PICKING THE 2015 SYDNEY FILM PRIZE WINNER

Since its inauguration in 2008, the Sydney Film Prize has been awarded to works by such filmmakers as Steve McQueen (Hunger, 2008), Yorgos Lanthimos (Alps, 2012), Asghar Farhadi (A Separation, 2011) and Xavier Dolan (Heartbeats, 2010). On the eve of the 62^nd festival’s Opening Night bash, SCREEN-SPACE analyses the twelve Official Competition entries and gauges who is leading the race to the nation’s top film festival honour...

ARABIAN NIGHTS (Dir: Miguel Gomes / Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland; 383 mins / pictured, above)
What the Program says…: “Ambitious, indignant and filled with offbeat humour, Miguel Gomes’ extraordinary new film draws on the structure of ‘Arabian Nights’ to create a vivid portrait of Portugal today.”
The Buzz: Taking on all three volumes on Gomes’ six-hour contemporising of 1001 Nights may be this year’s greatest challenge, but it’s the kind of event screening that die-hard festivalists crave (see also Lav Diaz’s From What is Before). Indiewire called the epic “the most ambitious and entertaining film” at Cannes 2015.
Can it win? Lack of international festival kudos to date may hurt it; will be an enormous about-face to 2014, when the top prize went to The Dardennes Brothers minimalist drama, Two Days One Night. A front-runner.

BLACK SOULS (Dir: Francesco Munzi / Italy; 108 mins / pictured, right)
What the Program says…: “Likened to The Godfather and Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah, Black Souls is an enthralling story of a Calabrian criminal family and three brothers faced with a crisis with no easy resolution.”
The Buzz: Found lots of love in its homeland, where it took home four trophies from the 2014 Venice Film Festival. Variety noted that it uncovers “the feudal nature of honor” and “is set to be this year’s mafia pic.”
Can it win? Must transcend its genre roots if it is to find favour.

THE DAUGHTER (Dir: Simon Stone / Australia, 96 mins / pictured, right)
What the Program says…: “Simon Stone’s feature film debut is based on his adaptation of Ibsen’s play The Wild Duck. This heart-rending drama about two intertwined families stars Geoffrey Rush, Ewen Leslie, Paul Schneider, Miranda Otto, Anna Torv, Odessa Young and Sam Neill.”
The Buzz: If the drama on-screen matches the journey that debutant director Stone undertook to get his reinterpretation of Ibsen’s play from the Belvoir Street Theatre stage to a competition slot at Sydney, it will grandly announce the arrival of a new filmmaking force. The prestige pic of the festival for local industry giant, Roadshow Films.
Can it win? Will be in the final mix if it delivers on expectations.

ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL (Dir: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon / USA; 105 mins)
What the Program says…: “This wonderfully original film about friendship, creativity, mortality and the love of cinema was the winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.”
The Buzz: Hot. Sundance has traditionally had the inside running on the US indie scene’s ‘Next Big Thing.’ Reps a breakout film for respected genre auteur Gomez-Rejon (The Town That Dreaded Sundown, 2014; episodes of the TV hit, American Horror Story). Parodies of classic films that feature heavily in the plot (Pooping Tom, Senior Citizen Cane) will play well with festival audiences.
Can it win? Probably not ‘serious’ enough for the Jury’s top honour, but will score high in the audience-voted category. 

A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE (Dir: Roy Andersson / Sweden, Norway, France Germany; 100 mins)
What the Program says…: “Swedish cinematic visionary Roy Andersson brings his trademark absurdist humour and singular vision to this winner of the Venice Film Festival Golden Lion.”
The Buzz: If the title shouts ‘pretension’, the joke is that it’s meant to. Veteran Swedish director Andersson has made a subversive, absurdist gem that will feel revelatory to even the most jaded of cinephiles. A great deal has been made of the energy generated by septuagenarian George Miller in Mad Max Fury Road; at 72, Andersson proves the intellectual counterpoint with this remarkable work.
Can it win? The bolter. Won’t sit well with those that think film festivals foster an elitist view of cinema, but a win will be thoroughly deserved. 

SHERPA (Dir: Jennifer Peedom / Australia; 96 mins / pictured, right)
What the Program says…: “This visually stunning and commanding documentary, directed by Jennifer Peedom captures the 2014 Everest climbing season from the Sherpas’ point of view, including the tragic avalanche and its aftermath.”
The Buzz: Expect the greatest ever DVD extras package; as incredible as the onscreen drama is in Jennifer Peedom’s profound work, the behind-the-scenes details of her humanistic Himalayan odyssey are remarkable. This multi-tiered account of life and death on Mt Everest honours the memories of those lost to the mountain with an acute, heartfelt empathy.
Can it win? Since the inception of the Official Competition strand in 2008, neither an Australian film nor a documentary has taken the top prize. That may change in 2015.

STRANGERLAND (Dir: Kim Farrant / Australia; 112 mins)
What the Program says…: “Nicole Kidman makes a welcome return to Australian independent cinema in this striking film about the disappearance of her two teenaged children, and the cop (Hugo Weaving) who tries to solve the case.”
The Buzz: Mixed. High anticipation based upon the pairing of Nicole Kidman and Hugo Weaving, the directorial feature debut of theatre director Farrant and the promise of a ‘Wake in Fright/Picnic at Hanging Rock’-type outback odyssey earned it a Sundance spot, but critics were unimpressed. The Hollywood Reporter said, “The film remains stranded in a sort of genre no man's land.”
Can it win? Long shot. There is festival pedigree – Farrant had her short doco Naked on the Inside compete in 2007; Weaving headed the 2013 jury – but it may not be enough.

TALES (Dir: Rakshan Bani-Etemad / Iran; 88 mins)
What the Program says…: “The latest work from Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, Iran’s leading female filmmaker, is a richly layered, episodic look at life in Tehran featuring a stellar ensemble cast. It won Best Screenplay at the Venice Film Festival.”
The Buzz: The Grand Dame of Iranian cinema, director Rakshan Bani-Etemad defied strict governmental controls to craft a series of seven shorts, that she then spliced together to create what may be her crowning achievement. Screenplay winner in Venice and the Grand Jury honoree at the 2014 Asia Pacific Screen Awards, her study of life in Tehran across the vast expanse of the city’s complex societal structure is a masterwork.
Can it win? The festival’s love affair with the region’s film culture will ensure Tales is a prime contender. Features actor Peiman Moaadi, star of the 2011 Film Prize recipient, A Separation.

TANGERINE (Dir: Sean Baker / USA; 88 mins)
What the Program says…: “Wickedly funny and refreshingly offbeat, Tangerine is a hilarious journey with two transgender sex workers through the lively streets of LA. The film is all the more remarkable given that it was filmed entirely on an iPhone 5s.”
The Buzz: Under festival director Nashen Moodley, The Sydney Film Festival has skewed determinedly younger in recent years. If the 2015 Jury is on board with that agenda, expect Tangerine to be high in contention. Shot entirely on an iPhone 5s, Sean Baker’s crowd-pleasing LA night-life romp, “teems with the sort of wry, deceptively offhand details that convey an authentically fascinating sense of place (Variety).”
Can it win? Sydney is not above awarding top honours to ultra-contemporary, left-of-centre works – Nicholas Winding Refn’s flouro-drenched shocker Only God Forgives won two years ago. May surprise… 

TEHRAN TAXI (Dir: Jafar Panahi / Iran; 82 mins / pictured, right)
What the Program says…: “Winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlinale, this is the third film made in secret by Jafar Panahi since a ban on filmmaking was imposed on him in Iran, and finds him at his most creative and entertaining.”
The Buzz: The very presence of Iranian great Jafar Panahi places Tehran Taxi amongst key contenders at any festival. Here, his incisive direction is coupled with his affable on-screen charm as he chaffeurs unsuspecting countrymen, engaging them in conversation on the state of their homeland.
Can it win? The Berlinale Golden Bear trophy suggests Panahi’s latest is more than just ‘Taxi Cab Confessions’ Iran style. The Sydney Film Festival has long supported his films; this, his first official nomination, may see him rewarded for his incredible body of work.

