had was your ability to influence other people and to shift yourself and your motive; to shift your ground. That was why people operated with such hardcore cruelty at times.” As he wrote, McNamara referred to written accounts of the period for context and concepts but he never allowed the story to be cemented down by history. “

Director Yorgos Lanthimos on the set of The Favorite

As an Australian and a Greek, Yorgos and I weren’t attached to English history, so maybe we felt more free to be fast and loose with it,” McNamara muses.

“There’s a fundamental truth to the big events and the big frame of the story, but we were mostly concerned with exploring these three women. So where the established history was useful to us it stayed, and where it wasn’t useful to us we let it go. It was quite fun to do.” Throughout the process, McNamara and Lanthimos spent an unusual amount of time together, travelling to Italy to take long walks and sit for ponderous meals while sharpening the dialogue to a point.

“All of that helped me to fuse the writing with Yorgos’ vision as a director,” says McNamara. After four years of collaboration, the finished screenplay was everything the producers imagined when they first considered Lanthimos. The ambiguity of the characters was intense, but what also struck Dempsey and Guiney was just how unusually proactive and authoritative the three women in the story felt, and not only because they were essentially ruling Great Britain.

“You see women behave in this film in ways that they often behave in real life, but that you don’t often see in the movies,” observes Guiney. “They are absolutely in control, but at other times are capricious, jealous, angry, and like most of us, absolutely flawed. You see that in all its glory, all its ambiguity, all its frailty, all its power. And then when you put these same women into the pressure cooker of a country at war and at the epicentre of decision making, it results in something pretty original.”

“There is also a level of physicality that you don’t see in a period film, unless it is two men duelling,” adds Dempsey. “In The Favourite, the women are pigeon shooting, galloping on horses, charging down corridors, physically seducing men in the wood and having sex together.”

“For me it was never important to accurately show a particular time period or a certain court or even a specific country. I was interested in the characters and the position that they occupied in that society. A position of power of the selected few that could affect the lives of many other human beings. We were inspired by the real people and stories but largely reimagined them in order to make a film that hopefully alludes to similar issues that we all can identify with or recognize in our everyday contemporary lives,” concludes Lanthimos.

In 1995, almost a century after L. Frank Baum’s enduring classic, The Wizard of Oz, first hit bookshelves in the year 1900, novelist Gregory Maguire reinvented Baum’s world in his bestseller Wicked. The novel, about the untold stories of the witches of Oz, set in the years before Dorothy dropped in, became a literary sensation. A few years later, in 2003, Wicked made its debut on Broadway as a dazzling musical event, and became a generation-defining cultural phenomenon of its own.

Like L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz itself, Wicked has entered our collective consciousness and has shaped our dreams and our perceptions of the world and each other. It is a story that pierces the perceptions and sharpens the resolve of every generation, including our own.

On the surface, Wicked is the origin story of how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West and Galinda Upland become Glinda the Good. It’s a story of an unlikely friendship between two young women—one ostracized, one adored — and how the untapped power of one will reshape their lives and Oz, forever.

L to R: Ariana Grande is Glinda and Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in WICKED. © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

For years, producer Marc Platt had been approached about adapting the stage musical for the screen. The timing had never seemed right, but when the stars aligned, Platt knew it was time to let Elphaba and Glinda soar. The film, Platt says, allows them to expand and explore the Wicked universe in a way that isn’t possible on stage. “What’s exciting about bringing Wicked to film is that in the making of the stage show there were many ideas, themes and stories we had to cut,” Platt says. “With only so much time, we had to leave it in your mind or shortcut the story.”

The stage can show you a world but it can’t immerse you in one the way film can. “Making films allows us to elaborate on the themes of the stage production,” Platt says. “Film allows us to investigate the different worlds—Munchkinland, Shiz University, the dormitories and classrooms. The dwellings where the Animals live, the wonderous Emerald City and Wizard’s throne room. When we decided to make Wicked as a film, we wanted to be able to dramatize many of the elements that on stage you can’t—from flying with monkeys to sweeping across Oz. These are places that only a camera can go. The films take advantage of this, opening the door to create a singular experience.”

The film of Wicked brings Oz alive in a grand, detailed, magical way. Making Wicked as two films allowed the creative team to give audiences everything they’re hoping to see and hear and feel, and more. “We created this story over two films,” Platt says. “The first tells how Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and the second tells how her best friend, Glinda, becomes authentically good.”

Above all, the filmmakers wanted to give fans of the stage production everything they dream of experiencing in a film. No songs or characters were cut. No scenes deleted. The vision deepened and expanded the world. “Our job is to bring the essence of what’s in the theater that is so satisfying and take audiences beyond that,” Platt says. “To take the familiar but introduce them to something that goes where they couldn’t imagine. Audiences will be transported to an epic world—where monkeys fly, witches take off on brooms…and magic is possible.”      

The Emerald City in WICKED. © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

In Wicked the untold story of the witches of Oz, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is a young woman misunderstood because of her unusual green skin who has yet to discover her true power. Glinda (Ariana Grande), a popular young woman gilded by privilege and ambition, has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

“For years, Winnie and I would say, ‘For the movie, we should do this…’,” Schwartz says. “It’s been exciting us for a long time. The story of Wicked—as brilliantly imagined by Gregory Maguire and then as realized by Winnie and myself and our show collaborators—has spoken to people who have made it their own. Each of our characters is keeping a secret from the world—sometimes even a secret from themselves. That’s what the show is about: revealing what’s under the surface.”

Schwartz and Holzman know each other so well, and have worked together for so long, that they can literally finish each other’s sentences. “Winnie and I tell the story together,” Schwartz says. “Some of it through dialogue, which is Winnie’s department, and some through song, which is mine. When I was struggling with the first song for the roommates, Winnie came up with the idea of ‘What if, instead of doing a love-at-first-sight song, we do a hate-at-first-sight one? In the same way that two people meet and fall in love, there’s something about finding the person you hate immediately that feels as good.”

Winnie Holzman, writer of the book for the musical, and Oscar-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz

It was through their work adapting the novel for the stage that Holzman and Schwartz discovered that the focus needed to be the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. “As we explored this complex, intense friendship, we found it was the heart of the show,” Holzman says. “It’s the idea that you meet someone, and that person changes the course of your life. And it’s also about two young women realizing that they want to make a positive impact in their world… and where that realization leads them.”

Little could producer Marc Platt know, but the filmmaker he would ultimately hire to direct the film of Wicked, Jon M. Chu, was a longtime superfan of the stage production.

When Chu was in discussions with the filmmakers about coming aboard Wicked as its director, he told Platt, Holzman and Schwartz that he would be the steward for a world that they created. Chu thought back to what he had experienced with Wicked two decades earlier in the Curran Theater, when he, Platt, Schwartz, Holzman and Stone had all been there at the same time. “They had all been at the Curran for this new show,” Chu says. “Everyone I knew was whispering about it. Even 20 years ago, it felt relevant. What spoke to me in the show was when Dr. Dillamond says, ‘you’re not being told the whole story.’ The power of how hard change is and how complicated people are. It’s prophetic what Stephen and Winnie wrote.”

Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba, Ariana Grande is Glinda and Director Jon M. Chu on the set of WICKED, from Universal Pictures. © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Chu’s ambition is for audiences to see Wicked through a new lens. “I want people who saw it on the stage to experience it in a way they never have,” Chu says. For the filmmakers, it was crucial to populate Wicked with a panoply of distinctive artists, both behind and in front of the camera. “We worked a long time to find the perfect cast,” Chu says. “We knew we needed people who could sing and act and who were a little Ozian. There’s a little oddity, a bit of left-of-center to these storytellers. That’s why I liked getting all these misfits together to make a movie about misfits.”

At the heart of Wicked is the unexpected friendship between two young women, Glinda and Elphaba, and both the stage musical and the film rises or falls on that relationship and the performances of those two actors. Casting the right artists for the roles was critical to the success of the film. Director Jon M. Chu and his fellow filmmakers knew almost instantly that they had made the right decision in casting Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

Shiz University in WICKED. © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Taking on the production design of Wicked was an endeavor six-time Oscar®-nominated production designer Nathan Crowley approached with a profound sense of responsibility and creativity. Known for his ability to create immersive, visually stunning productions including The Dark Knight trilogy, Interstellar and Dunkirk, among many others, Crowley recognized that Wicked required more than he’d ever put forth for a film before.

Crowley and his teams’ work on Wicked is a testament to his unparalleled ability to create a visual spectacle that honors the beloved Broadway production while offering a fresh and breathtakingly new experience. “Nathan’s guidance emboldened our entire team to remain true to our vision,” director Jon M. Chu says. “We knew we had to build Emerald City, Munchkinland, and every intricate detail in between and Nathan and his team meticulously crafted distinct cultures within Oz, making the sets feel tangible and authentic. It’s an immersive experience audiences will feel, not just understand—a testament to our team’s shared dedication to storytelling.”

Jonathan Bailey is Prince Fiyero in WICKED. © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

When director Jon M. Chu approached Academy Award®-nominated costume designer Paul Tazewell to collaborate on Wicked, the timing seemed serendipitous. Fresh off his work on Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, Tazewell was eager to join forces with Chu. They also shared a taste in great material. Tazewell had worked on the Broadway production of In the Heights. Chu had directed the 2021 film adaptation.

Tazewell was thrilled to revisit the world of Oz, a world deeply embedded in his professional and personal history. Having designed five productions of The Wiz, including NBC’s The Wiz Live!, Tazewell was no stranger to the world of Oz. “With this background, I felt empowered to dive into this world that was reflective of many elements of my creative brain,” Tazewell says. “Using costumes to tell stories and create characters is what truly excites me.”

Approaching Wicked required a delicate balance of honoring its storied history while injecting a fresh, contemporary vision. Tazewell acknowledges the audience’s preconceived notions of Oz and Wicked, given the musical’s extensive Broadway run. “I needed to respect that established universe while capturing the same spirit of Wicked with a fresh vision,” Tazewell says. “I aimed to bring my own design language and voice to Wicked, separate from the Broadway musical’s world. Working with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, their interpretations were bound to be fresh and exciting, and embracing their portrayals, along with Jon M. Chu’s overarching vision, allowed my team and I to organically create a new and compelling world.”

Ariana Grande is Glinda in WICKED, © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The world of Wicked mirrors modern culture by embracing diversity and inclusivity. Drawing inspiration from contemporary fashion and street style, the designers infused the costumes with elements of self-expression and individuality, resulting in a fresh, exploratory world. Each region within Oz is distinct yet interconnected, symbolizing common human experiences, much like cultures worldwide. This attention to detail contributes to the richly textured world of Oz.

Cinematographer Alice Brooks, known for her camera work on director Jon M. Chu’s In the Heights and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s tick, tick… BOOM!, brings a nuanced perspective to the cinematography of Wicked. Through her work, she aims to craft compelling visual narratives and evoke deep emotional resonance, which made her the ideal choice for the job.

Brooks’ keen eye for detail and mastery of light were instrumental in shaping the film’s visual identity. “Jon and I had extensive early discussions that shaped our approach to Wicked,” Brooks says. “We discussed various themes—from visual motifs to the language of Oz and the dynamics of friendship and love. These discussions formed the foundation of our creative process and outlined a visual roadmap for the film. My personal goal for Wicked was to craft the greatest, most beautiful love story ever told between these two women. Every decision—whether in lighting or camera work—was driven by our shared vision of capturing the profound emotions of finding your best friend and then the heartache of being pulled apart.”

Peter Dinklage voices Dr. Dillamond in WICKED, © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Three-time Oscar®-nominated visual effects supervisor (PABLO HELMAN, The Irishman)—who has been with Industrial Light & Magic for almost 30 years—actually first worked with Wicked Wizard Jeff Goldblum on Independence Day. For Wicked, Helman was responsible for more than 2,200 visual effects for this first Wicked film. “We touched every shot in the movie—either by doing an extension, putting creatures in it, or adding effects from tornadoes, water or fire,” Helman says. More than 1,000 VFX artists worked on the key shots during postproduction. The team was also responsible for creating the hundreds of Animal characters. “In VFX, we developed the winged-blue-monkey transformation sequence, in which over 5,100 feathers per monkey had to be groomed.” Helman says. The monkeys were animated using a proprietary Face Select toolset, allowing for intricate facial expressions.

  • For the iconic “Defying Gravity” sequence of Elphaba flying on her broom, Helman and his team collaborated closely with director Jon M. Chu, utilizing a practical tabletop model of the Emerald City building and balcony. “Jon used a mini-Elphaba model to sketch out the flying journey,” Helman says. “Once we had the journey mapped out, Cynthia [Erivo] took on the stunt work.” The VFX team then enhanced the flying paths, generated Elphaba’s long cape and portions of her body and built the background Emerald City buildings and skies throughout the sequence. “Visual effects also generated the wide shots based on Cynthia’s stunt work,” Helman adds, highlighting the blend of practical stunts with digital enhancements that bring the magical moment to life.
  • The VFX team was tasked with creating full digital environments, including Munchkinland, Shiz University, the Emerald City, tulip and barley fields, and a detailed forest, all of which required extensive digital extensions beyond the 25-foot-high practical sets.
  • A custom-made CG replica of the Emerald City Express was built for key sequences, allowing the practical and digital trains to intercut smoothly during dynamic shots.
  • Over 2,200 visual effects shots were created across multiple VFX houses, including ILM, Framestore, and others, with over 1,000 artists worldwide collaborating on the project to touch nearly every frame of the film.
Ethan Slater is Boq and Marissa Bode is Nessarose in WICKED, © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

The film of Wicked features beloved songs from the stage musical by Grammy and Oscar® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, and a score by Grammy and Oscar® nominee John Powell and Schwartz.

To create the sound and capture the musical performances in the film, Oscar®-winning production sound mixer Simon Hayes (Les Misérables) and team were tasked with ensuring that the set of Wicked provided the performers the space and time to sing from the heart—just as if they were on a Broadway stage. Songs were performed live on set whenever possible. “The decision to sing live was a no-brainer for Cynthia [Erivo] and me,” Ariana Grande says. “It was such a privilege to work with such incredibly talented musical theater people on this film. I felt spoiled by everyone’s singing abilities and by our amazing sound department. They made sure everything we did was perfectly recorded. We were lucky to have the best of every department working all-hands-on-deck. Singing live was crucial not just because we’re all theater people, but also for the emotional element. Some songs just need to be live, especially in this environment.”

For the choreography for Wicked, director Jon M. Chu turned to his longtime collaborator, acclaimed In the Heights choreographer and three-time Emmy nominee Christopher Scott (So You Think You Can Dance). For Scott, who saw Wicked on stage seven times, it felt like a dream come true. “The theater kid in me was overwhelmed,” Scott says. Six months before production began, Scott and team began rehearsal on the film’s choreography and movement design. Chu wanted the movement in the film to be specific and distinct to Oz. “It’s not the movement that we know in our lives,” Chu says. “I have a great collaborator in Christopher. It’s not just movement of what’s in front of the camera, it’s movement of the camera itself.” The result is a style of movement and dance unlike any captured in a film musical before.

L to R: Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in WICKED, © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Wicked was the first title that was greenlit under Universal’s recently launched GreenerLight Program, which encourages sustainability throughout the entire filmmaking process from script to screen. During production, the filmmakers and Universal Pictures aspired to create a green set, in every sense of the word. Universal, which is aligned with Comcast NBCUniversal’s goal to be carbon neutral globally by 2035, brought on eco-consulting company SUSTAINABLE FILMS to create a comprehensive plan and oversee the production’s efforts.


Cookson developed the script with producer Peter Keegan, his partner at CK Films. After some work shaping the story they felt the time was right to send it to Julia Stuart, Director of Original Film at Sky. “Julia had a major input into the script,” notes Keegan and as it evolved, the team brought on screenwriter Alexis Zegerman.

In Arthur’s Whisky, Joan and her friends Linda and Susan discover a means to transform. Drinking a special ‘whisky’ invented by Joan’s late husband, their bodies, temporarily, morph into their younger selves. But is this the answer to all the issues that confront the friends as they grow older?

Director Stephen Cookson, Lulu and Patricia Hodge in Arthur’s Whisky. Photograph: Sky Cinema

“The moral of the story is, you don’t have to be young to enjoy life to the full,” says Keegan. “They’re all complaining about their aches and pains, regretting growing older, and they get a chance to take this potion. Suddenly they look young again – but is this really for the better.”

“I liked the idea this is not the more often explored idea of older women revisiting their younger lives. This is older ladies in younger women’s bodies!” says producer Pippa Cross, at CrossDay Productions, who joined to complete development and help shepherd the film into production. She too appreciated the uniqueness of Arthur’s Whisky. “The maturity and the lives they have lived are all still inside them when they’re in their younger bodies, and that feels fresh.”

Widower Joan (Patricia Hodge) and her two friends Linda (Diane Keaton) and Susan (Lulu) find a new lease of life when they discover her husband’s greatest invention. Distilled in secret, Arthur’s whisky turns back the clock for anyone who takes a sip, giving them a few hours to feel young again. As the wrinkles disappear, Joan and her friends hit the bars and nightclubs with a renewed lust for life. But will they find the secret to happiness before the elixir runs dry?

The team went out first to the beloved singer and actress Lulu, casting her as Susan – Joan’s friend, who has never been married.

Lulu was hugely excited by the idea of taking on Arthur’s Whisky. “The script was amazing and the subject matter, I thought, was amazing, too; the fact that it is about these three women who are seemingly so different, but really, they are more alike than they know,” she explains. “Women are just great beings, great as friends. This really showcases the strength of women.”

The star felt a kinship with her character right from the off. “I think she has a lot of attributes that a lot of women have, and certainly that I have.” With no husband or family to speak of, Susan has put all her energies into hobbies and her friendships. “When our friends revert back to their younger years, they have all sorts of experiences that ‘wake them up’,” Lulu continues. “Bottom line, they’re all looking for love! There’s not a lot of things you generalize about, but aren’t we all? So each of them sets off to deal with their particular situation. Mine is that I actually meet a younger guy. And it’s very, very scary. But with the support of her friends, Susan is able to feel the fear and go for it anyway!”

When it came to finding an actress to play Linda, Cookson and co. went out to the legendary Diane Keaton. “We wanted an American as part of our ensemble,” says Cookson. “And Diane really liked the project. I had a couple of conversations with her over the phone and she committed to it.” Needless to say, everyone was delighted to secure the services of the Oscar-winning actress. “If you pitch high, then see what you can get!” laughs Keegan.

With the shoot fast approaching, the production still continued the search for the perfect Joan. Wonderful English actress Patricia Hodge was just becoming available after a gruelling run in London’s West End and luckily as soon as she read the script, she was on board, as well as being delighted when she discovered who her co-stars would be. “In both cases they’re very much women that I wanted to spend time with,” says Hodge.

The script’s high-concept was something Patricia gave some thought to. “I’m not particularly a fantasist,” says Hodge. “I’m quite a realist, I think. So I had to stretch my mind and think, ‘Well, hmm, this might be interesting.’ And the more I got into it, the more I thought it was making a very good point. What would it be like….? It’s rather like people wondering, ‘What would it be really like to fly?’ You have to stretch your imagination. So, yes, in our story you can turn the clock back and see what happens. Well worth exploring.”

As Hodge notes, Arthur’s Whisky is very much about the bond between these three women. “Friendships are always based on something not easy to define. I think humour has to be a major part of it, it really does, because these are very disparate women. But they’ve obviously forged a bond through shared laughter and deeper views of life. It’s been enduring. And they’ve always been drawn back to each other.”

With all three actresses attached, it was a delicious-sounding ensemble – an intriguing mix of acting experience, styles and personality.

There was little time for rehearsal, especially given Keaton’s busy schedule, so the trio had to hit the ground running when they met. Hodge insisted that she and her co-stars went for dinner before the shoot began, to help forge a bond. “It’s a long friendship. It’s a fifty-year friendship our characters have,” she notes. Cookson joined them and was delighted with the rapport that was so quickly established, and the fun they all had. He was quickly convinced they’d pull it off. “Nobody really knew anybody. But they’ve got so much life experience. They just get on with it and make it feel so believable.”

With that in mind, the producer Peter Keegan feels that Arthur’s Whisky plays well for a diverse range of ages.

“What is fun is watching these three twenty-somethings with their sixty-somethings inside them re-visit some of the stuff that happens to us when we’re young. A lot of that is genuinely funny and insightful and I think it should have a broad appeal.” For example, the nightclub scene, with young Joan, Linda and Susan. “I hope the younger audience will laugh, watching these older ladies in younger bodies navigating the club! But also appreciate the value of deep and long friendship.”

Genevieve Gaunt was cast as Young Linda, Esme Londsdale as Young Joan and Hannah Howland as Young Susan. All three took time to study the actresses whose younger selves they’d play, with Gaunt even going on a binge of Keaton’s past movies. They came in to watch them on set, and also had a chance to meet their alter egos socially when another dinner was arranged. “Obviously they were like sponges, taking in every little thing that they could,” says Cookson.

More than anything, agrees Hodge, it’s a film about the value of friendship. “Each one of our characters has come through hurdles in their life as everybody does. And they’re able to empathize and share.” Bringing a mix of laughter and tears, the team hope Arthur’s Whisky will delight anyone that sees it.  “It’s not a sequel, it’s not a remake, it’s not a franchise. It is a feelgood film – and there aren’t many being made,” concludes Cookson. “And hopefully there can be more of this sort of British filmmaking, and particularly comedy – as there are so few being made now.”

:  Boy George, Patricia Hodge, Diane Keaton, Director Stephen Cookson and Lulu.  Photograph: Sky Cinema

Stephen is an English film director, producer and writer based in London. Prior to developing and going on to direct and produce Arthur’s Whisky he directed Brighton (starring Phil Davis, Larry Lamb, Marion Bailey and Lesley Sharp) which he adapted from the famous stage play Brighton Beach Scumbags, and My Angel which starred Brenda Blethyn, Timothy Spall, Celia Imrie and Mel Smith, and won Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Director at the Monaco International Film Festival.

Stephen also directed Stanley a Man of Variety starring Timothy Spall which won over 20 international awards including Best Director and Best Actor, Tell Tale Heart (Steven Berkoff, Henry Goodman and Hugh Skinner) which he adapted from Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, Shakespeare’s Heroes and Villains and The Battle of Cable Street both starring Steven Berkoff, Mumbo Mumbo (Joss Ackland, Brian Blessed and Richard O’Brien) for Warner Bros and  Journey to the Moon – the first movie musical since Alan Parker’s classic Bugsy Malone to feature an entire cast of children playing adults. 

Alexis is a writer and BIFA-winning actress best known for her roles in Mike Leigh’s stage and screen productions. In addition to Arthur’s Whisky, Alexis has written Dirty Martini, a feature comedy for BBC Films, and an adaptation of Mark Lamprell’s bestseller The Lovers Guide to Rome as an ambitious feature film for Anonymous Content. Alexis also rewrote All Inclusive, a major comedy feature for West End Films, and is currently working on two original TV series, one for Character Seven – a modern, profound comedy drama, and one for Hartswood – a brilliant, funny female ensemble piece, and The Kickback, a drama for Wild Mercury with Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek) attached. On the theatre side, her play The Steingolds was a finalist for the hugely prestigious Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and Holy Sh!t was the first play staged at the Kiln (previously the Tricycle) Theatre. She also wrote The Fever Syndrome for the Manhattan Theatre Club, which had a successful run at Hampstead, and she’s also developed with Manhattan Portrait of a Man, a powerful and intimate drama about JFK and Elaine de Kooning, also available as a feature screenplay. She’s currently writing a new original for National Theatre Connections.  


Visionary Ridley Scott crafted a bold, uniquely terrifying, visceral experience flush with the attitude and swagger of a classic Alien movie

In space, no one can hear you scream. After nearly four decades, those words remain synonymous with the sheer, relentless intensity of Ridley Scott’s masterpiece of futuristic horror, Alien.

Now, the father of the iconic franchise returns once more to the world he created to explore its darkest corners with Alien: Covenant, a pulse-pounding new adventure, set ten years after the events depicted in Scott’s 2012 hit Prometheus, relentlessly returning to the roots of the director’s groundbreaking saga with a uniquely terrifying tale filled with white-knuckle adventure and monstrous new creatures.

With this, the sixth installment in the blockbuster series  (screenplay is by John Logan and Dante Harper, from a story by Jack Paglen and Michael Green) , the visionary director edges ever closer toward revealing the mysterious origins of the mother of all aliens, the lethal Xenomorph from the original film.

On the set of Ridley Scott’s ALIEN

Alien-Covenant-Ridley-Scott

All is quiet aboard the spaceship Covenant. The crew and the rest of the 2,000 souls aboard the pioneering vessel are deep in hyper-sleep, leaving the synthetic Walter to walk the corridors alone. The ship is en route to the remote planet Origae-6, where, on the far side of the galaxy, the settlers hope to establish a new outpost for humanity. The tranquility is shattered when a nearby stellar ignition shreds Covenant’s energy-collection sails, resulting in dozens of casualties and throwing the mission off course. Soon, the surviving crew members discover what appears to be an uncharted paradise, an undisturbed Eden of cloud-capped mountains and immense, soaring trees far closer than Origae-6 and potentially just as viable as a home. What they’ve found, however, is actually a dark and deadly world full of unexpected twists and turns. Facing a terrible threat beyond their imagination, the embattled explorers must attempt a harrowing escape.

Welcome Aboard The Covenant

From the beginning, Ridley Scott was out for blood.

“I think Ridley’s first line was, ‘We’re going to make a hard R-rated film, and we’re going to need a lot of claret,’ which is a term for film blood,” recalls Alien: Covenant producer Mark Huffam. “That was the very first conversation—we’re out to scare the pants off everybody.”

If anyone knows how to terrify audiences with smart, sophisticated storytelling, it’s Scott. His original Alien remains a standard bearer for the horror genre, a psychologically taut, uncomfortably claustrophobic film, as lean and effective as the sleek, vicious beast that first stalked Ellen Ripley and the crew of the starship Nostromo back in 1979. “In a funny kind of way, I always thought of Alien as a B-movie, really well done,” Scott says. “The subtext was pretty basic—it was seven people locked in the old dark house and who’s going to die first and who’s going to survive.”

Director Ridley Scott is a renowned Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker honored with Best Director Oscar® nominations for his work on Black Hawk Down, Gladiator and Thelma & Louise. All three films also earned him DGA Award nominations. Scott’s most recent release was the critically acclaimed box office phenomenon The Martian.

Scott and his late brother Tony formed the commercial and advertising production company RSA in 1967. RSA has an established reputation for creating innovative and groundbreaking commercials for some of the world’s most recognized corporate brands. In 1995, the Scott brothers formed the film and television production company Scott Free. With offices in Los Angeles and London, the Scotts produced such films as In Her Shoes, The A-Team, Cyrus, The Grey and the Academy Award®-nominated drama The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

In 1977 Scott made his feature film directorial debut with The Duelist, for which he won the Best First Film Award at the Cannes Film Festival. He followed with the blockbuster science-fiction thriller Alien, which catapulted Sigourney Weaver to stardom and launched a successful franchise. In 1982 Scott directed the landmark film Blade Runner starring Harrison Ford. Considered a sci-fi classic, the futuristic thriller was added to the U.S. Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1993 and a director’s cut was released to renewed acclaim in 1993 and again in 2007.

In 2003 Scott was awarded a Knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his services to the British Film Industry. He received the 30th American Cinematheque Award at the organization’s annual gala in 2016 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in Motion Picture Direction at the 2017 Directors Guild of America Awards.

For Alien: Covenant, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker sought to recapture the same foreboding atmosphere of constant danger and dread while also offering new insights that would add richness and depth to the larger Alien mythology. That approach was necessary, he says, to keep the storytelling fresh and surprising.

“You can’t keep being chased down a corridor by a monster—it gets boring,” Scott says. “It came to me that no one had asked the question, who made this and why. You could say monsters from outer space, gods from outer space, engineers from outer space invented it. They didn’t. Alien: Covenant’s going to flip that around.”

John Logan received the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic Circle and Drama League awards for his play Red. This play premiered at the Donmar Warehouse in London and at the Golden Theatre on Broadway. Since then Red has had more than 200 productions across the US and has been presented in over 30 countries. In 2013, his play Peter and Alice premiered in London and I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers opened on Broadway. He also co-wrote the book for the musical The Last Ship and is the author of more than a dozen other plays including Never the Sinner and Hauptmann. As a screenwriter, Logan has been three times nominated for the Oscar and has received a Golden Globe, BAFTA, WGA, and PEN Center award. His film work includes Skyfall, Spectre, Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator, Rango, Genius, Coriolanus, Sweeney Todd, The Last Samurai, Any Given Sunday and RKO 281. He also created and produced the television series Penny Dreadful for Showtime.

Alien: Covenant marks the third collaboration for Michael Fassbender and the director after Prometheus and The Counselor.

Together, the actor and filmmaker explored all the complex circuitry hard-wired into David, the Covenant’s loyal synthetic, even tapping into his sly, subversive side. “Ridley and I tried and find the humor in him, the funny beats with him,” Fassbender says. “We all let our guards down when we laugh, so we’re more likely to experience other things like shock and horror to a fuller effect when we haven’t been numbed because there’s been a lack of humor.”

“Alien: Covenant, for me, is in a lot of ways like the first Alien,” Fassbender says. “It’s gritty and dark, and from the get-go, when the Covenant hits the space storm, it sets a series of events in motion that don’t stop until the final frame. Ten minutes into the film, it becomes relentless. I think this is going to be the scariest one of all the films.”

It’s true. With Alien: Covenant, there’s no question that visionary Scott has returned to his element, crafting a bold, uniquely terrifying, visceral experience flush with the attitude and swagger of a classic Alien movie. Expect nothing less than relentless, heart-stopping, R-rated terror.

“I hope the film gets people very uneasy, helps your arteries start pumping, sets hearts pounding,” says the filmmaker. “I hope you have a very dry throat but can’t take your eyes off the screen. To really scare the shit out of people is quite difficult, but his might give them nightmares. And that’s a good thing.”

Alien: Covenant was shot over 74 days at the stages of Fox Studios Australia and on location in Milford Sound, New Zealand in 2016.

Ridley Scott Film’s Screenplay PDF Collection

The original film’s journey to the screen started more than 20 years ago when producer Douglas Wick received fascinating research that described how all roads in ancient Rome led to the Colosseum. “Emperors and slaves, politicians and plebeians cheered the bloody spectacle with a devotion that could literally change the course of the empire,” Wick explained.

Wick approached DreamWorks, who loved the prospect of reinventing the sword and sandal epic for a new generation and the studio bought the unwritten pitch from writer David Franzoni. Wick developed a draft with DreamWorks, they took the idea to Scott, and the rest is history.

Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures. © 2024 Paramount Pictures.

“The first film has gone on to become an iconic cultural touchstone for film fans all over the globe,” says producer Michael Pruss, president of film at Scott Free Productions, who has spent more than a decade collaborating closely with Scott. “The world of the Roman Empire and the unforgettable characters of Gladiator were so brilliantly crafted. Recreating that on an even grander scale was a necessity. We wanted that same powerful motivation for revenge but something that was also fresh and modern and unique. It took longer than anybody anticipated, but great ideas and human drama take time to craft. Hopefully the results here speak for themselves.”

“Ridley is at the top of his game with Gladiator II,” says Wick. “Imagine coming to the movies after a tough day of work and having Ridley Scott as your tour guide to Ancient Rome. He will transport you into another world that’s vibrant, emotional, dangerous and extremely theatrical, a world full of corruption and deceit. And in his own unsentimental way, he will lead you to last vestiges of strength and honor and you will watch them prevail. It will be a unique and satisfying experience that engages all the senses, but most of all the heart.”

For Scott, one of cinema’s masters of the period picture, Gladiator II is at once specific and timeless. “This film is about the Roman Empire, obviously,” he says. “But it’s also about the way humanity never learns its lesson. We keep repeating history again and again and again.”

Read more about GLADIATOR

Paul Mescal plays Lucius in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures. © 2024 Paramount Pictures. / Photo Credit: Aidan Monaghan

Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honour to return the glory of Rome to its people.


Gladiator II has been under discussion since the film’s initial success, according to Scott. “The popularity of Gladiator just kept growing,” he explains. “The film stayed in the public’s mind. I knew we should consider a sequel, but it took years to figure out what the story was going to be.”

“We knew we had to top the original’s gripping action, but also try to capture its emotional intimacy,” according to producer Lucy Fisher, who began developing the new film alongside partner Wick in 2001. “It took a long time to get a story that we thought would be worthy of being a sequel to Gladiator. But once we grabbed onto the character of Lucius as an angry young man, exiled and abandoned, and committed to destroying the city that had both made and betrayed him, our story began to unfold. Lucius would be a lost prince, wanting to be anywhere but Rome, and yet all roads would lead him there.”

Director Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal on the set of Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures. © 2024 Paramount Pictures. / Photo Credit: Aidan Monaghan

That, says Wick, felt like a story worth telling. “But we soon realized that one of the biggest challenges we were going to face was a dilemma the ancient Romans knew well,” he says. “The audience has seen grand combat many times over and their thirst for MORE was unquenchable. Whatever we created had to provide captivating new thrills. A true spectacle for the ages.”

In 2021, Scott approached screenwriter David Scarpa, who wrote the director’s 2017 true-crime drama All the Money in the World, to craft a compelling tale based on a story by Peter Craig (writer of Top Gun: Maverick). It is 15 years after the death of Maximus Decimus Meridius, Crowe’s character in the original. Combat in the Colosseum has become more deadly, violent and spectacular as bloodthirsty crowds urge the half-mad twin emperors to new heights of cruelty. The Roman Empire continues its relentless march across the world, expanding its borders, pillaging every culture in its path and forcing the survivors to fight for their lives in the ring.

“I knew and loved the original,” says Scarpa, who also scripted Scott’s Napoleon. “When Ridley approached me, I was extremely excited. Gladiator is such an esteemed classic and a touchstone for historical action films. I was both honored and a little apprehensive about working with the people who created that world. Ridley has a very strong directorial voice, and his vision is central to the movie.”

Scarpa also notes the inherent challenge of making a sequel to a film in which most of the lead characters have passed. But he found plenty of creative opportunities in picking up the story so many years later. “We started by placing our main character, Lucius, in a situation that is diametrically opposed to Maximus’ story,” says the screenwriter. “Maximus started as a leader in the Roman military who is facing off with an army of barbarians. Lucius is a barbarian defending his home from the invading Romans. Maximus was loyal to the emperor. Lucius hates Rome and everything to do with it. And yet both end up forced to kill or be killed for the amusement of the mob.”

Much of the in-depth research done for the first film was still available for Scarpa to build on. “We started with the real historical Rome,” he says. “Lucius, like Maximus, is not a real historical figure, although Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, and Lucilla are. This film’s twin emperors Caracalla and Geta were real as well, although we took some creative liberties with how their rivalry plays out.”

Paul Mescal and Director Ridley Scott on the set of Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures.
© 2024 Paramount Pictures. / Photo Credit: Aidan Monaghan

“Finding a follow-up for the first movie was a daunting task — particularly since we had killed off our two leads!” says Wick. “That meant we either had to find a new star or make one. It was an incredible risk on a big movie to choose an actor who’s never carried one. And our protagonist also had to be credible as an action hero. Ridley, the producers and the studio all held hands with Paul and jumped off a cliff. We would soon discover that Paul is one of those once-in-a-generation talents who always lands on his feet.”

