DOSSIER DE PRESSE - PERSMAP COLIN FIRTH STANLEY TUCCI SYNOPSIS SUPERNOVA

Sam et Tusker sont en couple depuis 20 ans. Ils décident d'entreprendre un voyage en UN FILM DE HARRY MACQUEEN camping car dans l'Angleterre rurale pour rendre visite à leurs proches et retourner sur les lieux de leur passé. Depuis que Tusker est atteint de syndrome démentiel, le temps qu'ils passent ensemble est la chose la plus importante qu'ils aient.

Drame - 2020 - UK - 94 min. Info & Matériel : www.cineart.be

Distribution: Contact: Cinéart Heidi Vermander Rue de Namur, 72-74 T. 0475 62 10 13 1000 Brussel [email protected] T 02 245 87 00 DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

– one that still rages to this day in many countries around the world.

Supernova is the result of a lengthy and immersive research process. Over a three-year period, I worked closely with the UK’s leading dementia specialists at UCL and The Wellcome Trust and collaborated with many individuals and families affected by the condition. I have spent time with people who have since died both from dementia and suicide – in secret and in public - and seen the fallout from that first-hand.

It has been one of the most profound and important experiences of my life. The In 2015, two events happened characters and themes in around me almost simultaneously: Supernova reflect my attempt to in February a colleague, who had do these people and their stories become distant and increasingly justice in a truthful and original bad at her job, was fired from our manner – to place a selfless, loving place of work – in six months she relationship in the context of an would be dead. A few days later a immediate future that hangs in the close friend was forced to put her balance. From the outset my desire father in a care home – he had just was to make an empowering, turned 60. powerful, challenging and timely film about what we are willing to A short time after this I saw a do for the people that we love. documentary that moved me like nothing had before. It followed Supernova is a romantic, original, a 65-year-old British man to the modern love-story. It is an Dignitas clinic in Switzerland intimate, self-contained tale that where, in the company of his wife investigates some of the biggest of 40 years, he legally took his human questions of all: how we own life. live and love and laugh, even as we near the end of our time. The man in the documentary, my colleague, and my friend’s father – Harry Macqueen all had versions of young-onset Dementia that had played out in very different ways. These experiences made me want to find out more about this disorder specifically, as well as the vital debate around end of life choices DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

“ SUPERNOVA is a romantic, original, modern love-story. It is an intimate, self-contained tale that investigates some of the biggest human questions of all: how we live and love and laugh, even as we near the end of our time.”

– Harry Macqueen SUPERNOVA

Developing the Script

It was a chance meeting with Around the same time, Macqueen had released Macqueen’s debut an old colleague that set writer/ had been counselling a friend directorial feature Hinterland. director Harry Macqueen on whose father had just entered Their relationship remained close, the path to what would become a care home before his 60th and one day she received a two- Supernova. She had been an birthday, also diagnosed with page idea for Supernova through outgoing, gregarious personality young-onset dementia. “As a Macqueen’s agent. “It resonated when they first met, but over the human rather than a filmmaker, with me,” Morgan recalls, “Just year they worked together, she both of those experiences made Harry’s vision for it, and the had become withdrawn, angry me want to learn a lot more about subject matter.” and difficult to be around. She how it affects people,” Macqueen was dismissed from her job, and says. “I was deeply moved by those Knowing much of the film’s Macqueen thought little more experiences, and I was also very success would be down to of it until he met her again in interested in end-of-life choices the actors cast as Sam and the high street, being pushed in and what rights are afforded to us Tusker, Morgan brought it to a wheelchair by her husband. “I at the end of our lives. It was the producer Tristan Goligher, a found out subsequently she had meshing of those two things that well-established producer with young-onset dementia,” Macqueen really was the seed from which The Bureau with whom she had recalls. “I realised I had been Supernova grew.” collaborated over the years, and watching her life unravel because Producer Emily Morgan had whose experience working with of this condition for the best part first met Macqueen when she directors such as Andrew Haigh of a year, although I didn’t know was working in-house at Soda seemed to lend itself naturally to what it was.” Pictures, the distributor that the environment she wanted to create for Macqueen. DEVELOPING THE SCRIPT

