Writer-director Emerald Fennell talks about ‘Promising a young woman’ and inspired by ‘Murder She Wrote’

“Because Focus Features are circulating A promising young woman, and they’re amazing, I think people think it’s a studio movie. No, “explained the film ‘s writer and director, Emerald Fennell.

“It’s a very, very low budget film that we shot in 23 days, and we wanted to make it look as cinematic as possible. That stuff means a lot to me.”

Fennell, making her debut album, has delivered more. The Black Comedy Thrush, my favorite film of 2020 with a few edges, features Carey Mulligan as Cassie / Cassandra, a woman seeking revenge for a tragic tragedy in the past. A promising young womanThe Sundance Film Festival premiered in January 2020, was scheduled to be released in April. It will finally land in theaters on Friday, December 25, 2020.

“It was always symbolized as a film to be seen in theaters. That’s why we’ve been waiting so long for its release,” said the British filmmaker. “Universal, of which Focus is a part, has been great, and the material that has been released on VOD has been great, but I think we all felt strongly that It’s a common experience, which is partly because you need to know that there is a sense of humor, and a big and important thing about this film is that it’s the kind of tension – building and the. then the distribution that is very common. “

A promising young woman produced by LuckyChap Entertainment. That’s the company that co-founded Margot Robbie.

“They came on board from the pitch, not from the script,” Fennell explained. “As soon as LuckyChap got involved, it became clear that it was an American movie. That was right off the bat before I even put pen to paper. It’s not based in LA, even though We filmed it anywhere, it’s pretty much anywhere, in any U.S. city, I just didn’t want anyone to think that these things just happened in LA and New York. anywhere. So we classify LA for the larger canvas than area. “

Despite being every inch as an American indie, the influence of the British filmmaker’s native humor is evident.

“I think the Brits have this funny sense of humor which is a more everyday means of communication, laughing against horror and being very unhappy with anything fun or funny,” Fennell laughed. “Julia Davis, who is just like my favorite ever, there is no one more funny. The podcast she mentions Dear Joan and Jericha amazing and harrowing in the best way. That’s the stuff that just leaves me … the horror and the humor get a full-bodied reaction. “

“Having said that, it’s the kind of things I watch, the dark humor I like, the work of the Coen Brothers or movies like Gu Die For no American Psycho and namely Midsommar, which is funny and horrible. “

While Carey Mulligan comes to an end A promising young woman, tuned in to perform well on the 2021 awards round, is backed by an ensemble team that includes Bo Burnham, Laverne Cox, Alison Brie, Max Greenfield, Clancy Brown, and Jennifer Coolidge. In addition, Fennell, who also co – produced the film, is making a cameo as a sex video tutorial host.

“Thank you. Finally, someone has noticed the main reason I made this whole film. He wanted to showcase my talents as a YouTube blogger,” she said. “I think official recognition of my performance would be good. I don’t even think the best supporting actress is doing it justice. I think the best actress is fully justified. “

However, Fennell has no plans to make popping up in her own films a regular thing.

“I don’t think there’s anything in the next film I’m writing that I could do as a cameo, but it’s fun, isn’t it?” She asked astronomically. “That’s my favorite thing about Hitchcock, obviously blocking the slightly unfavorable elements of his character, but as a filmmaker, he loved to do it. He had such a fun time. We did it too with this film. I mean, it was hard to go, but we had the best time to do it. “

One of those stand-in moments Pretty young woman featuring Mulligan and Burnham in a drug store, performing to the 2006 Paris Hilton pop jewel soundtrack, Stars are Blind.

“I think everyone thought I was a little crazy,” Fennell recalled. “Certainly my editor, Fred Thoraval, did as it was like, ‘Oh, no! It’s a nightmare!’ He was shinning cunningly, but I was like, ‘Fred if this goes, I’m going.’ It wasn’t easy to put together. But it worked so well. “

“Carey and Bo had to sing perfectly. They were both mad at me, but now they are very happy because I think they understand. It’s hard to be serious and sad. It’s very sad. It’s that time of falling in love so embarrassing, and it leaves you so embarrassed. I think even the most brilliant actors in the world like Carey and Bo, it’s hard to get rid of that second-hand embarrassment because when you’re in love, it’s like being on drugs. they may have just caught MDMA because that’s the kind of thing that’s happening. They are high on love. Carey was so brilliant because you get a little bit of an attack from her first, and then it goes on. He is very happy. “

The soundtrack of the film played a big part in the concept and design of the filmmaker’s original production, as did a number of films and TV shows, which tend to catch a few eyes in a good way.

“When I sent the script out to everyone, it added a playlist and mood boards too, because I wanted to say like, ‘I know how this reads, but no we live in a gray country of cinéma vérité, this goes. to be a higher, feminine experience. ‘It had to feel just as deceptive and yet manic as detailed as Cassie’s main character is,” Fennell revealed.

“There were some things there that were obvious like Gu Die For, Suicides of the Virgin, and lots of ultra-feminine things. But there was also Sweet Valley High, on which my production designer Michael Perry worked as one of his early works, and there were a couple Murder she wrote episodes. He was making fun of me for so much, “she laughed.” It’s just about the movies and shows that I love. It’s one of my favorites The Night of the Hunter. Is there a more theatrical film? It is completely built. It is also the scariest film ever made. This is the greatest film ever made. It hits me in a way that nothing else can. The Dark Crystal doing the same. I think some of the comments were very surprising. “

And if there is anything A promising young woman full, it is a wonder.

A promising young woman land in theaters on Friday, December 25, 2020.