At the age of 28, Mescal has collected an Olivier Award for Best Actor for A Streetcar Named Desire, and an Oscar nomination for his work in Aftersun. In 2023 he astounded fans with his remarkable performance in the lauded British masterwork All Of Us Strangers.

Being asked to headline a Ridley Scott film was what he calls a “pinch-me moment.” “Ridley Scott’s a king in cinema and especially this genre,” the actor says. “When Ridley comes knocking, you just say yes. It’s definitely been a career highlight for me to watch the way the master’s brain works. And he was incredibly generous about sharing his knowledge and talent with me.”

In his first foray into the action blockbuster genre, Mescal says he is acutely aware of the influence and acclaim associated with the Gladiator title. “It holds a huge amount of weight for a vast number of people across the world. And the scale of it is huge. It’s not like any other role I’ve played. Going from independent features to a blockbuster studio picture was intimidating until I realized that acting is acting is acting, regardless of the context.”

Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington plays Macrinus, a Roman businessman who has amassed enormous wealth thanks to his acumen and brutal ambition. “I think Macrinus was probably a soldier from North Africa who arrived in Rome as a young man,” says the director. “He worked his way up to being a major supplier of food and other goods to the armies and turned that into an empire of steel foundries, shields, swords, and spears.”

The terrifyingly mad twin emperors Caracalla and Geta were an incredible gift to the film taken directly from history. “But we didn’t want another deranged Emperor as our primary antagonist,” says Wick. “Macrinus would be entirely self-made. He is a former slave who wanted not just his freedom but to have slaves of his own, not unlike Marcus Tullis Tiro, who began life as a slave in the home of Roman politician and philosopher Cicero and became a statesman in his own right. He would be very contemporary, as he bought his way into the inner sanctums of Rome.

Paul Mescal plays Lucius and Pedro Pascal plays Marcus Acacius in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures. © 2024 Paramount Pictures. Photo Credit: Aidan Monaghan

Pedro Pascal, an Emmy® nominee for his role in the post-apocalyptic thriller series “The Last of Us,” plays General Acacius, a Roman general and the husband of Lucilla. Pascal says he saw Gladiator multiple times when it was first released. It’s been a dream come true for him to work with a director whose films he has admired for so long. “For most of my life, I have only experienced his work as a spectator — eyes wide open and completely dazzled,” he says. “To be part of one of his movies is something I didn’t expect to happen.” Audiences may well find their feelings towards the character shifting back and forth, Pascal believes. “You have to pay attention to the where and why of his allegiances,” the actor says. “Because he is leading the Roman army, you’ll think he’s a villain. But Acacius loves Lucilla, a beloved character from the first movie. So, then he’s a good guy. And the movie plays those tricks on us continually.”

Connie Nielsen plays Lucilla and Joseph Quinn plays Emperor Geta in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures. © 2024 Paramount Pictures. Photo Credit: Aidan Monaghan

Connie Nielsen once again plays Lucilla, the daughter of the esteemed late emperor Marcus Aurelius and the lover of Maximus.When audiences last saw her, she had left the Colosseum, where both her brother Commodus and Maximus lay dead. Perhaps the most skilled politician in the film, Lucilla knows that the fate of Rome will be settled in blood and makes a heartbreaking decision. “Lucilla has had to be a survivor all of her life,” Nielsen says. “She immediately understood what the death of her brother meant for her and those she cares about. When this movie begins, she’s been through 15 years of upheaval and countless pretenders to the throne.”

Joseph Quinn describes his character as a “sadistic, ruthless emperor who is every bit as unpleasant as his brother.” “Geta is motivated by fear of losing power and by greed,” he continues. “Those are both deplorable traits in a leader. He is full of insecurity and lacks integrity but has an enormous amount of power — a dangerous combination. He has an abundant life and a feeling that it might all get ripped away. They’re totally inept and justifiably distrusting of everyone around them. They need each other to maintain power and balance, but Caracalla’s mind is slowly being eroded by syphilis. I was very lucky in the scene partner I had in Fred. He’s an extraordinary actor and brilliant person.”

Derek Jacobi reprises his Gladiator role of Roman senator Gracchus. He is Lucilla’s staunchest ally and reluctant co-conspirator. The actor, who became a star almost 50 years ago playing a Roman emperor in the BBC miniseries “I, Claudius,” was in retirement, but Scott refused to make the film without him. “I wanted him back,” the director says. “In so many ways, he represents the Old Guard of Rome.” Jacobi was happy to be asked to return to ancient Rome. “Like the original film, this is a great story with an epic quality,” says the actor, whose accolades include BAFTA, Emmy®,and Tony® Awards. “It’s thrilling but extremely moving because it touches on so many points of human existence.”

Paul Mescal plays Lucius in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures. © 2024 Paramount Pictures. Courtesy of
Paramount Pictures.

Gladiator II was filmed in Morocco and Malta, with a few scenes at Shepperton Studios outside London. To oversee the design and build of ancient Rome, Scott turned to his longtime collaborator, production designer Arthur Max. This is the 16th project Scott and Max have worked on together, a list that includes Gladiator, American Gangster, The Martian and Napoleon.

Special Effects Supervisor Neil Corbould of Industrial Light & Magic, an Oscar® winner for Gladiator, has a long history with Scott. They began their work on the sequel, he recalls, as they always do by discussing how much farther they could push the possibilities of cinema. The film’s most astonishing action sequences came together through a combination of practical sets supplemented by special and visual effects.

Costume designer Janty Yates won an Academy Award® for her work on Gladiator and was thrilled to be back for the sequel. “It’s such a marvelous era to work in,” she says. “I’ve been in space three times since Gladiator and done all sorts of other periods, so I had to give myself a good brush-up on Rome.”

Paul Mescal plays Lucius in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures. © 2024 Paramount Pictures. Photo Credit: Aidan Monaghan

Dave Crossman, who designed costumes for Scott’s Napoleon, created the uniforms for the Roman military and the gladiators, including Mescal’s Lucius. “He has done such brilliant work,” says Yates. “He had to do 150 gladiators, and every single one is different.” More than 2,000 costumes were created by artisans across the world under the supervision of Crossman and his team. “It was my chance to do a Roman epic,” Crossman says.

Director of photography John Mathieson is another of Scott’s regular collaborators and was nominated for an Oscar for his work on Gladiator. For him, this film has been a long time coming. “There had been so many rumors about a sequel for so many years and then suddenly it was on,” he says. “The set was slightly different this time, especially in terms of size, but we shot in the same countries, Malta and Morocco.”

Paul Mescal plays Lucius and Peter Mensah plays Jugurtha in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures. © 2024 Paramount Pictures. Photo Credit: Aidan Monaghan

In addition to the “Orientalist” paintings of snake charmers, courtesans, and gladiators in exotic locales, Mathieson referred to the Victorian Pre-Raphaelites’ romanticized neoclassical subjects and jewel-toned palette. It was a time when “The Grand Tour” of Europe was a rite of passage, with Italy often as its centerpiece.

Editor Claire Simpson has been working regularly with Scott since his 1987 feature Someone to Watch Over Me. “Ridley always puts together a crew of creative artists in all departments,” she says. “There is a sense of security in belonging to that community. It inspires loyalty and trust.”

The enormous amount of footage produced each day required two editors to keep up with, according to Simpson, who was joined in the editing bay by Sam Restivo. “Otherwise, we would have been overwhelmed by dailies rather than excited and filled with expectation by the potential of the material.”

Joseph Quinn plays Emperor Geta in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures. © 2024 Paramount Pictures.
Photo Credit: Cuba Scott

Composer Harry Gregson-Williams’ previous collaborations with Scott, which include writing the original scores for The Martian, Kingdom of Heaven, The Last Duel, and House of Gucci and writing themes for Prometheus and Exodus: Gods and Kings, had taught him that the work would be demanding but the rewards were more than worth it. “Ridley is an open book when it comes to music,” Gregson-Williams says. “He doesn’t point me to a path and expect me to follow it. He allows me the freedom to experiment. He understands the power of music in a movie like few others do, but never speaks to me in musical terms. He’ll talk to me about light and darkness, shade and texture. He might say, could there be a more abrasive texture in this scene? And I’ll interpret that in a musical way.”

Scott says that for him, music is language. “When you score a film, you’re writing a new language that gives the film an added dynamic,” he explains. “It’s like the final dialogue. Music can make a movie or ruin it, the way an editor can make a mediocre film better or a possibly great film bad.”

Ask anyone on this monumental production what audiences can expect from Gladiator II and their enthusiasm for the project is palpable. “Being on the set was like being a child playing with grown-up toys,” says Washington. “I’d find myself looking at all these Roman soldiers coming down the hill and thinking about old movies like King of Kings or Ten Commandments. Gladiator II feels like that. And it’s a reflection of Ridley’s talent. I know he’d hate me saying these kinds of things, but he’s a grumpy old genius, you know? I love him. He just gets on with it. And he is a visionary.”


RIDLEY SCOTT, p.g.a. (Directed by, Produced by) is a renowned Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker honored with Best Director Oscar® nominations for his work on Black Hawk Down (2001), Gladiator (2000) and Thelma & Louise (1991). Scott recently directed The Last Duel (2021), starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Jodie Comer, and House of Gucci (2021)starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver. He produced A Haunting in Venice (2023) starring Kenneth Branagh, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey and Michele Yeoh; Death on the Nile (2022), starring Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot, and Annette Bening; and Boston Strangler on Hulu (2023) starring Keira Knightley, Carrie Coon, and Chris Cooper. He most recently directed Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby.

In 1977, Scott made his feature-film directorial debut with The Duellists, for which he won the Best First Film Award at the Cannes Film Festival. He followed with the iconic science-fiction thriller Alien (1979), and the landmark film Blade Runner (1982), which has been added to the U.S. Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1993.

Additional film credits as director include The Martian (2015), which received 7 Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, a DGA Award nomination, and 6 BAFTA nominations, including Best Director; Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014), starring Christian Bale and Joel Edgerton; The Counselor (2013), written by Cormac McCarthy and starring Michael Fassbender; the acclaimed hit Prometheus (2012), starring Michael Fassbender; G.I. Jane (1997), starring Demi Moore and Viggo Mortensen; Hannibal (2001), starring Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore; Body of Lies (2008), starring Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio; Robin Hood (2010), marking his fifth collaboration with star Russell Crowe; Alien: Covenant (2017), the sequel to Prometheus; and All the Money in the World (2017), starring Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Williams.

Scott and his late brother Tony formed the commercial and advertising production company RSA in 1967. In 1995, the Scott brothers formed the film and television production company Scott Free Productions. Recent Scott Free projects include A Sacrifice, a thriller written and directed by Jordan Scott, starring Eric Bana and Sadie Sink, and Alien: Romulus, the newest movie in the Alien franchise, directed by Fede Álvarez.

On television, Scott executive produced the Emmy®, Peabody and Golden Globe® winning hit “The Good Wife,” for CBS and its critically acclaimed CBS All Access spin-off “The Good Fight;” the series adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s classic “The Man in the High Castle” for Amazon; AMC’s anthology series “The Terror;” and Steven Knight’s gritty adaptation of the Charles Dickens’ classic “Great Expectations” for FX/BBC1.

In 2024, Scott was awarded a Knight Grand Cross in honor of his services to the UK film industry. In 2003, Scott was awarded a knighthood from the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contributions to the arts. He received the 30th American Cinematheque Award at the organization’s annual gala in 2016, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Motion Picture Direction at the 2017 Directors Guild of America Awards, and the Academy Fellowship honor at the 2018 BAFTA Awards.

DAVID FRANZONI (Based on Characters Created by, Produced by) is an Academy Award winning and Emmy nominated screenwriter and producer with over 38 years of experience in the entertainment industry.

Notable film credits include Jumpin’ Jack Flash (dir. Penny Marshall), Amistad (dir. Steven Spielberg), and King Arthur (dir. Antoine Fuqua). Franzoni has also worked in television, writing Citizen Cohn (dir. Frank Pierson), which he has an Emmy nomination in addition to a Cable ACE Award, the Pen Center USA Literary Award and The George Foster Peabody Award.

Franzoni is well known for writing and producing Gladiator (dir. Ridley Scott), which he has won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Film Award, and a PGA Award, along with receiving Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for Best Original Screenplay.

Franzoni most recently worked on Gladiator II where he reunited with Ridley Scott. The sequel comes 24 years after the first film and is set to release this fall.

DAVID SCARPA (Screenplay by, Story by) is an accomplished screenwriter whose latest project, Gladiator II, marks his third collaboration with the legendary director Ridley Scott, following their successful partnership on All the Money in the World (2017) and last year’s Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix.

Born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and raised in Tennessee and Connecticut, Scarpa is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he studied Film and Television.  Scarpa began his career with notable screenplays such as The Last Castle, featuring Robert Redford and James Gandolfini, and the 2008 remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, starring Keanu Reeves. His work extended to television as well, where he served as Executive Producer and Showrunner for the final season of “The Man in the High Castle.”

Several of Scarpa’s original screenplays have earned critical acclaim, with works like Londongrad and All the Money in the World making their way onto the prestigious Black List. His future projects include the highly anticipated Cleopatra, directed by Denis Villeneuve, and Sony’s upcoming adaptation of Jo Nesbo’s Macbeth.

PETER CRAIG (Story by) is a crime novelist and screenwriter, whose credits include The Town (2010), The Batman (2022), Bad Boys For Life (2021), and Parts 1 and 2 of The Hunger Games; Mockingjay (2014, 2015). He was nominated for an Academy Award in 2022 for his contributions to Top Gun: Maverick. His upcoming series, “Dope Thief,” will air in early 2025, the pilot episode of which was directed by Ridley Scott.


Prior to its publication as a short novel in 1903, Jack London’s adventure-  saga about a dog named Buck was serialized in “The Saturday Evening Post” magazine.  Translated into 47 languages, it has never been out of print since, an enduring example of classic American literature. Following in the footsteps of four other film adaptions and a TV series, this latest film adaptation is directed by Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon) from a screenplay by Michael Green (Murder on the Orient Express).  

Novelist, journalist, social activist, and a pioneer in the world of commercial magazine fiction, John Griffith London, also known as Jack London, was also an innovator in the genre that would later become known as science fiction. He was one of the first writers to become a worldwide celebrity and earn a large fortune from writing and his short adventure novel Call Of The Wild was published in 1903, which was serialized in The Saturday Evening Post in the summer of 1903, published in book form, and the book’s great popularity resulted in its film debut in 1923, followed by several more cinematic adaptations, and is now retold on the big screen. 

The Call Of The Wild vividly brings to the screen the story of Buck, a big-hearted dog whose blissful domestic life is turned upside down when he is suddenly uprooted from his California home and transplanted to the exotic wilds of the Canadian Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. As the newest rookie on a mail delivery dog sled team–and later its leader–Buck has embarked on an extraordinary coming-of-age journey that will lead him to ultimately discover his true place in the world and become his own master.


“It speaks to people on many different levels.  It’s a great travel-adventure story in the tradition of Robert Louis Stevenson.  It told people about places in North America that they’d heard of, but had only seen pictures of. There had been a mania in America about the Klondike Gold Rush.  Newspapers couldn’t print enough stories about it.  People weren’t even aware that it was built on the back of dogs. It’s the story of a teenage dog coming of age, becoming a grown man.

“There’s a time in every dog’s life where they have to protect themselves, where they have to protect their pack, protect their human. And there’s a wolf instinct inside them that some dogs have greater access to, but pushed in the right direction they all find.  Then you have a dog like Buck who has to go through some terrible and hard experiences to find that within himself.”

Michael Green

Producer Erwin Stoff ‘s father first introduced him to The Call of the Wild,  reading it to him as a young boy in Romania.  Flash forward many decades and thousands of miles away to Los Angeles and one weekend I was on the phone with Michael Green discussing what movie he’d like to write next. He said he wanted to write something very cinematic that had a lot of visual elements and wasn’t dependent on ‘quippy’ dialogue.  He actually sent me a graphic novel about wolves and I said if that’s the world we’re going to be in, we should think about The Call of the Wild.”

“I think the reason this story has endured for over 100 years is that like all great literature, it has some universal elements,” explains Stoff.  “It’s about loss, the curing of loss, home and being ripped away from home and perhaps most of all, finding a better and stronger version of yourself.”

“Emotionally and thematically, it is this notion of — how the most innocent of creatures who never lets himself be affected by anything negative brings out the very best in all of us.  And how that improves everybody’s life.  Everyone whose life Buck touches is better for it and I think that’s an incredibly powerful emotional trigger.”

“Michael was able to change and accentuate enough to make it cinematic, says Stoff.”

What attracted Michael Green to this film was the fact that the story had been told in different versions through the years, but never the entire book from beginning to end and always from the point of view of the humans rather than the protagonist, Buck.

Green recalls, “I sat down with Erwin and said wouldn’t it be amazing to tell a story that’s largely about knowing exactly what a character is about and what he’s up to without relying on dialogue. 

“We wanted to see if we could tell Buck’s story visually.  We didn’t need him to talk; we didn’t need to have a voice over.  Rather, we needed to be clear about what Buck was after at any given moment.  As long as we knew what Buck was trying to accomplish in each scene, from moment to moment, we knew you could follow the story.  Although he would come across wonderful humans played by incredible actors, they were going to be an enhancement to Buck’s story.

Says Chris Sanders, who makes his live-action directorial debut, “The Call Of The Wild is all about a character that has unexpected things thrown at him, things that you and I would probably recognize as just the sort of stuff life does. Unexpected challenges can either defeat you, or make you stronger, and that’s what happens to Buck. Rather than being defeated at these different turns, Buck keeps going and eventually finds a place where he belongs.  Buck doesn’t just survive, he prevails, and he does so with his gentle character intact. It so closely relates to what we are going to all go through in life. We’re always going to be traveling in uncertainty, unexpected turns and stuff like that.”

Chris Sanders

“Even though it’s a childhood classic,” says Sanders, “it’s not a fairy tale. It’s a gritty story of survival and perseverance and whether you’re young or old, I think you either have or will experienced these sorts of things. You sense that there’s a truth inside this story that that you might be living yourself.  And I think that’s why this story endures.  It’s a story of a character uncovering strengths that he didn’t know he had.”  

In this 21st century screen version of The Call Of The Wild, Buck would carry the emotional arc of the entire movie, so he needed to be completely believable in all circumstances.  To make that happen, Stoff and Sanders early on hired acclaimed visual effects producer Ryan Stafford, also an executive producer on the film, and visual effects supervisor Erik Nash, a three-time Academy Award- nominee.

Initially planned as mostly CGI-driven, the filmmakers decided instead on more of a hybrid approach incorporating more actual photography to blend with digitally-created dogs and other animals. This new approach would require Buck, the film’s lead character who carries the emotional arc of the story, to be much more authentic. 

Harrison Ford, best known for having created two of the most popular and iconic big-screen heroes in motion picture history, Star Wars’ Hans Solo and Raiders of the Lost Ark’s Indiana Jones, was attracted to the project for several reasons.

First, he liked the prospect of doing a film for younger audiences. Second, he was intrigued by how the filmmakers would be creating Buck and the other dogs by computer, and how that necessitated his having to act opposite a human dog stand-in.

Says Ford, “One of the most interesting details of shooting this film is that there were no dogs to work with, there was a human stand-in for Buck, to organize my eye line and to give me someone to participate with emotionally. It was at first a bit challenging, but then became quite good fun.

He adds, “I spent more time with Terry than I did with anyone else on this film. We helped each other accomplish what the other needed. I was acting for him as he was acting for me. We were there for each other.”

Director Sanders says, Harrison really brought a ton to the party.  In the  book, Thornton goes through certain situations with Buck, but I don’t think his character is super well defined.  And I think one of the wonderful things that Harrison did throughout this whole process was he was able to find that character, create that character. And really define what it was going to be. From the very beginning, he and I would have these very deep discussions about his character.”

From these conversations, Ford understood that his character’s place in the story was to redeem humanity in the eyes of Buck, after his experience with an abusive owner.

 But for the actor, who currently has three small dogs and has had dogs all his life, what was especially appealing was that the film was not only about Buck’s transformation, but also his character, John Thornton’s, as a result of his relationship with Buck.

Ford explains, “One of the things I am always looking for in a project is what I call an emotional exercise for the audience. A chance to participate in a story where they recognize themselves and generate the power of emotional understanding in the audience.”

Describing his character, Ford says, “John Thornton is a man who became uncomfortable in his life and in his world. He was unable to bear the pain and the burden of his circumstances. So he fled from his home down south to the Yukon, where he can find gold and strike it rich, and for another strongly emotional reason: his young son had always wanted to explore the wilderness. But he goes there really to find some peace and solitude.”

He continues, “Then he meets Buck, and they become companions in this journey, emotionally bonded, and they face danger and adventure together.  I was touched by that journey and the relationship between these two characters.

Born into an artistic household in Colorado, director Chris Sanders grew up drawing and penning short stories. Although Chris drew throughout school and served as the cartoonist for the Arvada High School newspaper, he hadn’t considered art as something he could do for a living. But when his grandmother found a random article about the California Institute of the Arts (or CalArts) in the Denver Post, everything changed.

Chris applied for and was accepted to CalArts’ Animation Program, and went on to work for Marvel Productions, and then Disney Studios. He worked as a story artist on The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, before he was made head of story on Mulan.

Near the end of Mulan, then-Head of Feature Animation Tom Schumacher asked Chris if there were anything he wanted to develop. “I remembered a story from eighteen years before that I had tried to write as a children’s book, but had given up on, because I couldn’t compress it into a short story format. Over a sushi dinner at the Walt Disney World Swan Resort, I pitched that story — a tale of a strange forest creature, shunned by all, and unaware of his own origins. Tom liked it, and when he suggested I relocate the tale of the lonely little monster into the human world, Lilo & Stitch was born.”

Chris wrote, boarded, and directed Lilo & Stitch with Dean DeBlois. In 2006, Chris left Disney Studios to join the filmmaking team at DreamWorks Animation. When he was given the opportunity to direct How to Train Your Dragon, he jumped at the chance.

Born March 12, 1962 in Colorado Springs, Chris Sanders was the middle of three children. Chris remembers, “Art was the dominant thing in our house as we grew up. My dad was always sketching and painting — mostly abstract stuff and Buck Rogers-style spaceships. On Friday nights, we all sat at the dining room table around big glasses of water and painted as a family. We were always welcome to draw at my dad’s desk, and we had a constant supply of Blackwing pencils and computer paper he had liberated from the office where he worked.”

When he wasn’t drawing or gathering things from other people’s trash, Chris used a manual Underwood typewriter to tap out short stories. “Tiny tales that usually ended in misfortune, misery, and disaster. I proudly passed the finished work out to my family. Rather than seek emotional counsel for me, they just asked for more stories, which I happily supplied, trying to invent new accidents more terrible than the last.”

At DreamWorks, Chris also wrote and directed the comedy-adventure feature film The Croods with Kirk DeMicco, which was released on March 22, 2013.

In 2015, Chris made his publishing debut with the young-adult novel “Rescue Sirens: The Search for the Atavist,” a concept created by Chris’s wife and co- author, Jessica Steele-Sanders. In addition to co-writing the book, Chris also provided the character designs and cover illustrations.

Green most recently wrote the adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, directed by Kenneth Branagh, and he co-wrote Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve, Alien: Covenant, directed by Ridley Scott, and Logan, directed by James Mangold.  The latter earned Green a nomination for an Academy Award.

In television, Green is the creator of NBC’s Kings and co-creator of Starz’s American Gods, adapted from Neil Gaiman’s novel.  He has produced and written for such shows as Raising Dion, Heroes, Smallville, Everwood and Sex and the City.

Whether you are writing a novel, a screenplay for film or television, or a stageplay, ultimately, you are writing a story.

Stop obsessing over writing a film, bestseller or play and focus your attention on writing the ultimate story.

Don’t place your story into a box and smother it with conventions, rules and pre-conceived perceptions.

Your story is a living, breathing organism.

Let your story breathe

Writing your story is an organic process that feeds off inspiration and is fueled by passion.

It’s only the format of the medium that separates a screenplay from a novel, or a stageplay, but as stories, each unique medium is united in theme, character and plotting, as well as the process from divine inspiration, to the crafting of the story, and eventual final, polished draft.

That perfect story within you is desperate to be unleashed.

Daniel Dercksen with Almeri Rautenbach during one of her morning walks in December 2015 – the picture was taken at Abraham’s house, where Jans Rautenbach’s film Abraham was filmed

Caption for Banner Pic: For 45-years of her life, Almeri Rautenbach took a regular 15 km walk every day of her life into the Karoo landscape that surrounds her farm Oulap, where she lived in blissful isolation with her loving husband Jans. On her daily journey she collected a stone and then placed it on a shrine of stones in a garden on the mountaintop where she built the house with her husband 50 years ago. Each stone tells a different story and if you are fortunate to share her journey, and take a walk with her like I did, you will discover that she knows the story each stone harbours. It’s a serene, spiritual, soulful and silent journey that awakens the creative spirit and stirs a fervent passion. Almeri’s inspirational journey takes about two hours each day. If you as a writer spend 2 hours every day writing your story from within, and take full ownership of your story, your daily pages will soon become a monument that pays testament to your creative talent and showcase a perfect story the world has been waiting for and deserves to hear.

Crafting a perfect, original story

It is not an imitation of someone else’s story, but a story that reflects your own unique voice as a writer, a story you write from the inside out with truth and conviction, and not one that you write on the surface to merely impress.

It’s about setting that story within free.

Once you have turned inspiration into a passion and developed your premise, concept, theme, characters and plot, your story outline is the reward that will clearly dictate what medium will serve your story best:

  • if it’s a story that happens in dialogue, you are writing a play, the home of words.
  • if it’s a story filled with pictures, you are writing a film, the home of images.
  • if the story mostly happens inside the mind of your characters, you are writing a novel, the home of thoughts.

It’s all about the story you are writing and you, the writer, your thematic purpose, vivid characters and dramatic line of action serving the story to its extreme.

You not only serve your story but have the unique ability and magical power as a creator to fully control whatever happens in your story, as well as manipulate the emotions of those who will take a journey into your story through the words you write.

You are the puppet master and your creativity feeds your story and gives life to your characters and dramatic motivated action.

You are the story you write and must own it completely as an artist and artisan, as a storyteller and storymaker.

Release that story today.

Don’t wait for tomorrow.

Make it happen now!

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The writer’s instinctive and rebellious creative nature is tamed and ordered so that chaos becomes organised.

The writer’s creative self and rational self team up to unify the story and present the best of both possible worlds; one where imaginative and unique scenarios come to life in an well thought-out master plan, where the writer is master and slave to the story.

Structure tames the creative spirit, but also allows it to reign free within its logical limitations.

It’s not a prison but a playground where stories run wild.

Its part of human nature to make sense of what happens, and if what happens is magnified ten times on the big screen, this amplified reality needs structure.

In The Tokoloshe a young woman, crippled by suppressed emotions, must find the courage to face an insatiable demon wrought in her own childhood when she tries to save the life of a girl child abandoned in a rundown Johannesburg hospital.

Jerome Pikwane finished his secondary schooling at the National School of the Arts and studied directing at the New York Film Academy. He has also worked with some of South Africa’s most established directors, starting his directing career in 2004 with Vuka and Pendoring awards for writing and directing. Jerome has worked with brands such as MTN Telecommunications, PlayStation and Metro FM. He is enthusiastic, versatile and is a self-confessed cinephile.

Read more about South African Filmmaking

Tell me about Tokoloshe. What inspired the story?

I always liked horror films because the genre can act as an allegory. Whether it’s “ Jaws” commenting about Watergate or “Get out” dealing with racism. In this case our film deals with  patriarchy.

What does the myth versus reality of the Tokoloshe mean to you?

The Tokoloshe is a bogeyman and most countries have them but our bogeyman represents the bogeyman we all grew up with. For Richard Kunzman and I it was about giving the Tokoloshe relevance. Understanding that the myth means so much to so many people but ultimately we had to give it our own meaning.

You wrote the screenplay with Richard Kunzmann. Tell me about the collaboration?

Richard and I have known each other for over a decade so we know each others strengths quite well. I’m a cinephile and his a novelist so we met somewhere in between.

Richard Kunzmann is an internationally published South African author, whose first novel, Bloody Harvests, was short-listed for the lucrative Crime Writers’ Association John Creasy Award for Best New Novel in 2005.

Rampant crime and an under-resourced police force provide the backdrop for the critically praised Harry Mason and Jacob Tshabalala series, which now includes ‘Dead End Road’ and ‘Salamander Cotton’.

How did you approach this story?

‘The Tokoloshe’ reflects the times and place of our current world, especially the unpleasant aspects of abuse and misogyny. We must ask how, as a society, we got here. Because that’s what good horror films do. Man is the real monster; that’s why the villain in the film ends up disfigured and why Busi’s abusers, including her father, is represented by a monster. The monster in this case is patriarchy in our society, which our heroine and countless other women and children are subjected to across the globe, whether in the developed or developing worlds. Perhaps it is true that when people consume horror films, they entertain the thought that monsters, human or otherwise, exist. Our belief in their presence stems from our personal repression that comes from feelings of loathing and dislike. My aim as a director is to create a space where the audience can give in to those feelings without fear or judgement. I need to scare them with that which they claim to believe isn’t real and so I want to raise questions about repression and abuse in each audience member

Why do you think horror films are so popular?

Fear is one of our most primordial instincts, and the suspense derived from horror films gives us a great rush at the cost of a movie ticket. In many ways, horror films also take us back to our childhoods when things did go bump in the night. These films are not only about excitement, they are about release: on screen, the anxieties we all face are made concrete in the form of a human or supernatural terror, and therefore made digestible.

What were your influences?

‘The Tokoloshe’ is envisioned as a modern horror, fusing the paranormal with high drama in a claustrophobic environment that oozes with isolation, ostracism, and a pervasive dread, much like Hideo Nakata’s ‘Dark Waters’, or David Cronenberg’s ‘Spider’, but with a uniquely African twist.

What the filmmakers are setting out to do is perfectly summed up by the editor of Fangoria, Anthony Timpone, in an interview with MTV Movies: “A Japanese horror film begins slowly until you have this increasing feeling of dread as you’re watching the film.

They take their time in telling the story, they set up their characters, they set up their horror, and it builds very incrementally until a really big, scary payoff. The films are loaded with atmosphere, suspense, a creeping dread, very eerie sound effects. It’s a real total experience of the senses when you watch a Japanese horror film.”

As in three-times Oscar-winning film ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, ‘Spider’ and ‘Dark Waters’, ‘The Tokoloshe’ explores the psychological horrors a person experiences in the face of an overwhelming and threatening internal and external world – whether as a child or as an adult who lost her childlike innocence.

Abandoned, lonely, ostracised and, most importantly, not believed, Grace and Busi are mirror images of each other, across the dividing line called adulthood.

The drama of this film does not spring from CGI, special effects, a large cast or epic settings. It remains tightly focused on the unfolding relationship between Grace and Busi. They are two women who have retreated into themselves after trauma, yet both are reaching out to the other without really knowing how to connect. Each has secrets the other must first unravel.

 

How did you cast the film?

It was important for me to find actors who didn’t have baggage. When the audience meets our characters, they should never say “Isn’t that so and so from that film or TV show?” I wanted the audience to completely buy these characters and the actors portraying them. And hopefully we’ve done this. As a director and co-writer, I had to let go of each character and let the actors inhabit them. I wanted the actors to show me something about their characters that I didn’t know or had never thought of. This process of handing over the characters to the actors was quite liberating; now we hand them over to the audience.

Your views on the South African film industry?

It’s unbelievable how far above our weight we punch but we some how we do. I’m excited to see what my generation of filmmakers come up with. I think the trend is to explore our current social ills through genre films whether its “District 9” or now “The Tokoloshe”.

How difficult is it for screenwriters to get their work produced?

Yes it can be challenging with all the financing obstacles but which filmmaker around the world doesn’t have that problem? But the interest in our films I think is changing that.

What do you think producers are looking for in a screenplay?

It has to speak to you, whether it scares you or thrills you but it must make you change your outlook and I guess most importantly financial viability.

When you sat in the director’s chair, did your vision of the story change much from the screenplay?

Yes it has too but not drastically, there were things that you couldn’t control but you use those obstacles to your advantage. Just look at how well it worked for Spielberg on Jaws.

What do you expect audiences to get from watching the film? 

I want them to be scared in a good way, like how I was scared after Psycho or “The thing”. I want the film to stay with them for a long time and I think it will.


Magpie is a taut modern noir with a killer twist,” says director Sam Yates. “Like all noirs, we are exploring the darkness of the human heart, morally ambiguous behaviour, and alienation. As soon as I read Tom Bateman’s script, I connected with the story on a number of personal levels.”

Daisy took the project to producer Kate Solomon, who was immediately drawn to the story and worked with them on the script. “I think it’s very unusual to have films where the characters can be so complex and ambiguous. You have one view of Anette, and then it changes and you’re not quite sure why. It also felt very modern because a lot of it is based around the digital world, and the relationships are played out within that world.”

Daisy Ridley continues to make her mark on Hollywood as one of the most dynamic English actresses of our time. She is best known for her breakthrough role as Rey in the 2015 film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens directed by J.J. Abrams. She reprised her role as Rey in Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi directed by Rian Johnson in 2017 and in the final film of the Skywalker Saga Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker directed by J.J. Abrams in 2019.

Tom Bateman and Daisy Ridley.

Director Sam Yates came on board soon after, marking his feature film directorial debut. “I immediately connected with the script, especially with the theme of someone who is not saying what they need to say, and is repressed or restricted in expressing what’s inside her, which here is about standing up to a partner who has very certainly devalued her over time, with his behaviour. I really responded to that as a premise. Anette finds expression in the film in a really interesting way, in a way that you don’t expect because she doesn’t say much at all. But nevertheless, she finds this cunning, inner strength to change her situation, which I thought was really beautifully done. And it’s unusual as well, I think, to see a modern noir put together in this way, with a dynamic female protagonist and lots of subversions of the genre, which I found really interesting.”

He continues, “there is a sense of moral ambiguity and ambivalence. We watch these characters all behaving in pretty interesting ways, and there’s no clear hero so you are not quite sure where to place your loyalties. I also wanted to question the undeclared violence that goes on within marriages. The sort of violence by stealth, which I felt was in the fibres of their relationship, and the desire to take revenge when someone wrongs you, or diminishes you and how you can express that.”

“Sam had a great emotional response to the script” says Tom. “He questioned how far we can push the secret and the conceit of the piece and reveal it to an audience. He brought huge ambition to the project, referring to Hitchcock and Paul Thomas Anderson as inspirations.”

Adds Daisy, “He’s both empathetic and sympathetic. He had a very unique sense of what the film was to be. It has been very interesting having his gaze and he is amazingly collaborative, amazing with performances. Right fit, right place, right time.”

At first, we see Anette seemingly troubled and dissatisfied with being a stay-at-home mother, Alicia being publicly vilified for a personal sex tape, circulating on social media and Ben behaving as a calm, dutiful and sacrificial father, chaperoning his daughter on a film set every day. Then things start to shift and perspectives on the characters change, as Ben becomes shamelessly obsessed with Alicia at the expense of his daughter’s safety, and sympathy grows towards Anette’s frustrating situation at home. She becomes increasingly suspicious of Ben’s behaviour towards Alicia.

Says Tom, “Anette becomes fixated with Alicia’s image through Ben’s lens. She is obsessed with the woman who is almost the opposite of her. She can travel and is free. She is independent and powerful and admired in the way that stars are.”

Consequently, cracks begin to widen in Anette and Ben’s relationship. Matilda says of Anette’s character, “When you deal with someone who is constantly lying and manipulating the situation in a very subtle way, it’s really hard to trust the other person. And you start becoming doubtful about yourself and think you are crazy. I think that is what Anette is going through.”

Says Daisy of the disintegrating relationship between Anette and Ben, “It’s like paper cut after paper cut and before you know it, you’re covered in cuts. How much can one person receive before there’s nothing left? Anette has lost her shine because of Ben.”

Anette is also struggling with loss. She gave up an exciting career in publishing to be a mother.

Says Tom, “And she is now possibly losing her husband, losing her child, everything that she’s sacrificed in her life in order to hold together this family unit and to be a good mother and wife. This is a love letter to mothers. I’ve seen mothers sacrifice so much, and I wanted to really shine a light on that.”

The role of Anette offered an exciting challenge for Daisy. A seemingly unstable stay-at-home mother with an errant husband, sacrificing everything to raise her children, who gains an inner power to break out of her isolated cocoon and achieve enlightenment, presented her with rich possibilities.

The character of Alicia also plays with the audience’s mind. Says Daisy, “You start by thinking she is a femme fatale because of what is presented of her character to the audience in the beginning.” It is revealed a tape of her lovemaking with her boyfriend has made its way online and as a well known actress she hits the headlines. “And then people make judgements based on this and jump to conclusions. But in fact, she is an innocent.”

And then there’s Ben himself. A writer who had success with his first novel and is writing his third novel (his second book was less successful), having moved his family to an isolated house in the country. He craves the attention he enjoyed with his first book, and is oblivious to Anette’s own needs as she deals with raising their children. So when the bright and shiny thing that is Alicia crosses Ben’s path, he finds the bait irresistible and “He becomes blinded by his own desires”, says Tom.

Shazad Latif was immediately drawn to play Ben. Tom’s script offered a multi-layered character to get his teeth into, describing him as “an egotistical zombie cruising only towards what he wants to do.”

Shazad anticipates audiences are going to be taken on an unexpected rollercoaster ride and will relate to the film depending on their own personal and emotional circumstances. “I think men and women will view this film very differently and many will side with and feel empathetic to Ben rather than Anette, whereas some will completely understand Anette’s point of view. “Men who are not awake or haven’t had any revelations in their life will feel Ben is trapped and they would do the same thing. Anette is holding him back. But I think the men who have had some kind of awakening or are doing some kind of self work, or trying to get rid of that toxic masculinity and patriarchy that’s within them, then they’ll understand and they’ll take sides with Anette.”

Says Daisy, “I think everyone will have a different response to the film, often quite visceral. And it will be really interesting to see people having a conversation about what it is that really resonates with them upon seeing it.”

Sam concludes “It’s a film about films, about watching and enjoying a kind of joyride. We are watching people make a film, watching people watch other people and watching people watch us. It’s about seeing how humans behave when they are pushed to the limit. Revenge is pretty sweet in the film and I hope people will get a real kick out of that.”

Cinematographer Laura Bellingham and director Sam Yates during filming of Magpie.
© SHINY THINGS FILMS LIMITED 2023

Sam Yates was named Screen International Star of Tomorrow and a rising star in The Observer. Yates has been described as “a major talent” in The Guardian and “a director of unusual flair” in The Observer for his work in theatre. Magpie marks Yates’ directorial debut. He has most recently returned to the London stage, directing Andrew Scott in Chekhov’s Vanya

We find Anette in a state of dullness, her sense of self, her agency and her confidence having been slowly diminished by a verbally controlling and disinterested partner. While I didn’t have Anette’s cunning to save me, I did eventually pull myself out of a damaging relationship, and learnt what it means to reclaim yourself after years of doubting yourself. Anette’s journey from fractured to whole is, I hope, one of universal resonance and will speak to anyone who’s survived a toxic relationship.

I was equally fascinated by Ben. Struggling creatively, and seemingly blaming this on Anette and his children, Ben, like the magpie, has his head turned by luminous objects. I use the word “objects” deliberately, because Ben’s fantasy that Alicia is the solution to his problems, the key to immortality, and the road to endless excitement, is a fantasy of his own creation. He looks outward rather than within for solutions to his malaise, boredom and discontentment. The fact that Alicia is an actor heightens this fantasy, an invitation into a world that appears glamorous, exotic and ceaselessly interesting. Ben has painted Anette as someone he finds undesirable; a mother, and nothing more. He can no longer see the brilliant, beautiful woman he was first attracted to. Such is the distorting power of his gaze.

While we are drawn into the sexually charged connection between Ben and Alicia we experience the ugly flip side, Anette’s struggle to bear yet another infidelity. However, this time she can’t sit back and do nothing.

How do we express our anger when we’ve been wronged? What happens when humans repress emotions for too long?

Anette begins subdued, unstable and in extremis, but throughout the film reclaims her sense of self, applying cunning, ingenuity and strength to take her ultimate, and oh so cold, revenge.

Cinematographer Laura Bellingham and I pursued the bold visuals of the genre, inspired by Hitchcock and Jonathan Demme (red herrings, unstable perspectives, shadow and light, mirrors and reflection, intense close ups, subjective POV), to keep audiences on the edge of their seats as the story hurtles towards its fatal conclusion. A robust and present score by Isobel Waller-Bridge serves to ratchet tension and deliver a distinctive and universally appealing noir.”

© SHINY THINGS FILMS LIMITED 2023


“I say this from my personal experience of how the new technology of the internet and digital programs rising in the 1990s destroyed the economy that made journalism feasible. People don’t want to pay for better quality information when they can get cheaper but lower quality information apparently free on the internet. I was working as a journalist in the mid-1990s when this was beginning to happen and I bailed in 1998 to start teaching in university. Since then, I’ve watched many media outlets either close or reduce jobs. Even my students are losing the jobs they got after graduation.

Now, universities are being hit hard by AI, like happened with the technology of the internet. As I know from last year, the cheating of students using AI to write assignments is increasing quickly and professors like me have no defence. If this continues, then university credentials will be worthless because employers won’t know who cheated with AI to get a degree. I retired in September at 72 because of a heart condition, feeling, at the time, the futility of fighting the student use of AI without increasing the teaching workload to unmanageable proportions. I am hearing the pain and futility now of the teachers I was working with last year.

I see this as the context for the dilemma of writers now. People can use AI to create faux books that consumers will buy because, like journalism and a university education, the market will be flooded with cheaply made faux products that satisfy a large segment of the population. This AI could dominate the book market by offering a cheaper product that writers who are creative and original can’t compete against. Like I said, I’ve already seen this happen with my former career as a journalist and I’ve seen it beginning to happen as a university professor.

You can’t stop the spread of AI technology in the publishing industry and attempting to outlaw it on this forum won’t produce the results that you want.

You need a bold and innovative survival plan that adjusts to the disruption of this new AI technology. Some journalists have found a solution to their similar dilemma by forming co-operative groups in what is a very competitive industry. Instead of competing against each other and thus dividing their resources and working against each other, they combine to work together. However, most of the journalism industry is sticking to its disastrous traditional model.

In the same way, being a book author is traditionally a solitary, competitive venture. That is both its strength and its weakness. A solitary author is up against the Goliath of AI technology. You know the story where David defeated his Philistine Goliath by a different strategy and a new technology, quick movement with a portable sling shot against slow, brute strength. Think of what an army of Davids could do. That’s exactly what happened on the battlefield. Light infantry and guerilla warfare defeated slow, ponderous, brute military strength.

I don’t know what the answer to the problem of Philistine AI technology is for writers. Opposing the Goliath on its own terms won’t work. If the strength of authorship is creativity and originality, then what is your creative and original solution? How do you outwit AI with a different strategy than simply trying to oppose the crass brute that it is? What’s the survival plan?”

100 years of AI in Films

Dutch publisher owned by Simon & Schuster to trial using AI for English-language translations

  • The image is David against Goliath by Gustave Dore, 1866, engraved by N. Monvoisin


Criteria for an Oscar winning Idea

Many beginning writers don’t understand how important it is to be original. Reading hundreds of scripts and listening to thousands of pitches showed me how most of them were derivative of other movies, with familiar characters, uninteresting ideas, and clichéd plot twists. Beginning writers tend to develop the easiest idea that comes to mind, rather than working hard to generate original ones. Karl Iglesias, The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters

If you want to build your story on a solid idea, this is what you need to take into consideration when coming up with an idea to write your story:

Significant Issues

In the 20th Century four major issues have governed screenwriting and screenplays:

  • The Notion of God  – religious and spiritual issues
  • Democracy – freedom
  • Male/ Female relationships
  • Issues of identity in terms of class, culture and sexuality

A Resonant Theme

Most stories that are dramatically successful, have resonance, and are universally relevant, express some underlying idea that has universal appeal for audiences and readers, who can identify with the characters and situations. The theme is the glue that holds your story together and resonates throughout the telling of your story.

A true theme is not a word, but a sentence,” states McKee in his book STORY. “One clear, coherent sentence that expresses a story’s irreducible meaning. The Controlling Idea shapes the writer’s strategic choices.  It’s yet another Creative Discipline to guide your aesthetic choices toward what is appropriate or inappropriate in your story. Robert Mc Kee, Story

Something in mind

Don’t pick ideas where most of the drama or comedy happens in the mind. Don’t select boring heroes whose inner conflicts are not easily dramatised, verbalised and visualised.

Conflict

The idea must promise conflict. That is the heart and soul of screenwriting. 

Sex and violence

In his Screenwriting 434, Lew Hunter says that a painter has three primary colours on his palette: red, blue and yellow. As a screenwriter you have two primary emotional colours: sex and violence. This does not mean the horror-slasher genre. Look at the plot lines of such classics as Medea, Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, King Lear, and works by Ibsen, anything by Tennessee Williams, and Shakespeare. In screenplay terms, the words sex and violence means sensuality and dramatic action, not blood and gore and naked bodies. The most extreme form of violence is psychological violence. Even in The Sound of Music: the Nazi’s were the overall threat and the feelings between Maria and the children’s father were sensual. Make sure your idea has the potential for sex and violence.

Interest

Will the story be interesting for an hour and a half to two hours? Is it the type of the story the public will pay to see? Will it be interesting two years from today when the film will go into production?

Something that hasn’t been done before

Is it something already being done on television? Remember that everything has been done before. It’s not what you do but how you do it.

Also, consider this when coming up with ideas

Can you possibly get it sold?

If you do sell it, you do. If you don’t, you’ve created another property for your inventory. Even if any of the screenplays you write on speculation never sell, you must love the process. That should be more important to you than acceptance or sale. Make your principal reward the very act of writing

A screenplay that is good for you to write

Focus on the best development of your potential. Will your idea serve the necessary end? When you’re a new screenwriter you must ask yourself if the idea will significantly help you develop your potential. Can you best learn from this screenplay?  Will it show people what a good writer you are? A “calling card” screenplay? The calling card screenplay can be submitted to show someone that you can write their project or your idea. It is important for the new writer to have a calling card screenplay.

Worth

You should always say:

  • That’s the idea I want to do.
  • That’s the idea I can do.
  • That’s the idea I believe is worth doing.

Before and after want, can and worth comes quality. Does my idea promise quality? Demand for yourself quality.

Effective medium

Can the idea be communicated better by a novel or stageplay? Pick the most effective medium.

Criteria for Great Ideas Form Part of Our The Write Journey Course

Copyright © 1998 to 2024, The Writing Studio, All Rights Reserved

PLOT 3

A story without structure wanders around, searching for itself, and is dull and boring.

It doesn’t work. It has no direction, no line of development.

You have to now make sense of it all; have a strong line of dramatic action to captivate and challenge the reader of the screenplay, and the audience who will eventually watch your film.

You must know your story before you can write anything. More importantly, you must know the structural components that hold your story together.

It’s where the right-brain subconscious and unconscious writing and thinking are whipped into order by the rigid, uncompromising left-brain consciousness.

  • The Conscious Mind is the home of the Ego. It’s a temple of learning and thinking, aquiring knowledge. As it acquires more knowledge, it becomes arrogant and opinionated. It loves to be in control.
  • The Subconscious Mind is the temple of feeling, the house of music, art and religion. It fosters writing with imagination. The Mind sees pictures and the senses are in full bloom. It has many answers.
  • The Unconscious Mind flows freely and richly, bringing at demand all the treasures of memory, emotions, incidents, events, characters and relationships stored in the past.

The writer’s instinctive and rebellious creative nature is tamed and ordered so that chaos becomes organised

The writer’s creative self and rational self,  team up to unify the story and present the best of both possible worlds; one where imaginative and unique scenarios come to life in a well-thought-out master plan, where the writer is master and slave to the story.

Structure tames the creative spirit, but also allows it to reign free within its logical limitations.

It’s not a prison but a playground where stories run wild.

It’s part of human nature to make sense of what happens, and if what happens is magnified ten times on the big screen, this amplified reality needs structure.

The Write Plot Outline

Directed, co-written and produced by Todd Phillips, Joker is the filmmaker’s original vision of the infamous DC villain, an origin story infused with, but distinctly outside, the character’s more traditional mythologies.

Phillips’ exploration of Arthur Fleck, who is indelibly portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, is of a man struggling to find his way in Gotham’s fractured society.  Longing for any light to shine on him, he tries his hand as a stand-up comic, but finds the joke always seems to be on him.  Caught in a cyclical existence between apathy and cruelty and, ultimately, betrayal, Arthur makes one bad decision after another that brings about a chain reaction of escalating events in this gritty, allegorical character study.

Phillips directed Joker from a screenplay he co-wrote with Oscar-nominated writer Scott Silver (The Fighter), based on characters from DC. 

Joker: Folie À Deux – A mesmerizing cinematic exploration of dual identity

It’s the early 1980s, and Gotham City is in turmoil.  But there is no criminal underbelly at work, nor a mob overlord putting all at risk to serve his own interests.  It’s a much more palpable concern for anyone living within the dystopian borders of this divided community of haves and havenots growing ever further apart, the tensions only exacerbated by a weeks-long garbage strike.  Gotham is teetering on the edge of a fall; there is only the city and those who oversee it, and as in any municipality short of funding for the fundless, services designed to alleviate the difficulties of the disenfranchised are being cut. No, this is not the Gotham, nor the Joker, one would recognize from 80 years of established storytelling depicted on the page or screen.  Rather, this is an original, standalone origin of this infamous character, the tale of an atmosphere of unrest fostering a man on the brink who, like his city—and likely, because of it—grows closer to the precipice: Arthur Fleck.


The film features just enough Gotham landmarks, deftly woven into its grimy landscape, to situate the audience and allow star Joaquin Phoenix’s hypnotically raw performance to evoke the requisite emotions to take this journey with Arthur through the city’s—and eventually his own—darker side.  “One of the themes we wanted to explore with the movie is empathy and, more importantly, the lack of empathy that is present in so much of Arthur’s world,” Phillips states.

“For example,” he continues, “in the movie you see the difference in the way little kids and adults react to Arthur, because kids see the world through no lens; they don’t see rich versus poor or understand a marginalized individual the way adults do.  They just see Arthur as a guy who’s trying to make them smile.  It’s not inherent, we have to learn how to be unaccepting of others and, unfortunately, we usually do.”

“He starts out just wanting to make people laugh, trying to put a smile on their faces.  That’s why he’s a clown, why he dreams of becoming a stand-up comic.  He just wants to bring some joy into the world.  But then the toxic environment of Gotham breaks him down—the lack of compassion and empathy, the loss of civility… That’s what creates our Joker,” says
Oscar-nominated writer Scott Silver (The Fighter), who co-wrote the screenplay with Phillips, based on characters from DC. 

Joaquin Phoenix in Joker. Copyright: © 2019 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC / ™ & © DC Comics / Credit: Niko Tavernise

The Arthur that Phillips and Silver created is caught in a cyclical existence of misread cues.  Even Arthur’s uncontrollable, inappropriate laughter, which gains momentum as he attempts to contain it, garners no sympathy from those he encounters in his daily life, exposing him to further ridicule and alienation from Gotham society.  “Nowadays, what he has is a recognized syndrome, but in the time our story is set, it was not really diagnosed, though it was a real condition,” the filmmaker explains.

Phoenix concedes that, even during filming, “There were times when I found myself feeling for him, even feeling like I understood his motivation, and in the next moment I would be repulsed by the decisions he made.  Playing this character was challenging for me as an actor, and I knew he would also challenge the audience and their preconceived ideas about the Joker, because in his fictional world, like in our real world, there are no easy answers.”

“We often talk about the tip of the iceberg, but we rarely speak about what’s underneath—about what gets you there,” Phillips asserts.  “Arthur is the guy you see on the street who you walk right past…or over.  With this movie we’re hoping to get a peek at what’s below the surface.”

It was those subjects, along with the filmmaker’s passion for his medium, that evoked the notion of not just any Joker movie, but this Joker movie.  “I was inspired by the character studies that I watched when I was younger.  The look, the vibe, the tone of those films made sense for this story.”

To Phillips, that meant the 1970s and `80s, the era of such great films as “Serpico,” “Taxi Driver” and “Network.”  He says, “We included a few elements from the canon and set it in a broken-down Gotham City around 1981, because that harkens back to that era and would remove it from the comic book world we’re so familiar with in film today.

Phillips not only cast Phoenix but wrote the part with him in mind.  “Joaquin’s previous work always stuck with me, but what I really like about him is his style and his unpredictability, which we felt would very much fit into this character,” Phillips offers.  “While other people are doing math, Joaquin is playing jazz.  He’s just one of the greatest, he’s fearless; his work is brave and vulnerable, and I thought if we could get him, we could really do something special.”

Though he’d resisted any sort of genre-inspired projects in the past, the actor was intrigued when he read the script.  “I thought it was bold and complex and like nothing I’d ever read before.  Todd has a unique way of looking at things that is really perfect, I think, for this movie,” Phoenix observes.  “When I work with a director, I want somebody who has a singular take on the material, and nobody could have made this movie but Todd.”

Arthur’s tale is at once rich and spare in details, alternately focused and skewed.  Crafted with Silver over the course of, as Phillips recalls, “a year in a little office in New York,” they began by determining a path to which such an ordinary man could become such an evil and notorious character.  “In the version of the story we were telling, having a guy fall into a vat of acid didn’t work, while I think it’s interesting, so we tried running everything through a ‘real world’ lens,” he says.  “To make sense in the world of our movie, we thought, ‘Well, why would he put this make-up on when he eventually becomes Joker?  Where did he get this make-up and why does he have it?  What if he’s a clown?’

“Then, of course, we had to ask ourselves why he’d work as a clown,” he continues, “which we determined was because his mother always told him he had to bring laughter and joy to the world.  It all came together from there.”

In addition to the visual expectations that come with the character, there’s a distinct personality trait common across nearly 80 years of the comics and in every moving picture iteration, one which Phillips and Silver wanted to utilize in their storytelling: the classic unreliable narrator who can never fully be believed.  “You have an intense amount of freedom with an unreliable narrator, and even more so when he’s Joker,” the director says of the famously deceptive reprobate, whose penchant for blending fact and fiction informs every frame of the film.  “He even says in the comic book Batman: The Killing Joke, ‘If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice.’  So, what really happened, and what you think he is by the end, just depends on the lens through which you watch the movie.  You won’t walk away having all the answers and that’s what I think is intriguing about a character like this.”

To accomplish all that he intended with “Joker,” Phillips and producing partner Bradley Cooper opted to conduct principal photography primarily in practical locations in and around the city that inspired Gotham itself: Phillips’ native New York City as well as neighboring New Jersey.  To that end, they enlisted producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff, an expert on filming in the region with connections to the city’s strongest below-the-line talent.  “Emma is one of the great New York producers and we were lucky to get her,” Phillips states.

In addition to handily pulling together and managing all aspects of the physical production, Tillinger Koskoff says, “Todd had a unique and inspired vision of how he wanted the film to look and feel.  My role was to help facilitate that vision and create a supportive atmosphere for him, so that he could focus on the actors and concentrate on what was happening in any given scene. Todd and I were fortunate to work with a fantastic crew—New York’s very best.  There was a level of trust and respect on our set that allowed him to work quickly and creatively.  It was a privilege to watch Todd and Joaquin collaborate on this breathtaking film.”

Phillips’ creative team also included director of photography Lawrence Sher, this being their sixth film together; veteran production designer Mark Friedberg; costume designer Mark Bridges, who has worked several times with Phoenix; editor Jeff Groth, a regular collaborator; and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, who began sending pieces of score to Phillips based on script pages alone, before a frame of the film was even shot.

“It’s always incredible to be making a movie when you have such brilliant creative partners,” Phillips says, “and we really had the best there is on this film.”

Those words could easily be used to describe his onscreen talent as well, beginning with what might literally qualify as dream casting for any filmmaker: Robert De Niro.  The legendary actor appears as late-night TV host Murray Franklin, the closest thing Arthur has to a hero and, though a stranger, someone he views as a kindred spirit in comedy.  As many aspiring comics would know, being called over to the couch after your set on a show like Murray’s is more than a game changer, it’s life-altering, and Arthur’s greatest wish…

Why he is the way he is will not always remain a mystery to Arthur, Phillips allows, but when we first meet him, says Phoenix , “Arthur is this guy who’s very much like, ‘I’m going to be the person you want me to be.  I’m going to be proper, I’m going to take the bus and sit here quietly and not interact,’ and so forth.”  But, like a dog that’s been kicked repeatedly by its owner, sooner or later “this time” will be the last time.  “There’s always an inner part of him that has to try to be true to himself, to who he is becoming, and over the course of the story we see it coming out, little by little.”

The truth of Arthur is complex.  He attempts to do stand-up, his dream vocation and one for which he prepares by watching other comics, hoping to catch their tone and timing and adopt it for his own.  Hoping that he, like they, will captivate an audience with witty observations and find an even larger form of acceptance in their applause.  “Unfortunately, how he sees the world and, frankly, what he thinks is funny don’t really work,” Phoenix describes.  “He doesn’t understand their kind of humor and he isn’t able to mimic it, either.” 

Servicing the self-fulfilling prophecy of his mother’s “Happy” appellation for him and long before Arthur musters the courage to try his hand on the comedy club stage, we find him at his day job as a clown-for-hire via a service called Ha-Ha’s.  The job takes him to various parts of the city, but no matter where he goes, the walk home inevitably entails a haul up a lengthy flight of outdoor stairs.

Steps, both physical and metaphorical, factor into Arthur’s world with regularity, from the ones he climbs to the steps he takes to apply his Happy make-up.  Both are just indicators of the many more steps he will take as he metamorphoses into his true self over the course of the film.

Much of that character building came about through Phoenix’s preparations for the role, taking a cerebral preparation and turning it corporal.  In the film, on the advice of his social worker, Arthur keeps a journal, which also contains his drawings, prose and imaginings.  Throughout pre-production, Phoenix himself made several entries.  The actor states, “I was writing in Arthur’s journal when Todd sent me a note about the set of steps in the story.  That inspired me to write ‘step after step after step,’ over and over and line by line across the pages, and then it became something we’d text to each other.”

In order to enhance Arthur’s internal struggles with his own sense of realism, Phillips sought to counter it by grounding the film itself in as authentic an aesthetic as possible.  “As a filmmaker, there are a lot of tools you have to paint with, and locations and set design are big ones in this film.  His environment represents quite a lot in Arthur’s life, so we wanted to use that to the fullest effect.”

Joaquin Phoenix with director Todd Phillips. Copyright: © 2019 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC / ™ & © DC Comics

He worked closely with production designer Mark Friedberg who, like Phillips, grew up in New York City and was very familiar with the palette the director sought.  “Mark combed through old photos of New York to find the right level of graffiti, the right amount of trash and the picture cars that we’d want.  His attention to detail was amazing,” he remarks.

The visual style was defined in concert with director of photography Lawrence Sher.  “Larry is probably my most trusted creative partner, we’ve traveled the world together shooting movies,” the director says.

That close working relationship has naturally created the kind of shorthand between them that a true partnership provides.  “Because this is our sixth movie together, the discussions we have are much more about ideas within individual scenes, which then build and create the bigger picture,” says Sher.  “On this film, at one point I remember Todd talking to me about the idea of the shadow self, the shadow representing the other side of ourselves, and the transformation of Arthur into Joker. Those two terms—transformation and shadow—really informed me and gave me an early idea of what themes he was going to explore over the course of the movie, so I could determine how to best express that visually through the imagery.

To interpret the many themes explored throughout the film, Phillips very early on turned to composer Hildur Guðnadóttir.  “Hildur was writing music as far back as pre-production,” Phillips recalls.  “I was sending her script pages and she was writing music before we even shot, and what she did for the film is so unique.”  

Guðnadóttir says, “Todd asked me to write some music based on my feelings from reading the script, which I was inspired to do because it truly resonated with me.”  She sent him a sample and recalls, “He
thought that I had really captured the atmosphere of the movie.”

What struck the composer the most, she says, “was Arthur, this character with a kind of multi-dimensional
simplicity, so openhearted and childlike, who is just trying so hard to fit in.  But his circumstances and how people react to him don’t really allow for that to happen.  Musically, that translated to melodies that
are very simple and monotonic, because that’s kind of the way he is seeing things.  Then I tried to expand within that simplicity the orchestration around it not with chords or any complicated music, but with texture that I felt resonated with the melancholia of his character.”


If you love film, then this course will help you learn more about film analysis, film reviews and discussions, period genres and movements in film style, and more.

It will provide you with an informed opinion that will hopefully make your enjoyment of the film medium deeper.

This course may be useful for professionals who need to be informed and conversant about the film industry; for the layman who wants to know as much as he/she can about the world of film for personal enjoyment; or for those who want to venture into film journalism, film criticism of filmmaking.

During the course, you will take a closer look at the latest film releases as well as classics and go behind the scenes of how these films were made.

  • To be able to appreciate there needs to be an ‘understanding’ and that is what film appreciation is all about for me.
  • To help you understand the key dynamics of what film is made up of – technology, art, industry.
  • To really understand what contemporary cinema is made up of we need to look at what went before because the foundation of the past is based on the present and the future.

At the end of the course, you will write a review that will be evaluated.

You will then have the necessary tools of writing reviews that are meaningful and rewarding, and venture into the world of filmmaking as a screenwriter, filmmaker or work as a Script Supervisor

The course is divided into 12 interactive and practical units that explore:

  • A steady diet of celluloid: Here we look at why films are popular, why films are made, 12 factors that influence what we see and explore the differences between film and television.
  • The screenplay: Take a closer look at how a screenplay becomes the blueprint for a film and read some screenplays to gain insight into the words that inspire action.
  • The writing process versus the film process: An interesting journey into how words are turned into images and how each process contributes to what we eventually experience on the big screen.
  • Deconstructing film: Examine how films are conceptualised and what inspires films to be made.
  • Genre and genre conventions: Each genre imposes certain conventions on film and the choice of genre sharply determines and limits what’s possible within a story.
  • Theme: It is the glue that holds the story together and resonates throughout the telling of the story. It makes writing meaningful. It opens up the story’s inner value system and reflects the characters’ desires, conflicts, and actions that gives us a reason why we care about how the story turns out and reveals itself at the end.
  • Characters: All memorable and successful films have one thing in common. Not genre. Not budgets. Not even a good story. They all have memorable characters that have become part of our culture. Character is the essential foundation of a film. It is the heart, soul and nervous system of the story. It is through characters that audiences experience emotions, through the characters they are touched deeply.
  • Structure: Structure is the most important element in film. A good story always has a strong line of dramatic action; it goes somewhere, moves forward, step by step, toward the resolution. You will explore the relationship between character and structure and look at composition – the ordering and linking of scenes, transitional values and turning points
  • The plot and line of dramatic action: Content is the story and context holds the story together, the plot, or line of dramatic action. We will look at genre plots and 4 traditional plots.
  • How to read a film: You will explore the language and visual dynamics of film and see how visual imagery offers an emotional journey into film.
  • Visual dynamics of character: You will take a closer look at how filmmakers make use of visual dynamics to take us into the mindscape of characters.
  • How to review a film: If you want to become a master at seeing films, it is important to start seeing films outside your world view and from an objective point of view. It is important to always keep in mind that no matter how awful a film might be from your own experience and worldview, each film has a very specific audience. It is essential for you to grasp this understanding and take a seat inside the zone of the audience and outside your comfort zone.

For more information on our Film Appreciation Course and to register, Contact Us

“I’ve always had this dream of making a kick-ass Christmas movie,” laughs Hiram Garcia, writer, producer and president of production at Seven Bucks Productions, founded by Dany Garcia and Dwayne Johnson. “It sounds crazy, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Try and tell an action-packed Christmas story with heart and humor while also approaching holiday mythology in a realistic way. And then one day, I had an idea about how we could do it.

“We love all holiday films,” says Johnson, who plays the North Pole’s Head of Security, “the classics like ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ as well as the contemporary favourites like ‘Elf’ and ‘Bad Santa.’ We all love them for the same reason: they bring us back to that warm feeling of being with friends and family, the time of year when life slows down for a minute. And there’s nothing better than watching a great Christmas movie with the people you love.”

So, while Garcia and Johnson were keen to capture that feeling in a holiday film of their own, they also knew they wanted to try something new. Garcia says, “We knew that if we were going to make a holiday film, it had to big and bold and capture something about the holidays that had never been portrayed onscreen. We wanted a Christmas movie that portrayed holiday lore in a grounded way while packing it with action on a grand scale. And once Dany, Dwayne and I started talking about it… we couldn’t stop, and the ideas started flowing.”

Longtime collaborator producer/writer Chris Morgan was also instantly taken with the story.

Johnson, who collaborated with director and producer Kasdan on the global sensations Jumanji: Welcome
to the Jungle and Jumanji: Next Level, says he knew the filmmaker had the vision they needed, Jake Kasdan. “Jake and I had worked together on the Jumanji movies and this seemed like the perfect next chapter to our partnership. Jake is a gifted filmmaker who knows how to tell a funny, heart-warming story in the context of a giant, fantastical action movie. We’ve done it together before and we knew he was the perfect director for us.”

“Once in a while, there’s an idea that just clicks, immediately. And this was like that for me.” says Kasdan.
“DJ playing Santa’s head of security, the Commander of the E.L.F… This idea of showing what the North
Pole really looks like and how it all really works, pulling back the curtain in this very realistic and grounded
way that we’ve never seen before. I just loved it, right away.”

Telling a new and unexpected story about the holiday was the core mission of the movie, according to
Morgan, who is also one of the film’s producers. “In our world, the things we are told about Santa have little bits of truth in them,” he says. “But we are showing the rest of the story. We’ve taken all the things you’ve heard since you were a kid and put a little twist on them.”

Santa’s story may be one of the most often told in the world, Kasdan muses, but the filmmakers found a
way to reimagine it in a surprisingly contemporary way. “Our North Pole is a giant crystalline metropolis,
the manufacturing center for all of the world’s Christmas gifts,” the director says. “And we portray Santa
himself— or Nick, as his friends call him— in a very different light. To our minds, the coolest Santa ever.
And from there, we started to build out a whole mythological world of ‘Red One.’”

But because it was a Christmas movie, the filmmakers also wanted to tell a classic Christmas story, in the
spirit of the films that inspired them.

“Within this fantastical adventure, we’re also telling very human stories about our two heroes, Cal and Jack. They are each in the midst of their own, very private crises this Christmas. And they’re going to work
through them together, whether they like it or not,” says Kasdan. “When you have DJ and Chris Evans,
who are these action icons and also fantastic actors, you can have both things — you can invest in the
emotional lives of these action heroes.”

The story has something to offer everyone, according to Morgan. “It transcends age and has a truly global
appeal, not just because it’s visually spectacular but because it’s about a group of people who want to make the world a better place.”

Rule number one, says Garcia, is when doing a Christmas movie, you have got to have fun. “We assembled a talented, kind and collaborative group of people. They bought into this idea a hundred percent and committed to making something that’s going to pour goodness back into the world. We love telling stories about love and family and redemption. What makes this one special is that not only does it have scale and fun and big action, we are going to take you on a crazy ride. We are going to scare you just a little bit. We hope we’re going to make you laugh. But we want to really make sure you have those feels at the end.”

“Our Santa Claus, a.k.a. Nick, a.k.a. Red One, is the amazing J.K. Simmons,” Garcia says. “

Simmons admits he was enthralled by the epic nature of the film. “But without comedy, heart and a
compelling story to tell, the scope doesn’t matter. Like every good Christmas movie, there are a lot of
laughs, but the essence of it is about the importance of kindness and being good.”

For the first time in history, the unthinkable has happened: Santa’s (J.K. Simmons) legendary North Pole outpost has been breached and the man himself has been kidnapped. Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), Commander of the E.L.F. and head of security for RED ONE (Santa’s code name), springs into action along with Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans), the world’s best tracker and the man responsible for unwittingly revealing Santa’s secret location. As the mismatched duo crisscrosses the globe to bring Santa home in time for his legendary annual run, they will have to confront the most treacherous of Yuletide dangers, from Christmas villains Krampus (Kristofer Hivju) and Grýla (Kiernan Shipka) to a trio of sinister snowmen.

JAKE KASDAN (Director / Producer) is the son of legendary filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan and grew up on movie sets. A highly acclaimed filmmaker and television director/producer known for his sharp wit and distinct comedic style. With a career that spans decades and mediums, Kasdan’s versatility has allowed him to seamlessly transition from small independent films to hit television series and large-scale action-comedies on the big screen, amassing a diverse and impressive body of work in the process. Most recently, Kasdan directed and produced the action-adventures Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level. Kasdan also directed and produced the hit comedy Bad Teacher. Additionally, he wrote and directed a film that is often cited one of the greatest parody movies of all time, the cult classic Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Kasdan’s other notable feature work includes writing and directing The TV Set and Zero Effect, the latter of which he penned at just 22 years old. He also directed the coming-of-age comedy Orange County, starring Colin Hanks and Jack Black. On the small screen, Kasdan is equally as prolific. His television career began as the pilot director and consulting producer for the now-classic series “Freaks and Geeks,” which launched some of the most successful careers in Hollywood today. Kasdan went on to direct and executive produce numerous television pilots and series including the hit “New Girl,”which ran for seven seasons on Fox. In partnership with Melvin Mar, Kasdan’s Disney-based company The Detective Agency has also developed and produced several groundbreaking series including the Critics’ Choice Award nominee “Fresh off the Boat,” which enjoyed a six-seasons run on ABC and was lauded for bringing visibility to the Asian-American experience. Other credits include “Speechless,” “The Grinder,” “Bless This Mess,” “Doogie Kameāloha, MD” and “American Born Chinese.”
Kasdan.

CHRIS MORGAN (Writer / Producer) is best known for his extensive work in the Fast & Furious universe, grossing more than $7 billion as Universal Pictures’ most successful franchise. Morgan’s credits in this capacity include Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (writer, producer), The Fate of the Furious
(writer, producer), Furious 7 (writer, executive producer), Fast & Furious 6 (writer, executive producer),
Fast 5 (writer), Fast & Furious (writer) and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (writer). He also served
as executive producer on “Fast & Furious Spy Racers,” an animated Netflix series that aired for six seasons.
Most recently, Morgan was a writer on Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Morgan is working on sequels to Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and Bird Box (now in development).

HIRAM GARCIA (Writer / Producer) serves as president of production for Seven Bucks, a leading
multi-platform production company pioneering original content for television, film, emerging
technologies and digital networks. A film and television producer and trusted collaborator with
co-founders Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, his films have earned over $6 billion at the global box office and often break streaming viewership records. Garcia oversees all production operations for the company from the outset of development through release. Seven Bucks’ titles include Red Notice, Netflix’s most-watched movie of all time; Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel, Jumanji: The Next Level, which between them earned over $1.76 billion worldwide; Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, which grossed over $760 million; and Jungle Cruise. For Seven Bucks Productions Garcia creatively oversees a robust slate of over 60 film and television projects in active development. Upcoming releases include Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine and the eagerly awaited live-action Moana. Seven Bucks’ productions are bolstered by a multi-year first-look film deal with Disney, which offers innovative opportunities to collaborate across various platforms

Conclave takes audiences into a world very few people have ever seen firsthand. “The mechanism behind the election of a pope is among the most closely guarded secrets in the world,” Berger explains. “I was super curious to peek behind those locked doors and find out the details. We can’t know everything, but there are quite a few facts we were able to establish through our research. We feel we got as close to the truth as anyone ever has.”

The film follows Cardinal Lawrence, the dean of the College of Cardinals, as he undertakes his traditional duty of running the conclave. In the midst of political intrigue that will determine the future of the Catholic Church, Lawrence discovers a mystery whose solution could rock the ancient institution to its foundations.

At the same time, Lawrence is experiencing a profound crisis of faith. “It has nothing to do with the election of the new pope,” says Berger, “but complicates it for him. He has stopped believing he’s the right person to be a cardinal. He asked permission to leave Rome and go to a monastery to try to rediscover his faith, but the pope denied his request. He’s riddled with doubt that he must continually overcome. That’s what interested me the most.”

What’s at stake for Lawrence, says the director, is not just who will be the next pope, but his own emotional truth. “Can he still believe in this institution? Can he believe in the future? How can he regain his sense of purpose? Those are questions many people, and not just people of faith, face on an everyday basis.”

Sergio Castellitto stars as Cardinal Tedesco in director Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.

According to Ross, she and her House Productions co-founder Juliette Howell were given the first few chapters of the novel to read prior to its publication. “We read it at speed and then hungrily asked for the rest,” she recalls. “With backing from Danny Cohen from Access Entertainment, I put in a bid. I convinced Robert Harris that a more independent approach to the material might benefit it. He had written a brilliant novel in an extraordinary and mostly hidden world. At House, we would build a filmmaking team that found texture and purpose in the adaptation.”

Ross’ track record might have been enough to convince author Harris that she was the right producer but, he says, “She also brought terrific enthusiasm and unwavering determination to the filmmaking process. I never had a reason to doubt her.”

Audiences coming to Conclave can look forward to a sophisticated political thriller set in the sheltered, upper echelon of the Catholic Church, says Berger. “It is, of course, about faith, but the nuts and bolts are pure political thriller. Who’s it going to be? Will they be deserving of it?”

Viewers will also witness the unraveling of a baffling mystery and an engrossing character piece. “We have made what I think is a concise film that takes you into a new world for a gripping and original cinematic ride,” Berger continues. “And if people walk away with a couple of new thoughts, I will be very gratified.”

The film should be a huge pleasure for the audience, according to Ross. “It’s a great story, a thriller with rich characters who are decent, clever men with very relatable flaws. It’s also a story of great resonance — in the grip of possible power, our characters descend, inevitably and sadly, into battle, for themselves rather than for the greater good.”

In the end, Berger says he personally identifies with Lawrence and believes many others will find something inspiring in his journey. “This can be a moment of reflection for anyone thinking of reinventing their life, of finding a new purpose or renewing an old one. That is what Cardinal Lawrence does here. He finds a moment of liberation. He’s gone through a journey and he can put down his burden. That’s the feeling I have at the end of the movie and I hope audiences will find something they recognize in that.”

Bristling with tension and steeped in tradition, Conclave is a gripping thriller with a mystery at its heart. Based on the acclaimed novel by bestselling author Robert Harris (Enigma, An Officer and a Spy) and scripted by Academy Award nominee Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Frank), the film is directed by Academy Award® winner Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front). It follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of the Church.


The seed for the idea of the novel was planted while Harris was watching television coverage of the 2013 conclave at which the current Pope Francis was elected. Seeing the faces of the cardinals, it occurred to him that they looked more like politicians than clerics. “I promised myself I would do some research as to how the process works,” he recalls. “It was quickly clear that a conclave had so much dramatic potential.”

As luck would have it, Harris’ Italian publisher was finalizing a book written by the Secretary of State for the Vatican and put the two in touch. “I asked to see some specific locations: the Casa Santa Marta, where the cardinals stay during the conclave, the Sistine Chapel where the voting takes place, and so forth,” says the author. “The procedure for a conclave is laid out in Vatican law and I read every available account of any previous conclave. But the most fun part was inventing the entire College of Cardinals. I created a new cardinal for every place in the world that actually has one.”

(L to R) Brían F. O’Byrne as Cardinal O’Malley and Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.

Peter Straughan was the ideal screenwriter to adapt the novel for the screen, according to Ross. “I have long admired his work,” she says. “He writes with extraordinary precision, as well as delicacy and poetry. There is such beautiful detail in his characterizations. His adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy gave me absolute confidence he was the perfect writer for this.”

Harris is equally impressed by Straughan’s work. “Peter and I had a happy collaboration,” he says. “He handled the material so brilliantly that I can only say the fates were all aligned.”

Brought up in the Catholic Church, Straughan responded to the novel immediately, notes Ross. “It was helpful that this world, with its rituals and rules, made sense to him. His extraordinary strength in building intrigue and character were crucial to the screenplay, and to the audience buying into a world that holds such fascination and mystique.”

The screenwriter says he had been looking for something to collaborate on with Ross and executive producer Robyn Slovo. “They contacted, asking if I’d like to read Conclave,” he recalls. “They must have remembered my Catholic roots. I read it, I loved it and said yes straight away. Robert is one of those rare novelists who write intelligent, literary novels that also have great, compelling plots. He’s a gift to the screenwriter because he structures his novels so brilliantly, while also creating rich characters and memorable dialogue.”

Straughan and the producers had initial conversations about the best ways to draw out the thriller-esque elements of the story for the screen. “It was much easier than usual because Robert’s novels are so very cinematic,” he says. “He is brilliant at examining politics in fresh and revealing ways, and first and foremost, Conclave is a great political drama. It explores the tensions between idealism — and spirituality — and realpolitik. It’s the age-old story of compromise and the kind of pollution that power can bring with it, battling with integrity and selflessness. And all that is situated in a fascinating world that is usually hidden from us. But perhaps most of all I loved the kind of quiet audacity with which he goes into this most conservative of worlds and sets up a startlingly radical twist.”

(L to R) Director Edward Berger and actor Ralph Fiennes on the set of CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Focus Features ©2024 All Rights Reserved.

Director Berger joined the project after the first draft was delivered. “Tessa put together a great team to collaborate on the film,” says the director. “Peter had already written a draft that I really enjoyed. Honestly, I think I’ve read every screenplay he has ever written and just devoured each of them.”

Ross says she had also been a fan of Berger’s for some time. “In particular, I think his direction of ‘Patrick Melrose’ is one of the most extraordinary pieces of recent television. His drive and his hunger for excellence quickly made it clear how lucky we were to have him. Edward is extremely clever, hard-working, and passionate. He jumped in immediately, working with Peter on the script, with our chief operating officer Zoe Edwards on the budget, and finding his department heads, with Nina Gold on the casting. He was relentless, brave and determined.”

Berger’s sensibility and attention to detail were crucial to the making of this film, says Michael Jackman, who produced for FilmNation Entertainment and was on set in Italy. “He had a very specific vision and stuck closely to it. Everything he planned to do just worked. There is a gorgeous, impressionistic image of an actor sitting alone in the Sistine Chapel that just appears to be a moment out of time and it proved to be so important to the film. That’s from the mind of Edward Berger. I merely had to take a leap of faith in him to trust and he always came through.”

Tessa Ross brought the film to Glen Basner at FilmNation Entertainment as a script with Berger attached to direct, and the company immediately boarded to finance and co-produce the feature. FilmNation then joined forces with Indian Paintbrush to co-produce and co-finance with Executive Producer Steven Rales.

Eight of Harris’ novels have previously been brought to the big screen, including Enigma and An Officer and a Spy. In Conclave, Harris offers a glimpse of a world full of political intrigue and competing interests, with different parties and factions all trying to outdo each other. “It’s a power game and Robert is an expert at creating characters in a world of power struggles,” notes Berger. “It’s a big drama that takes place on a global stage, and he captured that as well as the character of the participants.”

Straughan, he says, took what was in the book and made it even more cinematic. “The best thing about Peter’s work is that there is not only great dialogue. There’s not only a great story in a setting we know nothing about. He always has another layer. There’s something underneath the main story that I would call a soul.”

As more than 100 high-ranking clergymen converge on the Vatican, some have already begun lobbying their peers for votes. To play some of the most influential men in the Catholic Church, Berger assembled an international cast of powerhouse actors.

To play the conflicted Cardinal Lawrence, Berger selected two-time Oscar® nominee Ralph Fiennes. “His was the first name we came up with,” says the director. “As an actor, he’s so honest, earnest and full of depth. Most crucially, Ralph is able to portray a character’s inner life as well as or better than any actor I can think of. Lawrence is a careful, thoughtful man who doesn’t always say what he feels, so Ralph doesn’t have the most lines. Instead, other people talk, he listens and it all takes place behind his eyes. He invites the audience into his emotional and spiritual confusion. That’s what makes him so compelling to watch.”

For Fiennes, there was so much about the project that intrigued him. “First, I love Peter Straughan’s screenwriting,” he says. “Tessa Ross, of course, is a great producer with excellent taste in films. I had just seen All Quiet on the Western Front and thought it was fantastic. So I was beyond excited at the prospect of working with Edward.”

The script, he says, was a great read. “It is full of manipulative, rather dark figures doing dubious things. There’s ambition and some corruption, but it isn’t just about the political machinations. For Lawrence especially, it’s about who is going to be the right spiritual leader.”

The actor was also irresistibly drawn to the contradictions of the character. “After a lifetime spent working toward this moment, Lawrence is now the reluctant manager of a conclave rife with political tension,” he explains. “Instead of being in the monastery he aspires to, he is at the center of controversy. As a man of spiritual integrity, the challenges he faces to make sure the election proceeds ethically, morally and transparently are inherently dramatic.”

Making the details as accurate as possible was a priority for Fiennes. In the book, the character played by Fiennes is an Italian called Lomeli. Since Fiennes is English and the movie is mostly in English, Berger decided to make the character English as well. “My first concern was, are there actually any English Cardinals?” the actor says. “We learned that there in fact are three, so it’s quite plausible. But because it is set in Italy, I insisted on speaking Italian when Lawrence addresses the conclave. And when Lawrence goes head-to-head with the Venetian cardinal, his chief antagonist, he can hold his own in Italian.”

The details of the conclave are as authentic as possible, he adds, thanks to the extensive research done by writers Harris and Straughan. “Of course, there are many secrets we had no access to, so we have taken poetic license where we had to, but the spirit is always accurate. I got obsessed by small things like what they wear when they have dinner.”

Most importantly, he says, Straughan hasn’t simplified anything, including Lawrence’s own contradictions. “It’s the sort of film I like to see,” he says. “All of the characters have their specific priorities and motivations, so it’s very rich. Peter’s development of the novel’s characters is beautifully judged and the parts are all well-written enough to have attracted an incredible cast.”

(L to R) Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence and Stanley Tucci as Cardinal Bellini in director Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.

Stanley Tucci plays Lawrence’s close friend and ally, the American Cardinal Bellini. He is the de facto leader of the progressive faction within the College of Cardinals and one of the major candidates for the next papacy.

Audiences should watch the film carefully, says Tucci, because there is a plot twist around many a corner. “There are a lot of surprises in this film. As a director myself, I just thought, all these amazing people. All these dazzling sets. This incredible story. How can you not be excited to tell it?”

John Lithgow plays one of the strongest competitors for the papacy, the Canadian Cardinal Tremblay, who wields his affable charm as a weapon. Perhaps the leading conservative candidate, he is cunning, ambitious and very much in the running. “After I got the script, Edward and I exchanged a couple of emails,” the actor recalls. “Then we had a wonderful, long phone conversation. Tremblay is a complicated character — all of the characters are complicated — and a treat to play.”

The fact that the cast consists largely of men is, of course, no coincidence, notes Berger. “The Catholic Church is one of the oldest patriarchies in the world. Women are basically sidelined and their voices aren’t heard. Most of our characters, including Lawrence, don’t question that much. But by the end of the movie, we begin to question. Why can’t it be open to other voices?”

One of those voices in the film is Sister Agnes, the nun in charge of running the Casa Santa Marta, where all the cardinals must live during the conclave. Isabella Rossellini, who plays the steely but deferential Agnes, says she found the role intriguing in part because her character is the only woman with any authority in this sea of men. “But it is her role to remain silent, to not disagree with the cardinals,” points out the acclaimed actress. “In her silence, though, there is a lot of information and a lot of presence. And I loved that.”

Women don’t have a strong public role in the governance of the Church, Rossellini acknowledges, and are expected to be subservient to priests. But, she notes, “As Agnes says in the film, ‘God has nevertheless given us eyes and ears.’ That is my favorite line in the script. They do see, they do hear, they have opinions and their presence is important.”

Isabella Rossellini stars as Sister Agnes in director Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.

Conclave was shot in the city of Rome at the legendary Cinecittà studios. Founded in 1937 with the help of Benito Mussolini to support the Italian film industry, it was partially destroyed by Allied bombs during World War II. Rebuilt by the 1950s, it became one of Europe’s premiere studios and the largest studio on the continent.

Creating the sets meant to reflect what is hidden behind the closed doors of the Vatican required research, imagination and ingenuity, says Berger. “You have ancient architecture, historic architecture and modern architecture in the same place. Finding those contrasts was key, so that you don’t get tired of seeing ecclesiastical architecture all the time. Our production designer Suzie Davies created unforgettable sets. She is a master.”

Davies was fascinated by the juxtaposition of modern and traditional in Rome. Perhaps the most ambitious set was the famed Sistine Chapel, where the voting takes place. “Amazingly, there was an existing set in storage at Cinecittà,” she reveals, “which we were able to restore using the same painters who put it together in the first place.”

Berger has a very strong visual sense, and wanted to explore two opposing ideas in terms of design, according to Davies. “He envisioned a balance of light and dark, male and female, traditional and contemporary. Rome and the Vatican are beautiful, traditional, ornate, gilded and ancient. But we also incorporated the very symmetrical, sharp-edged designs of the fascist era in Italy. The contrast between them is visually arresting.”

Visually, Berger hoped to create a unique feeling for Conclave, something different from other movies filmed in church settings. “Our cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine’s images and his intuitive way of dealing with the characters was a wonderful gift to steer away from anything we’ve seen before.”

Every shot had to have its own specific meaning, he says. “Generally I like when the shots hurt a bit, when they are as precise as razors. We prepared for shooting so meticulously that it was as if we had edited the film even before shooting it.”


EDWARD BERGER

Edward Berger was Oscar®-nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for his modern retelling of the 1930 German classic All Quiet on the Western Front, which he also directed and produced. The film won seven BAFTAs and four Academy Awards®, including an Oscar® for Berger for Best International Feature Film, en route to becoming one of the most honored international films ever.

Previously, Berger directed all five episodes of Showtime’s limited series “Patrick Melrose,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Hugo Weaving. The show won four BAFTAs (including Berger’s BAFTA for Best Limited Series) and was nominated for five Emmy Awards, including Best Limited Series and Best Directing, in addition to a Golden Globe for Best Actor.

Up next for the filmmaker is the mystery The Ballad of a Small Player, starring Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton and Fala Chen. The film is currently in production.

Berger graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1994 with a degree in directing. He gained his first professional experience working for the U.S. independent production company Good Machine, including working on films helmed by Ang Lee and Todd Haynes.

Berger’s film Jack was invited into the competition of the Berlin International Film Festival and nominated in three categories for the German Academy Award (Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay). It went on to win the German Academy Award in Silver for Best Picture, as well as Best Director and Best Picture at the German Directors Guild Awards.

In 2015 Berger’s eight-part television series “Deutschland 83” premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and aired to rave reviews on Sundance TV as the first German television show ever to be released in the U.S. It won an International Emmy, the Peabody Award, the Goldene Kamera and the award for Best International Drama Series at the renowned Séries Mania Festival in Paris. It also sold to Canal+ in France and Channel 4 in England, as well as to Scandinavia, Russia and many other territories around the world.


PETER STRAUGHAN

Peter Straughan is a critically acclaimed screenwriter whose BAFTA award-winning, Oscar®-nominated film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (co-written by Bridget O’Connor) featured an all-star cast including Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch. Straughan’s Hilary Mantel adaptation Wolf Hall (BAFTA and Golden Globe winner) aired on BBC television and its forthcoming sequel, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, is currently in production. His next project, Folio, examines the story behind a collection of Shakespeare’s works that were assembled seven years after his death.

Straughan first became a sought-after screenwriter when he penned the screenplay for Grant Heslov’s The Men Who Stare at Goats, an adaptation of Jon Ronson’s book that starred George Clooney. He went on to write John Madden’s The Debt, starring Helen Mirren, and Lenny Abrahamson’s Frank, starring Michael Fassbender. Straughan’s other adaptations include Our Brand Is Crisis, starring Sandra Bullock, and The Goldfinch, directed by John Crowley.


NYE / 30 November & 1, 4, 5 December

Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the NHS.  Confronted with death, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life; from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill. Written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island), this epic new Welsh fantasia will be broadcast live from the National Theatre.


At its inception in 2014, Peter Morgan‘s The Crown succeeded in becoming one of the most ambitious television projects of all time — and by the time it concluded its 60 episodes in 2023, his vision for the show had proven to be monumental. Created for Netflix, and premiering in 2016, Morgan’s series which he wrote or co-wrote comprised a six-season landmark depicting the life of Queen Elizabeth II from right before she became the monarch through the year 2005, when then-Prince Charles married the love of his life, Camilla Parker Bowles.

Peter Morgan / The Crown (TV series) / List of The Crown episodes


As a writer, Morgan had not always been interested in writing about historical figures.

“It came to me when I was about 40, so I’ve only been doing it about 20 years. I mention it to my own children, always, somebody said to me, which is that “The best creative years of your life are 40 to 60.” That doesn’t mean it applies to everybody, but it certainly applied to me, and I was told it before I got to 40. Stephen Frears told me that, he said that “Your best years are 40 to 60.”

Some writers write for TV, some for film or theatre and Morgan was lucky enough to participate in all three media. “I think I felt most home in theatre,” says Morgan. “When you have any idea you must think which media it will suit the best. When I wrote Frost/Nixon I wanted it to be a film. Nobody wanted it for film. So I wrote it for TV and nobody wanted it for TV. So I wrote is for theatre and everybody wanted it for the film. Each time the route is different, but process of writing I find the same. Technically speaking it is the same process.”

Morgan’s advice for writers is to write.

“On one hand I would wish everybody a success with their first screenplay, on other hand I have seen many people, who had success with first screen play and it destroyed them and their career cos they have never been able to repeat that. The ultimate goal in the career is to have longevity. For this you have to practice early on and disregard what happen next when it´s done, you get a finance for that or what will be reaction of the audience. It is beyond your control. Only thing you have the control over is whether you get up and write each morning or not. If you don´t you are simply not a writer.”



When Morgan took on The Crown, one of the most ambitious television projects ever to be planned, he had no sense of what he’d taken on.

Says Morgan: “Because I think if you do know, you wouldn’t do it. I think you stumble in like an innocent fool, and you thought, “Oh, well, that sounds like fun!” And you assemble a nice group of people, and you think, “Oh, this is nice.” I’m speaking now, just as a freelancer, there’s something unsettling if you’re a writer or a director or an actor, always looking for the next job, or meeting different people or wondering if it works out here, works out there. And a lot of us as artists are unsettled, complicated people from complicated backgrounds with complicated lives.

So the idea of finding stability and a family — there’s an extraordinarily high percentage of people that made “The Crown” that stayed from Episode 1 to Episode 10 of Season 6. It was such a functional, gorgeous group of human beings. It sort of removes the noise and the nonsense of freelance life, where you’re worried about this, worried about that. “This new person in that job, that new person — do I know them? Will they develop a relationship with them?” We were spared all of that, all that existential crackle, and we’re able to just do our jobs. Because the freelance life, the self-employed life, there can be a cold, whistling wind of discomfort. And I think we were all enormously privileged at a very special time for television to have had that opportunity.

So when it got very tough, and it always gets tough — a show like this is impossibly tough to do. I’m just talking about how to make it good, rather than personal relationships. I kept pinching myself and reminding myself of what I felt might be a unique moment. And indeed, the climate has changed. Now, I don’t know that the same show would get made again. We were left alone to do it — left alone! I mean, I can’t stress this enough. We were given support, and no notes. This is the show we wanted to make, and it is the way it is because that was how we wanted to make it. I mean, when do you get that?! I mean, I kept thinking, on behalf of all the other people who haven’t been given this opportunity, I’ve got to not screw it up. I’ve got to not drop the ball.”

One of the most powerful scenes in Season 6 is where Morgan wrote a scene depicting what happened between Diana and Dodi Fayed on the night of her death.

Says Morgan: “We know everything that happened from the minute they left that hotel suite and went down to the car. We know yard by yard, second by second what happened. But what we don’t know is what they were saying to each other in that hotel room. And that’s where I come in, and I have to use my imagination, but I don’t just sit there, and I don’t just start writing immediately thinking, “Well, I wonder what they had…” — you think really long and hard. Where is this particular character at this moment in their life? So many people both close to Diana and close to Dodi, have spoken about the frames of mind of the two individuals at the time, and you piece together what you imagine to be the case. And if you get it wrong, an audience will tell you. An audience, even without doing the research, will intuit if something is right or not. Audiences are so smart, and you can’t pull a fast one. If it’s implausible, an audience will know it instantly. They’ll just reject it.”

My harshest critic is not actually a historian, because historians are always pushing their own agenda. They’re often people with a certain point of view. I find an audience’s response much more telling, much more appropriate, because it comes from a huge cross-section of people with different political views, different ages. They reject if they’re being lied to. So we have to do a lot of work, and a lot of thinking.

And I call it joining the dots — where you know that this happened, you know that this happened. You sort of are reliably told that this person felt this, and this person felt this. But there still leaves this gap. And that’s the gap that a dramatist has to step into, and do their best. And I don’t know, it just so happens to be that I’m drawn to that gap-filling.

For many writers, it would be too restrictive. They want the wide-open planes of their imagination to be able to go in any direction they want with pure fiction. And for other people, they would want to do real second-by-second recreations of verbatim, where we know what was said, and they would want to recreate that. And I’m somewhere in the middle. For me, the fun is in the imagination. But imagination which is so well backed up with either anecdotal records, personal interviews you can do, historical books, that you can actually then imagine accurately.”

Figuring out how to map the seasons., Morgan always knew where he wanted to get to.

“In my head, I always think of The Crown as a train, moving through history. Our train particularly moves at the same pace all the way through, which is a decade a season. So when things suddenly happen in bunch, you think, “Well, we might need three episodes to deal with one year,” the train, its rhythm, is messed up. The bulk of my time, I’d say 60% of my time as a showrunner was spent figuring out the season, mapping out the 10 episodes.

Once I started writing episodes, I would stick to it. But mapping out the outlines took me many months. And is always a process where I pitch it to the researchers, the researchers grant me permission or give me the red card. The architecture of it — thereafter, every decision is small. Once you’ve mapped out the architecture of the season, after that, everything else is like sure, until you get into the cutting room where things are minute. So you keep going down and down and down in terms of the size of your decisions.”

“I’m always wrestling, every single day when I am writing a biographical film, I wrestle with the relationship between truth and accuracy. And I have two ways of making myself sleep at night. The first is, if it’s truthful, I feel okay. And the second is I tell myself that what I’m doing ultimately is painting a portrait. When you are in the busi ness of cre-ative writing, there is an unspoken covenant between you and the audi-ence, where the audience is expecting you to bring something to it that is beyond conventional, documentarian, accuracy-based treatments.”

1. Find the Perfect Platform for Your Story

Morgan originally conceived The Crown as a feature film. Morgan was initially known for his brilliant work on the stage as a playwright, but he then segued into film, and later, television. He’s the screenwriter behind The Queen (2006), Frost/Nixon (2008), The Damned United (2009), Rush (2013), and Bohemian Rhapsody (2018). As he was developing and researching the feature version of The Crown, he began to see the potential of the overarching story and the real-life characters had through years and years of rule. Rather than focus on a smaller window within that story, he decided it would be better as a series. When you’re developing concepts, pay attention to the stories that you’re trying to tell. And know the differences between the demands of a feature and the demands of a series. So for The Crown, rather than trying to compact years of great stories into a single feature, Morgan decided to shift towards a series approach.

2. True Stories Still Require Imagination from a Screenwriter

Many screenwriters struggle handling stories and characters that are based on historical facts and events. They struggle with balancing fact vs. fiction — and don’t understand how to handle creative liberties. As a screenwriter, it’s your job to fill in the blanks and explore what those real-life characters may or may not have been feeling. And it is certainly your job to interpret what they may or may not have been feeling through dialogue and emotional manifestations. If anything, it’s should be considered a freedom — not a constraint. You have the freedom of interpretation. And that requires a lot of imagination. Telling a true story isn’t just about great research. It’s about taking that research and using your imagination to bring it to life in cathartic fashion for the audience.

3. Look for the Smaller Historical Gems Beyond the Obvious Events

“In advance of writing every season — each season is approximately a decade long — so I look at that decade and there are the obvious tentpole historical events, and if you don’t, at least in some way, allude to them, it feels like a dishonest representation of that decade. And then there are the surprising ones. And it can often take quite a lot of time to find those.”

The series handles a lot of the obvious historical events. But where it shines most is with the smaller details that many don’t know about — those hidden historical gems. When audiences watch a series or movie based on historical events and figures, yes, they want to see those tentpole historical events covered. They want to learn more about them. They want to feel like they are getting a look into what really happened — or may have happened. But they also want to be surprised. They also want to learn new things. When you’re researching your screenplay based on historical events, keep your eyes peeled for little gems that you can focus on as well.

4. Stories of Love are Universal

Whether it’s between Queen Elizabeth and her beau, Prince Philip — or Princess Margaret and her many romances, especially with Captain Peter Townsend — love stories are an excellent way to help the audience relate to otherwise unrelatable historical figures.

It’s easy to get lost in the history of everything when you’re dealing with a historical event or figure. You focus so much on the facts and relinquish the emotion that you’d normally find in a feature film or series. You need to find ways to bring the audience in. And you accomplish that by exploring themes that are universal.

And what better universal theme than love?

The love of a wife or husband. The history with a former love. The love you always wanted but never had. The love you had, and have never forgotten. The crush. The love affair.

These are all universal themes. And you can branch out, much like The Crown does, by exploring the love between a mother and daughter, father and son, etc. As well as the complications between those types of relationships.

Don’t let the historical significance of your screenplay cloud the themes that every great story needs. Find any opportunity to portray those universal themes within your true story screenplays. Facts are interesting and fun to explore. Themes are what keep the audience invested and attached to the story and characters.

5. Find the Core of Your Story

“I’m not being presumptuous, I hope, when I say that ‘The Crown’ is a little bit like ‘The Godfather.’ It is essentially about a family in power and survival.”

Sure, The Crown covers historical events and figures. But when you take on a historical project — or any project, based on history or not — you need to understand the core of the story.

The Crown isn’t just about the Royal Family. It’s about: What it is like to have power. How different people handle that power. And how others survive through that struggle with power

What’s the core of your story?  The core of your story is the overarching theme that audiences can relate to most. What’s it really about? That’s what will drive every single choice you make as the writer.

With this series, it’s not just about presenting the factual details of the historical event portrayed. It’s about the struggle of power and surviving through the decisions made, and the repercussions that follow.


Hallie Meyers-Shyer has been surrounded by the film world since she was born.  Her parents are veteran writer/directors Nancy Meyers (Private Benjamin) and Charles Shyer (Father of the Bride) who divorced when Hallie was a young girl.

In 2017, she made her directorial debut in 2017 with Home Again. Meyers-Shyer grew up in Los Angeles and attended The New School in Manhattan and The University of Southern California’s Writing for Screen and Television Program.

“Taking note of the many forms families take in this day and age, I wanted to write about different
generations of children from different marriages coming together to form a modern family. Inspired by films like Kramer vs. Kramer and Terms Of Endearment, complex family dynamics have always been at the center of the funny and emotional films I love most and the kind of stories I have always wanted to tell. Goodrich is a movie about coming of age at any age, about sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, marriage and divorce, and about realizing what really matters in life is the ones you love.”

For Meyers-Shyer, Goodrich is a personal film. “It could only be a personal movie. My father had children when I was in college, and that was complicated for me.  It was a lot to digest and process, and I love those kids. And it was just an interesting thing to watch your parent, parent a new set of kids. So I thought that it should be a movie. I combined all these different themes in my life and I wanted to write a movie for Michael Keaton because I could only see him taking on a role like this.”

“Michael’s very selective as to what roles he takes on, so I thought there was a very good chance he would say no.  I really just wrote my heart out, and I wrote it to Michael, the way you write to great music.I watched all of his films, I watched interviews with him, and I felt like I got to know him a little bit, and I just wrote as honestly to his talents and his strengths as I could, and prayed that he would say yes, and he did and quite quickly actually.”

“A lot of the time, as a writer, you can understand your life better by writing about it, and I think it’s a very human story. It’s very relatable. For me, that’s worthy of spending a lot of time on because I think it’s important for smaller, more intimate stories to be kept alive in today’s world. It’s an odd time for filmmaking.”

Meyers-Shyer thought it would be interesting to explore the idea of the work-life balance for men on screen because it’s talked about a lot for women. She wanted him to be a man of a certain age, because when he parented his first generation of children, which is Mila Kunis, there was a different standard for men. They could go off to work all day and come home for dinner, and that was a little bit excused in the ‘80s and even.

“I would say, up until recently, really. Now, in 2024, there are different societal standards for men and for fathers and different expectations. So, I thought if he had to parent then and he had to parent now, that would be comedic and interesting to dive into,” says Meyers-Shyer.

“Because we shot in 25 days, I had done a lot of that chiselling to the script because there’s no time to shoot things that you think may or may not be in the film. So, I had tried to get that script down to what really had to be there. I know some directors kind of do in editing room, “What about if we put this scene here,” and something wacky. That’s not my style. I stick to the script, and the script is pretty much the movie.”

It started for Hallie in terms of writing. “I’ve always really wanted to be a writer, so if it wasn’t gonna be film, I would wanna be a journalist or something. I’m a writer in my heart, and cinema is something I learned a lot about growing up. It was a big part of our upbringing. They would educate us on Sturges movies and Lubitsch movies, all of the masters, Billy Wilder. I really took to it at a young age and my parents noticed that, so they really encouraged it, and then they would start explaining things to me. There’s a language to film. I’m a parent now, and I notice if my kid is into music, then I start playing him Paul Simon. You want to encourage your kid’s interests, and my parents have a vast knowledge of the history of film, so they imparted that wisdom to me. Then, when I’d be on sets, they would show me things and explain them, “This is why we’re doing it this way.” When we would watch something, they would say, “You see how he did that? Do you see how the blocking of that was a two-shot, and then it pushed in and now it’s a single?” They would explain things to me. I can’t remember a time before I wanted to do this.”

Melding comedy with drama, Goodrich tests and explores its lead character Andy Goodrich, played by the incomparable Michael Keaton, showcasing both his lovable qualities and his flaws. Andy’s world is quickly upended when he finds himself in the position of being the sole parent of his nine-year-old twins from his second marriage. His life has always largely been consumed by work, causing Andy to never really give his kids the father they deserve while leaning a little too heavily on his adult daughter Grace (Mila Kunis) from his first marriage. Grace, now pregnant with her first child, watches from the sidelines as Andy learns to give his next generation of kids the very thing Grace’s childhood lacked — him. As his work life comes to an end, Andy must grapple with the universe changing his course both personally and professionally, which may ultimately be just what he needs.

In Venom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy. Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.

Read more about: Venom / Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Marcel, who co-wrote the last two Venom films as well as served as Executive Producer on Venom and Producer on Venom: Let There Be Carnage, makes her directorial debut with Venom: The Last Dance. As she stepped into the role of director, Marcel was excited to continue her longtime collaboration with Tom Hardy, who plays both Eddie and Venom. Marcel and Hardy developed a story for Venom: The Last Dance, which Marcel used to write the screenplay.

“Tom and I have a really good language with each other,” Marcel says. “He understands my writing, and I know how to build characters for him that he enjoys playing. For The Last Dance, we spent a week in a hotel in London just bashing out the story from morning ‘til morning. Tom and I agreed that this movie needs to be the biggest, most amped up Venom of them all, and we’re lucky the studio trusts us to make it in the way that we see it and feel it.

“It feels very emotional for me and Tom to bring it to the audience, because it’s our baby,” says Marcel, who directed and crafted the screenplay from a story by Tom Hardy & Kelly Marcel, based on the Marvel Comics. “I just hope we’ve done the fans proud and given a fitting ending to these characters that we love so much.”

“The Venom trilogy is a classic rom-com, really,” Marcel says, laughing. “Eddie Brock and Venom meet in the first film. In Venom: Let There Be Carnage, they’ve got the seven year itch and they break up. Now, as we conclude their story, they have finally learned to live with each other, they’ve finally reached symbiosis, but will they be able to stay together?”

Venom: The Last Dance picks up where the previous film left off, with Eddie and Venom on the run after defeating Cletus Kasady and his symbiote, Carnage. That showdown revealed Venom’s existence – not just to authorities on Earth but to a ruthless adversary deep in the cosmos. “Eddie and Venom have been exposed to the outside world because of the massive fight at Grace Cathedral,” Marcel says. “Their escape means that The Last Dance is a road trip movie. They’re being chased not only by people from our world, but also by powerful forces from Venom’s home world, Klyntar. The longer Eddie and Venom stay together, the more of a threat they pose to the entire planet.”

“Working with Tom is just really fun,” Marcel continues. “He’s one of my best mates, and he’s incredibly smart. He understands these characters inside and out, and he’s a fountain of ideas. It’s amazing.”

Tom Hardy stars as Eddie Brock/Venom in Columbia Pictures VENOM: THE LAST DANCE. photo by: Courtesy of Sony Pictures

Marcel and Hardy made sure to keep their storytelling grounded in what fans love about the Venom saga. “We’re very inspired by the comics, and we wanted to listen to the fans and see where they want this story to go next,” Marcel says. “But we knew that we were going to be concluding this trilogy, and we wanted to make it emotional. We wanted to take Venom and Eddie’s relationship to the next level.”

At the heart of that relationship is Eddie himself. “Eddie Brock is a pretty selfish guy when you first meet him in Venom,” says Marcel. “He destroys his relationship by lying to his fiancée and ending her career. He’s a journalist who enjoys his own face and fame, and Venom completely destroys all of that and strips him down to his basic self. In Venom: The Last Dance, Eddie is older and wiser, and he’s learned so much more patience and tolerance. He’s learned how to really love someone.”

