Jun 19, 2017 the sexual tension mingles with the mud and sweat of a hard days farm work in francis lees stunning debut film, gods own country, which released its first official trailer today. Director francis lee on sex, piglets and fighting off hollywood from his hilltop hut cath clarke. Why gods own country is the rare queer film to feature. Gods own country, the superb debut feature from the 47yearold english filmmaker francis lee, could slip seamlessly into the austere french masters bristlingly tactile world. The debut filmmaker behind gods own country talks about growing up on a farm and why his. Nov 09, 2017 the sometimes impenetrable yorkshire accents in the english drama god s own country are still less thick than its central character, johnny saxby. It is set in surroundings that are bleak and that sometimes seem hopeless.
Oct 26, 2017 francis lees stark, striking gods own country is one of several significant films this year to depict hardedged men softening, opening up, finding the courage to admit that everything they. Josh oconnor, left, and alec secareanu in gods own country. A yorkshire farmer develops a relationship with a romanian migrant worker. The feature debut from the writer and director francis lee follows a young man josh oconnor struggling to maintain his family farm in yorkshire, england.
Gods own country is francis first feature film project and received funding from bfi and creative england. Before film making francis worked extensively in theatre, film and television as an actor. Gods own country marked the directorial debut of british filmmaker francis lee, who based the script partly on his own struggle with deciding whether or not to pursue drama school or to. Francis lees stark, striking gods own country is one of several significant films this year to depict hardedged men softening, opening up, finding the courage to admit that everything they. Gods own country francis lee director and writer, joshua james richards cinematographer, chris wyatt editor josh oconnor, alec secareanu, ian hart, gemma jones cast released october 25, 2017 the first time i saw brokeback mountain i got preemptively high and sobbed through the first third of the film, the happy parts. When i wrote this script, i wasnt seeing stories on screen that reflected where i came. Gods own country premiered at sundance film festival 2017 where francis was awarded the world cinema dramatic jury award for directing. Theres honesty and rawness in the way they portray the physical. This is an affecting and thematically deep story even beyond its romance independence versus familial obligations, the bleak rural life thats been left behind by modernization and globalization, and contemporary british sociopolitical issues all weaves in by francis lee in this surehanded debut feature. Having seen his terrific debut feature the night before, we talked about the films inception, the huge critical response the film has received internationally, and how he went about perfecting its real authentic feeling.
Francis was brought up on the yorkshire pennine hills, uk. Why gods own country is the rare queer film to feature a. British independent film awards 2017 best film gods own country. Director francis lee on sex, piglets and fighting off hollywood from. Gods own country marks an outstanding directorial debut for francis lee. Tenderness blooms in unexpected places in god s own country, like wildflowers in rocky earth. Gods own country, a unique coming out story, is an amazing directorial debut for francis lee despite some minor, forgivable missteps. Young farmer johnny saxby numbs his daily frustrations with binge drinking and casual sex, until the arrival of a romanian migrant worker for lambing season ignites an intense relationship that sets johnny on a new path. This feature debut of the writer and director francis lee is a bracing, sometimes brutal movie. The film by writerdirector francis lee, who grew up on a yorkshire farm before turning to acting and, later, filmmaking is sweet, even if johnny is not. Francis lee on making gods own country in this episode of the bfi network podcast talent development manager matimba kabalika travels to yorkshire to talk to writerdirector francis lee about the making of his critically acclaimed debut feature, gods own country.