“The film simply couldn’t have to learn about the medical and a young-onset type of dementia happened without Emily and biological intricacies of the many where people experience a Tristan,” Macqueen says. “It’s kinds of dementia. He was also progressive decline in vision and/ their film as much as mine, and afforded an opportunity to spend or literacy skills, but often preserve we worked really well together time with people dealing with their memory in early stages. as a team. The level of trust and dementia, as well as those who had Outwardly, Tusker’s life seems openness about the project was lost loved ones to the condition. “It pretty normal most of the time, key to making it what it was. Their became one of the most inspiring but inwardly he’s being slowly knowledge of how to navigate and life-changing experiences I’ve and absolutely unravelled by his everything – from development to ever had,” Macqueen says. condition.” funding to organising the shoot itself – is the single reason the film He was especially surprised This level of specificity was one exists at all.” to learn just how widespread felt urgently by Macqueen as he As they started to think about dementia is, and how many came to know more people living how to turn Macqueen’s two- people were willing to share with dementia. “When you’re pager into a viable draft, Morgan their experiences of living with dealing with something so deeply and Macqueen received some it. “Dementia is a very broad, felt, and with a condition that initial funding from the Wellcome umbrella term for a lot of different changes so many people’s lives Trust. “They were a big support conditions,” Macqueen explains. in the way dementia does, it’s a to write a first draft of the script,” “It kills more people in this country moral imperative to do it right,” he Morgan notes. Further funding than anything else; that’s the first insists. “I promised myself that I was provided when Morgan won thing. But also, we know so little would honour the people that had the BFI Vision Award and was about it. And especially when it given me their time by making, afforded the opportunity to launch comes to young-onset dementias, hopefully, the most authentic story her own production company, there’s a lot we don’t know. We are I could.” Quiddity Films, and develop a learning new things about these slate of productions. conditions on a monthly basis.” Goligher believes Macqueen captured Sam and Tusker’s fight The Wellcome Trust, a charity He also came to understand that with dementia from the first dedicated to supporting science the perception of dementia, as draft onwards. “There was a real and research in the fields of being a condition characterised emotional intelligence and subtlety biomedical research and medical solely by memory loss, was to the script,” he recalls. “It was humanities, offered Macqueen inaccurate. “Ultimately, if you dealing with a really pertinent guidance as he learned more have any type of dementia, at any issue in a way that was full of the about the effect of a young-onset age, it will eventually end up with passion with which Harry came to dementia diagnosis. For several Alzheimer’s, which involves total understand these subjects.” years the organisation has invested memory loss, but actually a lot of money and knowledge into the different types of dementia For Morgan, the project took on developing film and television have nothing to do with memory added personal resonance when projects, and the doors it opened for a long time.” her mother – a GP who she had up proved extremely fruitful as the consulted in the earliest days of story took shape. Through this process, Macqueen development for her experience zeroed in on the exact condition with dementia patients – was Through the Wellcome Trust, Tusker would be experiencing, herself diagnosed with brain Macqueen visited the Dementia and where we would meet him on cancer. “She was giving advice Research Centre at University his journey. “He has what’s called at the beginning of the project College London and worked with Posterior Cortical Atrophy, or and then she developed similar Dr. Sebastian Crutch and his team PCA,” Macqueen says. “That’s symptoms herself,” Morgan relates. DEVELOPING THE SCRIPT DEVELOPING THE SCRIPT

“It became very emotional at points it became undeniable. Indeed, would make Supernova’s journey because I was experiencing it dementia does not discriminate, applicable not just to any of us that first-hand, and there were times and though cinema has a long has ever felt any kind of love – be when I was feeding back to Harry and rich history of gay storytelling it romantic or familial – but to any with things I was drawing directly that directly examines sexuality, of us that has experienced any kind from what I’d experienced the day Macqueen saw an opportunity of loss. The juxtaposition between before, as I was spending time with Supernova to reflect a shared these grand, existential themes and with my mum during her final experience through the lens of a the small, intimate relationship at year.” committed, long-term relationship the film’s heart was always central between two men. “This is a to the filmmaker’s mission. She adds: “It was hard, but it is story about the universality of also so amazing to have made this love,” he reflects. “To frame the “Dementia is a specific focus film as a testament to her. The experience that the characters are for the film, but what we’re also intensity of the feeling between going through in the context of a dealing with is the universal Sam and Tusker embodied the same-sex relationship, and for that experience,” Macqueen says. “I spirit of our relationship too, sexuality to be ultimately irrelevant think ultimately what I wanted to where you’re closer and you’re to the story they were facing, did talk about is how with love, trust laughing together more than feel like an important thing to do. and compassion, it’s possible to you’ve ever laughed and feeling I wanted to normalize what is, of make this difficult stage of life more love for each other. There’s course, a very natural and normal empowering and life-affirming, not a majesty in that, but at the thing, because I don’t think it’s only for the person that’s dying, but same time the bigger picture is done enough in cinema.”Adds for the people around them.” completely tragic and the worst Stanley Tucci, who would be thing you’ve ever gone through. cast to play Tusker in the film: “The older I get, the more I feel I think that’s why the film means “It’s about two people who love that the specific and the universal so much to me. It captures that each other, and they happen to be are connected,” notes Colin exactly.” gay. You could easily swap it out Firth, who would be cast as Sam. for a heterosexual couple, and it “Looking at big themes as big Sam and Tusker, the characters at wouldn’t matter. But equally, the themes just always feels like it gets the heart of Supernova, emerged fact it’s a gay couple adds a whole you nowhere, if that’s all you’re from the knowledge Macqueen other element to it that I think is doing. Equally, everyday realities, gained through research, and really important for audiences to if you’re attempting to detach them they were informed by the people see. from anything wider, then it’s a he met, but he was keen not to dead end as well. But I think if directly base their journey on any of Tucci continues: “This whole you’re trying to make something the stories he heard. “Subliminally, notion that homosexuality is other, that has a universal resonance, the you’re always drawing from your I don’t know who came up with way in is through the very personal own experiences, but I really try that, but it’s certainly lasted a long and the very specific, and this film hard not to write characters based time, that idea. How could we is a study in that.” on anyone that I know, because I ever think that love between two think if you do that the characters gay people is different than love Tucci recalls a line from one of have the ability to exist on their between two straight people? his favourite movies, Bertrand own, as unique, fully-formed Love is love. That’s it. There’s Tavernier’s 1984 film A Sunday in entities,” he explains. nothing more to discuss.” the Country, in which a voiceover says, “All sorrows are alike.” “I The notion of following a gay Ultimately, what Macqueen came always thought about that line, couple struck Macqueen early to realise was that the specific and and it’s true,” he says. Tucci on, and once the decision arrived, universal could collide in ways that accompanied his first wife during DEVELOPING THE SCRIPT

