At the premiere of his latest film in Kent, director Sam Mendes said “social awkwardness” plays a big role in the difficulty people have when discussing mental health.
empire of light Set in a dilapidated movie theater in a 1980s coastal town, it’s both a love letter to cinema and a love story between Olivia Colman’s Hilary and Michael Ward’s Stephen.
The film also deals with mental health. Hillary has a mental illness and is loosely based on Mendes’ mother. We also handle
Speaking at the film’s premiere at Dreamland Amusement Park in Margate, Kent on Sunday, January 8, Mendes said: Her 80s for me is such a vibrant and resonant time to write.
“I wrote this song during lockdown, and mental health issues have skyrocketed as people are stuck at home and shackled up like bad guys.
“Also, I don’t think we’ve found a good way to represent mental health issues in this country. When someone is hospitalized with an illness and is discharged, they often ask, ‘How are you? If discharged, they tend not to ask.
“It’s a very difficult thing to talk about, and social awkwardness is common, so it tends to get covered up.
“Racing is an ongoing debate and we have to find a way forward. That’s as important today as it was in the 80s.”
Coleman said playing a character inspired by Mendes’ mother was a huge responsibility.
She said of her role as Hillary: A truly nurturing and safe space.
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“He jokes all day long, which means he can make mistakes and that’s fine. He guided us and made everything go smoothly.”
empire of light The film, starring Coleman, Ward, Colin Firth and Toby Jones, hits cinemas on Monday, January 9th.
