Review Fix chats with “Mirette†director Helen O’Hanlon, who discusses the film and its appearance at this year’s Nashville International Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.
About Mirette:
Writer and Director Helen O’Hanlon’s debut film How to be a Villain won a number of awards, including Best Director at the Oscar-qualifying Bermuda International Film Festival and The Forry Ackerman Award for Imagination in Film at the inaugural Silver Scream Film Festival. She has a number of exciting titles in development, including a New York Times Bestseller. In the meantime she is originating a new travel show format with UK comedy legend, Vic Reeves and is developing the feature version of Mirette.
Review Fix: What was it like to be a part of all of these festivals?
Helen O’Hanlon: It’s absolutely thrilling! Making films is hard work and attending festivals is certainly a rich reward. It is fascinating to watch your film in different countries, with different audiences. Of course each and every audience is unique with different reactions, laugh triggers and responses. I always have butterflies during the opening frames.
Review Fix: What have you learned from it?
O’Hanlon: Festivals are a wonderful opportunity to engage with your audience and get feedback that is pure gold. Certainly the big festivals are a slipstream and kinda of take your breath away with red carpets and electric atmospheres. That is addictive. It can really get that fire burning in you – you have to use that momentum to move forward with your projects. They are a huge boost to your career…
Review Fix: How did Mirette on the High Wire affect you?
O’Hanlon: This film was wildly ambitious to make, but there’s no point telling a story about a brave, determined young girl without letting some of that rub off on you. Mirette is a hero who inspired us all.
Review Fix: How did this film affect you as a creator?
O’Hanlon: It is a privilege to use your imagination so much in what you do….I want to continue in this realm of magical realism, making movies for multi-generational audience that charm and delight us all.
Review Fix: How do you want people to be affected by this film?
O’Hanlon: To be entertained….I hope people will disappear into our world and feel uplifted when the credits roll. After all its a story of a seemingly invisible girl who lifts us all up to the stars.
Review Fix: How would you like it to be remembered?
O’Hanlon: With the greatest affection.
Review Fix: What inspired this film?
O’Hanlon: The book! Mirette on the High Wire is a profoundly cinematic book, an original story, a unique, joyful ride…to me it was begging to be brought to screen!
Review Fix: What’s next?
O’Hanlon: Mirette: The Feature.
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