her battle with breast cancer and Sending Sam and Tusker on In fact, it took him two years he related to the pain of losing a road trip through the Lake during the development process someone you love so dearly. “The District struck Macqueen not to understand the history of Sam loss of my wife, the stuff that Colin only as a cinematically interesting and Tusker’s relationship before has gone through, it’s all the same way to tell this story, but as an the events of the film. But as a in a way. It means so much when engine to present a journey, both consequence of this diligence, he you love somebody, and really this literal and metaphorical. “They’re found the two characters came is a movie that’s about love and loss on a big, emotional journey, and readily to life as he told the story of and how we deal with it.” it seemed appropriate, then, to their time on the road. “We didn’t mirror that with a literal journey,” want to show too much of the Indeed, the intertwined nature of he explains. “I was really interested backstory, and their history as a these two aspects is reflected in the in road movies anyway, and in couple can really only be reflected film’s title, Supernova, which refers slightly perverting that genre. But through the live emotional directly to Tusker’s interest in the it felt interesting to tell what is, connection that the actors have night sky, but also to the context of essentially, a domestic drama in on screen,” Macqueen says. this intimate story in the vast space slightly more unique way.” “Certainly, with a project like this, of the universe. which by definition is very intimate He continues: “We don’t see and exists purely on the fragility of “A supernova is the massive them at home. We don’t really the two men and the relationship explosive event at the end of know much about their lives at at its heart, you can then sit these the evolution of a star,” says all. There’s a kind of propulsion characters somewhere and simply Macqueen. “For me this has that being on the road gives you; let stuff happen. It’s a very freeing always been representative of a mechanism, with cogs turning. process when you get it right, and Tusker himself – a man who As a way of framing the film, it it certainly felt, as we were making shines bright in all he does, brings seemed like an effortless way to the film, like we were.” light and laughter to almost every take these characters from A to situation and is, of course, dying. B, and through it, you’re afforded “That balance is something you’re It’s quite literal in that regard, the possibility to bring in all of always working towards,” notes really; he knows his final chapter is this incredible scenery and the Goligher of the film’s sparing just around the corner.” beautiful natural world, which is approach to details about Sam very important when you’re talking and Tusker’s history together. “I He adds: “Cinematically, I am about the big questions of life.” don’t think it was something that interested in the micro versus the was ever explicitly discussed, but macro. Just as the van is a small Macqueen worked tirelessly to you always want to believe that the travelling dot in this enormous build a life for Sam and Tusker characters you’re watching existed Lake District landscape, so – the details of their relationship, before the first frame of the story their relationship is a tiny part of their history together, their world you’re watching. I think if you do the fabric of this unfathomably at home – knowing that his film all the kind of work that ensures huge universe. It is of course an would ultimately cover a very a sense of a life lived, it makes the intimate, microcosmic, human fractional part of their lives and characters very accessible and story told at ground level, but the stop short of delving into this relatable because they feel real.” scope of its emotional core and added detail. “If you want to the questions it is asking us about present characters with a history While the idea of sending the living, dying and loving, transcend that is lived, you have to take a characters on a road trip was this I think.” lot of time to develop that history there from the earliest stages of when you’re in the process of development, the notion of that creation,” he says. journey leading Sam and Tusker to a concert performance by Sam DEVELOPING THE SCRIPT

at the film’s climax was a “beautiful determined not to let it show. while still acknowledging the revelation” of Macqueen’s, Morgan “The film is, in many ways, about reality many face when confronted remembers. “It suddenly gave a secrets and the unsaid,” Macqueen with a condition that threatens great structure and an aim to this reflects. “One of the things we to rob an individual of their journey so that they weren’t just worked very hard to do was to autonomy. going on a holiday,” she says. “The choose the right moments to allow momentum towards the concert, the audience into the mechanisms “I’m not interested in making films and the added layer of that, I of each of the characters that overtly tell you what to think. remember feeling like the draft specifically. One of cinema’s trump I think that’s up to an audience to took a ginormous leap forward.” cards is that it can really focus on decide,” Macqueen insists. “But the unsaid, and that’s something really, the idea was to set up the In addition to the scenes Sam we wanted to lean on right from fact that these are two people on and Tusker share together, which the start.” a precipice, and this is the thing form the majority of the piece, that’s pulling them apart. There Macqueen also wanted to explore Macqueen was also keen to are no ends tied up in the film, private moments for each of the explore end-of-life decisions and it doesn’t become one thing men that would examine the toll frequently faced by people coping or another. But hopefully we Tusker’s diagnosis was having on with a potentially ruinous and allow people to think more about each of them. Tusker frequently terminal diagnosis. With a topic so how we treat one another, and feels like a burden to his beloved shrouded in controversy, he was how difficult it is to be put in this Sam, who is simultaneously determined to use a light touch, position.” DEVELOPING THE SCRIPT SUPERNOVA