VICTORIA (Dir: Sebastian Schipper / Germany; 140 mins / pictured, right)
What the Program says…: “Breathtaking and audacious, this one-shot wonder is a spectacular Berlin heist thriller. Where single-shot films are usually bound to a narrow location, Victoria is expansive, boldly exploring the city over one crazy night.”
The Buzz: A high-voltage blast to the bank robbery genre, director Schipper’s single-shot thriller is a vast, often dizzying technical marvel (not too far removed from the equally inventive Run Lola Run, in which Schipper acted). The illusion of single-take cinema is a hot-button issue at present, thanks to Alejandro Inarritu’s Birdman); if Schipper’s vision expands on that offered by the Oscar winner, expect awards glory.
Can it win? Strong odds.

VINCENT (Dir: Thomas Salvador / France; 77 mins)
What the Program says…: “A young man takes on superhuman qualities when he comes into contact with water in this gentle, minimalist French superhero film with a difference, filled with playful humour, deep emotion and constant surprises.”
The Buzz: May be as close to that long-overdue bigscreen version as us closet Aquaman fans will ever get. Understated yet very funny, Salvador’s quirky character study has a disarmingly directionless charm that will win it many fans…
Can it win?…though probably not the Sydney Film Festival top honour.

Ticketing and venue information can be found at the Sydney Film Festival website.

THE 62nd SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL: PREVIEW

Impressive in scope and continuing to expand its vision even as it heads into its 62^nd incarnation, the Sydney Film Festival launched the 2015 programme at Customs House in the Harbour City’s picturesque Circular Quay district this morning. Festival director Nashen Moodley beamed with pride when speaking of the 12-day schedule that kicks off June 3 and features more than 250 films from 68 countries.

Addressing a packed media gallery and in the presence of dignitaries that included The Honorary Troy Grant, State Minister for The Arts, and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Moodley described this years film roster as, “political, sexy and entertaining,” and assured all that the selection featured, “uncompromising visions, that were sure to provoke and challenge.” In his welcoming statement published in the festival’s programme, he referred to the event’s 2015 theme, ‘We Are Made of Movies’, revealing that, “it might seem obvious at first, but it’s one that unfolds to reveal just how complex and central the role of cinema is to the human experience.”

As previously announced, Opening Night honours have been bestowed upon actor/playwright Brendan Cowell’s feature directorial debut, Ruben Guthrie. The event will close out with Neil Armfield’s same-sex romantic drama, Holding the Man (pictured, right), on June 14. It is the first time homegrown fare has filled the coveted slots since 2001, when Ray Lawrence’s Lantana and Steve Jacob’s La Spagnola topped and tailed the celebration.

Twelve titles will vie for best of the fest as part of the Official Competition line-up. Local contenders include Kim Farrant’s missing-child drama Strangerland, with Nicole Kidman and Hugo Weaving; Jennifer Peedom’s affecting documentary Sherpa, shot against the rugged landscapes of Mount Everest; and, Simon Stone’s family drama The Daughter, with Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush, Miranda Otto and US actor Paul Schneider. Overseas fare includes Me and Earl and The Dying Girl (pictured, top), Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s Sundance winner; Miguel Gomez’s 6½ hour reimagining of the classic, Arabian Nights, transported to the Portugal of today; and, Sean Baker’s highly-touted Tangerine, an urgent, often hilarious look at life on the streets of LA shot and entirely with an iPhone.

The Documentary Australia Foundation will again present its Documentary prize to the outstanding locally-made factual film. Amongst the ten films up for the honour will be new works from Gilliam Armstrong (Women He’s Undressed), Andrew Lancaster (The Last Aviator), Maya Newell (Gayby Baby) and Steve Thomas (Freedom Stories). Arthouse leader Dendy Films will reward our leading short-film artisans, with ten mini-movies bidding for one of the three categories on offer (amongst the contenders, Oscar winner Adam Elliot with his latest, Ernie Biscuit).  

Highlights from the vast array of World Premiere screenings scheduled include Jeremy Sims’ Last Cab to Darwin, featuring an all-star Australian cast lead by Michael Caton (pictured, right) and Jacki Weaver; Wide Open Sky, Lisa Nicol’s feel-good account of an outback kids choir (to screen in the newly-launched Family Films sidebar); and, a big-screen airing for Daina Reid’s mini-series adaptation of Kate Grenville’s bestseller, The Secret River, starring Sarah Snook.

Special event strands include Destruction Cinema, a rebellious genre from the 60s and 70s that brutally assaulted the conventions of contemporary film, to be represented by five films including Werner Herzog’s Even Dwarfs Started Small (read the Screen-Space feature on the film's production here) and Jackie Raynal’s Deux Fois; Focus: South Africa reflects the festival director’s roots in the cinema of Africa and will welcome filmmakers Sibs Shongwe-La Mer and Francois Verster; an evening of retro bliss, with the double feature Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1956; pictured, right) and the giant ant movie, THEM!, screening at Blacktown Drive-in; and, Essential Bergman, a mammoth ten film retrospective compiled by internationally-renown critic and former SFF director, David Stratton, that will span the great Swedish director’s career from 1955’s Smiles on a Summer Night to 2003’s Saraband.

Arguably the hottest ticket at the 2015 Sydney Film Festival will be Alex Gibney: In Conversation, a live Q&A with the acclaimed director who will screen and discuss his incendiary documentary, Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief.

Popular programme staples returning in 2015 include Variety critic Richard Kuipers’ horror sessions, Freak Me Out, which will feature two works from festival guest Ant Timpson - Deathgasm and Turbo Kid; for the musically-minded, Sounds on Screen will present the Australian premieres of Asif Kapadia’s highly-anticipated bio-doc Amy, and the French buddy-road drama Max & Lenny, from Fred Nicolas; and Restorations, which will present fully-restored director’s cuts of Mark Christopher’s 54, Armenian Sergei Parajanov’s The Colour of Pomegranates, Bong Joon-ho’s Korean thriller Mother (the 2009 classic remastered in monochrome by the director), and Djibril Diop Mambety’s 1973 landmark Senegalese work, Touki Bouki.

There was some muttering amongst cinephiles during the post-launch dissection about the notable no-shows, including Australian director Justin Kurzel’s Cannes-bound Macbeth, starring Marion Cotillard and Michael Fassbender; Woody Allen’s latest, Irrational Man, with Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone; actress Natalie Portman’s directorial debut, A Tale of Love and Darkness; and, Hungarian auteur Kornel Mundruczo’s canine thriller, White God.

Full programme details for the 2015 Sydney Film Festival can be found on the event’s website.

SRI LANKAN STAR SOARS IN HELMER'S HARD-HITTING '28'

One of Sri Lanka’s most adored stars, Mahendra Perera has been a box office draw for over three decades. But his latest work, Prasanna Jayakody’s 28, is a challenging social drama that refuses to pander to the mainstream; it follows three working class men as they transport a murdered woman across mountain roads for a hometown burial. As Abasiri, Perera loses himself in one of the most complex screen characters of his long career; the performance earned the veteran star a Best Actor nomination at the 2014 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA). With his writer/director by his side (for whom the actor kindly provided translation), Perera spoke with SCREEN-SPACE about the career-defining role, the establishment’s reaction to the non-conformist narrative, and the fearlessness being embraced by Sri Lanka’s new wave of talent… 

"When I first read the script, I was a little confused,” admits Perera, star of such regional blockbusters as Walls Within (1997), Flying with One Wing (2002), Boungiorno Italia (2004) and Machan (2008). “I did not form too many ideas. It took a dialogue with Prasanna (pictured, below), and many discussions afterwards, for me to form a picture of this man.” His character is unaware until the day of the long journey that his cargo is to be his late ex-wife, Suddhi (Semini Iddamalgoda). “Finally, I was able to understand his emotional side and bring that out. The inconsistent nature of his behaviour, the ways in which he confronted the situations he found himself facing…well, it proved a challenge to get to the core of this complex character but somehow we did it.”

