Stephen Daldry
Interview by Brandon Judell
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Renowned British theater director Stephen Daldry makes his big screen
directing debut with Billy Elliot, the powerful tale of a coal
miner's
son who chooses ballet over boxing lessons. Daldry discusses the film
with PlanetOut's Brandon Judell.
PlanetOut: Could you give us a brief summary of the film?
Stephen Daldry: It's a film set in 1984 during a miners' strike,
about a family existing during that
strike. The family is in crisis because they're all about to lose their
jobs, and they sort of know
it, and this strike is a sort of last attempt to save their community.
But what's worse for this particular family is that the mom has just
died. And there's
a little boy in this
family who has another aspiration, not just to not be a miner, but
actually wanting to find a means
of self-expression individual to him. He stumbles across
a ballet class while he's
doing his boxing. ... He finds
a ballet teacher who helps him audition for the Royal Ballet School.
It's primarily a conflict
between him and his father, as the father first feels very
doubtful that this is the route
his son should take, then obviously comes around.
PlanetOut: When you were working in the theater did Rupert Everett
or
Ian
McKellen ever hit on you?
SD: No, I can't say they ever did
PlanetOut: Ah, shortsighted on their part. Your film contains
possibly the youngest cross-dresser in film
history, maybe with the exception
of Ma Vie en Rose. Was this a problem? Did anybody
say you shouldn't do this?
SD: No, I can't say we had any problems with the film, what it's
talking about, or any characters
at any stage.
PlanetOut: Certain gay organizations give out annual awards for
films that have
meant the most to them, and I
can't see this film not winning a few of them. Even though your lead
character is not gay,
do you understand what this film will mean to a gay person?
SD: In terms of how [the film] deals with homosexuality
with his best friend Michael, I suppose my feeling is that the kids on
the hall don't naturally have
prejudice, and maybe that's just
a fantasy. The little friend comes out to the lead character and it's
not a problem. There is a
degree, or a hope or aspiration towards tolerance, and the kids express
it much better than the
adults. I think that is a romantic idea, perhaps, but it's an idea I
like.
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