Casting Supernova

Finding the right actors to “It was always going to be the known, but she also has a very play Sam and Tusker would be case that, if possible, we’d find interesting take on what they may amongst the greatest challenges two actors that knew each other, bring to the screen, and will think in the development of Supernova. because it’s a very intimate film out of the box,” notes Goligher. Over two years of development and it’s pretty much just the two “Now when you see the film, it with Morgan and Goligher, of them for most of it,” notes seems very obvious that Colin Macqueen worked to hone the Macqueen. “You almost can’t buy Firth and Stanley Tucci should script in order that it might appeal that chemistry sometimes.” play these roles, but actually I to actors of a suitably high calibre Macqueen didn’t write the film don’t think it is the most obvious to engage with its big themes with actors in mind. “It really was casting. It was that conversation and nuanced details. Macqueen an open book as to who played with Shaheen and Harry, and just was not only aware that it would these parts,” he says. With casting conjuring in your mind what the require actors with the innate director Shaheen Baig, the film would be with different actors, ability to telegraph a living, director talked about a number of that led us to our initial approach breathing relationship for which potential actors. to Stanley.” much of the detail is left in these characters’ pasts before the events “One of the things that is so of the film, but there was a sense brilliant about Shaheen is that, very early on that it would be ideal not only does she have this to find actors with a pre-existing extraordinary knowledge of actors, friendship. both well-known and lesser- CASTING SUPERNOVA

Indeed, the initial spark that led The actor then watched to Tucci was when Macqueen, Macqueen’s previous film, Baig and the producers discussed Hinterland, in which Macqueen the notion of making one of the also starred. “He made it for couple American, and what that something like £10,000 on an might do to the dynamic of their iPhone or whatever,” Tucci jokes. relationship. “The fact that one “But it was so beautiful; just of them was American became a beautiful. I thought, Here’s a really strategic way of not making wonderful filmmaker.” the project feel too British. We liked the idea of Tucci, an independent filmmaker coming at it slightly from left himself with a number of highly field, so that there was an edge regarded directorial projects under and originality to the pairing.” his belt, recognised the potential Notes Morgan. It was Baig who for a deep collaboration with first came up with the notion of Macqueen, as well as with the approaching Tucci. “He has that actor opposite him. “Projects like edge of being American, but at the this are very hard to find, where same time he’s so embedded in the you want to invest yourself in them UK,” adds Morgan. “He was an and help bring them to fruition,” ideal choice.” he says. “And if they thought attaching me would help them do For his part, Tucci was floored by that, then all right.” the script he received. He responded especially to the economy of detail with which Macqueen drew Sam and Tusker’s “ I thought it was so history. “Even though all of the details of the relationship aren’t beautifully written...” on the page, you don’t need them,” says Tucci. “I didn’t need them as he recalls. “It was at once real and an actor, because they are there poetic and there was no fat on it. It even if they’re not there. They’re was incredibly pure. You felt that between the lines. I was with my these were two people who had first wife for 18 years before she been together a very long time, passed away. She struggled with and there was no imposition of cancer for four years, and then exposition in that; it just sort of she passed. And when you’re unfolds and you figure it out. But with someone for that long, and the key thing is the connection you know them so well, and then between the two characters, someone writes something like because if that feels real, you’ll go this, you don’t need to know anywhere with them. And it was anything else.” truly a character-driven piece.” Indeed, he adds, “If all the details were in there, I wouldn’t have done the film – or I would have made Harry cut them.” CASTING SUPERNOVA