The inspiration for 28 (the title representing the morgue drawer in which Suddhi’s body is kept) was, as they say, ripped from today’s headlines. Writer/director Jayakody (Sankara, 2007; Karma, 2011) had become disillusioned by the violence that had become increasingly endemic to his homeland and wrote the script as a means by which to interpret this dark shift in the population’s psyche. “In the past few years in Sri Lanka, the newpapers have been full of horrible accounts of violent crimes, especially sexual crimes against women,” says the softly spoken auteur. “Sex is a beautiful, natural thing and it is always disturbing when human desires lead to horrible acts. It is destructive to our society, to any society.”

Wavering between pitch-black character comedy, a searing indictment of patriarchal brutality and open-road travelogue, the film is at its most daring when Suddhi breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience from beyond the grave. Jayakody acknowledges the bravery required for his leading lady (pictured, left) to take on such an artistically and culturally challenging part. “Semini was required to do some extraordinary things, perform in a way that she had never been called upon to do in her other movies,” he says. “Her character is a portrayal of so many Sri Lankan women and hopefully conveys so much of what the women of Sri Lanka must endure. Sri Lankan women can’t speak the truth when they are alive; it is only possible for a dead woman to speak the truth.”

A revelation as the everyman Abasiri, Perera establishes a rich chemistry with his male co-stars Sarath Kothawala and Rukmal Nirosh (pictured, below). But it is likely that a single scene, in which the identity of the woman dawns upon Abasiri and grief and memory overwhelm him, impacted most upon the APSA judging panel. “My studies in the Stanislavsky method of acting were called upon in that scene,” the actor recalls. “I sought out friends who had suffered through a similar grief and drew upon them for guidance, to spark that emotion deep within myself. I was determined not to act, but to try and find that truth within myself, as if that was my wife. It was very difficult, because we shot that scene many times, to get the precise emotion.”

28 has emerged as one of the ‘new wave’ Sri Lankan works, steeped in both high-end artistry and strong social commentary. For Perera, the period represents a rebirth-of-sorts for the local sector. “After 30 years of war and terrorism, it is finding a new shape,” he says. “We still have problems, and there are still those for whom films like 28 will be too disturbing, but we have new, young filmmakers who are willing to work with very challenging concepts. And we have a huge audience in Sri Lanka for this movie, for any movie that comes with new ideas or new themes that can be discussed.”

The national cinema of Sri Lanka faces a number of uphill battles to retain its potency. The exhibition sector is dire; prior to the outbreak of war, 400 cinemas serviced the population. Today, 120 operate; only half of those screen locally made product (it is expected that the region will be fully upgraded to DCP technology in 2017). More worryingly, cinema is often overseen by conservative governing bodies, which monitor content and distribution channels. Says Perera, “There are these political and philosophical officials, who think that these films do damage to our country, but these are unique subjects that need to be addressed in our cinema. As the films begin to get recognition at international events like APSA, a new respect forms.”

DIRECTOR SUMMONS MIDDLE EASTERN DEMON FOR U.S. DEBUT

As a boy, Ajmal Zaheer Ahmad would sit spellbound as his elders retold the story of the Jinn. Mythological creatures that have walked amongst the living since the dawn of time, they have all but disappeared, unseen to the shallow gaze of modern man. Ahmad’s fascination with the legend has led to his debut feature Jinn, in which a centuries-old curse resurfaces to terrorise the present-day descendant of an ill-fated clan. For the young auteur, bringing to life the folklore of his Middle Eastern ancestry for a modern audience proved an enormous yet rewarding challenge…

“There has not been one particular project, book or film, that has attempted to modernize the concept,” Ahmad (pictured, above) told SCREEN-SPACE from his US base. Inherent to the spiritual teachings of Arabic and Asian cultures, the legend of the Jinn speaks of supernatural entities, conjured from ‘smokeless fire’, and are referenced throughout the Islamic holy text, the Quran; thought to be the basis for the legend of the ‘Genie’, they are one of the three creations of God, alongside man (made of clay) and angels (made of light). Says Ahmad, who also wrote and edited his film, “We wanted to use ‘Jinn’ the movie to not only bring the concept to the western world but to also create a mythology that had some rules to it.”  

