Report: London Film Festival Press Conferences – Week 1

Conviction

The press conference for Conviction was attended by Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver and Betty-Anne Waters. Betty-Anne commented that she was pleased with the movie, and that she thought her late brother Kenny would also be happy with it. She remarked: “It was my brother Kenny who wanted the film more than anything”.

When asked what stood out about the script for the actors, Hilary responded; “For me it was such a beautiful love story between a brother and a sister, one that was so compelling. I don’t actually remember seeing a love story this beautiful in I can’t even remember when. For me, the idea that someone can be so selfless – Betty-Anne is my hero, she’s my real-life hero”.

Betty-Anne praised Sam’s performance in the film, stating; “Sam was my brother on that screen, he really got the different dimensions of Kenny”. Sam lamented on the great crew and supporting actors, nevertheless he affirmed; “Hilary really had to carry this movie, and it takes a special woman to do that. Hilary is a fierce actress, and there’s not a lot of people who can do that”.

Read the I Heart The Talkies review of Conviction

Never Let Me Go

The Never Let Me Go conference was attended by actors Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Isobel Meikle-Small and Ella Purnell, writer Kazuo Ishiguro, director Mark Romanek and screenwriter Alex Garland. Carey remarked that she was a big fan of Ishiguro’s novel before she was approached for the film. The cast and Mark often referred back to the book during the filming process. Carey relayed: “We had a brilliant script, but especially for me I had the whole book narrated by my character – it would have been remiss of me not to refer to it. And also, it’s great to go back to it for ideas… I was with the book most of the time”.

Andrew suggested Kazuo may have got sick of how reverent the cast were to the source material, joking; “We’d bow as he entered a room and he’d get very uncomfortable – and it’s fun to watch”. Mark commented that he had the same “emotional reaction” to the script as he did to the book. He decided to immerse himself in Japanese cinema and ideas of aesthetics, having read in an interview that Kazuo felt influenced by this.

Keira was fascinated by her character Ruth, explaining; “I didn’t like her, and it’s tricky playing people you don’t like”. When writing the story, Kazuo was “interested in something that paralleled the human lifespan”. He stated: “And the question is, what’s most important to human beings when they realise time is running out”.

Read the I Heart The Talkies review of Never Let Me Go

Film Review: Conviction

Based on real events, Conviction could have played out like a made-for-television movie. Thanks to some superlative performances and good production values, however, Conviction is a worthy rendering of an incredible story.

After her brother Kenny is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, his sister Betty-Anne Waters vows to clear his name. She begins to study law, and along with pal Abra, Betty-Anne never gives up fighting for justice…

Conviction works well because it effectively conveys the emotional rationale behind Betty-Anne’s decisions. Director Tony Goldwyn interlaces the forward-moving narrative with flashbacks of different periods in the life of the siblings. It is the sequences of Betty-Anne and Kenny as children that do most to cement their bond. The strong relationship between the siblings offers the justification for Betty-Anne to dedicate her life to Kenny’s cause.

Betty-Anne Waters is an amazing character. Her dedication to fighting for her brother’s sibling is unwavering; she is an incredibly strong individual. On one level, most will be able to empathise with Betty in her desire to help her family and fight injustice. On another level, her selflessness in spending most of her life working to free Kenny is something that is difficult to contemplate.

Writer Pamela Gray does not shy away from depicting more negative aspects of the protagonists. As well as Betty-Anne’s achievements, her concern over neglecting her sons is also displayed. While Kenny is portrayed as a lively character, he is also a bit of a loose cannon. Given his history, it is not a great surprise that he was initially spoken to about the murder.

One character who is not explored in much detail is Nancy Taylor, the officer responsible for putting Kenny behind bars. Conviction does not really examine why she persecutes Kenny; it would have been illuminating to delve into her character a little more. Nevertheless, the film focuses its concentration of Betty-Anne’s journey, so perhaps this would have been too much of a digression from the aim of Conviction.

Hilary Swank is excellent as Betty-Anne. She is entirely believable in the role; from the emotion she brings to her faultless accent. Sam Rockwell gives a great performance as Kenny, conveying both the energy and the frustration of the character. Minnie Driver brings some light relief as best friend Abra, while Juliette Lewis is a scene-stealer in her small but critical role.

Betty-Anne Waters’ story is unquestionably a remarkable one. However, it is a tale that could easily have been relegated to TV movie status. Thanks to the performances of the leads and the chemistry between Swank and Rockwell particularly, it is rightly elevated to big-screen calibre. Not the best film of the year, but certainly worth seeing.

Conviction is being screened at the British Film Institute’s London Film Festival in October 2010.