But some things never change. Venom hasn’t lost the pure, unbridled id that made him so much fun in the first two films—although he has evolved. “Venom doesn’t have a filter,” says Marcel. “He just does what he wants. Eddie is the one that’s constantly trying to rein in this mad, joyful creature who isn’t burdened by societal norms. But what’s interesting in this movie is that Venom has had to grow up a bit. He’s learned some fear, and he does have some worry. He ultimately has to make a very tough decision.”

Venom’s character didn’t just come from the script or comics. During production on the first Venom film, Hardy played a pivotal role in bringing the symbiote to life—and that has continued throughout the series. “Tom played around with lots of different voices, and that’s where Venom started,” says Marcel. “He hit on the right voice, and once we heard it, it lent itself to Venom’s bombastic dialogue. That voice came from a little voice note recording that Tom sent, saying, ‘I think he sounds like this.’”

From that first voice memo, Hardy was able to develop Venom’s character both on the page and on the set. “Tom and I do a lot of improvisation,” says Marcel. “Tom wears an earpiece on the set that you can’t see, and he’ll record what is written for Venom on the page. Then we put Venom into his ear so that he can play to the voice in his head. I can also speak to him in his ear, so if I come up with a good line in the moment, I can put that line down in his ear, and he’ll bat it back and continue the scene.”

On most films with CG characters, the VFX team is on set to place specific markers so the actor knows where their eyeline should be, but the Venom filmmakers put this decision in Hardy’s hands. “We don’t mark the location of Venom’s head when it’s outside of Eddie’s body,” Marcel continues. “We let Tom be free with where he places Venom while they’re interacting, and we just stay on our toes to keep Venom in frame. I’ve never seen anybody do what he’s able to do in those moments.”

Together, Eddie and Venom give Hardy a chance to portray a relationship that’s part spectacular, part absurd, and genuinely moving. “Eddie and Venom love each other,” Marcel says. “They’re best friends. You’ve got to sacrifice a lot if you’re going to give up your body to an alien, if you’re going to share your inner and outer self with a great big toddler – albeit an especially dangerous one. Eddie and Venom bring out the best in each other.”


Kelly Marcel’s breakthrough came when her TV show Terra Nova was the subject of a bidding war, culminating in Steven Spielberg producing it as a £60m 13-episode series for Twentieth Century Fox. Marcel subsequently wrote the feature screenplay Saving Mr. Banks, charting the extraordinary and true story of the twenty year struggle to bring Mary Poppins to the screen.

She followed that by adapting E.L. James’ literary phenomenon Fifty Shades of Grey into an international box-office smash for Universal, taking $571 million worldwide.

Marcel came on to work on Sony Pictures’ Venom adaptation as one of the writers, and subsequently executive produced the film.  Venom earned more than $855 million globally. 

She wrote and produced the sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which was the seventh-highest grossing film of 2021.

In 2023, Marcel’s eight-part television adaption of Victor Lavelle’s novel The Changeling, which she showran and executive produced. aired on Apple TV+. The director Melina Matsoukas and Marcel received IndieWire’s 2023 Auteur Award in recognition of the series.

As one of Marvel’s most morally complicated characters—and a character who is brought to life through visual effects—Venom needed a first-rate VFX team.

“One of our challenges is getting Venom to emote,” says VFX supervisor John Moffatt. “He’s got quite a different biology to his face. He’s got a massive smile, huge eyes, and no ears. So when you animate that, you have to use different gestures. One of the things that Kelly, Tom, and I have been working hard on is getting a CG character to portray an emotional performance, since so much of this movie is an emotionally charged story.”

To get that performance, Moffatt worked closely with Hardy. “We’re trying to lean into Tom’s performance as much as possible to allow him to play against Venom,” Moffatt says. “He’s really collaborative. We let his performance drive what we’re doing, rather than trying to say, ‘Hey, visual effects needs this or that.’ It’s all about keying into Tom’s performance.”

Venom in Columbia Pictures VENOM: THE LAST DANCE. Photo Courtesy: Sony Pictures

Moffatt also developed the other symbiotes in the film, and the variety of creatures that host Venom. “As for Venom’s hosts, I remember on first reading the script, I was like, ‘Wow, a Venom horse! A Venom fish!’ We’re having fun with the way that a symbiote can morph or combine with another creature. How do we portray Venom’s sense of humor or behavior into those other creatures? What effect does that have on Eddie? The scene with the horse is especially cool. It’s a really fun sequence.”

Venom: The Last Dance also relies on strong production design, especially in the military installation. “Chris Lowe, our production designer, had to create a whole plethora of sets,” says Marcel.

Director of Photography Fabian Wagner was up to the challenge of capturing all the elements of each sequence and scene. “We have lots of different locations and lots of different looks,” Wagner says. “Since this movie is a road trip, there’s constant movement with a lot of choreography, but we also have some very intimate scenes, which are beautiful. We’ve been using everything from the usual cranes doing some epic wide shots, but also a lot of handheld work. It’s a very interesting mixture.”

Wagner is especially happy that audiences can see the film in IMAX. “I love the cinema and I love the experience you get from sitting in the cinema,” Wagner continues. “It’s a completely different experience to sitting at home in front of your TV. I think this movie has a whole new scope to it that audiences will appreciate on the IMAX screen.”


Ordinary Angels is the next film from Kingdom Story Company, following Jesus Revolution (2023). “Lionsgate had this story they were so excited about,” says producer Kevin Downes. “Development moved quickly from draft to production.

Originally, the film was titled Angels. “Two little girls had described to me that they made angel wings in the snow when the helicopter took off,” says executive producer Rick Baker, who secured the rights to the Schmitts’ family story. Jon Gunn added the Ordinary to the title.

“As I was looking at the true story and looking at the real people, I felt like there was a responsibility and an obligation to tell their story in a way that honored their life,” says director Jon Gunn of Ordinary Angels, an inspiring tale of faith and everyday miracles. “My vision was to share—with honesty and integrity—the truth and the challenges and the pain of that true story in a way that was optimistic and uplifting.”

Producer Jon Berg says “It’s a true story about cooperation, perseverance and community. Helping one’s neighbor and also moving mountains no matter who you are.”

Baker says that what makes the real-life historical event all the more extraordinary is that everyone was impacted by the snowstorm in Louisville, too. “Almost everybody was without power themselves,” says Baker. “They were trying to figure out where to get milk and water and all the essentials for their own family. And they just dropped everything.”

Skywalker Hughes as Ashley, Emily Mitchell as Michelle, Alan Ritchson as Ed and Nancy Travis as Barbara in Ordinary Angels. Photo Credit: Allen Fraser

“What inspires me the most is how this community really rallied together,” says Downes. “The life of this tiny little child was saved through the most extraordinary, impossible circumstances. And to me, it’s about a rush of hope. It’s about lifting people up, lifting up the human spirit and the human condition. I always love going to movies where I come out two hours later and feel good about life. Those are the types of movies that I want to make.”

This inspiring true story is set against the backdrop of the worst snowstorm in Kentucky history. Ordinary Angels centers on Sharon (Hilary Swank), a fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed (Alan Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters. With his youngest daughter waiting for a liver transplant, Sharon single-handedly rallies an entire community to save the life of his critically ill young daughter.


Helmed by Jon Erwin, Andrew Erwin, Kevin Downes, and Tony Young, the Kingdom Story Company brand
is synonymous with hope, bringing true and inspiring content to the big screen. As pioneers of inspiring storytelling, their features include I Can Only Imagine, American Underdog, I Still Believe, The Jesus Music, and Jesus Revolution .

“Kingdom Story Company endeavors to bring inspiring true stories to life on screen. Ordinary Angels spotlights one family’s seemingly insurmountable struggles and the everyday people who helped them in remarkable ways. Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson bring to life this heroic example of how one person can change a family and how that changes a community and gives rise, quite literally, to life and to hope.”

“I didn’t know about this story before reading the script,” says Alan Ritchson, who plays Michelle’s father Ed Schmitt and is best known for the lead role in the Amazon Original Reacher, as well as his action roles in The Hunger Games and Titans. “Every page turn was a surprise. I was really impressed with the quality of the characters, the writing, and the arcs. I called my team the second I finished it, and I said, ‘I have to find a way to be part of this.’ I love how uplifting Ordinary Angels is, how optimistic and hopeful.”

Ritchson says he connected with Ed’s sense of self-reliance and his desire to be independent. “I’ve always had a very hard time asking for help. I don’t want to impose on anybody,” he says. “But we need each other at times. This is the problem Ed faces: these life and death stakes. It’s like trying to lift Mount Everest on your own. It’s impossible.”

Alan Ritchson as Ed in Ordinary Angels. Photo Credit: Allen Fraser

“There are two kinds of films. There are the ‘popcorn films’ that offer us a chance to escape. Then there are the films that awaken something in us, remind us of our humanity and what we’re capable of,” says Ritchson. “Working on Ordinary Angels has awakened in me an important sense of optimism that we can do wonderful things together. We’ve got a man who can’t ask for help, refuses to ask for help, and doesn’t want any. And Sharon who will insert herself like a comma in the middle of a sentence that doesn’t want one. She has decided to make this family her mission without permission. I think part of the fun of this movie is seeing if she’ll be right in her quest. Will she pull off these miracles that she’s promising these strangers? I’m optimistic. I believe in people. I believe that sometimes we just need to be
reminded of the power of what we can do together.”

If Ed Schmitt is the desperate dad trying to save his child, then Sharon is the ordinary angel who steps into the mess. “Sharon is a go-getter,” says Hilary Swank, who brings the right balance of humor and edge to the role of Sharon. “She is someone who doesn’t like to sit down. She likes to have fun. She likes to attack life with all of herself. She gets in there and wants people to be their best—and she is flawed like any human being. And she is trying to figure it out with heart and determination.” Swank is known for her roles in Million Dollar Baby and Boys Don’t Cry and is the recipient of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, a Critics’ Choice Award, an Independent Spirit Award, a Gotham Tribute Award, and a SAG Award.

Hilary Swank as Sharon in Ordinary Angels. Photo Credit: Allen Fraser

“We have a choice in how we want to step into our lives every single day. That means helping others and helping ourselves to be a better person,” says Swank. “I was taken by the fact that an ordinary person going through life just found that grace in their heart to want to help another human. Especially right now, with all we’re seeing in the news, to see this goodness that’s out there just really spoke to me. I wish there were more movies like Ordinary Angels. That was one of the things when I read this script—I just thought, ‘Wow, this is so nice to read because there’s just not material like this out there anymore.’ And I am so happy to be a part of it.”

“The city of Louisville and the congregation of Southeast Christian Church came together to save little Michelle Schmidt! It’s just inspiring,” says producer Jon Berg. “You can move mountains and change a life if you set your mind to it. That and what divides us is far less powerful than what unites us. It’s also that the everyday human is both flawed and has the capability to be a hero.”

Says Executive Producer Rick Baker. “When I read the script for Ordinary Angels, and Jon knows this, I couldn’t get past page 80. I was sitting on my back porch crying. It was just as if I didn’t even know the story. I just reacted to it at a gut level. And I thought, ‘This is really as good as it gets.’”


Writer Meg Tilly is an Oscar-nominated actress and award-winning novelist. She may be best known for her acclaimed Golden Globe-winning lead performance in the movie Agnes of God. Other screen credits include, The Big Chill, Valmont, and the acclaimed Canadian series “Bomb Girls” In 2017‬ she appeared in Netflix’s movie War Machine. Tilly’s had ten novels published to date. Singing Songs (Penguin/Dutton, A Barnes & Noble Great New Writers Selection 1994) was her first novel. A screenplay was optioned by MGM/UA. This novel was followed by another adult novel Gemma (St. Martin’s Press). Her first YA novel, Porcupine (Tundra Books), was shortlisted for a BC Book Prize, The Canadian Libraries Association Best Children’s Book 2008, Foreword Magazine Book of the Year, Ontario Library Best Bets 2008 and a finalist
for the Sheila A Egoff Children’s Literature Prize. KidRo optioned a screenplay for Porcupine. Next came First Time (Orca), a 2009 Golden Eagle Award Nominee, a 2009 YALSA Quick Picks and 2010 CCBC Best Books. Her fifth novel A Taste of Heaven (Puffin Books) was shortlisted for the 2014 Libris Young Reader Book of the Year, a 2014 Diamond Willow Award and won the 2014/15 Chocolate Lilly Award. Behind the Scenes (Puffin) was published in 2014. Her latest novel, Solace Island (Berkley/Jove) was published Nov. 2018 and received a starred review from Library Journal. Cliff’s Edge (Berkley/Jove) was published in May 2019. Hidden Cove (Berkley/Jove) was published Oct 2019. The Runaway Heiress, (Berkley/Jove) was
published July 2021. Tilly wrote the screenplay for Ordinary Angels for Dave Matthews and Jonathan
Dorfman (ATO Pictures) Lionsgate purchased the screenplay.

Kelly Fremon Craig (Writer) is a film director, screenwriter, and producer, known for writing and directing the film adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. In 2016, she made her directorial debut with the film The Edge Of Seventeen. Kelly grew up in Orange County, California and graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in English Literature.


The film Testament of Youth is an unforgettable and profound story of love, war and remembrance, based on the First World War memoir by Vera Brittain, which has become the classic testimony of that war from a woman’s point of view. A searing journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, it’s a film about young love, the futility of war and how to make sense of the darkest times. Directed by James Kent, the screenplay was crafted by Juliette Towhidi.  

Juliette Towhidi talks about adapting Testament of Youth

During World War I, Oxford University student Vera Brittain (Alicia Vikander) postpones her studies to serve as a nurse while her suitor, her brother and a secret admirer face death in the trenches.


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Alicia Vikander and Kit Harington in Testament of Youth.

In 2008, Christine Langan and Joe Oppenheimer of BBC Films were exploring the BBC archive for dramas with film potential, and, with the centenary of World War 1 looming, their attention turned to the classic 1979 BBC series of Testament of Youth. Rosie Alison, of Heyday Films, had recently worked with Christine Langan on The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and when she learned of the BBC’s exploratory conversations with the Vera Brittain estate, she made a strong plea for Heyday to produce the film.

Vera Brittain
Vera Brittain

Alison, like Langan, had fallen under the spell of both Vera Brittain’s memoir and the original television series as a schoolgirl – and had retained a passionate attachment to Testament of Youth. BBC Films agreed that Rosie Alison and David Heyman (of Heyday Films) should be the producers for the film.

Alison and BBC Films undertook an extensive search for writers, before Juliette Towhidi was chosen. Although previously best known for a very different film, Calendar Girls, Towhidi made a passionate pitch to write the script.  Read an interview with Juliette Towhidi

Says Alison: “Juliette just stood out – she had the emotional intensity and rigorous intelligence to tackle the big story because it’s not only the book of ‘Testament of Youth’, there were also Vera’s diaries, and a wonderful collection of correspondence between Vera and the men in her life. There’s an overwhelming wealth of material to draw from, including Roland Leighton’s frontline poetry, and we needed to find a writer who could tackle all that and not get lost within it.”

Juliette Towhidi
Juliette Towhidi

“My task was to translate Vera’s memoir into a screenplay, which for me meant sticking to the book – that was my beginning and end point for research. I read and re-read and re-read the book and because I come from a journalistic background it is in my DNA to research things thoroughly. I did a lot of research around the First World War, always from a civilian perspective and of course discussing her with Shirley Williams (Vera’s daughter) and Mark Bostridge, (Vera’s biographer) really brought her to life for me.”

While it was decided not to use a literal first person narrator, Vera’s first person voice is implied through the use of her letters (such an important aspect of Vera’s memoir). Says Alison: “Over two or three years, Juliette’s script evolved to achieve that balance between the big historical story and Vera’s personal journey. We didn’t want a stately biopic; we wanted to make an intimate film where you really felt the interiority of Vera on her extraordinary journey from youth and hope through the war and its losses, and out the other side to a kind of a reawakening of the value and purpose of her life. Juliette brought to the script both Vera’s inner life, and the bigger picture of the times.”

Says Towhidi: “It’s a little bit like one of the great Russian novels in the sense that you have individuals experiencing a great tide of history that they are powerless to do anything about. Vera’s very personal journey set against this extraordinary epic backdrop of the war is what I think makes the story really special. The fact that she struggled with different forms of expressing her experience – she began by trying to write it as a totally fictionalized novel, and then ended up writing a very personal first-hand account. I think that’s actually what gives the book its power. You feel the truth of it.”

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Taron Egerton, Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington and Colin Morgan in Testament of Youth

In condensing a 600 page memoir into a two hour film, it was clear that some omissions and changes would have to be made, to distil the source material.

During the process of adaptation, the writer and the producers were very mindful of identifying the key aspects of Vera’s story, the bare bones, and building the script around those.

For example, the film concentrates on two key periods of Vera’s nursing – at the First London General hospital in Camberwell, then at the military camp Etaples in France. This meant that Vera’s period as a nurse in Malta, had to be left out: it felt too much of a digression within the narrative drive of the film. Another example of a conscious change made concerns Vera’s nursing of Edward: although Vera did nurse her wounded brother, in reality this was in the First London General Hospital at Camberwell after he was wounded in the Somme – but the film makers shifted this encounter to a later period of the film, during Vera’s stint as a nurse in France at Etaples; this was to help the pacing of her relationship with Edward through the film. (When Vera Brittain was thinking of fictionalising her war experiences, before she settled on writing a memoir instead, she herself toyed with moving her nursing of Edward to France.)

There was also the question of where to begin and end Vera’s story.

The film makers decided to open with Vera on Armistice Day in 1918, drawing from her powerful descriptions of herself as a broken figure on that day, disconnected from the cheering crowds around her; this was to establish a keen, visceral sense of seeing the world with Vera and through her eyes. Through Vera’s memory, the film then flashes back to 1914, as we meet her in her pre-war innocence.

Much thought also went into where to end the film – how far to show Vera on her journey both as a writer and as a political activist, working for the League of Nations in the 1920s.

And whether to show the start of her attachment to her future husband, George Catlin. In the end, it felt more dramatically satisfying to keep the timescale of the film more contained than the full scope of Testament of Youth.

Although we meet, briefly, her future husband George Catlin, the film focuses more on Vera’s determination to honour the memories of Edward, Roland, Victor and Geoffrey.

We leave Vera at the moment when she first finds her voice as a speaker. And there is the sense that, formed by her wartime experiences, Vera can now go on to write the book of remembrance which defined her legacy, Testament of Youth (which she actually didn’t publish until 1933.)

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Kit Harington,Colin Morgan and Taron Egerton in Testament of Youth,

There is a wealth of original source material from which the current adaptation has been able to draw. Aside from the primary source of Vera Brittain’s WW1 memoir Testament of Youth, which she wrote and published retrospectively in 1933, there are also her diaries from those years (published as Chronicle of Youth), and her correspondence with Edward Brittain, Roland Leighton, Victor Richardson and Geoffrey Thurlow (published as Letters From A Lost Generation: First World War Letters of Vera Brittain and Four Friends, edited by Mark Bostridge). There is also a definitive biography of Vera Brittain by Mark Bostridge and Paul Berry, as well as Bostridge’s edited collection of Vera’s poetry and prose (Because You Died). Roland Leighton’s poetry is featured by Vera Brittain within Testament of Youth.

Vera Brittain’s biographer, Mark Bostridge, was the consultant on the film. Vera’s daughter Shirley Williams was extremely supportive and generous with her time, meeting with the production team and discussing script drafts, and giving insights into her mother.


Smile 2 continues the twisted and terrifying story that began in breakout hit Smile, the highest grossing horror film of 2022 – taking in $200 million at the worldwide box office – and quickly becoming a beloved addition to the genre for critics and global audiences alike. Smile 2 delivers even bigger and more intense scares, relentless tension, and unnerving surprises. The captivating and mind-bending sequel is written and directed by Parker Finn who made his feature film debut with Smile and reunites the original filmmaking team.

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Director Parker Finn on the set of Paramount Pictures Presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn FIlm “SMILE 2” © 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES / Photo Credit: Barbara Nitke

Filmmaker Parker Finn is one of the most innovative and striking new voices in the horror space. Finn wrote, directed, and produced the breakout hit Smile, based on Finn’s award-winning short Laura Hasn’t Slept. The film was intended to be released exclusively on demand, but given its overwhelmingly positive reception, it was released theatrically and became a massive box-office success. It opened to number one and received both critical and audience acclaim. Following the release of Smile, Finn entered a multi-year first-look deal with Paramount Pictures. Upcoming, Finn will adapt, direct, and produce under his Bad Feeling banner, the remake of the cult classic 80’s horror film Possession

Smile centered on Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), a dedicated psychiatrist at a public hospital whose mission was to ensure her troubled patients get the help they need. But when a malevolent evil entered Rose’s life, the tables turned and she found herself struggling to convince her friends and family that the surreal nightmare she was experiencing was real. Giving the audience a potent experience of a relentless descent into madness, Smile not only heralded the exciting arrival of a new filmmaking talent, but also created a pop culture phenomenon with its primal and devastating concept.

“Between Parker’s terrifying vision and Sosie’s incredible performance we knew we had something truly special with Smile and it was so gratifying to see it catch fire,” says producer Marty Bowen.

Fueled by the overwhelming response to Smile, the filmmaking team sought out on a mission to explore the haunting continuation of the first installment. “Taking in the incredible audience response to Smile, we couldn’t stop thinking about what it would look like to take all of the elements of the movie we loved and push them even farther. Could we make a movie that’s even scarier, funnier, more shocking, and with a character journey that’s even more unhinged?” notes producer Isaac Klausner.

So as a new Smile film promises to keep audiences on the edge of their seats for a brand new, highly visceral thrill ride, Finn reflects on how much he continues to enjoy making horror films for viewers. “It’s such a terrific way to hold a mirror up to what we’re all feeling as a society,” he says. “It’s a great vehicle to explore what it is to be human in this world and all the ways that it’s terrifying. Smile 2 is immediately a Smile film. But it also 100% has its own identity, its own metabolism.”

Lukas Gage stars in Paramount Pictures Presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn FIlm “SMILE 2″© 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES / Photo Credit: Barbara Nitke

“In the sequel, audiences will experience an unflinching dive into the dark side of fame and trauma with even more unsettling, haunting smiles that captivated the audiences of its predecessor—this time taken to a whole new level of terror,” adds producer Robert Salerno.

Filmmakers also reflect on the evolution of the Smile universe, emphasizing that Smile 2 continues the same twisted and terrifying narrative while raising the stakes to an even more devastating level. “Parker designed Smile to be experienced entirely through Rose’s point of view. As a result, every element of the look and feel of the film stemmed directly from that character. Smile 2 takes a similar approach but with a troubled, world-famous pop star in Skye at the center, it’s all turned up to 11,” notes Wyck Godfrey. They’re excited to reveal that this sequel promises to be bigger and better, pushing the boundaries of psychological tension and palpable dread. According to Bowen, “The demon at the heart of Smile loves to toy with its victims, and it finds terrifying new ways to play with Skye.”

“Never in a million years would I have imagined the journey that Smile has taken me on,” says Finn. “We designed Smile 2 to play on the big screen, from the visuals to the score to the Skye Riley music to the crunch of bones and the sloshing of blood. It’s all about the communal experience of watching horror in a dark room with other like-minded moviegoers. There’s something really special that happens when everybody is screaming or laughing or jumping or groaning at the same time – a magic that can’t be replicated anywhere else. I love these movies, and I’ve poured my blood, sweat and tears into them. It’s so wonderful to get to share them with the world.”

Smile was initially conceived as a self-contained story and Finn admits that while making the first film, he never could have anticipated that he would have the opportunity to create a second one. “But I knew that if I was going to approach the sequel, I needed to find a character I could fall in love with all over again and something thematic and emotional to explore,” shares the filmmaker. “The trick to unlocking it was discovering the character of Skye Riley.”

Skye Riley – portrayed by British singer and actor Naomi Scott – is a global pop sensation. However, the young artist is still healing physically and spiritually from a horrific car accident involving her actor boyfriend, Paul (Ray Nicholson). With an international tour for her new album, “Too Much For One Heart,” looming, the pressure sends the vulnerable Skye to visit a former classmate, Lewis (Lukas Gage). This seemingly random encounter launches her on a profoundly terrifying and isolating journey that makes her doubt whether she can trust her mother/manager (Rosemarie DeWitt), assistant (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), best friend, Gemma (Dylan Gelula), or even herself.


In the first Smile film, Bacon gave a wonderfully vulnerable performance as Rose, a woman struggling with trauma and wondering if she is losing her sanity. For Smile 2, the lead actor needed to be able to personify the emotional fragility of someone grappling with the madness brought on by the curse, but additionally, have the charisma and musical ability of a global pop star.

Smile 2 begins with a direct connection to the first film through the character of Joel, played by Kyle Gallner. At the conclusion of Smile, while attempting to help protagonist Rose escape the curse, Joel inherits it. So in Smile 2, Joel understands his fate all too well when he is infected with the demon. The film opens with him attempting to “ethically” distribute the curse. However, his plan soon goes awry, and a thrilling opening set piece leaves a macabre souvenir.

It was this ability to dial into emotion and intensity, vacillating between extremes, that particularly impressed Finn. “Naomi is so unbelievably talented,” he says. “She can do everything. There are moments where she needs to be able to play a very elegant Grace Kelly-type in her public persona, and other moments where we see her at absolute rock bottom, at her worst. And Naomi did both with aplomb.”

Naomi Scott, left, and Director Parker Finn on the set of Paramount Pictures Presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn FIlm “SMILE 2” © 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES / Photo Credit: Barbara Nitke

Finn was thrilled to bring Gallner back as the connective thread between the first and second installments of the Smile universe and praises his performance in the tense opening scenes. “Kyle is such a joy to shoot with,” says the filmmaker. “He’s an incredible actor, and I can’t wait for people to see what he did.”

Gallner admits that playing a man consumed by an insidious force can be haunting. “There’s nothing scarier than the possibility of not being able to escape your own mind or be able to trust what you’re seeing and trust that it’s real,” says the actor. “You can’t escape yourself, and I think that’s a really frightening place to be.”

For the role of Elizabeth, Skye’s “momager” whose dual responsibilities of parent and business manager operate in moral opposition, Finn felt incredibly fortunate to land Rosemarie DeWitt for the part. “I’ve been such a fan for a long time,” he shares. “Rosemarie has always brought it in everything she’s ever done.”

Rosemarie DeWitt, left, and Naomi Scott star in Paramount Pictures Presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn FIlm “SMILE 2” © 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED / Photo Credit: Barbara Nitke

DeWitt was elated to take on a role that explores a complex mother-daughter relationship but admits that her fear of horror films had kept her from watching the original Smile film. However, when Finn approached her about playing Elizabeth, she immediately loved the filmmaker’s clear vision and nuanced interpretation of this specific dynamic. “I was excited to play Elizabeth because I’m always very curious about the mothers of big stars,” she says. “Was this a parent pushing or is the parent wanting to live vicariously through the child?”

The dynamic of a Hollywood stage mother and her daughter/client can itself be unsettling, and DeWitt notes that Elizabeth is always shifting between emotional frameworks. In one moment, she’s a mother worried about her child’s mental health and drug use; in another, she’s a manager focused on Skye Riley’s brand and the bottom line. “It was a fun exercise because there was sometimes a coldness when I was in manager mode that I think really works for the genre,” says DeWitt.

Smile 2 certainly keeps you guessing about Elizabeth. Skye is unsure whether she can fully trust her mother and is left to question her motivations at any given moment. “Skye is trying to give her mom so many opportunities to be a mom and to love her without conditions,” reflects Scott. “But her mom can’t seem to rise to the occasion. Her mother knows her so well and they’ve been doing this together for a long time so there is such intimacy there, but there is also a lack of emotional intimacy, safety and vulnerability. I loved working with Rosemarie on this relationship. She’s fantastic in the film.”

Dylan Gelula, left, and Naomi Scott star in Paramount Pictures Presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn FIlm “SMILE 2” © 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED / Photo Credit: Barbara Nitke

Feeling untethered, Skye seeks comfort by reaching out to her estranged friend Gemma, played by Dylan Gelula. Gemma was Skye’s childhood confidant who transitioned into being a member of her professional entourage, before falling out of her orbit altogether. As she dove into the role, Gelula spoke at length with Finn about Gemma and Skye’s broken relationship, and how their friendship has evolved as Skye’s star has risen and fallen. The film finds Gemma returning to Skye’s life and navigating the waters of rebuilding trust.

“I had several conversations with Parker about the nature of Gemma and Skye’s fractured relationship and the depth of its issues,” says Gelula. “We discussed how essential it is to have someone who knew you before fame, especially for someone as famous as Skye. The power dynamics between them—how they influence each other—are so interesting.”

“Dylan is so perfectly cast because she has just the right energy for Gemma,” says Scott of her on-screen best friend. “What you see is a lot of Dylan bringing herself to the character.”

Lukas Gage stars in Paramount Pictures Presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn FIlm “SMILE 2”
© 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES / Photo Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Lukas Gage, plays Lewis, Skye’s former classmate, a young man who is floundering after his high school party boy days and is now dealing drugs. His poor lifestyle choices take a fatal turn when he becomes the bridge for the curse to pass from Joel to Skye. Gage was a huge fan of the first Smile film and reached out to Finn to share his admiration. “I thought Smile was incredible,” says the actor. “It was so smart and the perfect balance of psychological thriller and horror.” He notes that upon reading the script for the second installment, he was impressed by how the story levels up, emphasizing that the world “still lives in the same tone, but it’s so different and it’s bigger. The scale of it is scarier.” 

“When I wrote the role of Lewis, I really only had one person in mind to play the role,” recalls Finn. “Lukas Gage is absolutely fantastic and he’s so magnetic on screen.”

Riddled with the curse, Lewis ends up gruesomely killing himself with his workout equipment. The creative team designed Lewis’ death to be incredibly bloody and strikingly different from the deaths in Smile. “We had done a lot of things with sharp objects in the first film,” Finn explains. “So I wanted to go the opposite way and use the dullest, heaviest, most blunt force thing I could in this film.”

Lukas Gage stars in Paramount Pictures Presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn FIlm “SMILE 2″© 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES / Photo Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Using prosthetics and special effects makeup, Lewis’ death is a brutal progression of self-mutilation that transforms his face into a bloody, pulpy mess. The sequence culminates in a flap of skin falling away from his shattered jaw. “The sound of that piece of his face falling off was something we wanted to call back to later in the film to announce Lewis’ presence around Skye,” Finn explains. The extreme violence of this scene is jarring but also infused with a healthy amount of wit. “It’s morbid, but it is also kind of funny,” laughs Gage, noting how much he enjoys films where humor and horror are intertwined. “What I remembered from the first movie is how the audience was laughing one minute and then genuinely screaming from a jump scare the next.”

Ray Nicholson in Paramount Pictures Presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn FIlm “SMILE 2”
© 2024 PARAMOUNT PICTURES / Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Ray Nicholson plays Skye’s charismatic actor boyfriend, Paul, who he describes as “a charlatan.” From the beginning, Finn knew he had to find a unique performer for the part. “It needed somebody who instantly had that movie star quality to them, while also being able to play the nuances of a character who is both undeniably magnetic but also venomous. Ray fit the character like a glove. He is a total wild man, but he has this natural magnetism to him.”

Scott agrees, recalling how she immediately sensed that special quality. “From the moment I met Ray, I knew we were going to have fun playing together,” she says. “The chemistry between these two characters is palpable but it’s a relationship with a lot of toxicity. I’m sure that when they met, there were fireworks, but not necessarily for the right reasons.” 

Wherever possible, Parker Finn reassembled his core creative team from the first Smile film including production designer Lester Cohen, costume designer Alexis Forte, and cinematographer Charlie Sarroff, all of whom were eager to return to this world.“As I read this script, I knew Parker was upping the ante tremendously and that was really inspiring to me,” says Cohen. “It’s Smileon steroids! It’s much bigger, the stakes are higher, the monster is more powerful, and it’s elevated to a much more global level. We all built on top of each other’s enthusiasm to create images that scare people. There’s a perverse pleasure in that.”

The art department created environments within the film that reinforced the relentlessness of Skye’s battle with her demons and her psychological unease. Throughout the film, Skye never seems to have a safe space or comfortable home base. “For her story, it was important that she doesn’t have a refuge,” Cohen says of her apartment. “Even though she’s got all the comforts, there’s still no comfort there.”

In the Smile universe, the entity or curse transfers from one victim to another by taking control of the current host and compelling them to end their own life in front of a witness. That witness then becomes the next victim, the next host for the entity. Once inside, the entity infiltrates the crevices of the victim’s mind, weaponizing their thoughts against them and gradually exerting greater control over their reality, manipulating their perceptions and actions. “We watched that happen in the first film, and I wanted to find new ways to gaslight and trick both Skye and the audience in the new film,” says Finn of his starting point for the film’s haunting effects.           

Finn has a passion for incorporating realism and practical effects into his projects wherever possible, so he collaborated closely with Special Effects Supervisor Johann Kunz and Visual Effects Supervisor Robert Bock on Smile 2’s impressive array of special and visual effects.



From the critically-acclaimed, beloved graphic novel White Bird: A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio, a best-selling book that sparked a movement to “choose kind,” comes the inspirational next chapter. This fictional film is the creative companion piece drawn from the universe of the Lionsgate’s 2017 box office hit Wonder.


For millions of readers and moviegoers, Wonder is the captivating, inspiring, and uplifting story of the power of kindness – how it can build bridges and change hearts. In White Bird, kindness even has the power to save lives, as Julian Albans, the bully who left Beecher Prep, is visited by his Grandmère from Paris and is transformed by her remarkable story of compassion and courage. As a girl in Nazi-occupied France during WWII, the young Grandmère goes into hiding with the help of a schoolmate, a young man who risks everything to give her the chance to survive. Together, they find beauty and love in the secret world of their own creation.

Marc Forster

From Marc Forster, director of Finding Neverland and Christopher Robin, White Bird – just like its predecessor Wonder – is an emotional story about the ways that even in the most harrowing circumstances, empathy for others can make every difference in the world.

Mark Bomback

Mark Bomback (War for the Planet of the Apes) adapted Palacio’s novel for the screen and Mandeville Films’ David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman, who previously produced Wonder, are producing White Bird along with Palacio. “David and I established a fantastic relationship with the author R.J. Palacio.  She had mentioned this graphic novel White Bird to us and eventually showed us some of the artwork on it as she was constructing it.  When Lionsgate also got excited about the opportunity and eventually read the book, we all knew we had to make it,” says Todd Lieberman.

Forster recalls, “I read the script during the first phase of Covid, and it had really gotten to me because it’s the first time that I really understood emotionally what it means to not be able to leave a place and to be under lockdown.” Says Forster.

After producer David Hoberman read the script, he says, “There was something about the story that I really responded to. It was heartfelt and dealt with humanity and themes of kindness.”

Bryce Gheisar as Julian in White Bird: A Wonder Story. Photo Credit: Julia Vrabelova

In White Bird, we follow Julian (Bryce Gheisar), who has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for his treatment of Auggie Pullman. To transform his life, Julian’s grandmother (Helen Mirren) finally reveals to Julian her own story of courage — during her youth in Nazi-occupied France, a boy shelters her from mortal danger. They find first love in a stunning, magical world of their own creation, while the boy’s mother (Gillian Anderson) risks everything to keep her safe.

Official Website


Elaborating on his creative process, Forster offers, “we like to choose stories that have the ability to raise consciousness in the world and Wonder definitely did that.” As the graphic novel White Bird also offered Forster and Wolfe a similar opportunity, albeit on an even wider spectrum, they became deeply interested in further exploring Julian Albans’ redemptive journey and bringing it to the screen.

Renée Wolfe, Forster’s partner in 2DUX2, who serves as executive producer as does Mandeville Films’ Alexander Young, believes that Forster’s inherent sense of empathy makes him the ideal director of a movie like White Bird. “There’s a quiet stillness about him as a human being but he’s watching and he’s listening and he’s observing. And how he takes that and translates it into a moving image and allows these still, magical spaces of the story to exist and unfold is something that this movie needed,” she says.

Producer David Hoberman chimes in saying that “He’s really gifted yet collaborative. That’s a rare thing in our business. It’s a great combination when someone is as talented as Marc, but also wants to hear what you are thinking and if you have ideas. It was a great collaboration that became a great friendship.” Producer Todd Lieberman says, “Making an entire movie about kindness and strength of values, we needed someone like Marc to set the tone for everyone and luckily he was the perfect partner.”

Upon reassembling their core creative team on site, Forster and Wolfe immediately embarked upon discussions with director of photography Matthias Königswieser, production designer Jennifer Williams and costume designer Jenny Beavan regarding how the texture, look and feel of this story could be serviced by their work to illuminate character and story. “Good, thoughtful storytelling is about how you create a space that a character can inhabit naturally and how that space speaks to character. How do the costumes speak to character? How does the way that we shoot this and frame it and conceive of it spatially all speak to character? These are artistic conversations that we all spend months discussing and debating.” elaborates Wolfe.

Helen Mirren as Grandmère in White Bird: A Wonder Story. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate

As recounted by Grandmère (Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, Best Actress, The Queen, 2006) to her troubled grandson Julian (Bryce Gheisar, here reprising his role from Wonder), her own idyllic, pre-war life as a young girl is shattered by the Nazi occupation of her village in Vichy France, and a boy she and her classmates once shunned becomes her savior and best friend.

Helen Mirren as Grandmère and Bryce Gheisar as Julian in White Bird: A Wonder Story. Photo Credit: Larry Horricks

Mirren elaborates on Julian’s predicament: “as many young teenagers do, he’s going through a difficult time when he can’t quite find his place in the world and he’s lashing out as a reaction to that.”

Adds Gheisar, “Julian in this film has changed in many ways since Wonder. He’s realized that what he did was wrong, but he doesn’t really understand why.” By sharing her extraordinary tale of survival and her memories of the harrowing times she experienced at exactly his age, she hopes to help him understand that the world is a complicated and, sometimes, dark place. “But as Martin Luther King says, you have to find the light within yourself. Darkness will never drive out darkness. So that is the lesson that she is trying to teach him, simply through telling him her life story.”

Ariella Glaser (Radioactive) takes on the role of Sara Blum, the young Grandmère as a child, while Orlando Schwerdt (True History of the Kelly Gang) is Julien “Tourteau” Beaumier, the classmate who, along with his parents, hides Sara at great personal risk.

“The movie is called White Bird, and when I saw Ariella for the first time, I saw there’s such a delicacy, such a gentleness. But at the same time, she’s very strong,” recalls Forster. He also saw the young actress as smart, capable and, possessing all of the traits necessary to authentically portray the multi-layered character of Sara.

For Glaser, White Bird communicates the same messages of kindness and compassion as Wonder, and it’s Julian in the modern day who carries them forth. Recalling early conversations with Forster, she says “we talked about it being almost like a redemption story because at the end he chooses the right path.” Schwerdt, having first read Wonder at age seven, touts himself as “an immediate R.J. Palacio fan” and “was just so thrilled to have the opportunity to bring the beautiful character of Julien to life – a character that I really, really loved in the Wonder universe.”

Gillian Anderson as Vivienne in White Bird: A Wonder Story. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate

Two-time Emmy® Award winner Gillian Anderson (including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, The X-Files, 1997)steps into the role of Julien’s mother Vivienne Beaumier and British thespian Jo Stone-Fewings embodies Julien’s father Jean Paul Beaumier. Anderson’s first read of Bomback’s script resonated deeply with her. “I feel like, on the one hand, we’ve seen aspects of this story before in terms of the German occupation of France, and also the impact that that can have on communities for decades to come, but there’s something about the impact it has on these individuals and the choices that they make and the degree of compassion and kindness that they extend to each other, and at the risk of their own lives.”

Stone-Fewings finds the story particularly resonant at this particular crux in history “because this is about isolation, which is something that we’re all experiencing at the moment.” He adds, “As much as it’s a film about empathy, and fortitude, it’s also about how do you live with yourself in isolation? Forster once heard tell of a Holocaust survivor who would instinctively wonder upon making a new acquaintance, ‘would this person have been kind-hearted enough to hide me?’ And in a sense, White Bird: A Wonder Story begs a similar question of each of us: ‘would we have been courageous enough to lend a hand?’”

Anderson describes the broader themes that thread throughout White Bird as “incredibly timely and indeed necessary for us as human beings to continue to be able to show up in our lives and extend ourselves toward communities and to the people that we care about and to those in need. It’s one thing for people to even take on the idea of sheltering a refugee even though the act of doing that today would not mean a certain death. That is still something that people struggle with: extending themselves, opening up an extra bedroom or an extra room, it’s a big ask. But to do that under the threat of death as well is a concept none of us can really, at least in this country, comprehend.”

And Mirren hopes to see “audiences take away a sense of hope, a sense of belief in humanity. At the same time, a recognition of the dangers of certain kinds of attitudes and behavior. But most of all, hope.”



With a versatile range of credits to his name, Director MARC FORSTER has evaded categorization, having helmed a slate of films of varying scale and genres for studios and independents alike, starring many of the industry’s premier talent.

Forster’s recent films include the box-office hits, A Man Called Otto starring Academy Award winner Tom Hanks for Sony Pictures and Walt Disney Studio’s, the live-action feature Christopher Robin starring Ewan McGregor (Star Wars franchise) as the title character.

Forster’s past projects include the Paramount tent pole hit World War Z, produced by and starring Brad Pitt; and the 22nd James Bond franchise installment Quantum of Solace, starring Daniel Craig for Columbia Pictures; and the visually driven obsessive love story All I See Is You, directed from his original screenplay with Blake Lively (Café Society) and Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) starring.

Forster is also co-founder and co-CEO of 2Dux2 an artist driven transmedia content company created to develop and produce all forms of storytelling across multiple platforms. Forster’s long-time collaborator and partner in this endeavor is co-founder and co-CEO, Renèe Wolfe. The Company’s credits include, World War Z, Hand of God, All I See Is You and Christopher Robin.

Forster’s versatile filmmaking style is reflected throughout his body of work, including the Oscar®-nominated drama Monster’s Ball with Halle Berry who won for Best Actress; and Finding Neverland starring Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, and Dustin Hoffman, which received seven Oscar® nominations, five Golden Globe®nominations, and 11 BAFTA nominations.

Additionally, Forster’s stirring drama The Kite Runner earned an Academy Award® nomination, a Golden Globe® nomination, and two BAFTA nominations; and the imaginative comedy Stranger Than Fiction,starring Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, and Queen Latifah, premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival to critical and audience acclaim, and earned a Golden Globe® nomination for Ferrell.

Born in Germany and raised in Switzerland, Forster came to the United States in 1990 to attend NYU Film School.

Writer/Executive Producer MARK BOMBACK is a highly respected writer and producer with over two decades of experience in the film industry, Mark Bomback continues to captivate audiences with compelling narratives through a fresh and modern lens.

Bomback recently premiered his Apple TV+ limited series, Defending Jacob, for which he is creator, writer and executive producer. Based on the 2012 New York Times best-selling novel, the gripping thriller centers on a Massachusetts attorney whose life is completely altered when his teenage son is charged with murdering a classmate. Starring Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, and Jaeden Martell, the series began streaming on April 24, 2020.

He is executive producer on The United States Vs. Billie Holiday, which is inspired by the 2015 New York Times best-seller Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs. Directed by Lee Daniels, the biopic follows the legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday (Andra Day) throughout her career as she is targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation led by black Federal Agent Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes), with whom she had a tumultuous affair.

Most recently, Bomback wrote the screenplay for The Art of Racing in the Rain, from executive producer Patrick Dempsey. The Twentieth Century Fox title, which stars Milo Ventimiglia and Amanda Seyfried, was released on August 9, 2019.

In 2014, he wrote and executive produced the global box office smash hit Dawn of the Planet of the Apes for Twentieth Century Fox. Directed by Matt Reeves and starring Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Goldman and Keri Russell, the film tells the story of a growing nation of genetically evolved apes who are threatened by a group of human survivors of a devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. The film’s visual effects were nominated for a plethora of awards including a 2015 Academy Award and BAFTA Award. Following its huge success, Bomback penned and executive produced its sequel, War for the Planet of the Apes, which picks up right after the apes suffer unimaginable losses to the humans. Similar to its prequel, the film garnered awards attention for its stunning visual effects including 2018 Academy Award® and BAFTA nominations. The sequel was released on July 14, 2017.

Bomback was the mastermind behind a variety of popular films, having written screenplays for Tony Scott’s Unstoppable starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine, David Mackenzie’s Outlaw King also starring Chris Pine, Lionsgate’s Insurgent, the second film in the YA novel-turned-film-series Divergent starring Shailene Woodley and Kate Winslet, James Mangold’s box office hit The Wolverine starring Hugh Jackman, Len Wiseman’s Total Recall, Disney’s Race To Witch Mountain starring Dwayne Johnson, and the 2007 Bruce Willis starrer Live Free Or Die Hard.

He also executive produced Jacob Bricca’s documentary Finding Tatanka, which premiered at the 2014 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.

On the small screen, Bomback served as a consulting producer on TNT’s action series Legends. The series centers on a deep-cover operative (Sean Bean) who has an uncanny ability to transform himself into a different person for each job. In addition to producing the two-season series, Bomback penned the 2014 pilot episode.

In addition to his work in film and television, Bomback co-wrote the 2015 YA novel Mapmaker. Published by Soho Teen, the chilling thriller follows Tanya Barrett who takes an internship at MapOut, a digital mapping company founded by her late father, as she stumbles across a deadly secret and relies on her wits to evade MapOut and her find her friend who has disappeared.

Novelist/Executive Producer R.J. PALACIO is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder, which has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. The book’s message inspired the Choose Kind movement and has been embraced by readers around the world, with the book published in over 50 languages. Wonder was made into a blockbuster movie starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Jacob Tremblay.

Palacio’s other acclaimed books include 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne’s Book of Precepts, Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories, the picture book We’re All Wonders, (and the graphic novel White Bird). Her most recent novel, Pony, was an instant New York Times bestseller and named one of the best books of the year by the Wall Street Journal.

 Palacio lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.


“On the surface, The Silent Hour is about a hearing-impaired detective trapped in a semi-abandoned Boston apartment block with a deaf murder witness, attempting to escape a team of killers,” says Hall, but the story delves a bit deeper. The core dynamic between the two lead characters, Frank and Ava, is what truly lies at the heart of this high-stakes caper.

“It’s really about the relationship between these two people, and the journey of discovery that the detective goes on, thanks to the witness, where he learns that despite losing his hearing, he has lost none of his worth as a police officer, or man,” says Hall.

The most compelling aspect of The Silent Hour for Director Brad Anderson was that it centered around deaf characters, which he had never worked with before. He saw this oner as a great opportunity to utilize sound design as a storytelling agent. He adds, “I also like the fact that it’s a very contained story. It takes place over a short period of time. One location, more or less. Those sorts of restrictions sometimes lend themselves to coming up with really creative, cool storytelling choices, and I think we’ve been able to do that in this movie.”

Anderson continues, “How does one tell the story about a man, in this case, a cop who’s losing his hearing, and how does that figure into the storytelling? In this movie, we’re going to find ways to get into the headspace of Joel Kinnaman’s character, Frank – and sort of hear or not hear the world the way he does. As a filmmaker, this was an interesting and new way to explore storytelling – through sound and the lack of sound.”

Anderson truly hopes the classic action components are an initial draw for the audiences. But as much as this is a thrilling story, there is a compelling human emotional factor he is equally keen to underscore for the fans. “The connection between these two characters in the context of an action film is a little unusual. Different in the fact that one’s deaf and one’s losing his hearing, it makes it more unique. In some respects, it’s straight out of an action thriller, and in other respects, it’s a deeply engrossing character piece as well. I think that this combination is what makes The Silent Hour fresh and interesting,” states Anderson.

While in pursuit of a dangerous suspect, Boston Police Detective Frank Shaw (Joel Kinnaman) is badly hurt, sustaining a progressive and permanent hearing loss injury. Sixteen months later, Frank returns to work and is struggling to navigate his new normal. When Doug Slater (Mark Strong), his good friend on the Narcotics Squad requests his assistance interviewing Ava Fremont (Sandra Mae Frank), a deaf murder witness, he’s hesitant, but eventually agrees to the task. Frank’s noble deed unintentionally lands him in the middle of a sinister plot to silence Ava forever, and he instinctively leaps into action. The cards are stacked against them as Mason Lynch (Mekhi Phifer) and his henchmen have them completely surrounded within a soon-to-be condemned residential building. Cut off from the outside world and left to their own devices, these two practical strangers must lean on themselves and each other as they are thrust into a battle for their lives.


“It all began with a script that caught my attention years ago” recalls producer Eric Paquette. “That script was titled Submerged by the talented Dan Hall. Fast forward to June 2021 when, out of the blue, Dan sent me another script on spec titled Silence. I was immediately captivated and knew I wanted to produce it. The journey of The Silent Hour had officially begun.”

Writer Dan Hall found inspiration for The Silent Hour after coming across an article about NYPD officer, Dan Carione, who as a result of an on-the-job accident required the use of a hearing aid. At the time, NYPD’s policy was that anyone needing hearing equipment to work could not be an officer, and he was terminated from the force. 

With the story in place, the search for directors began. Enter Brad Anderson. Paquette remarks that he was “a filmmaker [he’d] long admired but hadn’t yet found the right project to collaborate on.” Paquette continues: “That changed when he read Silence and I shared my enthusiasm for the material. Dan and Brad worked together to refine the script, leading us to rename it The Silent Hour, elevating our lead from a rookie cop to a seasoned detective.”

Producer Eric Paquette and Joel Kinnaman (“Frank Shaw”) on the set of SILENT HOUR                         ©2023 Silent Hour Financing and Distribution, LLC.  All rights reserved. Image Courtesy AGC  Studios

With a writer, producer and director invested, the next step was to bring the script to Stuart Ford at AGC. Paquette adds that “Stuart’s passion for the project and expertise in selling foreign rights proved invaluable as we began assembling pieces of the puzzle. With the script in hand, we approached Joel Kinnaman and Mark Strong, both of whom enthusiastically agreed to join our cast.”

Joel Kinnaman was immediately drawn to the contained and tight format of the script, but his interest was sustained by the journey of his character, Frank Shaw. “He’s an extremely confident alpha male, who at the peak of his power suffers an injury where he starts to lose his hearing, and it completely changes his world. It changes his perception of himself and how he operates in the world,” Kinnaman reflects. “It’s a story about survival in the circumstance, but also about Frank’s acceptance of his new reality and understanding that life doesn’t end when one loses their hearing.”

Mekhi Phifer notes that once he started with the script, he could not put it down. “There were aspects that were funny as well as intriguing. I did not know what was going to happen and that kept me going – it was a page-turner!” Phifer gives the fans a fair warning to be prepared for a crazy thrill ride. “They’re not going to know what’s going to happen – who’s going to live, who’s going to die, who’s going to succeed or how it’s going to end. The Silent Hour is not cookie-cutter by any way, shape or form.”

It was incredibly important that the role of Ava be played by an actress with the lived experience of deafness, and Sandra Mae Frank was the perfect fit for the part. Her enthusiasm for the role was palpable. She freely confesses her love of action films, deeming it her all-time favorite genre – but more than that, it was the nature of deaf representation in the script that she found most remarkable. “How Dan wrote my character Ava as a deaf person, it wasn’t really about her deafness. It’s about her relationship with the other character Frank, who is losing his hearing. And it’s interesting to read the script that has a different version of deaf in it, and deaf people, and the culture, and how they were raised. Ava was raised that way, but Frank, he’s losing his hearing, so he doesn’t have that culture. He’s latent deaf which adds an extra element to the script, and it’s really nice,” she affirms.

Hall confides that it was a magical moment to see the final product come to life. Specifically, Hall is excited for audiences to connect with our two heroes. Because this kind of action movie has never centered around deaf characters before, there were opportunities for unique twists and turns at every scene. The premise of a deaf cop being hunted by hearing killers presented a myriad of unusual situations – but what really stood out to him were the simple tasks that became extremely complicated due to the heroes’ hearing impairments. 

In particular, Hall notes that “there is an elevator scene where our heroes use the alarm button to call for help, but they can’t hear whether or not anyone has actually answered the call – and by the time someone does answer, our heroes have already hung up.” 

For Mark Strong, this scene exemplifies why The Silent Hour’s action-movie premise stands out. In addition to the film’s strong story, he shares that “these characters have to escape when they cannot hear the people who are pursuing them… this gives an added level of threat – and I thought the script was great for that reason.” 

Hall continues to say that when the core relationship of the film is between two deaf characters, one of whom struggles to use ASL, communicating critical details to the audience sans dialogue can be challenging. He took this as an opportunity to exercise his creativity – a successful strategy that ultimately resulted in the unique scenarios that he knows make The Silent Hour stand out.

He continues that “the underdog story of a guy who has given up on himself finding the strength to get back up thanks to this brilliant woman who has faced similar hurdles in her life will hopefully stay with people after they leave the theater.” 

Joel Kinnaman (“Frank Shaw”) on the set of SILENT HOUR.  ©2023 Silent Hour Financing and Distribution, LLC.  All rights reserved. Image Courtesy AGC  Studios

American Sign Language (ASL) Master, Anselmo DeSousa’s work with actor Joel Kinnaman began months before the cameras started to roll. Producer Paquette praised Kinnaman’s commitment, noting that “Joel committed to three months of ASL training, ensuring authenticity in his portrayal of the role.” In addition to ASL lessons, DeSousa also introduced Kinnaman to deaf culture, helping him fully understand the experience of someone who loses their hearing abilities. 

Kinnaman credits DeSousa for helping him quickly adjust to the steep learning curve when it came to his ASL lessons. While the interpreters were a fantastic resource, his lessons started to take hold when waiting in between takes with Sandra Mae Frank when Kinnaman had to rely on sign language to communicate with her.

“Joel picked up ASL quickly, and on set he and Sandra Mae communicated very well without an interpreter,” shares DeSousa. Throughout production, DeSousa admits that at times even he was surprised at how adept Kinnaman became at sign language.

While working with Frank, DeSousa focused more on her character’s lines in ASL to ensure they were accurate and linguistically correct for the film’s context and setting. Oftentimes, you would find them perfecting their ASL dialogue before shooting specific scenes. 

DeSousa fondly recalls the incredible efforts by Production to ensure the deaf culture was recognized and respected. With three ASL/English interpreters on hand to work with himself and Frank, there was always full access to communicate with everyone on the cast and crew, creating an amazing and inclusive experience. 

For many, The Silent Hour is their first experience where deafness is a central story element. A big takeaway for Kinnaman while working on this film was learning about the deaf community, and it was humbling for him to understand how little he knew before stepping onto this project – and now, he’s grateful for the new knowledge he gained. Kinnaman was able to put his ASL to good use, effectively communicating both on and offset, and he now has a greater appreciation for sign language and its beauty. He confides, “This really was a rewarding experience, more so than I expected – that’s what you want a film to be. You want there to be a lesson learned, something that you bring with you for the rest of your life, and this was more so than many of my experiences.”


Brad Anderson, Director

Two decades after his indie romantic comedy Next Stop Wonderland opened to rave reviews (and won the Grand Prize at the Deauville Film Festival), Brad Anderson continues to demonstrate his versatility as a filmmaker unwilling to be pinned down. His films, spanning genres from sci-fi (Happy Accidents) to paranoid thriller (The Machinist); from horror (Session 9) to action (Transsiberian); from political drama (Beirut) to period gothic (Stonehearst Asylum), have premiered at festivals around the world and been both critically acclaimed as well as box office winners. His thriller The Call with Halle Berry was recently the #1 film on Netflix. His numerous episodic television credits include such shows as The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, Treadstone and Peacemaker, as well as many pilots, including DC’s Titans, and the Netflix smash Clickbait. He recently wrapped Apple’s sci-fi drama Invasion and his latest film is the dark drama Blood, starring Michelle Monaghan. He’s currently developing a thriller based on a Jack London short story, as well as a period romance based on the book The Mapmaker’s Wife

Dan Hall, Writer

Dan Hall is a UK-based feature writer specializing in genre, with a particular focus on action, thriller and horror. The Silent Hour marks Hall’s feature debut: it is a clear distillation of his voice as a writer and typifies his muscular, propulsive style of writing. Hall has a slew of projects in development with established producers and exciting talent attachments.

©2023 Silent Hour Financing and Distribution, LLC.  All rights reserved.



  • You will turn the narrative in your head into action.
  • You will take an interactive, intimate, and introspective journey into the world of the story.
  • It will empower you to take ownership of the creative journey, and creative expression.
  • How to turn ideas into a success story while learning about yourself in the process.
  • Aspirant writers
  • Experienced writers who are unsure of what they are writing
  • Writers who need discipline and motivation
  • Writers who find the story they are writing dull and lifeless.
  • Ideal for novelists, screenwriters and playwrights
  • Anyone who has a story to unleash
  • How to write Your First Draft
  • How to develop an idea into a story
  • To lay the foundation of your story
  • To define and develop your characters
  • To structure and plot your story
  • To understand the process of writing your story
  • To write the first pages of your screenplay/novel / stageplay

  • On Day one you will look at Who are you as a storyteller, what it takes to be a writer, the process of writing a story from start to first pages, what type of story you are writing, who you are writing for, how to make the most of your idea.
  • On Day Two you will look at how to create and bring characters to life, how to structure & plot your story, outline your story, and how to take ownership of your story
  • There’s a Q & A after each session
  • You will then write the first 10 pages of your screenplay/ novel and submit it to your coach for evaluation before you continue writing your first draft. 
  • All you need for the workshop is a notebook, pencil, and your IMAGINATION!

He received his Honours Diploma in Film and Television Production Techniques at the City Varsity Multimedia School in Cape Town. Between 2002 and 2007 he facilitated workshops in screenwriting and directing, through the Writing Studio, at the SABC branches in Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg.

In 2007 his short film, In God’s Country, won the highly acclaimed Jury Prize for Best Newcomer at the 65th Annual Apollo Film Festival in Victoria West, South Africa. In the same year, it also received awards for Best Screenplay (as co-writer with Daniel Dercksen), Best Director and Best Film at the Shortz Film Festival in Cape Town.




Criticism can be hard to take, but it’s a major step in the creative process. Genuine constructive criticism can really improve your work. Missed a step during your writing process? The coach will let you know. Another workshopper will help you. Having a fresh pair of eyes can make the end result of your story as close to perfect as possible. Feedback can be difficult to make, but it is a big step in the process for writers in building a career. Sincere, constructive criticism arising from attending a workshop will improve your work as a professional. 

The workshop encourages questions and will give you an answer right then and there.

Nobody shares the same worldview, and their interpretation of something could be drastically different from yours. Fellow workshoppers may offer a startling unique view of your story than what you see it as. Being exposed to new points of view can offer new insight and ideas.

Everyone does not have the same view of the world, and their understanding of something may differ dramatically from yours. Attending a workshop serves just this. You can get a remarkably unique or new perspective altogether from other attendees. Sometimes you can even create something awesome in your career by asking for their thoughts or input on something you might not even know or have heard of. To grow, we must be open to new ideas, new ways of doing things, or new ways of thinking. It is rightly said that you must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be!

Building new relationships and meeting new connections are important to personal growth. A workshop gives you the best opportunity to meet other people who share your interests. It is always a pleasure to meet someone with the same enthusiasm that you do. Attending a workshop is a great way to meet other people in your area with shared interests. You will at least be able to find a friend and somebody who knows your “talk shop,” as it were i.e. to discuss matters concerning your work etc.

A workshop gives you a chance to meet other people who share your interests and have the same passion and enthusiasm as you do! Finding someone with the same passion as you is always a treat. Workshops are a terrific way to meet other people with shared interests in your area. You’ll be able to find a colleague and someone who understands your “shop talk,” as it were.

Attending a workshop is like gifting yourself a new possibility to learn something new from peers who have better experience and knowledge to share with you a new bee into the world of professionals. Since the publishing and producing environments are very competitive and to survive one must attend as many workshops as possible to stay tuned to it or to stay ahead of the competition.

Being part of a workshop is great for providing motivation as it’s a promise someone else will view your work. It helps to fight creative block. When you have an audience, you’re more driven to complete your project. Being part of a workshop is great for providing such motivation as it’s a promise someone else will view or listen to your work.

The intimacy of The Writing Studio’s workshop is not crowded and fosters a relaxed one-on-one environment where you can learn something new and hear new ideas that can help you with the crafting of your story. It ties in with the different points of view, to some extent, as others may have more experience with the skill or topic in question.

It can be difficult to get your work out there without an agent of some kind. Workshops can help you gain exposure by introducing new ways to publish or otherwise showcase your writing. Your fellow attendees may also have opportunities to share with the group, making it especially worthwhile to bond with others.

Most importantly, workshops are meant for growth and enjoyment. Even if you find your work not improving drastically, you may still have a valuable time attending. Most significantly, the workshop is intended for development and enjoyment. Even if you think your craft is not dramatically changing, When you are happy, your productivity, creativity, and innovation improve dramatically. A brighter mood means better content, and isn’t that the goal of a workshop to begin with?

After finishing a workshop, you will feel more confident because you have just listened to an expert expressing his passion for what he loves, along with learning new tips and tricks to help you succeed!

“As a writer, it’s magical to know that something you’ve written has had a profound impact on someone’s life,” says Alice Oseman, the creator and writer of the heartwarming Netflix series Heartstopper. “I’m always so happy to hear that it has helped anyone on their own journey, whether that’s a young person hoping to come out themselves, or a parent who is unsure how to support their child, or anyone else who connected to the scene for whatever reason.”

“The reception to Heartstopper was huge and completely unexpected, and the number of people reading (and now watching!) my stories around the world has increased by a mind-boggling amount. It’s incredible to see how much the community of readers has blossomed,” says Oseman, who wanted to “explore realistic contemporary issues with a hopeful and optimistic lens.”

“I think that is what people like about Heartstopper more than anything. It feels like it could be real, but with the comfort and knowledge that everything is going to be okay in the end, and no matter what someone might be going through, there are always pockets of joy to be found. I think this is particularly
comforting to the queer community. We want to see our struggles represented accurately in the media,
but we also often want media that makes us feel hopeful, comforted, and happy, and I like to think
Heartstopper does both those things.”

“While Heartstopper will always celebrate the joyful and point towards hope, I’m really excited that we are allowing the tone of the show to mature alongside our beloved characters growing up. Mental health, sex, university ambitions, and more: Nick, Charlie, and the Heartstopper teens are getting older, learning more about themselves and each other, and experiencing new desires, new fears, and new joys as they approach adulthood.”

Alice Oseman and the cast at a screening of Heartstopper.

Season 1: Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. When gentle Charlie and rugby-loving Nick meet at secondary school, they quickly discover that their unlikely friendship is blossoming into an unexpected romance. Charlie, Nick and their circle of friends must navigate the ever-relatable journey of self-discovery and acceptance, supporting each other as they learn to find their most authentic selves.

Season 2: Nick and Charlie navigate their new relationship; Tara and Darcy face unforeseen challenges and Tao and Elle work out if they can ever be more than just friends. With exams on the horizon, a school trip to Paris and a prom to plan, the gang has a lot to juggle as they journey through the next stages of life, love and friendship. The conclusion of Season 2 follows the spirit of Oseman’s original graphic novels, but also diverges a bit. “In the comics, there are a couple of moments where Charlie thinks he’s going to say ‘I love you’ and then decides not to, but the actual cliff-hanger at the end of Season 2 is not something that is in the comics,” says Oseman.

Season 3: Suitably titled “Love,” picks up with Charlie eager to tell Nick that he loves him and Nick holding on to something important he has to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realize that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges. As they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties, and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn’t go to plan. Read more


Crafting Season 2

“Writing a sequel or second anything is never easy – I’ve been there many times – but this particular sequel feels more pressured than anything I’ve ever worked on before due to the sheer numbers of people who will be tuning in. I hate disappointing anyone, all I could do was write, to the best of my ability, a story that I love.”

Oseman wanted each season of Heartstopper to “feel like an evolution, to tackle new ideas and themes, and for us to see the characters changing and growing, while also preserving the hopeful heart of Heartstopper. In season two, the characters are all maturing in their romances, their identities, and their outlooks on life and the future. They all feel a little older and wiser, and with that comes a whole host of new experiences and emotions.”

“While season one followed a typical romance story structure, season two takes a deeper look into teen relationships of various stages and sees the characters begin to explore more complex emotional truths about themselves and each other. I hope viewers will be pleasantly surprised by some of the paths that these relationships take as the characters get to know each other and themselves on a much deeper level.”

Heartopper 2 does not only focus on teenagers but also introduces Queer teachers.

Fisayo Akinade as Mr Ajayi, Nima Taleghani as Mr Farouk. © 2022 Netflix, Inc. / Teddy Cavendish/Netflix

“Due to Section 28, which prohibited the “promotion of homosexuality” in UK schools, queer teachers
couldn’t be open about their identities, or they’d risk losing their jobs. Section 28 was only repealed in
England in 2003 (though an adapted form of it remained in practice in Kent – where the Heartstopper
comics are set – until 2010),” says Oseman.

“Seeing queer teachers on screen, with that history in mind, is radical and revolutionary. The concept of queer teens being able to reach out to queer teachers for guidance and advice feels almost utopian even to someone of my age, who was still in school a mere decade ago. But hopefully, teachers like Mr Ajayi and Mr Farouk are becoming more and more commonplace in schools today.”

Joe Locke and Kit Connor. © 2022 Netflix, Inc. / Credit: Samuel Dore /

“One of the great things about the adaptation having more time than a comic book is that in the comics,
it’s basically just Nick and Charlie’s relationship that is focused on. You have more time when you do a
TV series, so Alice has been able to open up the stories of the other characters here, which is really
great, because queerness isn’t just one binary. You don’t have to just be one thing. We see a lot of gay
male relationships in media compared to other relationships, so it’s great that we can share those other
types as well,” says Joe Locke who plays Charlie Spring.

“One of the really powerful things about Heartstopper is that it is a voice for a lot of people,” says Kit Connor, who plays Nick Nelson. “We’re not claiming to be educational or anything like that. But we do try and teach people that no matter what, it’s okay. It’s okay to not know, and it’s okay to explore and it’s okay to work things out. You’ll get there. It’s going to be the best thing ever when you do.”

Says Nelson: “With Heartstopper, a lot of people were crying by the end, but they were happy crying. Whereas for most queer media you watched before Heartstopper, you were crying because someone had died or something like that. It was just really depressing and overbearing and important, but I think we were in a time — and I think we still are in a time — where there’s a lot on that side and there’s nothing on the other end where you just see queer people being happy, doing mundane things, and just living their life. That’s really what we’re going for.”

“Working on Heartstopper constantly brings me back to my own teenage years, which were not exactly
full of queer joy,” says Oseman. “Seeing how Heartstopper has helped so many queer teens is so special and magical but has also helped me see that I’ve got some healing of my own to do.”

“We need all kinds of queer stories: joyful stories, tragic stories, sexy stories, dark stories, silly stories… I could go on. Joyful stories are absolutely needed – queer people need to see that they can find happiness, friendship, love, and peace, despite the struggles they may be facing in their daily lives. But I don’t want that to discredit the need for all kinds of other queer stories! There can be no light without dark.”

© 2022, Netflix Inc. / Credit: Samuel Dore

“Because queer friendships exist and are actually very common! Often queer people are mostly friends
with other queer people, and so this is what happens in Heartstopper. I love hearing stories about
people who’ve grown up, realised that they’re queer, and suddenly all their friends start coming out as
queer too. Queer people are just drawn to each other! It’s also always a good thing to show a variety of
queer experiences because being queer is certainly not the same for everyone. While one TV show
could never show every queer experience out there, I think showing multiple helps people to feel that
there’s no ‘right’ way to be queer.”


In his memoir, “On Writing,” King shares valuable insights into how to be a better writer (available at a bookstore near you or at www.amazon.com).

Here are 22 great pieces of advice from King’s book on how to be an amazing writer:

Stop watching television. Instead, read as much as possible.

If you’re starting as a writer, your television should be the first thing to go. It’s “poisonous to creativity,” he says. Writers need to look into themselves and turn toward the life of the imagination. To do so, they should read as much as they can. King takes a book with him everywhere he goes, and even reads during meals. “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot,” he says. Read widely, and constantly work to refine and redefine your work as you do so.

Prepare for more failure and criticism than you think you can deal with.

King compares writing fiction to crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a bathtub, because in both, “there’s plenty of opportunity for self-doubt.” Not only will you doubt yourself, but other people will doubt you, too. “If you write (or paint or dance or sculpt or sing, I suppose), someone will try to make you feel lousy about it, that’s all,” writes King. Oftentimes, you have to continue writing even when you don’t feel like it. “Stopping a piece of work just because it’s hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea,” he writes. And when you fail, King suggests that you remain positive. “Optimism is a perfectly legitimate response to failure.”

Don’t waste time trying to please people.

According to King, rudeness should be the least of your concerns. “If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered anyway,” he writes. King used to be ashamed of what he wrote, especially after receiving angry letters accusing him of being bigoted, homophobic, murderous, and even psychopathic. By the age of 40, he realized that every decent writer has been accused of being a waste of talent. King has come to terms with it. He writes, “If you disapprove, I can only shrug my shoulders. It’s what I have.” You can’t please all of your readers all the time, so King advises that you stop worrying.

Write primarily for yourself.

You should write because it brings you happiness and fulfillment. As King says, “I did it for the pure joy of the thing. And if you can do it for joy, you can do it forever.” Writer Kurt Vonnegut provides a similar insight: “Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about,” he says. “It is this genuine caring, not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive element in your style.”

Tackle the things that are hardest to write.

“The most important things are the hardest things to say,” writes King. “They are the things you get ashamed of because words diminish your feelings.” Most great pieces of writing are preceded with hours of thought. In King’s mind, “Writing is refined thinking.” When tackling difficult issues, make sure you dig deeply. King says, “Stories are found things, like fossils in the ground … Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world.” Writers should be like archaeologists, excavating for as much of the story as they can find.

When writing, disconnect from the rest of the world.

Writing should be a fully intimate activity. Put your desk in the corner of the room, and eliminate all possible distractions, from phones to open windows. King advises, “Write with the door closed; rewrite with the door open.” You should maintain total privacy between you and your work. Writing a first draft is “completely raw, the sort of thing I feel free to do with the door shut — it’s the story undressed, standing up in nothing but its socks and undershorts.”

