A passionate in-depth exclusive interview with writer/director/editor MICHEL FRANCO discussing his latest film SUNDOWN starring Tim Roth.
Boasting a tour de force performance by frequent Michel Franco collaborator Tim Roth, SUNDOWN is one chapter in the life of a wealthy family. Led by siblings Neil and Alice Bennett, the core family which includes Alice’s teenaged son and daughter, Colin and Alexa, is on vacation in Mexico when Alice gets an emergency call, forcing their trip to be cut short. While Alice, Colin, and Alexa head back to London on the first flight out, Neil is delayed in his departure, giving rise to the bubbling over of long-simmering underlying tensions within the family and family business taking us on a suspenseful journey of twists, turns, and observational intrigue.
Written, directed, and edited by Michel, SUNDOWN boasts a very tacit observational structure that is riveting, piquing our curiosity, keeping us engaged and on our toes with twists and turns bathed in an undefinable poignancy. Shot on location in Acapulco by cinematographer Yves Cape, the visuals are beautiful with cinematography celebrating the tropical beauty found by the wealthy while contrasting that with the edgy vibrancy of the grittier side of the coin of everyday life. Sound design and mix are exquisitely done bringing a palpable sonic element of storytelling to the film.
In addition to Roth, SUNDOWN stars Charlotte Gainsbourg, Samuel Bottomley, Albertine Kotting McMillan, Henry Goodman, and Iazua Larios.
A cinematically cerebral film that celebrates silence, nuance, thought, and just “being”, Michel opens up and delves into the genesis of this story, his love of Acapulco and the importance of location for this story, working with Tim Roth in developing the character of Neil, Michel’s loose shooting style with no storyboarding or shot listing, shooting chronologically, the importance of sound and its development in SUNDOWN including “hearing” the sound of a burning sun thanks to NASA, natural and authentic ambiance, and more.
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 01/13/2022
Bleecker Street will release SUNDOWN in select theaters starting January 28th, 2022
