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Yann Demange is a half-French, half-Algerian, London-based director who, after years of working in the commercial and television world, is poised to break out in the U.S. with his first feature film, "'71."
The movie tells the story of a young British soldier, played by Jack O'Connell, who's caught behind enemy lines during The Troubles.
The Troubles is the common name for the multifaceted, violent conflict in Northern Ireland that took place between Unionists — those who wanted Northern Ireland to remain a part of the United Kingdom — and Irish nationalists, who strove for a united Ireland. O'Connell's character must find a way back to his fellow soldiers in a life-or-death environment, where it's difficult to differentiate friend from foe.
When Demange stopped by The Frame studios, he spoke about casting Jack O'Connell in the lead role, how the films of John Carpenter heavily influenced "'71," and how he found a nine-year-old scene-stealing actor in a boxing gym.
How would you describe this film to someone who hasn't seen it?
One could call it "Apocalypto in Belfast" if they wanted to be reductive. But you can enjoy it on a very visceral level. It's an experiential film, a genre movie, but it's about young boys and children growing up in conflict. It's about civil war, sectarian violence...it's about many things.
As you were developing the script, you made a choice about making Jack O'Connell's character an orphan. Why was it important that he was an orphan with a brother?
I loved the screenplay [by Gregory Burke]. I connected to it straightaway. It really felt like it transcended the specificity of the Troubles and it had a universality that was almost contemporary. You could be talking about Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine; it really identifies a pattern in human behavior that, unfortunately, perpetually repeats itself.
I felt that we had a real passive character at the heart of this story, and I thought that introducing his younger brother would really help the audience to root for him, knowing that he has a child that he's responsible for.
One of the themes is about belonging: belonging to a tribe, belonging to a family. I thought it would really help to push that theme if he didn't have a family. So he and his younger brother were from an orphanage, because I think the army often preys on these kids that are seeking a sense of the paternal, a sense of tribe, a sense of belonging, a sense of family.
They desperately need that anchoring, and an army's there with open arms and says, We're your family now. But there's a terrible betrayal that takes place when they're quick to sacrifice these boys in dirty conflicts when no one really knows what's going on.
Most people might know Jack O'Connell from playing Louis Zamperini in "Unbroken." How did you go about finding him, and why was he so perfect for this role?
Jack O'Connell has an old school masculinity that you don't really see much nowadays, and it's not affected. He grew up wanting to be a soccer player or to join the army. He understood this character more than anybody I'd met. He was 23 years old and he was on the cusp on manhood trying to figure out the man he wants to be. So there was this vulnerability to him.
And he has felt pain. He lost a parent, and he comes from a very Catholic family — actually, very Irish Catholic family — so for him it was a big responsibility to put on the British uniform. We spoke a lot about what the film was about, so he really engaged on many levels. And apart from all that, he's a star. What do I mean by that? He can hold a silent moment, he understands the camera, and he understands: Show, don't tell. He doesn't need the crutch of dialogue. He's got a charisma that shines through.
We should also talk about Corey McKinley, a nine-year-old boy that helps O'Connell's character when he's caught behind enemy lines.
I'm so pleased you mentioned Corey McKinley. We found him in a boxing gym. It's happened to me a couple times over my career, where you cast an unknown actor. And every time he was on set you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was completely in love with this kid.
He's just got a charisma, a kind of self-awareness and body-awareness that's unparalleled for anyone his age that I've met. We didn't even rehearse — between takes, we'd box. He's a boxer, and we'd have him on the pads to keep him in that dominant space. Do you see that walk he has? He looks like he's about to go in the ring, it's like fight night. He's an amazing kid, and he's thriving now — he's got an agent in L.A. [laughs]
This Q&A is an excerpt from the interview. Listen to the audio for more!
Also, if you want EVEN MORE, we posted the complete interview here: