Intricacies of a mother-daughter relationship are less explored onscreen, says director Greta Gerwig
Greta Gerwig is the fifth female director to be nominated in the 90 years of Oscars history and if she wins, she will be making history by becoming the second female director ever to win in this category. Surprisingly, this is also her directorial debut. Gerwig spoke about her movie, ladybird; what it’s like being nominated for Best Director at the Oscars, why she thinks the movie clicked so well with the audience and if this is actually the story of her life.
Tell us about the movie ladybirdIJ
ladybird is about a girl named Christine McPherson who makes everybody call her ladybird and it takes place over the senior year of high school. It’s kind of a love story between McPherson and her mother — how hard it is to say goodbye, coming of age of one person and the other is letting go. The film has doses of humour but it will also make one shed tears and call their mother.
This was your directorial debut and it has bagged five Oscar nominations, including yourself as Best Director, not to mention the Golden Globes where you left a mark. How does it feel receiving an overwhelming response from the audienceIJ
It was an incredible journey. I loved being in the film, it’s my solo debut as a writer and the credit of success also goes to the talented group of artists involved in the project. I know that everyone poured their heart into the film and to see it being received and appreciated in this manner is really exciting for me as well as the cast and crew.
A lot of people must come up to you and think that it is your story since you’re from Sacramento and you went to all girls catholic school just like the main character ladybird. Is it you storyIJ
I did go to a Catholic high school and I really wanted to make a movie that takes place in Sacramento because I admire this city a lot. It’s my home and I have really strong ties, my family and friends belong to the place so that’s all grounded in what I knew. But the character of ladybird was something that both Saoirse and I discovered when we started working on it together and ladybird is not based on my life. The character in itself is not who I was in high school. I never made anyone call me by a different name and didn’t tie my hair bright red. I followed rules ardently as a student and I think we relate on that level. When I wrote the script, I was trying to create a person who is more brave than I had the ability to be — who was more wild herself. It wasn’t until I saw Saoirse portray it on screen that I got to meet this flawed heroine that I had made up.
Your entire cast, be it Saoirse Ronan, laurie Metcalf, Tracy letts; each of them have done such a laudable job in the movie. How did you manage to create the wonderful chemistry among your actorsIJ
I didn’t create the chemistry, they had it from the beginning. I wrote the words, between my casting director and me, we gathered an ace team and every single person in this movie has done an incredible job. I just wanted people to feel like each character could have their own movie if one goes and followed their journey. I tried to do that on paper and it was in the script but one needs great actors to be able to fill that gap. I felt like everyone was so skilled and Saoirse is my favourite, she is the best actress for me. She’s so funny, heartfelt and is able to transform herself and not ever lose spontanity in the process and that’s a filmmaker’s dream shot.
Your film seems to have a struck with so many people across the globe. What do you think is so special about it that it has worked so wellIJ
Everyone wants to make a movie that would relate to a wide spectrum of audience. I had a feeling that mothers and daughters would relate to it because it had that secret world quality. There is something about making a very specific story that centered around a mother and daughter and this world that isn’t really documented because there is not that many female writers/directors. So, just those intricacies of those relationships that are less explored. I had always wanted to make a movie about home-what does home mean, the way that it is difficult to see it clearly when you are there and then it's not until you are gone that you look back and you understand what it was.
(Watch if Greta Gerwig makes history and takes home the golden statuette this year live on Star Movies and Star Movies Select HD on March 5 at 5.30 am. )