For Ahmad and his production team at Exxodus Pictures, crafting a modern action thriller from a centuries-old text brought with it great responsibility. “Basically, (the narrative) stayed true to the beliefs that are common around the world, and then (we) filled in the story gaps so it became more fully-realised,” he says. The central figure is Shawn (Dominic Rains), a strapping hero whose life with his beautiful wife Jasmine (Serinda Swain) becomes the focus of a vengeful demonic force. He teams with wizened cleric Father Westhoff (William Atherton, of Ghostbusters fame) and mysterious warrior-type, Gabriel (fan favourite Ray Park, pictured, right; from X-Men, G.I. Joe and Episode 1: The Phantom Menace) to see off the powerful foe. (“Ray was a big win for us,” admits the director.)

Ajmal Zaheer Ahmad cites as his filmmaking influences the great modern directors whose works combine vivid imagery and assured technique with strong, soulful characters and storytelling. “The short list, of course, is made up of Spielberg, Cameron, Ridley Scott, Lucas,” he says. “These directors were able to create new worlds for people to visit and I want to do the same thing. Jinn was a exercise in that (style of) direction.” Raised in the once thriving American industrial hub of Detroit, Ahmad was determined to shoot his first production on the streets from which he drew much inspiration over time. “Detroit and the state of Michigan were integral to the creation of Jinn and rolled out the red carpet wherever and whenever we needed them to” he states. “We are all proud to be from here and are even prouder to have been given the chance to give something back.”

Raised in strict adherence to the Islamic faith, Ahmad was aware that a film steeped in Muslim iconography and originating from a culture misunderstood by many of his fellow Americans may prove to be a tough sell. But his faith in his family’s adopted homeland was unwavering. “I'm a firm believer that America is, in general, a great place to live, made up of mostly good people with open minds. If that weren't true, I don't think my father would have chosen to come here and settle with his family,” he says. “I know that prejudice still lurks in dark corners, (but) I grew up seeing a very fair America.” As his script began to take shape, Ahmad became determined to tell his unique, original genre story in a strong voice, confident that fans would respond. “Rather than concentrate on who wouldn't like the concept of Jinn based upon those prejudices, I think I was hoping that there would be more people that were interested in learning about a new idea and making it their own,” he says. “After all, that is what the U.S. was founded on. And I think that ended up being true.” (Pictured, left; the director, on-set)

Supporting that notion is the fan base that Jinn has generated since its release. Following a limited US theatrical run, the film has played to enthusiastic international audiences, both in densely populated Muslim communities and with broader western filmgoers. “We've been very lucky in that our fan base has grown substantially around the world,” says Ahmad, citing the social media following and VOD traffic numbers as evidence. “There have been thousands asking for a sequel and we feel that Jinn could easily support more movies. With a little luck, I'm sure we'll be back in production on another Jinn concept soon.”

Jinn will be released in Australia across all platforms on April 16 via Third Millennium Entertainment.

SOLDIER BLUE: THE ODEN ROBERTS INTERVIEW

Oden Roberts’ A Fighting Season is a film about a soldier’s heroism, although it takes place a world away from the hot zones of international war. A searing character study, it examines the courage needed to fight for the honour of a soldier’s life on home soil, while summoning the strength to battle one’s own inner demons. Set amongst a team of recruiters stationed in an everyman enclave of middle America in 2007, it is a dark, disturbing take on the swirling maelstrom of national pride and muddied morality that swept through Roberts' homeland post-9/11.

An NYU Film School graduate, Oden Roberts’ debut feature had its world premiere at the recent Byron Bay Film Festival, where a rapturous response from festivalgoers secured it a ‘Jury Special Mention’ honour and earned the filmmaker the Best Director trophy. Roberts was a popular attendee, his droll humour and engaging love of cinema proving a winning combination. SCREEN-SPACE spoke with the LA-based auteur about the personal journey that inspired his narrative, the function that film plays in dissecting the impact of war and how dissenting voices are crucial in a true democracy…

The ‘recruitment office’ dynamic is a setting that will be unfamiliar to many outside the US, although the target-oriented desperation and the immoral methodology recalls films such as Glengarry Glen Ross and Tin Men. Were the characters drawn from men and situations you have known? 

