An in-depth conversation with director ZACHARY WIGON discussing the intensely riveting (and mind-blowing) dark comedy SANCTUARY.
SANCTUARY is a riveting psychological mind-f**k that is jaw-droppingly delicious thanks to a jewel-toned color palette, heightened saturation, energetic kinetic lensing, tantalizing pacing, and dynamic emotionally charged performances by Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott. Tight and taut, walking a tightrope of rapier tension, Director Zachary Wigon and screenwriter Micah Bloomberg deliver a mind-blowing cinematic experience from beginning to end.
SYNOPSIS: “A wickedly dark comedy follows dominatrix, Rebecca (Emmy Award® nominee Margaret Qualley), and her wealthy client, Hal (Christopher Abbott), as they engage in a high-stakes role-playing game for power and control. In the wake of inheriting his father’s hotel chain, Hal attempts to end his long and secret relationship with Rebecca. A battle of wills ensues over the course of one incredibly fraught night, with both Rebecca and Hal struggling to keep the upper hand as the power dynamics swing wildly back and forth.”
Directed by Wigon with script by Micah Bloomberg, there is delectable darkness that hinges on the absurdity of human nature but then twists and turns before giving way to light and truth. Watching the unfolding evening between Rebecca (Margaret Qualley) and Hal (Christopher Abbott), we are beyond voyeurs. We are in the moment with these individuals as their relationship unfolds, complete with moments where you want to laugh and others where you want to go lock yourself in a closet and never come out again.
Bloomberg’s script is dynamic and unflinching, never letting us or the characters get comfortable. Compounding the dialogue-heavy and exacting script are powerful visuals courtesy of cinematographer Ludovica Isidori. The visual grammar is beyond electrifying, utilizing dutching, ECU’s, and slo-motion to their greatest storytelling effect while complementing the stylized production design. Energetic and kinetic with moments of high-art theatricality, movement, lighting, and color are glossed and saturated, juxtaposing a jewel-toned polish with the emotional grit of the story.
Rapier editing by Kate Brokaw and Lance Edmands balances and contrasts high energy with slower, tension-filled, seduction and fearful moments. Punctuating and complementing the story, the performances, the visuals, and the editing is a score courtesy of Ariel Marx that mirrors the emotions of Rebecca and Hal, capturing both the frenzy, the gamesmanship, and a building terror before notes of whimsy and an undercurrent of scores reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
And when it comes to performances, Qualley and Abbott are riveting, delivering possibly the best performances of their careers. Perfectly matched in their intensity, it is impossible to turn away, even in the most intimate or crazed moments.:
ZACHARY WIGON and I dug deep in this exclusive interview discussing the “making of” SANCTUARY, covering, among others:
- developing the story and script
- casting Qualley and Abbott
- how the script dictates the directing
- collaborating with cinematographer Ludovica Isidori and production designer Jason Singleton
- the co-dependence of production design and cinematography in telling this story
- visual structure
- importance of color and the use of jewel tones
- editing and building tension
- scoring and the wide range of emotional aspects needed
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 05/12/2023