It was during Tucci’s first meeting individuals and as a couple,” Firth find these two people had even with Macqueen that the subject of notes. “But I was also sceptical as more resonance and appeal than it who would play the other side of to whether anybody other than might have done otherwise.” the relationship was first broached. Stanley would be interested in me “We got on famously,” Macqueen for it. The next step was to meet Indeed, both actors found that remembers, “and during my Harry, and fortunately, Harry put their shared history led to depth meeting with him, he said, ‘Can on a perfectly good show of saying, in Sam and Tusker’s relationship we talk about who plays opposite ‘Yes, you are welcome to join.’” that would have been much harder me? Have you thought about to fake. “You can be comfortable Colin Firth? Because I could get Firth and Tucci have known one with one another,” Tucci reflects the script to him.’ Of course, I said, another for 20 years, and their of working alongside Firth. “You ‘That would be amazing, thanks friendship dates back to a shared can improvise with one another; very much.’ And Stanley said, filming experience in London you can make jokes. There’s no ‘Good, because I gave it to him on the 2001 movie Conspiracy. getting-to-know-you before you yesterday, and he read it and loves “It’s obvious from the moment have to know the person really well it and he wants to meet you.’” you spend time with them that on screen. He’s my best friend, and they have a deep affection for one we know everything about each “I always wanted to do something another,” says Macqueen. “They’re other. If you just take that history again with Colin,” says Tucci. trusting and generous with one and place it in front of the camera, “I’d asked him to do some of my another, and that’s what we that’s half the job. When you add movies, and he always turned me needed the characters to be.” a beautiful script, it’s like you don’t down, but I always wanted to have to do anything at all.” work with him again. When I read He continues: “Their relationship this, I just thought, Oh, I know the outside of the film is what makes Firth also notes how excited he perfect person…” the film, I think. They are the best was to find the collaboration with of mates, and they love each other Macqueen from the moment of Firth confirms Macqueen’s version deeply. That kind of intimacy, their first meeting. “I was taken of events, and the illicit way in and the beautiful chemistry at the with his sincerity, his passion,” which the script first arrived from heart of the film, was really the Firth says. “He was so invested in Tucci. “He slipped it to me in a most important thing, and it was it, so thoughtful about the story brown envelope,” Firth laughs. the only thing we didn’t have to he wanted to tell and why. It had “And it just had Stanley all over it work on.” a personal resonance for me in all as I was reading it. It didn’t come sorts of ways, but I think Harry’s through an intermediary. It didn’t “We’ve been friends a really long seriousness about it all was just come through an agent. It didn’t time,” confirms Tucci. “It’s just one another reason to want to be have details of the production of those friendships where, even if involved.” company, or any kind of proposal you go for a while without seeing attached. A friend shared it with each other, the next time you do, it Before Firth was cast as Sam, me, and there was never a time in feels like no time has passed at all.” and Tucci as Tusker, the actors which it wasn’t associated with debated which of the two roles Stanley for me.” “If you’ve known someone for each of them should play. Indeed, 20 years, you will have seen each in the original configuration, Tucci As he read the script, he other through all sorts of ups and was to play Sam to Firth’s Tusker. found himself having the same downs,” agrees Firth. “It had an “They read for both, which is emotional reaction as Tucci. “I added texture to it, and I suppose quite extraordinary,” remembers was completely enthralled by a personal element, because I knew Macqueen. “We swapped and this relationship, and I fell in love Stanley so well. This interesting, changed the script over a day with both of these characters as microcosmic world in which we together, and then came to a CASTING SUPERNOVA

conclusion about the way to go. In contrast to his co-star’s desire to had a big lecture with Sebastian You don’t usually get that level of trim as much of the detail of Sam Crutch and his team speaking trust and input from people at so and Tusker’s relationship from to both Stanley and Colin about early a stage.” the storytelling of the film, Firth not only how this particular kind admits he was concerned about of dementia would affect Tusker “I didn’t know when I first read the being too spare with the details. physically and mentally, but also script who was intended to play “There were definitely questions how it affects the home, and how it whom,” Firth explains. “Stanley about how much of their past we affects love and relationships. And told me he had the impression he needed to bring into the story,” how you deal with that on a very had been asked to play Sam, and it he recalls. “But when something basic, day-to-day level.” became clear, meeting Harry, that is structured this carefully, it’s was the intention. I didn’t question rather like the construction of a Firth quotes a passage from it to begin with, because I was just crystal and you can corrupt it very, Christine Bryden, whose books smitten with both characters.” very easily. I think what we found have focussed on her own fight is that any time we prodded at with dementia. “She described it as As he read and re-read the script, something and said, ‘Maybe we a journey away from the complex however, Firth began to wonder, should bring this into it,’ it seemed cognitive outer layer that once and it was his suggestion, initially, to intrude. It seemed to spoil the defined them, through the jumble that they should try flipping the ecosystem somehow.” and tangle of emotions created roles. Though it turned out Tucci through their life experiences, had been having similar thoughts. It speaks, too, to the contrast in to the centre of their being,” he “We each read each role for Harry, approaches between Firth and says. “That really resonated with and we knew instantly that this Tucci, which in its own way the way the film portrays the was how it was supposed to be,” reflects on the differences between relationship with the condition Tucci says. “I don’t know why; it Sam and Tusker. “Stanley is far and with each other. It’s now just just sat better this way.” more of a man who takes the leap the two of them trying to reach than I am,” Firth laughs. “I’m each other and wrestle with the Jokes Firth: “When I saw Stanley more of a questioner. He had his questions of cognition and choice, read for Tusker, I thought he was questions too, but they were often because that’s one of the harshest so right for that role and no one different from mine. And it’s a things about this, is feeling choice could play it better. The trouble mark of how well Harry handled has been taken away.” is, that’s what I thought when that balance that, as I watched he played Sam as well. I thought the film for the first time, a rather Tucci finds it challenging to detail maybe I should just go home.” magical feeling came very early on, the steps he took to understand that the film had heart and that the Tusker’s condition, so subtle He agrees there’s no exact tone was alive and authentic. It felt are the outward signs of the science to explain why the final like everything was in its place.” particular kind of dementia Tusker configuration is the one that stuck. is faced with. “I watched a lot of “You’re challenged with the task of Both actors were heavily involved documentaries about people with doing justice to a character, and it in the preparation process. With this condition, and it’s very hard to may sound a little highfalutin, but I casting set, Macqueen tweaked watch,” he says. “You feel so badly feel there’s something quite sacred the script to better suit the final for them and their families, and about that. In the end, I suppose configuration, adding elements of also you fear something like this it just found itself. There was a Tucci’s American background, and happening to you. But once you particular reading where I could Firth and Tucci both accompanied see the behaviour, you know what feel the room saying, ‘This is the Macqueen on his visits to Dr. you have to do. I don’t know how right way around.’” Crutch at UCL. “We visited the to describe it, but when you watch people I collaborated with, and we the people in these documentaries, CASTING SUPERNOVA