My work always draws from personal experiences and people I’ve met in my travels. A Fighting Season is based on being recruited during a six month (period) in my senior year of high school. The characters are based on an assortment of real people and hundreds of hours of private interviews with Army recruiters, so I hope it feels very real. I drew from my own recruiter’s charismatic, machismo personality to create the characters. In fact, (the) supporting cast features former military recruiters and some of the recruits are now serving overseas. A kind of ‘art depicts life’ moment. 

The conflicted complexity of your lead character, Mason (Clayne Crawford; pictured, right, on-set with the director) creates a tangible tension throughout the narrative. How did his character develop, from your first thoughts in the early stages of the script to Crawford’s contribution?

My goal for Mason was to depict (a) modern day hero but avoid the clichés seen in Hollywood, such as American Sniper's Chris Kyle, where one man takes down the entire enemy - the Rambo film. The subdued nature of Mason is an honest depiction of a PTSD-affected soldier, trying to survive after being torn apart by war. And Clayne’s alpha-male persona, coupled with his ability to keep a stiff upper lip, made him a perfect choice for the role. After the first two screenings of the film, I had a handful of audience members ask me how I received permission to shoot the actual recruiters. This comment says so much about Crawford’s performance, (that) he’s the real thing. Sometimes heroes aren’t larger then life, they are normal people just like you and I under extraordinary circumstances. 

Was there an extended rehearsal period that allowed for the actors and yourself to detail backstory and foster the on-screen chemistry?

I always write with an actor in mind, one that represents the tone and mannerisms I hope to achieve on and off camera. I’ve known both Lew (Temple) and Clayne (pictured, left; in uniform on set, with co-star James Hechim) for years and admired them as performers and as individuals. With A Fighting Season, I was extremely lucky to get the two leads I wrote for. Our rehearsal process was short because I knew what to expect out of the gate from these two talents. Lew and Clayne were only with us for 14 days, so my initial choice for chemistry was create on the page and in casting. 

Your film will draw comparisons to two of the decade’s most acclaimed war films – The Hurt Locker and, as you’ve mentioned, American Sniper. As an interpretation of the plight of the returned serviceman, what does your film have in common with those films and what is its point-of-difference?

A Fighting Season makes a commentary on the controversial recruiting practices post 9/11, particularly the Army policies that support the cherry picking of the meek or underprivileged and the taking advantage of woman sexually. The film points out very clearly that recruiters are under extreme pressure to make their numbers and in doing so are often pushed to make immoral decisions. The major point of difference is to not celebrate the war, but hone in on what is important about soldiers and the battles they face internally when returning home. Other films about war are often blockbuster action hits, used to feed the American image of ‘no guts, no glory’. A Fighting Season is what I consider an honest film about real American soldiers, not a poster boy from a polished “Army Strong” commercial. 

Cinema takes a while to process the costs of war – M*A*S*H came well after the Korean conflict; Coming Home, The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now, a decade after Vietnam. In the wake of 9/11 and the Bush/Cheney administration’s morally ‘murky’ deployment of troops, is portraying wartime heroism on screen harder than it should be?

We lack cinema that portrays troops with any real accuracy. There are documentaries on the subject, (but) even there you find a collection of films that are financed by the Army and military branches. The film is meant to lend an alternative opinion to that fuelled by 9/11 propaganda. We can never know the costs of war until decades later, but for now the film serves as a reminder that troops are suffering by the hundreds of thousands, returning with trauma, and battle scars. It’s extremely hard to get past the superhero complex that American audiences buy into. In war, there aren’t always heroes, sometimes, just survivors.

How do you answer those inevitable protesters who will claim anything less than glowing portrayals of US soldiers is ‘unAmerican’ or ‘unpatriotic’? 

Our first amendment right is freedom of speech, (so) I encourage any protest through words. But I’d challenge the critic by asking them to create something they consider American before they’d cast A Fighting Season as anything less. We live in interesting times and under a cloud of ‘American Propaganda’ that casts around the world. This film offers a different perspective on how many Americans who protest the current war perceives the issues. Diversity sparks conversation, leads to debate then results in more diverse thinking. A Fighting Season is a film that brings the debate of war and terrorism to the forefront. It clearly states, ‘what is the war on terror and why are we in it?’