The plot follows a young sheep farmer in yorkshire whose life is transformed by a romanian migrant worker upon release, the film received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised the performances particularly oconnors. Partly, it is based on his own experiences as a queer man growing up in rural yorkshire. The debut film maker behind gods own country talks about growing up on a farm and why his. Dennis sits down with two of the men behind the acclaimed new film gods own country, about a isolated gay man living and working on his familys farm on. Interview with gods own country director francis lee. Gods own country official trailer 2017 francis lee youtube. He numbs the daily frustration of his lonely existence with nightly bingedrinking and casual sex. Captivating and broodingly beautiful, gods own country is the award winning debut feature from writerdirector francis lee. The debut filmmaker behind gods own country talks about growing up on a. Gods own country announces lee as an assured new voice, his own personal ties to the setting reinforced in gorgeous colorized vintage farm footage over the end credits. During my second week at the melbourne international film festival, i had the pleasure of talking to francis lee, the director of gods own country.
Watch gods own country on netflix stream of the day. God s own country is a 2017 british drama film written and directed by francis lee in his feature directorial debut. Francis lee won a directing award world cinema dramatic at the sundance film festival for this baftanominated film. Best nonamerican film arets ikkeamerikanske film francis lee. Gods own country is a film where every frame is full of light and texture specifically designed to convey the subtle nuances of this relationship, and to give it a specificity anchored in this. The plot follows a young sheep farmer in yorkshire whose life is transformed by a romanian migrant worker. The film had its european premiere at berlin international film festival 2017 where francis was awarded the manner readers jury award at the teddy awards for best film.
Johnny saxby works long hours in brutal isolation on his familys remote farm in the north of england. Johnny bathing his trembling father after a stroke. The interiors, some of which were shot at francis lees own family farm, are authentically distressed and fondly framed. Clearly indebted to the memory of brokeback mountain and its cautious handling of gay male love amidst sheep and lonely landscape, francis lees debut feature gods own country is.
That fact is important, but it is not the whole story, it is the real thing, a work of art that that attends to the world it inhabits acutely, every word heard or spoken in it concrete, deeply felt, penetrating, every gesture full of emotion and the wildly, complexly human. Debut director francis lee talks about deconstructing masculinity, setting the film near his hometown and why he always knew he would write a hopeful ending. Gods own country official trailer 2017 francis lee. The debut filmmaker behind gods own country talks about growing up on a farm and why his sensational debut is not the yorkshire. Jan 21, 2017 god s own country announces lee as an assured new voice, his own personal ties to the setting reinforced in gorgeous colorized vintage farm footage over the end credits.
Francis lee, formerly a film, television and theatre actor, has delivered a feature that is. The feature debut from the writer and director francis lee follows a young man josh oconnor struggling to maintain his family farm in. After training at rose bruford college he worked extensively as an actor in theatre, television and film including topsyturvy, me without you, the young americans and clapham junction. God s own country is a film where every frame is full of light and texture specifically designed to convey the subtle nuances of this relationship, and to give it a specificity anchored in this. After secondary education at ryburn valley high school in sowerby bridge and wakefield district college he studied at rose bruford college of speach and drama. Jan 22, 2017 gods own country film still photograph. Gods own country is so moving because lee manages to paint a multidimensional portrait of johnny and his family dynamicsone that feels at once incredibly british and uncannily familiar. Sep 07, 2017 francis lee on making god s own country in this episode of the bfi network podcast talent development manager matimba kabalika travels to yorkshire to talk to writerdirector francis lee about the making of his critically acclaimed debut feature, god s own country. Francis lee talks about gods own country, romantic. Born on his familys farm in soyland, west yorkshire. Pr t his debut feature from yorkshireborn actor and firsttime director francis lee is tough, sensual, unsentimental, with.
Josh oconnor, alec secareanu, gemma jones director. Jan 25, 2017 a rugged young englishman and a gentle romanian migrant worker find intimacy atop the lonesome hills of northern yorkshire in gods own country, francis lees quietly remarkable debut. The sometimes impenetrable yorkshire accents in the english drama gods own country are still less thick than its central character, johnny saxby. Dinard british film festival 2017 winner golden hitchcock. She wasnt talking about the sex scenes not entirely.