one minute they’re there and the to find. Stanley is playing a man deep, raw truth, that it felt like a next they’re not there.” that wants to be well; a man who perfect setup for this character.” wants to be in control. He’s not Tucci, Macqueen says, brings an playing a man in despair; in pain. “Working with Colin is such a openness and a gregariousness There’s no element of self-pity in joy,” Tucci says. “First of all, he’s to Tusker that was essential to his performance.” my dear friend. But second of all, offering some levity from the heavy I’m a huge admirer of his and it’s subject matter. “Here you’ve got a Indeed, Firth sees Sam as the self- nice to work with someone whose dying man who is still keenly aware pitying character of the piece. “It’s acting you love to watch. He has of the fun of life,” the director ironic, because it’s not happening a subtlety that a lot of actors don’t reflects. “Stan just does that so to Sam,” he continues. “Sam has have. He doesn’t play into things, naturally that we knew that was to be relieved of his self-pity by he plays against things, and he has going to be a fun aspect of him Tusker, the man who’s truly having it all there in his eyes and in his playing the part. But he also has to deal with this. I think that plays face. He has all that, plus he has the ability to commit to the darker, as part of the dynamic. It was a a great sense of humour, and you tougher and more serious stuff. very interesting question to ask: can’t be a good actor if you don’t It’s the kind of material he does who’s the carer? Who’s caring for have a sense of humour.” so well, and with an incredible whom?” “To have these two men play level of detail. His ability to do these two roles will probably both of these things made him an For Macqueen, Colin Firth’s forever be one of the most incredibly exciting choice for the emotional clarity and depth is humbling experiences I’ll have as role of Tusker.” what made him the right choice to a director,” Macqueen reflects of play Sam. “Every role he inhabits, his collaboration with Firth and “It was crucial,” to inject those Colin is so steeped in compassion Tucci. “From the first morning moments of levity into the film, and empathy,” says the director. we turned over on the film, it was Tucci notes. “I almost wanted “What Sam really is, is that. He’s very obvious to everyone that we’d there to be more of them, but that’s a person being asked to make a made the right choice, and that probably just because so much is huge sacrifice for the person he these guys were going to take my uncomfortable. We played around loves, and I think there’s so much script and run with it. It was a with that stuff, Colin and I.” humanity in Colin’s work, no unique experience, working with matter what he’s playing, and a them.” He laughs: “I had no problem just destroying Harry’s script and making things up!”

“Stanley’s not only versatile in terms of roles, but versatile in terms of style and genre,” Firth notes of his friend. “He exudes intelligence and thoughtfulness, and he has a fragility about him. I think that had a particularly powerful effect on me as we were playing this. What struck me is that he wasn’t playing Tusker’s problems. I think that’s always the right choice for an actor. You play the solutions that you’re trying CASTING SUPERNOVA SUPERNOVA

Shooting in the Lake District

The entire company was based same frequency. We saw nobody When it comes to cinematic on location for the duration of but each other for six weeks. Stan photography of Britain’s Supernova’s shoot, in and around and I were joined at the hip.” varied beauty, there can be few the town of Keswick in the Lake cinematographers more adept at District, and Tucci notes the Firth and Tucci stayed in lodges their craft than Dick Pope, a two- added camaraderie he found from adjacent to one another and would time Academy Award nominee the shared experience. “I’d never frequently socialise after a day’s who brings to Supernova some five been up to the Lake District shooting. “Stan is a brilliant and decades of craft. As it turned out, before, and I have to say I was in enthusiastic cook,” Firth notes. Pope and Macqueen had worked awe,” he marvels. “We all stayed in “I am quite an enthusiastic but together once before, when these holiday homes on this little much less brilliant cook. It was Macqueen was cast as an actor in river, and even though it rained dinner at his place pretty much Richard Linklater’s film, Me and every day and kept getting colder every night. We would debrief and Orson Welles, which Pope shot. and colder, to the point that it then reconvene in the morning. started to snow towards the end, I really do think it had an effect, I didn’t mind it because I loved because I think when you’re away being there.” on location, that’s your family for a period of time. We all felt we were “There’s a particular vibe to the working towards the same thing. Lake District that we all felt,” Firth It didn’t feel like a day at the office.” adds. “We were all tuned to the SHOOTING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

“There’s a particular vibe to the Lake District that we all felt. We were all tuned to the same frequency. We saw nobody but each other for six weeks. Stan and I were joined at the hip.”