Don’t be pretentious.

“One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you’re maybe a little bit ashamed of your short ones,” says King. He compares this mistake to dressing up a household pet in evening clothes — both the pet and the owner are embarrassed, because it’s completely excessive. As iconic businessman David Ogilvy writes in a memo to his employees, “Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.” Furthermore, don’t use symbols unless necessary. “Symbolism exists to adorn and enrich, not to create an artificial sense of profundity,” writes King.

Avoid adverbs and long paragraphs.

As King emphasizes several times in his memoir, “the adverb is not your friend.” In fact, he believes that “the road to hell is paved with adverbs” and compares them to dandelions that ruin your lawn. Adverbs are worst after “he said” and “she said” — those phrases are best left unadorned. You should also pay attention to your paragraphs, so that they flow with the turns and rhythms of your story. “Paragraphs are almost always as important for how they look as for what they say,” says King.

Don’t get overly caught up in grammar.

According to King, writing is primarily about seduction, not precision. “Language does not always have to wear a tie and lace-up shoes,” writes King. “The object of fiction isn’t grammatical correctness but to make the reader welcome and then tell a story.” You should strive to make the reader forget that he or she is reading a story at all.

Master the art of description.

“Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s,” writes King. The important part isn’t writing enough, but limiting how much you say. Visualize what you want your reader to experience, and then translate what you see in your mind into words on the page. You need to describe things “in a way that will cause your reader to prickle with recognition,” he says. The key to good description is clarity, both in observation and in writing. Use fresh images and simple vocabulary to avoid exhausting your reader. “In many cases when a reader puts a story aside because it ‘got boring,’ the boredom arose because the writer grew enchanted with his powers of description and lost sight of his priority, which is to keep the ball rolling,” notes King.

Don’t give too much background information.

“What you need to remember is that there’s a difference between lecturing about what you know and using it to enrich the story,” writes King. “The latter is good. The former is not.” Make sure you only include details that move your story forward and that persuade your reader to continue reading. If you need to do research, make sure it doesn’t overshadow the story. Research belongs “as far in the background and the back story as you can get it,” says King. You may be entranced by what you’re learning, but your readers are going to care a lot more about your characters and your story.

Tell stories about what people actually do.

“Bad writing is more than a matter of shit syntax and faulty observation; bad writing usually arises from a stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do — to face the fact, let us say, that murderers sometimes help old ladies cross the street,” writes King. The people in your stories are what readers care about the most, so make sure you acknowledge all the dimensions your characters may have.

Take risks; don’t play it safe.

First and foremost, stop using the passive voice. It’s the biggest indicator of fear. “I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing,” King says. Writers should throw back their shoulders, stick out their chins, and put their writing in charge. “Try any goddamn thing you like, no matter how boringly normal or outrageous. If it works, fine. If it doesn’t, toss it,” King says.

Realize that you don’t need drugs to be a good writer.

“The idea that the creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time,” says King. In his eyes, substance-abusing writers are just substance-abusers. “Any claims that the drugs and alcohol are necessary to dull a finer sensibility are just the usual self-serving bullshit.”

Don’t try to steal someone else’s voice.

As King says, “You can’t aim a book like a cruise missile.” When you try to mimic another writer’s style for any reason other than practice, you’ll produce nothing but “pale imitations.” This is because you can never try to replicate the way someone feels and experiences truth, especially not through a surface-level glance at vocabulary and plot.

Understand that writing is a form of telepathy.

“All the arts depend upon telepathy to some degree, but I believe that writing is the purest distillation,” says King. An important element of writing is transference. Your job isn’t to write words on the page, but rather to transfer the ideas inside your head into the heads of your readers. “Words are just the medium through which the transfer happens,” says King. In his advice on writing, Vonnegut also recommends that writers “use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.”

Take your writing seriously.

“You can approach the act of writing with nervousness, excitement, hopefulness, or despair,” says King. “Come to it any way but lightly.” If you don’t want to take your writing seriously, he suggests that you close the book and do something else. As writer Susan Sontag says, “The story must strike a nerve — in me. My heart should start pounding when I hear the first line in my head. I start trembling at the risk.”

Write every single day.

“Once I start work on a project, I don’t stop, and I don’t slow down unless I absolutely have to,” says King. “If I don’t write every day, the characters begin to stale off in my mind … I begin to lose my hold on the story’s plot and pace.” If you fail to write consistently, the excitement for your idea may begin to fade. When the work starts to feel like work, King describes the moment as “the smooch of death.” His best advice is to just take it “one word at a time.”

Finish your first draft in three months.

King likes to write 10 pages a day. Over a three-month span, that amounts to around 180,000 words. “The first draft of a book — even a long one — should take no more than three months, the length of a season,” he says. If you spend too long on your piece, King believes the story begins to take on an odd foreign feel.

When you’re finished writing, take a long step back.

King suggests six weeks of “recuperation time” after you’re done writing, so you can have a clear mind to spot any glaring holes in the plot or character development. He asserts that a writer’s original perception of a character could be just as faulty as the reader’s. King compares the writing and revision process to nature. “When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees,” he writes. “When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.” When you do find your mistakes, he says that “you are forbidden to feel depressed about them or to beat up on yourself. Screw-ups happen to the best of us.”

Have the guts to cut.

When revising, writers often have a difficult time letting go of words they spent so much time writing. But, as King advises, “Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.” Although revision is one of the most difficult parts of writing, you need to leave out the boring parts in order to move the story along. In his advice on writing, Vonnegut suggests, “If a sentence, no matter how excellent, does not illuminate your subject in some new and useful way, scratch it out.”

Stay married, be healthy, and live a good life.

King attributes his success to two things: his physical health and his marriage. “The combination of a healthy body and a stable relationship with a self-reliant woman who takes zero shit from me or anyone else has made the continuity of my working life possible,” he writes. It’s important to have a strong balance in your life, so writing doesn’t consume all of it. In writer and painter Henry Miller’s 11 commandments of writing, he advises, “Keep human! See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.”

HENRY MILLER’S COMMANDMENTS

Work on one thing at a time until finished.

Start no more new books, add no more new material to ‘Black Spring.’

Don’t be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand.

Work according to Program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointed time!

When you can’t create you can work.

Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.

Keep human! See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.

Don’t be a draught-horse! Work with pleasure only.

Discard the Program when you feel like it—but go back to it next day. Concentrate. Narrow down. Exclude.

Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.

Write first and always. Painting, music, friends, cinema, all these come afterwards.



In the 1970s, Rodney Alcala embarked on a killing spree, luring women under the guise of being a photographer in search of models. Despite being a registered sex offender who had recently been released from prison, he notoriously appeared on The Dating Game, a show that weekly featured three hidden bachelors answering humorous questions from a female contestant who would then choose one for an all-expenses-paid date.

Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour, a taut thriller based on the true story of a woman who reluctantly makes an appearance on the popular 1970s show The Dating Game, and chooses a bachelor who turns out to be a prolific serial killer.

Told through the vantage points of the victims and survivors, Woman of the Hour serves as a keen reminder of the all too real dangers that women face, and the countermeasures they almost intuitively understand how to deploy, in their interactions with dangerous men.

Frankly, it’s the type of story only a woman could tell. And with her trademark wit and humor on full display — both in front of and behind the camera — Kendrick presents a shrewdly observed, shockingly funny, and unnerving film in her first turn as director. Here she discusses her personal investment in telling this story, how she came to direct it, and what types of stories she’s attracted to as a director.

Anna Kendrick directs Woman of the Hour from a screenplay crafted by Ian McDonald.

The stranger-than-fiction story of an aspiring actress in 1970s Los Angeles and a serial killer in the midst of a yearslong murder spree, whose lives intersect when they’re cast on an episode of The Dating Game. Rodney Alcala was a killer in the midst of a killing spree when he brazenly took part and won a date on the popular TV game show “The Dating Game”.


Woman of the Hour. Anna Kendrick as Sheryl in Woman of the Hour. Cr. Leah Gallo/Netflix © 2024.

“As a director, Anna is passionate and meticulous. She’s able to go deep into how characters feel and behave while also keeping the larger narrative in mind. She also just had a very clear, uncompromising vision for how she wanted the film to look and feel, which was inspiring. I can’t say enough good things…Weirdly, we both grew up in Maine about 15 minutes from each other. We were also apparently in a Christmas pageant together when we were kids, and her dad worked as a substitute teacher at my high school. So there’s a way in which it feels like this was meant to be.” — Ian McDonald, Screenwriter

When did you first get involved with Woman of the Hour and how did you come to eventually take the helm as director?

Initially, I was attached as an actor and producer. I actually remember telling a friend, “it’ll be nice because it’s a great movie and a great part, but I’m not in every scene so it won’t be too big of a workload.” Little did I know what would happen in the end. I think we were about two years into development when I became aware that I was much more invested in the movie. Usually, I’m a bit laser-focused on my character, but in this case, I found myself asking everybody how they were feeling about every aspect of the movie, from the producers to the writer. Then we suddenly found ourselves with a start date and no director.

So we started talking about who we could go out to, who seemed like they’d be an interesting fit, and I think for the first 48 hours of this conversation, I had this thought bubbling up that I was resisting so hard. To even have that thought in my brain felt like pushing myself off a cliff.

I think I first said it out loud to a director friend who I initially got in touch with to see if he wanted to direct the movie. He read the script and he said, “It’s a great script, and there’s part of me that would love to do it. But I think you want to do it and I think you should, and I think you’re ready. Frankly, what’s taken you so long?” And that was really important and validating. I ended up formally pitching myself to direct a couple days later.

Was the desire to direct something that you’d nurtured for a while? After having produced several films, at what point did you start entertaining the idea? Or was it a matter of just waiting for the right opportunity to come along?

I think for a long time, in my conscious mind, I was very much holding onto the belief that being a director just takes too much out of you. Subconsciously, I think I was sort of protecting myself because it feels really vulnerable to want to do something and say it out loud or even acknowledge it to yourself. So it was something that was under the surface for a long time, but maybe I just didn’t feel brave enough to admit it until this movie came along. And frankly I think the expedited timeline of this project was the reason why I was able to push myself off that cliff. I think I would’ve chickened out if I’d had more time.

The subject matter of the movie isn’t one that we’d naturally expect you to want to direct your first time out. It’s pretty dark!

Funny enough, I asked another director friend to read the script, and he said something along the lines of, “I’m so happy you’re going to direct, but I have to confess I’m surprised that this is what you’re drawn to…I can see there’s a lot of really interesting themes around being a woman in the world and the challenges that come with that.” He also specifically referenced the violence of the opening scene.

So I really had to sit with that and give it some thought. I ended up saying that I can understand why a movie that opens with an act of violence doesn’t really seem like it’s in my wheelhouse, but I feel like I’ve been through experiences where I can relate to being with another person and suddenly discovering you’re with someone deeply unsafe. And how earth-shattering it is to have that feeling of annihilation suddenly appear in a room that previously felt very safe and warm.

Those scenes where there’s either violence or the threat of violence don’t feel foreign to me. In fact, I had to fight for that opening scene. Some people wanted a very different opening. But I felt so attached to that scene despite most people knowing me as a comedy gal. So I understand why it would seem surprising, but for me, I felt very connected to the material.

What was your approach toward portraying the violence? Despite the inherent brutality of some of the scenes, none of the violence toward the women in the film felt gratuitous or salacious.

In general, my approach was that things that are beautiful should be beautiful, and the things that are awful should be awful. Yet the violence in the movie is rarely literal or explicit. I wanted to be removed from the violence without sanitizing it. Violence is uncomfortable. It shouldn’t be easy to watch. But sometimes the suggestion of it has more impact.

I’m not especially interested in violence, but I’m interested in the ways people try to survive dangerous individuals and dangerous systems. And there was something about Ian McDonald’s writing that felt so emotionally resonant. The scenes with violence don’t feel like they are really about the act itself. To me, they’re about the risk of annihilation we expose ourselves to through intimacy. They feel like scenes about shame. Whose shame is this? Do I have to take it on for you so that you don’t hurt me? And how badly might you hurt me if I don’t?

Have you always been attracted to these kinds of true crime stories?

I think that it’s such a compelling genre because we all are drawn to these terrible stories because our brains believe that it will keep us safe if we know everything about dangerous people and the people they prey upon. It feels like this built-in primordial instinct to keep ourselves safe. I just don’t know how else to explain why so many people, including myself, would want to immerse ourselves in stories like this. Maybe  it indulges the fantasy that you could get a perpetrator to see that what they’ve done is wrong. But that’s just not how these people are wired.

You mentioned tapping a few of your director friends for guidance. Who did you lean on for advice?

There were a million people that I leaned on or wanted advice from. But coincidentally my friends, Jake Johnson and Brittany Snow had both just directed their first features right before I started Woman of the Hour. I was texting with Brittany the weekend before we started filming. I was so nervous, my confidence was at such a low point, and she said, “You’ll be fine. You’re freaking out right now, but you’ll get on set and you’ll know what to do.” She was right. It was like stage fright where you think, I can’t go out there. I can’t go out there. Then you hear the first chords of a song and you go, Well, I guess I’ll have to and you muster all your courage. And Jake was always around three months ahead of whatever I was doing, so I was able to call him at each new phase and ask about what to expect and what challenges he faced that he didn’t anticipate.

The original screenplay for Woman of the Hour made the Black List back in 2017 [then titled Rodney & Sheryl]. What was it like working with writer Ian McDonald?

Ian’s the absolute best. He’s an angel and is so brilliant at what he does. One of the things we worked on changing together was the ending. I had read this piece about one of Rodney Alcala’s victims — a girl who had survived and how she managed to do that. It became the most interesting part of the story to me.

A funny story:  I remember going back and forth with Ian working on a draft, and after a while saying to him, “I have a note for you that I feel really weird saying, and it makes me like you so much as a person, but the note is: you keep giving the women too much agency.” [Laughs.] He was like, “I’m sorry! I guess?”

I completely understood why he’d want to give that to a female character. There were moments when these women were interacting with their boyfriend, or the game show host, or the killer and they’d say something to the effect of, “You’re making me uncomfortable right now.” But I needed to tell him that it would be unrealistic or unsafe for her to say that. And he got it. He understood why we needed to pare those moments back.

The actual episode of The Dating Game with Cheryl Bradshaw and Rodney Alcala doesn’t exist in its entirety anymore. Only snippets of it live online. What was it like shaping that narrative and filming those scenes? [Editorial Note:  The real woman on whom the character is based is named “Cheryl.”]

Filming those sequences of The Dating Game was thrilling because Ian used the opportunity to almost write the fantasy version of what we all wish we could have said in a pivotal moment, but usually only say to ourselves in the shower a week later. I also got to talk as fast as I wanted without being told by someone to slow down. Maybe I should have given myself that note, but I was having too much fun.

We know that the real Rodney Alcala and Cheryl Bradshaw had a conversation after the show that made her decide to forgo the prize date that she won. We don’t know what went on in that conversation, so in the film we’re imagining what happened. Danny Zovatto’s performance took my breath away. It was only day two of filming and I couldn’t believe how dialed in he was. There were takes when I was watching him and telling myself, “Anna, don’t move, don’t even blink. Something incredible is happening and if you do anything that changes his performance at all, I’ll never forgive you.”

But I think the story itself is so compelling because of the idea that this dangerous and violent man went on a show like The Dating Game, where the goal is to choose a good guy, and won. It’s just comically perverse. I thought Ian took the conceit of “Scary Guy Behind a Wall” and extended that metaphor so beautifully and in that sense, The Dating Game itself really guides the movie thematically. We use the framework of the show as a way to explore the kind of existential terror of being seen, of who we let in, of what it means to be vulnerable. It taps into this question about who we trust.

What was it like playing Sheryl?

Sheryl is the most fictionalized piece of the movie. There’s very little public information about the real person, so our Sheryl’s life before The Dating Game is basically an imagined version of a woman in the 1970s. And her story became central in teasing out the thematic elements of the pervasive gender issues that were rooted in that era and persist today.

What I found really enjoyable about playing Sheryl was finding the constant balance in how she needs to move through the world to keep herself safe — sometimes in very literal life-or-death ways — but also just trying to stay in people’s good graces every day, whether that’s with a casting director, or a neighbor, or a game show host. I had a really good time playing with that dichotomy of who she had to be and in all of those moments, showing the audience how frustrated she is, how formidable she is underneath every little concession and every appeasing statement she makes.

So in that sense, I loved getting to play out this fantasy of her breaking free and getting a little bit of power back during the taping of the show. There was a point where I was worried that some of the stuff she does on the game show would end up feeling pedantic or petty. Then I realized, if I just play it as though none of the questions I’m asking really matter, and I don’t really care that this guy doesn’t know the difference between astrologer and astronomer, I’m just having the most fun I can, that’s still powerful. Because maybe for the first time in Sheryl’s life, maybe she’s not making herself small.

You’re the first to admit that every part of making this film was your favorite, but if you were forced to choose, what aspect of directing Woman of the Hour did you end up loving most?

Working with the actors. I know every department operates with the belief that movies exist to be vehicles for great production design, great cinematography, or great wardrobes and they should, they must. But it’s natural for me, as an actor, to think that movies exist as a vehicle for story and performance.

Every single actor delivered. I would’ve been so royally screwed if anyone didn’t. Everybody had to be incredible and I had the best time collaborating with the actors. Is there anything more enjoyable than watching great actors give great performances? In this lifetime, for me, there is not.

Woman of the Hour offers an all too rare take on a serial killer narrative that puts the victims first. What impact do you hope this film has on audiences, especially those who are drawn to true crime stories?

We definitely wanted to find that balance between telling an emotionally satisfying narrative without glazing over the repeated miscarriages of justice that took place over the course of Alcala’s killing spree. Part of what was so frustrating about his story was learning that no one was looking for him. There were so many heroes who raised the alarm about him and what was happening, and the reality is that things were not set up to protect victims. There’s no happy ending with a story like this.So I hope the movie speaks to anyone who has made themselves small and pleasing because they were just trying to survive physically or financially or mentally. It’s for those of us who have thought “thank god I listened to my gut” and certainly for those of us who know the pain of thinking “I wish I had listened to my gut.” And I hope it encourages people to forgive themselves for doing what they had to do to survive.

What kind of stories would you be interested in telling next?

I’ll admit I am sort of surprised by the darkness I’m finding myself drawn to. Of the scripts that I’ve been sent to look at, the ones I’ve really liked seem really diverse, but I did notice that there’s this underpinning in each of them of a man who is very unwell and the story outlines the repercussions of his actions on everyone around him. Then there’s definitely part of me that’s drawn to the lighthearted stuff. I would love it if somebody sent me a comedy that I can just fall in love with. I also want to direct a musical so fucking bad.

Woman of the Hour. (L-R) Daniel Zovatto as Rodney and Anna Kendrick as Sheryl in Woman of the Hour. Cr. Leah Gallo/Netflix © 2024.

“Rodney seemed like an impossible ask. It’s such a demanding character. I started watching Station 11 and when Danny came on screen I immediately said, Him. It has to be him. If he’s not available I don’t think I have a movie. Danny was beyond what I hoped for. I couldn’t get over how terrifying he could be in some scenes and how open and vulnerable and safe he was in others. He knows how to balance eruption and restraint. It’s just masterful.” — Anna Kendrick on casting Daniel Zovatto as Rodney

What attracted Daniel Zovatto to this project?

One of the things that attracted me was that it was going to be told from the perspective of the women. I thought it would resonate by being told in a way where it had a bit more sensitivity from the other side, and not just Rodney’s. When Anna and I first spoke over Zoom, we had a great meeting where we just bounced ideas about how I perceived the character and what we wanted to focus on. It went really well and right after I remember thinking, Oh my God, Anna’s going to kill it. She was so prepared and so studious in her way of approaching everything.

How did Daniel Zovatto approach playing Rodney?

In my research, one of the things I found interesting about Rodney is when a lot of these people commit heinous crimes like these, they usually have some sort of a broken family. Something happened in their childhood, they have traumas, they have something in common in that realm. With Rodney, he committed crimes for many, many years before getting caught, but the research showed that he had a normal childhood. Nobody thought that he was going to go down this path. It was a shock to everyone.

So I made sure I tried to capture that in the performance. His purpose was that he wants to feel power. He wants to be as close to being God-like as possible. He wants to be the man and he showed that in the way he killed some of his victims. And that was really disturbing to me because what it created was a freedom to allow myself to show charisma and flirtatiousness and invite the woman in. And then once she said something I didn’t like, or once I made up my mind that this is my next victim, you see the other side of the coin. There’s footage of Rodney when he’s older. When he’s already in prison and you see him in court defending his own case. But that’s not the Rodney I played. The Rodney I played was the guy who was onThe Dating Game.

How does a film like Woman of the Hour set itself apart from the pack in terms of all the true crime stories out there, especially serial killer narratives?

Again, I think having Anna at the helm makes a huge difference. I love working with female directors. There’s a different sensibility, understanding, and a way of seeing things that distinguishes their voices. They’re telling the same story, it’s just what point of view do we want to make sure that is heard? The point of view of the victims in this film is highlighted with a care I haven’t seen before. I think the performances that each of the actresses give are so full of life. You really feel for them and you fear for them.

What impact do you hope this film has on audiences?

I hope what people take away from this film is that there’s a better way of looking at things. Why do we always talk about the killer? Why are we not talking about all the people we lost so that we can really understand what happened, how families are affected? By having a story being told this way, we’re given an opportunity to really look at the bigger picture and not always focus on the bad guy.


“In 2018, when we were first making Joker, we could have never imagined it would strike such a chord with audiences worldwide. Joaquin and I had talked about a sequel, but never seriously—that changed when we saw audiences’ reaction to Arthur’s story,” says writer/director/producer Todd Phillips. “But if we were going to do it, we knew we had to swing for the fences, we wanted to make something as crazy and fearless as Joker himself. So, Scott Silver and I wrote a script that delved further into the idea of identity. Who is Arthur Fleck? And where does the music that’s inside of him come from?”

Joker: Folie À Deux stars Joaquin Phoenix once again in his Oscar-winning dual role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, opposite Oscar winner Lady Gaga. The film finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that’s always been inside him.

Todd Phillips directed Joker: Folie À Deux from a screenplay by Scott Silver & Phillips, based on characters from DC.

Joker – An original vision of the infamous DC villain

On how the term “folie à deux” came about for this film…

“In research that Scott and I would do about mental illness in general and different kinds of conditions, ‘folie à deux’ is an actual term used in—I think it was in DSM IV, one of those books—where it’s this idea of shared madness. In the movie, you can take it many ways. You can say, ‘Oh, well, obviously, it’s a shared madness between the two of them.’ Or is it between Arthur and Joker, his own internal folie à deux? It really depends, to me, on the lens that you’re watching the film through, you know?”

On why Arthur Fleck resonated with audiences in “Joker,” and how the process of starting on the new film began after the success of the first…

“Movies tend to hold a mirror up to society, or where we’re at, at that moment in the culture at least. I think that’s where we were on the first movie, for sure. The first one was really such a huge success for us, it was a whirlwind. It was a lot to go through, so it took a long time to kind of get over that. Scott [Silver] and I would talk on the phone about what would we do if we were going to do a sequel, and it just sort of slowly evolved.”

On what he and co-writer Scott Silver were thinking of, in terms of themes, as they began to explore the story…

“I thought that the themes in the first film were rather timely. And we started talking the way you talk about any movie, thematically. You’re not talking about structure, and even in a sequel, you’re not talking as much character, because we know Arthur, so you’re talking more themes, what would resonate, or where would we at least hope we’re headed.

“In the first film, Arthur says, ‘Is it just me or is it getting crazier out there?,’ which kind of was the beginning of the first film. And I think, if you’re watching it, you’re going, ‘No, it’s not just you.’ And in this film, well, I know that a character doesn’t say it out loud, but we were thinking, ‘What the world needs now is love.’ And that was the jumping-off point for writing the screenplay.”

On how they built on the first film to create something so new for this one…

“We went back to the things we liked a lot about the first film, and one of those things is Arthur’s fantasies, Arthur’s fantasy life. So, having that tool available to us helped us feel like we could do anything in this one.

“When you have the opportunity, coming off of something like ‘Joker,’ you go, ‘Well, we could kind of do anything, we could do something that challenges us’—I’m talking about Scott and I as writers, me as a filmmaker, Larry [Sher] as a cinematographer. How can we challenge ourselves in a way that’s something we’ve never done before?

On the story and themes, generally, of the film…

“It’s hard to explain what the movie is without getting into the specifics of what it is, but essentially, it’s the story of identity. It’s the story of who is Arthur Fleck and who is Joker, at least through his own eyes. And what does it mean to have to embrace your true self and who you are? Which is what he has to ultimately do at the end. I think this movie is infinitely more hopeful than the first film for Arthur. The first film, weirdly, was kind of similar thematically, as far as the struggle between Arthur and Arthur’s shadow self, which was this idea that we all walk around wearing masks in life, and what happens when you take that mask off and be your true self? In Arthur’s case, it was putting on a mask—which really confuses it all—that made his true self come out.

On where Arthur is when we meet him in “Joker: Folie À Deux”…

We’re catching up with Arthur, he’s obviously been heavily medicated by the institution. We wanted to feel him totally disconnected and not really connecting again until he sees [Lady Gaga’s character] Lee. So, it felt right for him not to talk. In fact, the first line in the movie from him is, “Can I have a cigarette?” Which also seemed appropriate.

On how long Arthur has been at Arkham when we meet him again…

“We didn’t really think about it that much, but we think it’s kind of unspoken that he’s been in this institution/prison for a couple of years. That was something we didn’t really talk about, even with Joaquin, because we kind of just like to begin where we begin, if you know what I mean? So it’s not so much about, ‘Let’s fill in these two years and figure out where he’s at,’ it’s more like, ‘This is where he is now.’ Arthur is just absolutely disconnected, he’s lost whatever spark he had at the end of the first film, whatever life he had in him at the end of the first film, and we’re kind of meeting a beaten-down, broken Arthur.

Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck with director Todd Phillips during the filming of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Joker: Folie À Deux, Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC / Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise/™ & © DC Comics

On early conversations with Joaquin Phoenix about preparing himself to be in Arthur’s frame of mind and physical state again…

“It wasn’t like I was first seeing him when that door opened, obviously, because I’d spent months with him before getting there. But he’s the most dedicated actor you can ever work with, so we talked early on in the process about losing the weight again. And I said, ‘Well, there’s a version where Arthur doesn’t have to be as skinny as he was in the first movie, you know, there’s medication and they don’t exercise there, he doesn’t walk up the stairs any more, he’s been locked up.’ I can make an argument that he’s not as skinny. And Joaquin’s like, ‘No, no, no, absolutely’; in fact, he wanted to be skinnier.”

On Joaquin Phoenix infusing Arthur with grace as in the first film, but taking it to the next level—including tap dancing…

“It goes back to this idea that I have, that he won’t admit to, but Joaquin can do anything. So, when you challenge him with something as absurd as, ‘Oh, and it turns out Arthur can really dance, not like just that beautiful bathroom dance, but he can tap dance,’ he has it in him. And Joaquin just goes, ‘Okay, let me figure that out,’ and you put him together with Michael Arnold, who’s a phenomenal choreographer, and they work on that tap for months… and then you watch him do it.

“And nowadays, people go and see movies and they think everything’s CG, everything’s fake. So, I had this thought like, ‘Are people going to think we just put Joaquin’s head on some dancer’s body?’ But he’s doing everything, and he doesn’t miss a tap. It’s just crazy. I mean, Jeff and I sometimes sat in the editing room and just watched other takes looking for a mistake. And it’s like, it’s always just, he just gets it, top to bottom, every time.”

On the moment that Arthur meets Lee and the transformation that’s going on in him…

“Well, it’s a tricky scene because, if you notice in the movie, we go into Slo-mo for a second when he sees her. We liked the idea of it being a bit of a mislead, because fool me once, right? In the first film, his relationship with Sophie wasn’t really real. So we kind of leaned into that idea, is this even real? And particularly when she puts the gun to her head, if you’re watching the movie for the first time, you’re going, ‘Oh, I get it. She’s made up, this isn’t real.’ It turns out, she is real, and she’s doing that because they made a TV movie about Arthur, and that was part of it.

“But yeah, when he gets into that building, and he hears her voice in that song, when she’s singing with the class, kind of cutting through, you can feel it in Arthur, that something’s changing, or that something’s awakening.”

On Lady Gaga’s character, Lee Quinzel…

“Lee believes in what Arthur did and what he spoke about on ‘The Murray Franklin Show.’ She’s watched the movie they’ve made about Joker ten times.”

Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck and Lady Gaga as Lee Quinzel in Warner Bros. Pictures’ Joker: Folie À Deux, a Warner Bros. Pictures release.Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise/™ & © DC Comics

On what Lady Gaga brings to this film as Lee who, with Arthur, goes between the reality and fantasy parts…

“What she brings, in her own way, is a reality to the character. And she really got the first movie. Our first conversations were very much about the first film. And she, I think, rather easily slipped into that world. So, it’s not like she’s trying to be Harley Quinn from another movie, or Harley Quinn from the comic books. She’s being Lee in this world. Again, like both these characters, as well as Harvey Dent, Gotham, all these things have been created before and actors have inhabited those roles before. So, all we’re doing differently is trying to ground them in a real world. And again, they’ve been grounded in real worlds in other films. It’s just through the lens of our world, I should say.”

On the importance of bringing the audience up to speed on how the world has reacted to Joker in the aftermath of the events of the first film, via his interview with Paddy Myers, played by Steve Coogan…

“I thought it was important for a few reasons. I think a lot of people had questions at the end of the first movie, because we end with Arthur in an institution. I remember people asking me all the time, ‘Did any of it happen? Was it all just a fantasy?’ So, we thought it’d be fun and engaging, I suppose, to answer some of those questions, in really broad strokes, and explain why here he is, paying the price for it.”

On running an open set, being willing to try things on the day, and the philosophy behind that…

“We always have a plan, of course, but we just like the ability to veer from that whenever possible. And I think it helps actors, feeling loose and feeling like anything can happen. It feels like… the day feels more alive. It’s not so much that I prefer it, but if they want to try three different ways of doing something, I would never go, “No, no, this is what Jackie’s like, so I just want to see his three gears or five gears,” or in Joaquin’s case, 19 gears, right? So it’s like, “Yeah, show it all to me,” because a movie gets written three times. A movie gets written by Scott and I, then Larry and I kind of rewrite it, and then Jeff [Groth], the editor, and I do the third draft, the final draft.

“So, we don’t really know if the Jackie that I wrote a year-and-a-half ago with Scott is gonna be the same Jackie that ends up in the movie. But if Brendan’s willing to do three versions, or play this scene that way, and then try it totally different, it’s only helpful to the last writing assignment, which is the editing, right?”

On shooting the music performances live, and how that informed the music coming from a more emotional place…

“That is exactly a great illustration of what I mean, in that you can’t pre-record it in a studio a month-and-a-half before you shoot the film and expect the actors to have the emotion that they’re supposed to have behind the song. So really, the only way to solve that is to sing it live, on the day, in the space. Clearly, she could do that, she’s a professional singer. For Joaquin, I thought it would be a harder thing to convince him, or to get him to do, or for him to be able to do it. But, like he frequently does, he blew my mind. Always. I mean, he’s just… he can do anything.”

On the music in the film becoming a key element to this story…

“That was something we had been talking about from even before we were talking about a sequel. This idea was something I talked to Joaquin about really early on, that Arthur has music in him, that there’s some panache to Arthur and a romance to Arthur, even in the first film. And I think that really informed—I hate speaking for Joaquin—but I think that really informed Joaquin, that idea that Arthur has music in him, informed a lot of the first film. Most obviously when he dances in the bathroom, but even his movements throughout the movie. So, we just thought that was a logical, leaping-off point.”

On the type of music chosen for the film, what he was inspired by…

“Well, music choice in something like this is a huge thing. I always wanted the music to feel like stuff that Arthur knew, stuff that maybe his mom played in the apartment when he was growing up. So, a lot of it came from that. I mean, if you remember in the first film, he’s listening to Lawrence Welk with his mother on the radio. So we always kind of wanted to embrace the kind of old-school vibe of music.

“So, for this film, it was very consciously not original songs, because we wanted it to be things that Arthur knew. We didn’t think it would make sense to have some great songwriter come in and write original music, because you’re not going to get near to what we were at with the standards we used, but also it didn’t feel very ‘Arthur’ to create original songs. The songs that exist in the world are the songs in his mind.”

On the realistic look and feel of the space…

“I think for every movie—this is not unique to this film—you want it to feel as grounded in reality as possible. That goes with wardrobe and costume and set design, background players. You want it to feel authentic.”

On the set builds being 360 and why that level of immersion was so important…

“Well, the 360 set speaks to [production designer] Mark Friedberg, the way [DP] Larry [Sher] and I shoot, but also Joaquin, putting him in a place where there are four walls and where he could go over there, even though we’re set up over here. You don’t want to necessarily dictate with an actor like Joaquin, you want to give yourself the freedom for him to come and feel the space.”

On the transformative scene with the umbrellas, where color is first introduced, and everything begins to change for Arthur…

“Well, for me, it really represents that there’s still magic left in Arthur. And so, when they come out of those doors and it’s dreary and it’s raining and they’re putting their umbrellas up, what Arthur sees is the colors. So, the idea being that he’s been here for two years and what’s it been like? In those first 10 or 12 minutes, he’s beaten down. But when he steps outside and he looks up and you realize, ‘Oh, there’s still some magic. There is still a little light. It hasn’t all been extinguished.’ That’s kind of what that represents.”

On ensuring the film’s color palette, scale, and general look were different from “Joker”…

“We didn’t want to do anything that was a rehash of the first film. We wanted the movie to feel entirely different, but the first film still had a language that we follow in this movie. I mean, the color palette in the beginning of this film very much reflects where we left off in the first film. And it’s not until Lee is introduced, and it’s not until magic comes back into Arthur’s life and music comes back into Arthur life, that things start to shift for him. [Production designer] Mark [Friedberg] and I talked really early on about it wanting to feel as if you would have made this movie a long time ago, not with CG sets and blue screens. We very much wanted it to feel, at least the sections that were fantasy and the music sections, like a throwback to how they made those movies then.”

On crafting a truly theatrical experience for audiences…

“I will forever make movies for theaters. I have friends and colleagues that make movies for streamers, but I just will never do it, ever, no matter what. I’d rather just not make films, because I really believe that the theatrical experience—obviously, this is not something new I’m saying—but it’s second to none and it’s such a huge part of the experience of watching a film. Not just in the shared common space with 400 strangers, but in just the sheer size and sound and feeling you get, and that the film evokes. So, Larry and I, Mark and I, every crew member and I, we make these films for the theatrical experience. And, particularly this one, Larry and I really leaned into the IMAX a lot. And I think if you see this movie in IMAX, particularly the true IMAX, it’s crazy.”

On what audiences who loved the first film will find when they see “Joker: Folie À Deux”…

“Well, I think if you love the first film, it’s because you loved Arthur, because really the first film was all Arthur all the time. So, hopefully, there’s still that love for Arthur, the character. And that’s kind of what we leaned into. I think there was a ton more love than we thought. I mean, the movie was way bigger than any of us thought. I think it was big, not just because of what Larry and I did, the way we shot it, not just because of the sets that Mark built, it was because of this love for the character that Joaquin created. So, we just thought if we leaned into that, and we really leaned into taking Arthur apart and breaking Arthur down by the end of it, that just felt right.”

Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck in Warner Bros. Pictures’ Joker: Folie À Deux, a Warner Bros. Pictures release.Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise/™ & © DC Comics

On when—and why—the idea of the sequel to “Joker” came about…

“Todd and I started talking about finding a new story to tell with the character maybe midway through the shoot of the first one, long before its release. It was something that, even then, I think we both felt like there was more to explore with the character. And I loved the idea and the challenge of continuing the story but finding different tones to play with.”

On working with filmmaker Todd Phillips…

“Practically speaking, he’s just a seasoned filmmaker with a very specific and unique perspective, and that’s really the most important thing, at least for me, when working with a director. Additionally, I like the way that he solves problems. And he’s pretty fearless. He thinks very quickly, which is great, so it allows you to really come at a scene in a different way each take if you want. And any time you run into a problem, he just very quickly comes up with a line that just solves the problem. I’ve never worked with anyone quite like him.”

On his character, Arthur Fleck, having music in him…

“In the first film, we discovered moments in the way that Arthur and Joker move in the world that felt musical, oddly graceful, in a way—some kind of rhythm that motivates his movements. There was a nostalgia to the music that he listened to, the music in his head, that we kept discovering more and more as we were shooting.”

On the environments created for the film…

“The sets that Mark Friedberg built were pretty astonishing. Arkham had multiple levels; they were the kind of sets that you go in, and you get lost, they’re that vast. It’s really impressive and obviously important that you can go from the stage studio world, which is about as far away from the movie as possible, to entering the set and getting lost in those corridors. Everything was accessible and it felt authentic. It’s a huge part of the film, obviously, and also was a huge part of helping the actors find their place within the world.”

On the introduction of music into the mix…

“We started talking about music performance very, very early on, long before Todd and Scott [Silver] started really sitting down and working on the script. It eventually became obvious that we wanted it to feel spontaneous and off the cuff and dirty in a way that I don’t think you typically see with movies in that genre. We just felt like we didn’t want it to be like anything you’d ever really seen before, or to do it in a way that people typically perform songs in movies. That was exciting and challenging, because then it felt like we had to actually go out there and perform live in order to perform the songs in ways that felt accurate, authentic, but maybe weren’t the most beautiful renditions of the song. And there was something that felt very exciting about that.”

On working with pianist Alex Jules to perform the songs live…

“George Drakoulias is a music supervisor, he works with Todd all the time, and I’ve known him for years. And very early on he introduced me to a pianist named Alex Jules, and we started working together and we clicked. I had told him that I wanted each take to feel different, and we never really set in stone the phrasing or one particular way of singing. It was always changing from take to take. And he was really great at just listening, and at feeling when I might go; there were times where I would sing hard and loud, and other times it would be kind of softer. I just wanted to work with somebody that was going to go with me and be really receptive, listening to me and changing the dynamics live.”

Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck and Lady Gaga as Lee Quinzel in Warner Bros. Pictures’ Joker: Folie À Deux, a Warner Bros. Pictures release.Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved. TM & © DC Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise/™ & © DC Comics

On her reaction to the script and her initial feelings about her role in “Joker: Folie À Deux”…

“My feeling from reading the script initially was that I was excited about how much room there was to play. I felt like while the script was very intentional and it was clear that this was going to be a love story, that the way that we told the love story was going to be unlike anything any of us had made or seen before. And that also meant that Lee should be a character that we had never experienced before. So, one of my favorite things about the script was how real she was.”

On knowing that Harley Quinn has been portrayed in comic books and on TV, and how this is different…

“Of course I thought about all of the ways Harley Quinn has been in the world before this script, but it was exciting to me to create Lee in Todd and Joaquin’s world, and their world for ‘Joker’ was so different than anyone that we had seen before. And this story of Arthur Fleck, this story of the birth of Joker, is extremely heartfelt and emotional. So I knew that Lee had to also be grounded in that same kind of humanity for this movie to work. So I worked a lot with Todd and Joaquin every single day on how to bring out her humanity amidst a film and a story that’s wild.”

On where Arthur is in his mind when he meets Lee…

“I think at the beginning of the film, Arthur is in a terrible place. And I think Todd has always tried to say something profound about the system and the way that it beats people down. So, I think at the beginning of this film, we see that Arthur barely has a life. And this first meeting is a suggestion that there could be some hope.”

On the best part of discovering Lee while she portrayed her…

“I had so much fun discovering Lee on set, and I would say that working with Todd, working with Joaquin as close collaborators every day, was extremely eye opening for me about the filmmaking experience and how I could actually come to set knowing that I might discover the character in the scene. And in what ways do we inhibit ourselves from knowing who a character could be by deciding ahead of time? So it was really fun.”

On putting in the work to allow for spontaneity…

“We rehearsed the waltz for months. I learned all of my music for months, so did Joaquin. But we kept everything very loose because this was a big artistic playground, and ultimately the edit would decide the final film, but on set you don’t have to make decisions that are set in stone. We prepared, and then we got to play.”

On what the term “folie à deux” means…

“Well, I did research on folie à deux, and looked up the medical explanation of it. Some people refer to it as double insanity. Other people talk about it being this condition where two people who have psychosis, one gives psychosis to the other person, they believe a shared fantasy, a shared delusion to each other and those around them, and they will defend their fantasy at any cost.”

On defining the line between fantasy and reality…

“The fantasies in the film are an expression of the way Todd sees the two of them, Arthur and Lee, and they’re an expression of the way Joker and Harley or Lee and Arthur or Joker and Lee and Arthur and Harley are experiencing life. It’s really for the audience to experience and decide.”

On the intertwined nature of the music and how it connects to the story…

“You know, Todd always said that there was music inside of Arthur, and it’s hard for me to talk about the genesis of anything in this movie without starting with Arthur and the first film. So to me, music plays a huge role in this movie because it’s part of what brings Joker to life, brings Arthur to life, and I think in a way is, at times, teetering on a metaphor of how Arthur becomes Joker. This music within him. And also it’s, I think, an expression at any given moment of things that just cannot be said in the scene with words. It had to be said in song and in dance.

“I thought that the music was very artfully chosen for this film; they always put the story first, and everything was connected to a real part of these characters. I don’t know that music would have worked in this film without that. I think part of what makes all of this bonkers activity make sense to our hearts while we’re watching it is the fact that there’s some truth in all of it.”

On the process of finding Lee’s voice…

“Working with George Drakoulias, Jason Ruder, Randy Poster, Todd, Joaquin… we worked really hard to find everyone’s voice in the movie. And for me to find Lee’s voice was really an interesting process. I knew after a lot of time working on it that Lee’s not a great singer. She’s doing her best, and that’s sort of a part of this movie, right? Both of these characters are kind of doing their best. And aren’t we all in life just trying to do our best all the time? And so doing her best, given who she is, was the starting point for my vocal performance in the movie.”

On collaborating with Todd Phillips on the film…

“Todd took a very big swing with this whole concept and with the script, giving the sequel to ‘Joker’ this much audacity and complexity. There’s music, there’s dance, it’s a drama, it’s also a courtroom drama, it’s a comedy, it’s happy, it’s sad—it’s got all of these elements. Some of the music is fantasy, some of it’s in the scene. It breaks genre, and I think it was very, very bold, and that it’s a testament to him as a director, that he would rather be creative than just tell a traditional story of love. As a filmmaker, I don’t think he would ever land in one particular spot and say, ‘This is exactly what I want you to feel.’ I think he just is exploring these two people. I have always appreciated that he really celebrated Arthur in the first film, and in the second film, he goes even further.”

On working with Joaquin Phoenix…

“I loved working with Joaquin. He was just amazing to experience this whole process with. I learned so much about acting, working with him, and I had so much fun doing all of the music with him and the dance routines.”

On Lee’s feelings for Arthur and Joker, how deep they run…

“To me, in the beginning of the film, Lee really doesn’t know who she is at all, she’s just… everything is for him. I want to be close to you. I want to be near you. I want to talk to you. I want to break out of here. Lee is kind of unreasonable in her pursuit of Joker and Arthur. I think it’s through that love that she kind of discovers who she’s going to be for the rest of her life.”

On what audiences can expect when they see this movie in theaters…

“I think that, without question, this movie was meant for movie theaters, literally the movie is a theatrical experience, but not in the way that anyone would sense. I’m actually very careful not to use the word musical when I describe this film, because I feel like that limits the way that anyone might think about it before they watch it. It’s a movie that the sound, the score, the feeling in the theater, just completely transports you into the minds of the characters and the intention of the director, and it was just an absolute joy to be a part of.”


TODD PHILLIPS (Director, Co-Writer, Producer) is the director, co-writer and producer of what was until recently the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, the critically acclaimed, Academy Award-winning “Joker,” which earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office.  “Joker” is also the biggest global October release of all time, and the sixth Warner Bros. Pictures film to cross the billion-dollar benchmark.  The film also won the top prize at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, the Golden Lion.  His next film, “Joker: Folie À Deux,” is the hugely anticipated follow-up, starring Joaquin Phoenix in the title role opposite Lady Gaga, and releasing in theaters October 4, 2024.

Phillips was a producer of commercial and critical success “A Star Is Born,” co-written and directed by and produced with his Joint Effort partner, Bradley Cooper, who also starred alongside Lady Gaga.  Released in October 2018, the film grossed over $436 million worldwide and was nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, winning Best Original Song.

Phillips wrote, directed and produced the 2016 comedic drama “War Dogs,” starring Miles Teller and Jonah Hill, who was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his performance. In 2009, Phillips directed and produced the blockbuster comedy “The Hangover,” starring Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, which won a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.  He then wrote, directed and produced the sequels, “The Hangover Part II” in 2011, and “The Hangover Part III” in 2013.  Collectively, the trilogy grossed over $1.4 billion globally.

As a writer, Phillips was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work on “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” in 2006.  He began writing and directing features in 2000 with the cult classic comedy “Road Trip.”  In 2003, he wrote, produced and directed the comedy box office hit “Old School,” starring Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn.  Phillips has also written, directed and produced such comedic successes as “Starsky & Hutch” and “Due Date,” the latter starring Robert Downey Jr. and Galifianakis.  He also served as producer on the outrageous dark teen comedy “Project X.”

SCOTT SILVER (Co-writer) was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award, among numerous others, for best adapted screenplay for “Joker,” which he wrote with the film’s director, Todd Phillips. Silver was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for “The Fighter.” He also wrote “8 Mile.”


Young panda bear Ping’s best friend, Jielong the dragon, is kidnapped and brought to Africa. Ping follows her without question. After a dangerous ocean-crossing he reaches the faraway continent, totally unknown to pandas. There, our unlikely hero with a big heart, relying on his wits and some new found friends, needs to rescue Jielong from an evil lion and his henchman.

Interview by Chantal Nissen with Richard Claus and Karsten Kiilerich (in 2020

What is the origin of the idea and the story?

RC: I have a 6-year-old daughter (note: she is 10 in the meantime), and besides reading all kinds of stories to her, we are also inventing stories together. Her favourite characters in our own stories are baby-animals (in human terms probably her own age), which are most of the time from Africa. Seriously, the idea to tell a story with African animals was born this way. The next thought was to add a hero who would be a “fish out of water”, and that might have to do with myself. Then Chantal Nissen came up with the panda bear, who we subsequently designed as a role model for toleration and tolerance. In this context
I might want to mention that my wife is from Kenya and both of my kids are “donker”, as the Dutch would say, and toleration and tolerance are terms which play a big role in our life.

KK: Richard brought the idea to me. He wanted to create a fish out of water story and send a Panda to Africa. It’s a wonderful and colourful combination with loads of options for drama and fun. Richard has been living in Africa for a while, so it might have to do with that. He loves that continent and he presented the idea to Edward Noeltner, the CEO of Cinema Management Group. They are a sales agent who is willing to engage in the development of ideas that they like. The animated movie “Loving Vincent” is one of them. It turned out to be a good choice, and let me add, we all worked together on the creation of “The little Vampire 3D”.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE

How did you work on the script together?

KK: It’s been a real fun journey. We know each other since “The Ugly Duckling & Me” and we also did “The Little Vampire 3D” together, so we connect, and that’s an advantage. You really have to be able to swallow a camel or two… or let me rephrase: You really have to be open-minded and communicative. If you try to protect your own idea because you are vain, then forget about it.

RC: Our practical collaboration (after having just exchanged thoughts) started with the second draft of the screenplay. We were working together in the same room in Copenhagen for a week. First, we made decisions what to keep and what to change, and then we went back to a new step outline. By the way: it is better to go “back to the drawing board” all the time for a new and hopefully better version. If you just make changes here and there in the same script, it will always remain the same script. That may be a way to polish dialogues or so, but not if you seriously want to change things. We were working act after act. We discussed, then I was writing the new step outline, then Karsten wrote a quick and first version of each scene, we discussed again, and then I took the scene and wrote a revised version, we discussed again and agreed on what the scene should be like.

KK: Sometimes you really have to accept input from co-writers even though you like your own ideas better. In the case of “Panda Bear in Africa” it really went smoothly. Neither Richard or I need to prove our own genius. We work for the film and we understand what the other guy is saying, kind of.

RC: Obviously our skills to write English dialogues are somewhat limited, and we knew all along that we would need someone to help us with that.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE

What did screenwriter Robert Sprackling contribute?

KK: Robert worked with us on two versions of the script. He is a very experienced and competent scriptwriter. He came up with a series of ideas that expanded the storyuniverse and took the outline to a higher level. We had quite a lot of conversations on email and Skype and Richard went to London several times in order to discuss the material with him.

RC: Robert is a very energetic person with very strong opinions. He forces you to have a good reason for everything in the story. That was sometimes hard, because you started to get used to certain things, of which you thought they would work, and you were happy about them, and then he comes and questions everything again. But like our hero Ping: Sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone if you want to achieve something, and that is what Rob forced us to do.

KK: Robert also put the final dialogue lines to the paper. We decided to do the script in English and Robert has a pretty obvious advantage being English himself. Of course, we had intense discussions concerning the content, but I can honestly say that we always landed on our feet and we always found a common direction.

RC: Robert worked on lots of scripts. Besides his credited work he did tons of polishes and re-writes for all kind of well know animation studios. It was clear that with his experience he would not limit himself to some dialogue polishing, nor did we want to limit him to that.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE

What has changed in terms of content in the story in the various versions of the script?

KK: First it was more or less a road movie. Then we added a kidnapping. Then we decided to change our dragon, in order to make it a real Chinese dragon, and this again affected the story. In the meantime we defined the tone of the film and worked out the relations between the characters. On top of that a lot of things were revised. Scenes changed places and the ending was reworked. Don’t forget: Three different writers from three different but all European cultural backgrounds worked together.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE

Is it only about entertainment?

KK: May I quote the Danish poet Piet Hein? “Taking fun as simply fun – and earnestness in earnest – shows how thoroughly thou – none of the two discernest.” I don’t think you should limit yourself to only creating an entertaining movie. If you do not have an element of earnest the movie will probably not be entertaining either. You simply need to address the doubt, the bad consciousness and the fear of the characters. Otherwise, you will end up with a one-dimensional movie, and that’s neither interesting nor entertaining.

RC: …and by the way, what’s wrong with entertainment? Children and their parents definitely don’t go to the movies to get bored. Yes, we want to make an entertaining film, a fun and funny adventure, which will also be accessible to families with smaller children. But there is also a deeper message in our film about diversity and friendship, crossing the boundaries to “the others” and learning to understand them. Although the film has no human characters, we will ensure that the film’s young audiences can easily identify with our main heroes, which at first glance seem exotic. The panda bear Ping and the dragon Jielong will take the audience with them on a spectacular but also enlightening journey.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE

Why does the story need to be told?

KK: Let me put it like this: I do not think that the human race would stop breathing if we will not tell this story. On the other hand, it’s a new and never seen combination of a panda, dragons and African wildlife. It’s an interesting friendship story between creatures from different backgrounds and different worlds, they learn to communicate, to accept and respect each other, become friends.

RC: The subject of strangers/foreigners/refugees is one of the big issues of our time. Demagogues around the world build their cases based on prejudices about “the others”. Understanding and acceptance of “the others” is the underlying theme of Panda Bear in Africa”, and in a way this theme was also beneath the surface in the story of “The Little Vampire 3D” as well.

KK: I guess moviemaking is all about giving the audience a fresh and unseen adventure and some food for thoughts, and I certainly think that this is what the audience will get when they go to the Cinema and watch “Panda Bear in Africa”, follow our panda Ping on his journey…

RC: …who is a lovable, polite and resourceful character, who protects his old friends and finds new friends under the most unlikely circumstances.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE

Can you say something about the characters?

RC: We have a great variety of animal characters, which obviously represent humans: From a small and fast spoken talapoin monkey to a gnarled orangutan sailor, from an angry hyena to a spoilt lion prince. And because these are animals, and it is animation, and it is bigger than life, all these characters can speak in their own and very special characteristic way.

KK: Panda Ping, our protagonist, has to overcome unlimited challenges and he has to learn to trust himself. Being a panda in far-away Africa is certainly challenging to the limit. Jielong is a young female dragon and she is kidnapped, with another level of problems, especially since the power-seeking lion Shakeel believes that dragons spit fire, but Chinese dragons can’t do that. And then there will be a huge gallery of supporting characters in our movie, from rhinos to meerkats, from jackals to elephants and giraffes.

RC: The characters and the story are inspired by fables of animals and fairy tales, which exist in all cultures around the world. We know about old Dutch animal stories from the Middle Ages, for example “Van den vos Reynaerde”, and there are also more contemporary works, like the stories from Anton Koolhaas. In this tradition, Dutch human characters, human values and conflicts are embodied by a variety of anthropomorphic animal characters.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE

What is the theme?

KK: Friendship… understanding and acceptance of foreigners. And add to that: the willingness to ignore your own needs and go to the end of the world to protect your friends.

RC: Also coming of age. And not only for Ping, our main character, who has to “man up” to achieve what he needs to achieve, but for Jielong too, who dreams to be a grown-up dragon from the beginning and in the end learns what a grown up dragon can do, for example flying.

Why so far from home, why China and Africa?

KK: Thank you. That’s a nice question. We are doing animation. We are not limited by anything. Only by our imagination.

RC: We hope and know that our film will have a bigger audience outside the borders of the Netherlands or the borders of the co-producing countries than inside these borders. It is common knowledge that animated films in general travel better across the borders of their country of origin than live action feature films. That is one of the reasons why I am enjoying making animated films. But this is still a very European film. Although the story is not set on the European continent, the values on which the film is based: tolerance, respect, openness, acceptance and understanding of “the others” are very European
values.

KK: It’s fun to go places. The settings in China and Africa simply are wonderful to watch, to be in – and we travel the Indian Ocean. We wanted to bring two worlds together, the Chinese pandas, dragons and the orang-utan and all the African animals. Different animal characters meet and resolve misunderstandings between their different viewpoints.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE

Does the film play today, in the present time?

KK: Yes and no. It is a no-time universe, and then again it is set in a kind of pre-industrial time, a time without mobile phones etc.. Our talking animals have a limited amount of gadgets, they can sail a boat, but we do not see a car or anything like that. You can say that time is not important.

RC: We were actually discussing if the film should be set in the past, being a period film, in connection with the first exposé. We came to the conclusion that the question might be irrelevant. When is the famous fable of Guy de Maupassant about the raven and the fox set? In the 19th century? I don’t think so.

How does “Panda Bear in Africa” differ from other, for example American animated films?

KK: We are not copying anyone, and just based on our experiences and backgrounds, which are different from other filmmakers in other countries, what we are doing is different too. The style and the aesthetic aspects of the films we are making won’t jump to the foreground, but that does not mean we are not thinking about this. What makes us different from a lot of American films is that we are socially and politically aware, don’t repeat racial, social and gender clichés over and over again, and we always try to avoid fake emotions. And there is something we hate very much, and that is Kitsch. It is a German word, but I don’t think I have to translate it.

RC: In connection with the “Sehgewohnheiten”, which I mentioned earlier, the films from the US studios are setting certain always evolving technical standards, which we can’t ignore. An example: Although it is expensive and time consuming to work with characters with digital hair and fur, and it would be better for our budget to avoid that, there is no way that we would make this film and the characters don’t have hair and fur. We will obviously go much more stylized with our characters, than say the new “Lion King”, but
we would not get away with a look like “Madagascar” from 2005. We are 15 years further down the line and if we make a film with a panda bear hero, he needs to be fluffy and cuddly.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE

What are the challenges in making this film?

KK: There are a lot of technical challenges when you work in animation. Everything has to be planned very carefully. If the characters are not designed and rigged properly the animation won’t work. If the sets are too big and heavy, you cannot work in them and so forth.

RC: All of our characters are four-legged, each of them with different running, walking, climbing styles. We need great character sheets with emotions, expressions, poses from Patrick Schoenmaker and for the animation we need to produce in pre-production an archive of walking and running cycles for the characters, and a whole variety of poses for each of them, plus blend-shapes for their facial expressions. Also, our characters have a lot of hair and fur, we have vast landscapes, lots of sets, water, you name it, and many, many characters.

KK: Every second in an animation movie is expensive. You cannot just put up several cameras. You cannot just shoot a scene several times. As a consequence, you cannot go back and re-edit an animation movie if it is not working. You have to have a very precise vision when you begin the work. You have to produce the movie before you produce the movie. Let me try to explain. Based on the script you do the storyboard and then you edit the animatic. This takes place before you start animation, and there is no way back. The
animatic has to be strong in the early phase. If it’s not, you won’t find out till it’s too late.

© 2024 COOL BEANS A. FILM PRODUCTION COMET FILM LE PACTE


In 2007, the release of the Oscar-nominated, live-action epic Transformers stormed the global box office with its electrifying depiction of warrior robots battling for dominance on Earth. Inspired by the unprecedented success of Hasbro’s groundbreaking line of transforming toys, the film became a global phenomenon, spawning six more record-breaking films over the next 17 years, racking up international box-office receipts of more than $5 billion.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura, producer for all eight Transformers films, says the idea of an origin story has been in the works since the beginning of the franchise. “But we always knew it wasn’t realistic to think it would be a live-action film. Animation gave us the ability to do things we have never been able to do, like create a whole new world that has never been seen before, but that somehow feels organic.”

A fan of the franchise since childhood, executive producer Zev Foreman, head of Hasbro’s film division, was eager to tackle a story that he knew people had been waiting for. “The rivalry between Optimus Prime and Megatron is legendary, but people never knew the reasons behind it — until now,” he explains. “They will be able to watch our lead characters evolve from their younger selves into the iconic characters that they know. This is the first time we see real emotion and thought in them. They want what everybody wants, which is to be able to figure out who they are and to make their own lives.”

From the first meeting, the producers knew that there was only one choice to direct this film: Josh Cooley.


“You always want a director who respects the vision of a property but has full confidence in his own innovations,” producer Mark Vahradiannotes. “Josh won the Oscar for a movie about toys. We had toys too, but ours were older, bigger, and more aggressive. He was up to that challenge. More importantly, as a brilliant writer and director, he was eager to explore the personal hopes and dreams of our alien robots, something we rarely did in the live-action movies where the Autobots were focused solely on protecting humanity.”

Presented in state-of-the-art CG animation by the wizards at Lucasfilm’s International Light & Magic (ILM), Transformers One will delight longtime fans of the franchise and inspire the devotion of a new generation, according to Cooley. Like millions of kids around the world, he grew up with the toys, was a devoted fan of the original animated TV show and sat transfixed in the theater by the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie.

Transformers One, the explosive, long-awaited origin story of Optimus Prime and his archenemy Megatron, journeys from the depths of Cybertron’s pitiless Energon mines to the planet’s forbidden surface in a quest that will define the future of a civilization. A group of lowly cog-less worker bots, led by Orion Pax and D-16, make a daring excursion to retrieve the long-lost Matrix of Leadership and restore the free flow of Energon, their planet’s life blood. Instead, they uncover a centuries-old conspiracy that will set off the Transformers bots’ millennia-long civil wars. Presented in stunning, state-of-the-art CG animation and directed by Oscar® winner Josh Cooley, Transformers One opens the door on a new era for the record- breaking franchise.

The first animated Transformers feature in almost 40 years, Transformers One’s all-star voice cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, with Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm, in the exhilarating adventure fans have been waiting decades to see.


The screenplay by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok) and Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari (Ant-Man and the Wasp), also impressed producer Aaron Dem, a 30-year veteran of the animation world. “One of my ambitions has always been to create an epic animated movie with the visual complexity of a live-action film and appeal for a wide audience,” says Dem. “The script was compelling from the start and Josh is an amazing storyteller. We’ve made a movie meant for people from 8 all the way up to 88.”

As the movie begins, the audience meets Orion Pax and D-16, a pair of lowly worker bots in the Energon mines deep within Cybertron. They are on the verge of a journey that takes them from being the best of friends to the bitterest of enemies. It is a classic tale, points out Cooley, echoing powerful stories from the past, even as far back as the Bible’s Cain and Abel.

“The film is essentially about their relationship,” the director continues. “They will become Optimus Prime and Megatron, the equivalent of the Titans in Greek mythology. Every decision I made, every story point, every design element goes back to that.”

Orion Pax and D-16 are at the bottom of the pecking order in Iacon City. Together they rise higher than either ever dreamed, but at the cost of their friendship. “You will have compassion for both of them,” says Dem. “And you will also understand what drives them both. You will witness the struggles that make them who they become. The story is as much an emotional journey as it is pure adventure, which I think is unique in Transformers history.”

Transformers One takes place before the civil war between the Autobots and the Decepticons destroys Cybertron, and eons before the bots arrive on Earth. “It’s before anything we’ve ever seen in Transformers,” Cooley says. “That meant we could invent new things to help support the story, while also making sure it felt relatable and believable by incorporating elements that feel similar to Earth.”

The filmmaker says he is grateful to Hasbro for encouraging innovation, while providing a wealth of background information covering decades of Transformers lore. “They provided a Tolkien-scale timeline, most of which I had never heard before,” he says. “I could ask about the different characters, or if something had been done before. We were able to incorporate things like the Matrix of Leadership, thought to have been lost forever.”

And for the first time in franchise history, the audience will experience the world completely through the eyes of the Transformers bots. “There are no human characters, so we had the opportunity to approach the technicalities of filmmaking in a completely different way,” Cooley says.

With each new element, the story got richer and the visuals more spectacular, according to Dem. “We built a team that was innovative every step of the way,” he explains. “Working with producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian was an absolute pleasure. Our production designer Jason Scheier and his team gave us amazing visuals that were then realized by ILM Australia. We had a story team and editors that

were constantly making it better with Josh. Chris Batty, our head of layout, created dynamic camera work that elevates the movie. The cast is amazing. Add Brian Tyler’s score and it brings everything together.”

L-r, Jon Bailey (Soundwave), Steve Buscemi (Starscream) and Jason Konopisos (Shockwave) star in PARAMOUNT ANIMATION and HASBRO Present In Association with NEW REPUBLIC PICTURES A di BONAVENTURA PICTURES Production A TOM DESANTO / DON MURPHY Production A BAY FILMS Production “TRANSFORMERS ONE”

Each successive chapter of the Transformers saga has included a visual update of the robots themselves, always referring to what Cooley calls Generation 1 from the 1980s television series. “We started by looking at what had been done before,” he says. “We put all the different styles and versions of the characters on big boards and then asked what they all had in common? What is that through-line that we need to incorporate in our design? And then what do these characters transform into when they’re on Cybertron instead of Earth?”

Production designer Jason Scheier went back to the roots of everything that made Transformers special. “Hasbro threw their entire visual bible at us, something I had never seen before,” he says. “We also looked at all the live-action movies. I became a sponge for everything Transformers.”

As the story begins, the hero bots are not yet true Transformers. Lacking the essential cog that their superiors possess, they are smaller and lack the ability to change their forms. “In general, they are a bit more rounded,” says Scheier. “As they evolve, they start to get more angular and their overall shape changes. In the original G-1 cartoon, the upper and lower parts of the body were balanced. We exaggerated the length of the legs and widened the feet so the characters feel like a big trapezoid, kind of like Superman.”

Because they spend most of their time working in the Energon mines, Orion and D-16 are dented and rusty. “Their paint is scratched and there are all these details that were fun to design,” says Scheier. “When they eventually get their cogs, it’s like they’re being reborn. Not only can they transform, their paint is brand new. The light hits them differently. The visual style begins to change.”

Head of cinematography Christopher Batty oversaw planning camera shots and compositions. “On a film like this, there is actually no physical camera,” he explains. “It all exists within the computer’s 3D programs, but we need to know where a camera would be. We emulate a real-life camera as much as possible including defining the lensing, so at the beginning of the film, we made it look more organic and handheld to reflect the bots’ lowly status.”

With no humans to compare them with for scale, Batty used a variety of camera maneuvers to indicate the evolving size of the robots. “When Orion and D-16 are miners, you can see the differences in their height compared to the other Iaconians. As they gain stature, we shot them from lower and lower angles, so it feels like we’re looking up at them.”

Designing the characters in 3D was an opportunity to do something totally different, says Cooley. “We always wanted the animation to have a handmade quality, almost like concept art come to life. With ILM, we were actually able to do that. There are moments that feel like paintings, but it still has the physics of real-world lighting and there’s real heft to these characters.”

According to Dem, the filmmakers and the craftspeople at ILM were equally excited about the collaboration. “The animation they’ve created on this film is some of the best I’ve ever seen. The visual complexity is staggering. We wanted to take this to a level beyond what’s been done before, and ILM was the perfect place to do it.”

Rob Coleman, creative director of ILM Sydney, was the initial animation supervisor for the film, followed later by Stephen King. “This is a beautifully crafted and designed movie,” Coleman raves. “The initial inspiration came from the ’80s cartoons and was redesigned to be three-dimensional by Amy Beth Christenson.”

The most important thing for Cooley was that the audience connects with the characters emotionally. “Josh wanted them to move like robots, but convey human emotions,” says King. “We made the characters’ bodies move in ways that didn’t draw any attention away from the expressions on their faces. We simplified the animation so that they would hit the poses a little harder. They don’t have the grace and arc that a human would.”

“In my early discussions with Josh, he emphasized that he wanted the faces designed so that a human audience could sense what they might be thinking,” adds Coleman. “Subtext was as important as text. We spent a great deal of time in the early development working on the eyes. They’re like camera lenses. They’ve got little shutters that open and close to make them appear as expressive as the human eye.”

It has been said that the word “Transformers” is instantly recognized in any country in the world.

From the toys to the television series and the comics, video games and movies, the world has embraced Optimus Prime, Megatron and their followers for nearly half a century. Producer Dem believes that Transformers One has opened the door to unlimited possibilities to expand an already deeply loved universe.

“The Transformers world is such a great canvas to paint on,” he says. “To be a part of bringing it to such an exciting level has been a privilege. We’ve pushed the boundaries visually with our animation and brought authentic human emotion into it. It’s a complex story that is going to resonate with our core audience and attract new fans.

“When people walk into this movie, they’ll be expecting great action and a fast-paced story,” Dem continues. “And they will get exactly that. They will also get a heartful story. They’ll get comedy and drama and an adventure of a scale and scope they haven’t yet seen. This movie brings it all.”

One of the joys of this movie for Vahradian has been the ability to use the interactive animation process to perfect the storytelling. “We knew we had to do more than we had ever done in the live-action movies,” he says. “We were able to push the envelope in terms of camera movement and the physics of the world. With each iteration, the film became dramatically better, with more clarity, more color, more lighting, more shadows, more reflections, more everything. This film became more than cinema. At times, it becomes a deeply immersive physical experience, almost like a rollercoaster. That is unique.”

This latest episode is completely unique in the series, says di Bonaventura. “It is still an epic story filled with emotion, humor, betrayal and giant fights. If you’re a fan, it delivers on what you’re hoping to get. And if you’re not yet a fan, you’re experiencing something that you probably didn’t think Transformers had in it. There’s a resonance for anybody who’s had a deeply held emotional relationship with another person that fell apart. It’s emotional, it’s funny, it might make you cry.”

When Cooley took on the task of expanding one of the most popular sci-fi universes of all time, his hope was to bring back the feeling and the fun he remembers having about the original cartoon. Like so many others, Cooley has fond memories of the anticipation and excitement he felt all those years ago when he was glued to the television watching Optimus Prime and Megatron duke it out in each episode of the television series. He still feels the joy of getting a new Transformers toy to add to his collection. He has never forgotten the grief he experienced watching the death of Optimus in the 1986 animated feature.

“I am so honored to have become part of this franchise,” the director says. “I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish in a universe that is precious to so many people. There’s a lot of real love for the characters and the lore of it all. It is an enormous part of people’s childhoods and that was on our minds every single day. I hope our audience is surprised by the authentic emotion in this film, by the new type of action, by the new look of it, and that they find a bit of nostalgia as well. And who doesn’t love watching huge robots that punch each other?”


JOSH COOLEY (Director)

Josh Cooley is a director, screenwriter and voice actor. He is best known for his writing on the 2015 Pixar animated film Inside Out, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. In 2020 he won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature with his feature film directorial debut, Toy Story 4. Cooley has several projects in various stages of development. Most recently he wrote the live-action adaptation of the young adult novel Malamander for Sony Pictures, as well as a live-action/CGI hybrid film for Universal Pictures based on the classic Universal Monsters. Cooley also penned the live-action Tower of Terror for Disney and Scarlett Johansson, which is based on the popular theme park attraction. After graduating from art school Cooley was hired by Pixar Animation Studios as the first intern in the story department. He worked at Pixar Animation for 18 years, contributing to many notable features including The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Up. In 2015 Cooley became part of Pixar’s senior creative team and brain trust, helping to oversee such films as Coco, Incredibles 2, Onward and Soul.

ERIC PEARSON (Writer)

Eric Pearson currently has a robust schedule with several films in the works. He has three upcoming Marvel Studios releases set for 2025: Thunderbolts (May 5), The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25) and Blade (November 7). Pearson began his professional career at Marvel Studios in their writers’ program. Along with several screenplays, he wrote a majority of the short films from the Marvel “One-Shot” series, including “Agent Carter.” This short went on to become a TV series of the same name on ABC. Pearson wrote on both seasons of the series. Continuing his relationship with Marvel Studios, Pearson contributed writing at the pre-production and/or post-production stages of features Ant-Man, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Marvel Studios brought Pearson on to pen the screenplay for Thor: Ragnarok at the end of 2015 and then sent him to Australia to continue his work on the script throughout production. The film’s worldwide box-office take was over $850 million. At the beginning of 2019 Marvel Studios brought Pearson on to write Black Widow and then sent him to London (as well as other locations) to continue his work on the script throughout production (Pearson received the only “screenplay by” credit on the film). Black Widow was released during the pandemic but still achieved a worldwide box-office tally of $380 million, with over $125 million additionally in day-and-date streaming earnings. Also released in 2021, Godzilla vs. Kong made over $430 million worldwide. Pearson graduated from New York University, where he studied screenwriting at the Department of Dramatic Writing in their Tisch School for the Arts. He has twice appeared on Hollywood’s Black List, once for his script Perfect Match (co-written with Morgan Schechter) and again for his script Out of State.

ANDREW BARRER & GABRIEL FERRARI (Writers)

Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari are BFFs and writing-producing partners who hide from the horrors of the real world by constructing fortresses made of pure fiction. They’re best known for writing Ant-Man and the Wasp. They hope you like this movie.