Hackney Director’s HBO Heights

By Marysia Doyle and Maria Evrenos (@mishydoyle and @mariaevrenos)

Lindsay Pollock is a London-based independent filmmaker, whose Auschwitz survivor documentary, “The One Who Got Away”, recently premiered on HBO Europe.

Obviously the subject is a serious one but Pollock found the tone changed when he and collaborator Sam Lawlor met the film’s octogenarian protagonist, Thomas Beck.

Pollock said: “He was just this cheerful Hungarian guy that kept plying us with vodka and weed, asking if we wanted to have a swim as he floated by on his pink lilo like some bon vivant.”

Possessing a face that easily betrays his emotions, Pollock’s huge smile shows how much he revels in his work. But it’s no easy ride.

“To me, film-making is trying to get money, trying to book transport, get accommodation, get everyone in the same place at the same time and trying to master the bloody complicated equipment,” he says.

Funding was the biggest problem as they were rejected by major television networks and film festivals alike. Pollock found himself “in slow-turning circles of despair” until friends from the band Hot Chip donated a five-figure sum which helped them to continue.

So off they went, trawling around Eastern Europe, retracing Thomas’ story through concentration camps, close-calls and comforting cuddles. The thudding electro soundtrack bleeps and bloops over scenes of war-torn buildings and daguerrotypes of Thomas’ family, making the film feel immediately contemporary and thrillingly alive.

Pollock is now with HBO, trying to sell the film to the BBC and Channel 4 and is already bubbling over with new ideas. “Sam and I are cooking up a few different films but we need to juice this one first.  We’ve committed so much of our lives to it that we can’t stop. Either we die or we make it.”

You can watch the trailer for ‘The One That Got Away’ here.

Moonrise Kingdom – The Review

By Lou Courtois and Matteo Civillini

Summer 1965, New England. The 12-year-olds Suzy Bishop and Sam Shakutsky, played by Kara Hayward and Jared Giman, live on New Penzance Island. She is the introvert daughter of an unstable family, who hides her feelings behind an excessively blue eye-shadow, books and French music. He is a nerdy scout, who never got to know his parents and whose carers find him too difficult to be looked after.

Since they first accidentally met in the dressing room of the local theatre, they kept exchanging ardent letters, which helped organise their runaway. It is the occasion for the young hero to escape from the orphanage that is waiting for him and for the girl to unleash her urge to break free from an exploding family.
Wes Anderson depicts, as usual, the tournaments of the maladjusted at the boundaries of society but always with colourful decors and funky outfits. Bill Murray, a regular in Anderson’s world – this was their 6th collaboration – , joins an already talented cast as Suzy’s mixed up father.

If Murray may seem condemned to a unique role in Anderson’s filmography (paternal figure with a tendency to alcohol, depression and cigarettes) it is really surprising to discover Bruce Willis (Captain Sharp) in such a low-profile and specific production.
Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton, respectively Laura Bishop (Suzy’s mother) and the responsible of the Social Services aiming to get Sam to a sordid orphanage, add a crazy flair to the cast.

In conclusion, however, this love story is not as funny and hilarious as previous Anderson’s works, The Royal Tenenbaums for example, or aiming at Anderson’s connoisseurs only . Moonrise Kingdom is addressed to anybody who was/will be 12 years old – being a scout or in love is optional. ‘A really clever and beautiful movie where the dialogues are minimal and sound almost as poems’ to use Paul’s words, a member of the audience, on this rainy Tuesday.

Secret Cinema – London’s latest craze

By Alexandra El Khazen and Maria Evrenos

Recruits getting ready for a mission.

Secret Cinema is wreaking havoc in London as people rush to buy tickets and discuss it online. All shows are undercover and it is undeniably an exciting experience for cinema lovers. What is more thrilling than feeling you are part of a cinematic experience even without knowing where you are and which movie is going to be screened beforehand?

Every member of the audience chooses a specialised profession for each event and is assigned a specific mission with its own outfit. The setting of the location is usually linked to the movie’s genre. Training sessions are recommended to prepare people for their secret journey.

“It is all about intrigue and immersion” said Sofi Lee-Henson from Brave New Ventures, the company behind Secret Cinema, adding “we started off small and worked solely on word of mouth to spread our word”. Today the secrecy of the event is still respected online and in the press, making it hard to find any official direct contact, even if it is becoming more popular than ever.

It was impossible to count how many people attended the event on Monday evening but we were at least 100 who gathered at Euston station before being guided by actors in uniforms into the secret location. It looked like an enormous garage. People in the queue seemed to enjoy this feeling of the unknown.

Actors were making sure everyone was involved and stressed the fantastic nature of the expedition. Dark lights, music and sounds shaped a whole new atmosphere and dimension to the place. Interactive activities in different rooms were there to arouse people’s curiosity and food was provided to keep them busy before they would be evacuated to the screening room.

Secret Cinema is a must-not-miss experience running throughout June, revitalising the city’s playful spirit before the Olympics.

Reviewers cannot reveal what the film is and Secret Cinema pleads with fans:  “Tell no- one.”

Never give up – the dream role is coming

By Oda Karoline R. Eilertsen and Yasmeen Cohen

Orlando Brooke – picture by Oda Karoline

The acting dream was born when he was five. Now, aged 29, Orlando Brooke is living that dream dancing to imaginary music half-naked in “massive stupid glasses” auditioning for a Specsavers commercial.

At 14, after abandoning his ambition to be a ballet dancer, Orlando from Dorset went for acting. Seven years after completing his degree at Birmingham School of Acting, he is still trying to elbow his way into the industry. By the way, he did not get the Specsavers job.

One of Orlando’s latest roles was playing a Jewish refugee during World War Two in the short film Dancing in the Ashes. He described it as a “harrowing” experience. Director Nick Rowland was delighted with his performance, calling Orlando a dedicated actor and “true gentleman who threw himself into the role in an exacting manner”.

Orlando generally plays geeky and quirky roles, but not in another short, Red Button. He said: “I got to be evil and I loved it. Any part that’s really removed from you as a person is interesting to play. It was such a powerful, almost psychotic, character and I hope I’m not quite like that.”

His fellow actors are a mixed bunch. Orlando said: “There is a certain amount of backstabbing going on.” He won’t sleep his way into a role: “I know a couple who’ve done it, and I just think it’s a weird way of getting a job.”

Glossy Hollywood does not appeal to Orlando: “Acting is probably the least glamorous industry you can experience.” He hit a rough patch two years back and considered quitting the industry, but today he is still going strong.

“You never know what’s around the corner in acting; the next audition can be the one to propel you in the right direction. And that’s what makes it so exciting.”

Audio: How Orlando was mistaken for being Orlando Bloom

Orlando Brooke’s showreel: