Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 11 May 2017
Vanessa Redgrave turns director with documentary at Cannes

JILL LAWLESS month’s Cannes Film Festi- politician who fled Nazi-oc-
Associated Press val . cupied Europe as a child.
LONDON (AP) — Vanessa “I’ve identified all my Also in the mix is a scene
Redgrave has spent six de- life with refugees,” said from Shakespeare’s “The
cades in front of the cam- 80-year-old Redgrave, who Tempest” — a play about
era. Now her own past and was one of thousands of shipwrecked souls — fea-
current tragedies have en- children evacuated from turing Ralph Fiennes.
couraged her to get be- London during World War II Redgrave says her son and
hind it. to escape German bombs. film-producing partner Car-
The Academy Award- A mix of documentary and lo Nero persuaded her to
winning actress makes her drama, “Sea Sorrow” in- include autobiographical
directing debut with “Sea cludes Redgrave’s experi- material.
Sorrow,” a highly person- ences alongside interviews “I got worried, of course, by
al documentary about with current-day migrants not wanting the film to be
the migrant crisis that is and their supporters, in- about me,” she told The As-
set to premiere at this cluding Alf Dubs, a British sociated Press in a recent
interview at the production
office she shares with Nero
and a friendly poodle-Po-
meranian mix named Zep.
“It’s about the refugees.
“But I do think that per-
haps hopefully my tell-
ing the story alongside Alf In this Wednesday, May 3, 2017 file photo actress Vanessa
Dubs and the refugees that Redgrave poses for a portrait photograph after being interviewed
by Associated Press in London.
some people will realize the Associated Press
thing we were all taught
— and which the govern- Redgrave is part of a Brit- able Case for Treatment.”
ment, (Winston) Churchill’s ish acting dynasty that in- She won a second time in
government, reminded cludes her father Michael 1969 for “Isadora.”
people: It could happen to Redgrave, her late siblings “I’m thrilled to bits,” she
you.” Lynne and Corin Redgrave said. “Still can’t quite be-
It’s a lesson many people in and her daughters Natasha lieve it’s true.
Europe and North America Richardson, who died in a “In spite of the lure of Ven-
have forgotten as direct ski accident in 2009, and ice and Toronto and other
memories of war have fad- Joely Richardson. Nero, her great (festivals), it remains
ed. These days the news of- son, is a director and pro- the special one.”
ten carries stories of people ducer. Redgrave has vivid mem-
making dangerous journeys A six-time Oscar nominee, ories of past visits to the
by sea and land to flee war Redgrave won the sup- French Riviera festival, in-
or seek a more prosperous porting actress trophy in cluding a 1967 trip with
life. Redgrave says such 1978 for playing an anti- Michelangelo Antonioni’s
reports can be powerful, Nazi activist in “Julia,” at a “Blow-Up.” Photos of her on
but often turn the migrants ceremony picketed by the the beach in a striped mini-
“into a stream of images, Jewish Defense League be- dress alongside the director
not real people.” cause of Redgrave’s sup- and Italian actress Monica
“Once upon a time they port for a Palestinian state. Vitti are the epitome of
were at university. Once Her acceptance speech 1960s glamour.
upon a time she was a condemning “Zionist hood- “I was considered to be a
doctor, he was a teacher. lums” — to a mix of boos star then,” she said.
They’re real people,” said and applause — remains She also recalled the ca-
Redgrave, who has been a one of the most dramatic maraderie of walking up
UNICEF ambassador since moments in Oscars history. the festival’s famous red-
1990. For years, Redgrave sup- carpeted steps with Emma
“I think everybody, includ- ported small left-wing Thompson and her other
ing myself, are in danger of groups such as the Work- co-stars from “Howards
losing our humanity,” she ers Revolutionary Party and End” in 1992.
added. “We have to (do) the Peace and Progress “I remember very well
what psychiatrists or psy- Party, and her political in- Emma showing me her
chologists call ‘work on it.’” tensity hasn’t faded. She is dress, and what did I think,”
Redgrave says she learned furious about Brexit, with- Redgrave said. “I thought
a huge amount about film- ering about Prime Minister it was very lovely, actually.
making in her first foray as Theresa May’s government I can’t remember what I
director, but isn’t sure she and glum at the thought of wore, but I remember what
will do it again. a likely Conservative victory she wore.
“I just directed to tell this in Britain’s June 8 election. “It’s going to be nice again,
story,” she said. “I’m not a You might think she’d con- but what’s really special is
filmmaker as such.” sider celebrity-obsessed that our film having been
She shows no sign of retiring Cannes a bit silly. But she accepted and welcomed
from acting, with projects is delighted to be returning by Cannes means that win-
lined up including a role in to the festival, where she dows will open for the refu-
Christoph Waltz-directed won a best-actress trophy gees all over the world, and
thriller “Georgetown.” in 1966 for “Morgan - A Suit- especially in Europe.”q