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THE OFFICIAL
DAILY GUIDE TUESDAY 23 FEBRUARY
WHAT’S INSIDE? 1>>INTERVIEW: NATHAN MILLER We talk to the director about his film I’m Glad My Mother is Alive.
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We talk to French filmmaker Nathan Miller about his critically acclaimed feature I’m Glad That My Mother is Alive. TEXT: GAIL TOLLEY I’m Glad That My Mother is Alive is one of those films which has critics jumping out of their seat but unfortunately has failed to create the same impact at the box office. Nathan Miller, who directed the film alongside his father (the established French filmmaker) Claude Miller doesn’t contribute this to a fault on the audience’s part however, but instead thinks the filmmakers missed a trick in marketing the film. Having just come from a screening of North by Northwest when I speak to him, Miller highlights the need for a successful campaign strategy by pointing to the success of directors like Hitchcock and Spielberg, who excelled both at marketing their films as well as the actual filmmaking. Yet one of the delights of film festivals is the chance to discover hidden gems which are unlikely to make the headlines (or even get a distribution) and I’m Glad That My Mother is Alive is just one of those. The film tells the story of a troubled boy, who is adopted at a young age, yet is constantly drawn to seeking out the love of his real mother. It is based on real events and has been applauded for its convincing and non-judgemental portrayal of the characters. This commitment to realism can be compared to Belgian duo The Dardenne Brothers (who Miller cites as one inspiration) but also the legendary American director Cassavetes. The latter was especially influential in deciding how to use music in the
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film, “We looked at one Cassavetes film, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, because of the music – in all the film there is only one moment with dramatic music and we copied that for this movie. In most of the film we didn’t want to use music”. Such references hint at some of the loftier influences that have made their mark on both family members, Claude Miller in his early career worked closely with some of the greatest of the French New Wave directors and one imagines that such experience has filtered down from Father to Son. Whilst I’m Glad That My Mother is Alive is credited as being directed by both, Claude Miller in fact took more of a back seat role for the film. “My father stopped the test [shoot] in the middle and he made a very nice decision: he said, ‘it will never work how we thought it would, so you have to do everything. Anytime I will be there during the shoot but I will never speak to anyone but you.’” And so they created a set-up where Nathan Miller helmed the film and Claude Miller was a constant presence, collaborating closely with his son. The decision paid off and the result is an impressive accomplishment. Successful marketing strategy or not, the film has wowed critics and impressed those cinema-goers who bucked the trend and bought a ticket, now Glasgow film fans can do the same. I’m Glad That My Mother is Alive is showing at Grosvenor, Tues 23 Feb, 18.00.
2>>FEATURE: THEATRE, BECKETT FILM AND BECKETT What can we expect from the showing of Beckett’s rare film Comedie? 3>> REVIEWS Yatterman Storm Storm Mother I Killed My Mother
4>> LISTINGS Comprehensive guide to what’s going on at the Festival. 4>> PRIZES Win 2 tickets to 1234, with Special guests Kieran Bew and Ian Bonar are attending. 4>> WHAT’S NEW ONLINE? The latest coverage and news about the Festival.
THE CINESKINNY Produced by The Skinny magazine in association with the Glasgow Film Festival. EDITOR Gail Tolley EDITORIAL Becky Bartlett ASSISTANT DESIGNER Emma Faulkner
GFF BOX OFFICE Order tickets from the box office at www.glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk or call 0141 332 6535 or visit Glasgow Film Theatre 12 Rose Street, Glasgow, G3 6RB info@glasgowfilmfestival.org.uk