Regisseur francis lee hat aus seinen darstellern alles rausgeholt, was rauszuholen war. 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. Cavan ash mary burke anna duffield richard holmes diarmid scrimshaw paul webster. Gods own country premiered at sundance film festival 2017 where francis was awarded the world cinema dramatic jury award for directing.
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. 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. 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. It is set in surroundings that are bleak and that sometimes seem hopeless. The interiors, some of which were shot at francis lees own family farm, are authentically distressed and fondly framed. 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. 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. 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. 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 remarkable, profoundly touching film, perhaps the best movie ever made about two men falling in love. Gods own country official trailer 2017 francis lee. 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. He numbs the daily frustration of his lonely existence with nightly bingedrinking and casual sex. 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. 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. When i wrote this script, i wasnt seeing stories on screen that reflected where i came. 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 josh oconnor works long hours on his familys remote farm in the.
Theres honesty and rawness in the way they portray the physical. British independent film awards 2017 best film gods own country. Francis lee talks about gods own country, romantic classics. 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. Gheorghe wrapping a young lamb in another s wool so the mother will accept it. Ihnen in gods own country zuzusehen, ist eine wucht. Tenderness blooms in unexpected places in god s own country, like wildflowers in rocky earth.
The sometimes impenetrable yorkshire accents in the english drama gods own country are still less thick than its central character, johnny saxby. Why gods own country is the rare queer film to feature. Francis lee, formerly a film, television and theatre actor, has delivered a feature that is. Bracingly open hearted, this is a thrillingly romantic story set in the heart of rural yorkshire. Francis lee talks about gods own country, romantic. Bracingly open hearted, this is a thrillingly romantic story set in. Gods own country official trailer 2017 francis lee youtube. Gods own country, a unique coming out story, is an amazing directorial debut for francis lee despite some minor, forgivable missteps.
The debut film maker behind gods own country talks about growing up on a farm and why his. Beneath the grey veneer of rural realism, this is a magical film, one of. Interview with gods own country director francis lee. 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 debut filmmaker behind gods own country talks about growing up on a. Dinard british film festival 2017 winner golden hitchcock. The plot follows a young sheep farmer in yorkshire whose life is transformed by a romanian migrant worker. Lees rustic romantic drama hits the requisite notes.
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. Johnny saxby josh oconnor works long hours on his familys remote farm in the north of england. 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. Pr t his debut feature from yorkshireborn actor and firsttime director francis lee is tough, sensual, unsentimental, with. Mar, 2018 the film is set just a few minutes from where lee was raised and still lives today. The debut filmmaker behind gods own country talks about growing up on a farm and why his sensational debut is not the yorkshire. Jan 22, 2017 gods own country film still photograph. 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. Born on his familys farm in soyland, west yorkshire. 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. Josh oconnor, left, and alec secareanu in gods own country.
This feature debut of the writer and director francis lee is a bracing, sometimes brutal movie. Oct 24, 2017 this feature debut of the writer and director francis lee is a bracing, sometimes brutal movie. Johnny saxby works long hours in brutal isolation on his familys remote farm in the north of england. Josh oconnor in gods own country 2017 gemma jones in gods own country 2017. Aug 29, 2017 director francis lee on sex, piglets and fighting off hollywood from his hilltop hut cath clarke. 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. Director francis lee on sex, piglets and fighting off. Young johnny is running his ailing fathers farm in. 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. Jun 22, 2017 gods own country director francis lee at eiff opening night. Why gods own country is the rare queer film to feature a. Partly, it is based on his own experiences as a queer man growing up in rural yorkshire. Francis lee on making gods own country bfi network.
A yorkshire farmer develops a relationship with a romanian migrant worker. A gritty twist on the stereotypical coming out story. 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. Johnny saxby 24 carries the weight of his familys dilapidating sheep farm alone. Pr t his debut feature from yorkshireborn actor and firsttime director francis lee is tough, sensual, unsentimental, with excellent lead performances from. 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. Francis lee won a directing award world cinema dramatic at the sundance film festival for this bafta. Gods own country british freshman helmer francis lee earns his brokeback mountain quotations with a deeply felt gay romance set on the yorkshire moors. 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.
The film by writerdirector francis lee, who grew up on a yorkshire farm before. 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. Francis was brought up on the yorkshire pennine hills, uk. 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. She wasnt talking about the sex scenes not entirely. Director francis lee on sex, piglets and fighting off hollywood from. With josh oconnor, alec secareanu, gemma jones, ian hart. Charting the usual course of rustic repressions and. 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. God s own country is a 2017 british drama film written and directed by francis lee in his feature directorial debut. Before film making francis worked extensively in theatre, film and television as an actor.
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. Best film francis lee director ardimages production company dublin film critics circle awards 2017 nominee. Gods own country is francis first feature film project and received funding from bfi and creative england. With a sparse ambient soundtrack matching the bleak cinematography, the results is an impressive and distinctive film. 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. 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. Gods own country is a 2017 british drama film written and directed by francis lee in his feature directorial debut. Interview with gods own country director francis lee film.
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. Gods own country marks an outstanding directorial debut for francis lee. Gods own country director francis lee at eiff opening night. 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. The debut filmmaker behind gods own country talks about growing up on a farm and why his. 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.
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. Watch gods own country on netflix stream of the day. This is a film about masculinity as an impossible and necessarily toxic project. Captivating and broodingly beautiful, gods own country is the award winning debut feature from writerdirector francis lee. A rough boy learns tenderness in the potent shepherds. Johnny bathing his trembling father after a stroke. Director francis lee on sex, piglets and fighting off hollywood from his hilltop hut cath clarke. 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. 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. The feature debut from the writer and director francis lee follows a young man josh oconnor struggling to maintain his family farm in.
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