Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 4 august 2017
Q&A: Taylor Sheridan finds

another frontier in ‘Wind River’

By LINDSEY BAHR And most people haven’t and not judge it.
AP Film Writer been to Los Angeles and AP: “Hell or High Water”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taylor New York. And we watch came at an interesting time
Sheridan has a knack for the news and each of around the election. Why
finding and telling stories these regions is presented do you think it resonated at
about parts of the Ameri- in one way and that way is that moment?
can frontier that Hollywood terrifying to the people who SHERIDAN: I made a story
doesn’t dare touch. The are from the other regions. about people who no one
Texas native brought audi- I think that understanding makes movies about. And
In this Jan. 21, 2017 file photo, director Taylor Sheridan poses for ences to the U.S.-Mexico our country fully means un- it’s a group of individu-
a portrait to promote the film, “Wind River during the Sundance border in “Sicario” and derstanding all the people als who are struggling just
Film Festival in Park City, Utah. to shattered West Texas in it and realizing we’re just like everyone else and be-
Associated Press in “Hell or High Water” not that different. came a very convenient
through his visceral screen- AP: But there are also stark political bullseye. I think
plays. Now in “Wind River,” differences in the way peo- that the great duping of
Sheridan explores cruelty ple live. the American public that
at the Wind River Indian SHERIDAN: There needs to we’re all so different in our
Reservation in Wyoming. be a sense of community ideology actually forces
The murder of a young girl and real respect for oth- the gulf between the sides,
sets the story in motion and ers in a city. There needs when the opposite is true at
brings a novice FBI agent to be that anywhere, but the end of the day. People
Jane (Elizabeth Olsen) in a city where everyone is are generally compassion-
to the snowy terrain. She right on top of each other ate and generally empa-
enlists the help of a local there are rules that don’t thetic and there is always
game tracker Cory (Jer- apply and won’t work in room for compromise, it’s
emy Renner), who is all too rural American. Here if you just not politically advanta-
familiar with the circum- get in trouble you call the geous to the people in of-
stances. police and they’re there fice.
Sheridan spoke to The As- in 90 seconds. You call the AP: Are you outwardly po-
sociated Press about the police where I live in Wyo- litical?
film, which is out in limited ming, which I’ve had to do, SHERIDAN: No. There are
release on Friday, and how they’re like, “Can you hang things on both sides of the
“Wind River” continues his on? The closest guy is 22 aisle that I’m a strong sup-
exploration of prescient minutes away.” The hospi- porter of, you know what I
themes through a thrilling tal is 40 minutes away. Peo- mean? I want as little gov-
genre lens. ple can complain about ernment in my life as pos-
Remarks have been edited Planned Parenthood or sible and yet everyone
for clarity and brevity. not Planned Parenthood should be free to express
AP: You’ve referred to but it doesn’t really matter themselves in whatever
“Wind River” as a part of because it doesn’t exist in way they choose. I don’t
a trilogy with “Sicario” and my county. You get out to believe there is actually a
“Hell or High Water.” Can rural America and that’s political party in America
you elaborate? where the last road is fixed. that exists that accurately
SHERIDAN: The macro is it is The last drip of money gets represents the way most
an exploration of the mod- there last, it comes here Americans feel. I think we
ern American frontier and first. That’s one of the rea- have two antiquated par-
how much has changed sons people don’t ever talk ties.
and how much hasn’t about why the mistrust of AP: Finally, is there anything
changed and the conse- government exists in rural you can say about the “Si-
quences of assimilation America. Their idea of gov- cario” sequel, “Soldado”?
that still reverberate today. ernment is a bill from the tax SHERIDAN: This one will feel
AP: Why did you want to di- assessor, or being told why oddly prophetic. People
rect this one? there is a fracking well next are going to think I’m really
SHERIDAN: It was the only door. One of the great gifts smart. I’m not, I just imag-
way I could guarantee that of cinema is you can show ined something insane and
the story was told the way I a world people don’t know then a year later the insane
wanted it told. I didn’t trust about and learn about it happened.q
that another filmmaker
would come in and see this
world the way I saw it, or I
didn’t know one.
AP: Why is it important to
you to explore these lost
frontiers?
SHERIDAN: As Americans,
we are wildly ignorant of
our own nation. There are
people in Los Angeles who
have never been to the
West. Same with New York.