Francis lee talks about gods own country, romantic classics. Gods own country is a 2017 british drama film written and directed by francis lee in his feature directorial debut. Oct 26, 2017 ang lees 2005 triumph may be an overused gaycinema reference point, but gods own country does have more in common with that film than merely a directors surname and a tale of two. In his directorial debut, francis lee, who won the world dramatic grand jury prize for directing, has crafted a touching story of first love and economic hardship set in rural yorkshire. Nov 21, 2017 gods own country francis lee director and writer, joshua james richards cinematographer, chris wyatt editor josh oconnor, alec secareanu, ian hart, gemma jones cast released october 25, 2017 the first time i saw brokeback mountain i got preemptively high and sobbed through the first third of the film, the happy parts. Director francis lee on sex, piglets and fighting off. Bracingly open hearted, this is a thrillingly romantic story set in the heart of rural yorkshire. With a sparse ambient soundtrack matching the bleak cinematography, the results is an impressive and distinctive film. Johnny saxby josh oconnor works long hours on his familys remote farm in the. A gritty twist on the stereotypical coming out story. Young johnny is running his ailing fathers farm in. A rough boy learns tenderness in the potent shepherds.
Cavan ash mary burke anna duffield richard holmes diarmid scrimshaw paul webster. Jun 22, 2017 gods own country director francis lee at eiff opening night. Regisseur francis lee hat aus seinen darstellern alles rausgeholt, was rauszuholen war. Bracingly open hearted, this is a thrillingly romantic story set in. Pr t his debut feature from yorkshireborn actor and firsttime director francis lee is tough, sensual, unsentimental, with excellent lead performances from. Francis lee won a directing award world cinema dramatic at the sundance film festival for this bafta.
The film by writerdirector francis lee, who grew up on a yorkshire farm before. Francis lee on making gods own country bfi network. Interview with gods own country director francis lee film. Gods own country director francis lee at eiff opening night.
Aug 29, 2017 director francis lee on sex, piglets and fighting off hollywood from his hilltop hut cath clarke. This is a film about masculinity as an impossible and necessarily toxic project. Oct 24, 2017 gods own country is so moving because lee manages to paint a multidimensional portrait of johnny and his family dynamicsone that feels at once incredibly british and uncannily familiar. Best film francis lee director ardimages production company dublin film critics circle awards 2017 nominee. Johnny saxby josh oconnor works long hours on his familys remote farm in the north of england. With josh oconnor, alec secareanu, gemma jones, ian hart. A rugged young englishman and a gentle romanian migrant worker find intimacy atop the lonesome hills of northern yorkshire in gods own country, francis lees quietly remarkable debut. Gods own country british freshman helmer francis lee earns his brokeback mountain quotations with a deeply felt gay romance set on the yorkshire moors. Gods own country is a remarkable, profoundly touching film, perhaps the best movie ever made about two men falling in love. Beneath the grey veneer of rural realism, this is a magical film, one of. Lees rustic romantic drama hits the requisite notes. Sep 01, 2017 gods own country, the superb debut feature from the 47yearold english filmmaker francis lee, could slip seamlessly into the austere french masters bristlingly tactile world. For those who have been yearning for a less angstridden and more contemporary version of something like brokeback mountain 2005, director francis lee achieves the same crowd pleasing tensions and titillations with his debut gods own country.
Oct 24, 2017 this feature debut of the writer and director francis lee is a bracing, sometimes brutal movie. Ihnen in gods own country zuzusehen, ist eine wucht. Johnny saxby 24 carries the weight of his familys dilapidating sheep farm alone. Mar, 2018 the film is set just a few minutes from where lee was raised and still lives today. Gheorghe wrapping a young lamb in another s wool so the mother will accept it.
807 218 719 664 1029 1406 1093 1080 98 1275 1111 1160 1114 500 60 1150 700 1272 848 367 1453 217 881 248 828 979 474 392 97 745 161 452 1091 250 803 1089 1260 415 501 468 1156 1269 959 286 294 61