– Colin Firth SHOOTING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT SHOOTING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

“Working with Dick was just an After signing up, Pope met light on the actors’ faces, whether incredible honour,” Macqueen with Macqueen and production it’s a day shot or a night shot.” says. “Not only is Dick the most designer Sarah Finlay to take a phenomenal cinematographer in look at the camper van Finlay After a brief discussion about a technical sense, but he is also had found. With a viewfinder whether to shoot Supernova on just one of the most intuitive handy, Pope and Macqueen Super 16 film cameras, Pope and people emotionally. His ability discussed angles and an approach Macqueen eventually made the to capture a performance in its to shooting the film. They next decision to shoot digitally, with the truest and most uninhabited took a road trip of their own in ALEXA Mini system Pope has form, is something that he has Pope’s car, travelling through the extensive experience working with. demonstrated for decades, not Lake District to look at locations least with his work with Mike and discuss how they wanted to Pope made the decision, too, Leigh. It was incredible to have collaborate. “We didn’t stop talking to shoot the film with the same that level of experience and level for four hours,” Pope recalls with vintage Cooke Speed Panchro of genius on board.” a chuckle. “It was a really long lenses from the 1950s with which journey, and I got so distracted on he had shot Mike Leigh’s Mr. Pope responded instantly to the motorway that I sped a bit and Turner and Edward Norton’s Macqueen’s script, always the got points on my license. By the Motherless Brooklyn, as a way, first test of whether he wants to end of the day we were in a pub he says, of “fighting” the modern, sign onto a project. “Unless I’m restaurant having a meal together, digital aesthetic. “They’re flawed working with someone like Mike and we’d been talking the entire lenses with focus aberrations, Leigh and there is no script,” afternoon.” and they fall off to the side,” Pope Pope laughs. “With Supernova, I explains.“They vignette and they’re reckon I only read about a third It was on this journey that, says not clean and modern-looking. But of it before I decided that I really Macqueen, his ideas for the film they suited these actors’ faces, and wanted to do the film. It was crystalised. “He really made me they suited the intimacy and the utterly compelling and just such a realise what the film could be,” the close distance in which we shot.” great read. You’re just looking for director recalls of his conversations that spark, and this script had it. It with Pope. “Not only in terms Macqueen felt that Pope’s choice lit up on the page.” of how we would shoot it, but of these lenses added a classical how important our collaboration sense that eschewed any notion Pope says Macqueen’s intimacy together was going to be.” that the film was shot digitally. “It and command of the dialogue added a slightly timeless, filmic between Sam and Tusker For his part, Pope says seeking a aesthetic,” he says. compares with the kind of deep collaboration with a director storytelling that has kept him is his only interest in coming to “We knew right from the off that collaborating with Leigh for work. “I liked working with Harry despite these beautiful landscapes, so many years. “A lot of Mike’s so much, and we really hit it off, ultimately the film was going to films are like that, where they so if he was ever to ask me to do be around portraiture, and about cut through everything else and another film with him, I’d jump capturing skin tones as naturally get straight to the essence of a at it. I’d do anything to work with as possible; framing these two relationship,” he explains. “I loved him again, because it was such a human faces in the right way. Our the idea of these two trapped with wonderful experience for me.” choices in how to shoot the film each other in the intimacy of the were always bound up with this van, and I thought it would be Pope calls his lighting choices intimacy in mind.” a fabulous challenge to convey for the film “heightened realism. Harry’s script with my experience You’re using the light in a stylised of shooting in that kind of intimate way, playing them to get the best setting.” SHOOTING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

“We knew right from the off that despite these beautiful landscapes, ultimately the film was going to be around portraiture, and about capturing skin tones as naturally as possible; framing these two human faces in the right way. Our choices in how to shoot the film were always bound up with this intimacy in mind.”

– Dick Pope SHOOTING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

“I’m really glad we went digital weeks. I’d never seen rain like it.” to capture during a high point in in the end,” Pope says, noting “It was an almighty nightmare the weather was a sequence by that the new digital systems filming in the Lake District,” a lake, on the first night of their offer much broader flexibility laughs Goligher. “I actually found journey. The production pored particularly when it comes to it surprisingly difficult at times, over weather forecasts, waiting for low-light shooting. “There were given the terrain and the size of an opportunity and rearranged the various scenes we shot outside, the roads. British country roads schedule when they found one. or in moonlight, where it helped do not lend themselves to moving to have the ALEXA. I think how a film unit around, and though we “It was the triumph of the film in you go about it is what makes it were relatively small, we weren’t a way,” Pope marvels at the shots cinematic, and I think I’ve found that small. We had vehicles sliding they were able to get when the a way that works to eliminate that off roads and getting stuck in mud, forecast proved to be accurate. digital feel.” and we had to build special track “It had been raining so hard and to get the equipment out to some so constantly, and yet this one “It’s a classic way of filmmaking,” of the locations.” morning – and we were up there notes Tucci. “There aren’t huge really early to capture it – the amounts of words at times, and The unit stayed nimble, ready to weather was glorious, absolutely Harry uses images and faces to emerge from cover set any time glorious. I’d never seen the fuss tell the story. It’s very Bergman- there was a break in the weather, about the Lake District until the esque at times. There’s a depth; a in order to achieve the shots revelation of seeing this camper gravitas to how it’s shot, and the Macqueen and the crew were going down to the lakeside on this story doesn’t pull any punches.” seeking. For Pope, one of the most joyous autumnal morning.” significant moments he wanted As much as Macqueen, Pope and the crew battled the elements, determined as best they could to shoot the film chronologically in order to afford the actors further latitude to dig into the journey of their characters’ relationship, the director says the shoot was a pleasant experience. “It was quite incredible given some of the conditions we were working in, but everyone was on great form,” he says. “Shooting a road movie is difficult to begin with, in terms of the access you have, where you can put a camera, where you can’t, and how you deal with public roads.”

Indeed, the production had little control over the elements throughout production. “We had very nice weather the first day we were up there,” notes Pope. “Then on the second morning it rained, and it rained non-stop for six SUPERNOVA

Detailing the World

“People often talk about the collaborated on films for director dusty corners, it might be more triangle of DP, director and Andrew Haigh. And as she read inviting to an audience than the production designer, and it the script, she says, she knew right beautiful scenery of the lakes. really is crucial to get that right,” away what it would look like. “So says Harry Macqueen by way much is set outside, and everything “The van is the only literal, physical of introduction to production is echoed within the script. The window we give to the audience designer Sarah Finlay. “We scenes under the night sky, gazing into the characters’ lives, out worked incredibly hard, the three at stars, echo the insignificance of the framework of the story of us, as a team to get the look of of the human race in the greater itself,” says Macqueen. “It was the film right.” scheme of things, but you’ve really important to make the van also got these intimate moments effortlessly evocative of their world Finlay responded instantly to between two characters. Expanses as a couple, and Sarah achieved Macqueen’s script. “There were and small, intimate spaces.” this quite extraordinary feat of quite a few tears,” she chuckles. “I doing that. The van itself, along cried, I think, on every reading. It’s For all the beauty of the Lake with all the other locations, are beautifully understated, but very District setting of Supernova, so detailed, textured and layered powerful. I think everyone will really the bulk of the story takes with history, and therefore with have some sort of connection with place in an old camper van that meaning. But the van especially – it in one way or another.” belongs to Sam and Tusker. It is every inch of it – was drenched in the warm cocoon from which are these characters’ pasts.” She was led to the project by afforded a look into the world of Goligher, with whom she’d this relationship, and despite its DETAILING THE WORLD

Tucci was particularly enamoured scenes. Finlay laid vinyl panels Due to the agile nature of the with the way Supernova contrasts to make the woodwork darker, production, which moved location the stark beauty of the Lake and changed all of the upholstery, frequently and was shot largely District with the idiosyncratic removing certain sections to open chronologically, there was no warmth inside the van. “You have the space up. avenue to dismantle the van in this magnificent visual scope, and order to offer increased options then you’re reduced down to this She collaborated with Dick Pope for camera placement. Frequently, tiny little box of a thing,” he notes. and his team too, building in Firth, Tucci and a small camera “Each aspect makes the other more lighting that would work for the unit would be the only inhabitants important.” different moods the film traverses. of the van as scenes were shot. “We “We had intimate areas with were limited to those confines, “When the brief for a film calls intimate lighting,” Pope notes. but that really enhanced the for it to be mainly set in a camper “Not just practical lights, but small naturalistic element of being inside van, you’re a bit limited as to what unit lamps; the tiniest lamps and a that van,” Macqueen relates. “It’s a that means,” laughs Finlay. “Harry variety of small fixtures.” key character in the film, filled with and I went and looked at a lot of memories and visual markers, but camper vans, and then I looked Finlay and her set decorator, also dents and scrapes and mud, at a lot more, but they’re pretty Cathy Featherstone, then set and evidence of their use of it.” formulaic in their layout. Finding about finding items of decoration one with the space that was open that could give a sense of the lives The production was based in a enough to get a camera in led of its occupants. “We tried to find disused pencil factory in Keswick, things more than anything else, things that were old enough that Cumbria, and it was Pope’s idea really, because we also didn’t want they’d have a life of their own,” to turn the warehouse space there it to be enormous; it had to be able Finlay explains. “Every item that into a makeshift soundstage, onto to get down those smaller lanes went into the camper van had a which the camper van could be and not be prohibited by its size. story behind it, and a feeling that it driven to accomplish interior How it worked practically was had been used and was important. scenes in a consistent environment. the most important thing.” Everything was in the small As the rain continued to fall during details.” an especially wet Lake District Finlay and Macqueen settled on autumn, it proved a wise decision, a Fiat Autotrail Cheyenne, which These details gave the actors all allowing the production ample the production designer set about they needed to know. “It was lived weather coverage, and giving the personalising to Sam and Tusker’s in,” Tucci says. “I liked that it was actors a comfortable environment lives. “It was important it reflected older and kind of crappy and loud. in which to work. them, but wasn’t over the top, Colin and I, we came of age in because you didn’t want to turn the late 70s, and I loved that the It was a tight squeeze just to get them into hoarders,” she says. “It van had this slightly retro, hippie the van through the doors. “We was going to be clean and reflect aesthetic about it.” had to let the air out of the tyres, them, but not be overtly dressed.” and we wheeled it in with just “Sarah’s sets created an about a quarter-inch of clearance,” For practical reasons, and so that atmosphere which I think gave Pope recalls. “But on the stage, I Macqueen could accomplish shots a coherence to it all,” says Firth. was able to install lighting units of the actors in different spaces “With good production design, all over the place, and we always within the van, the need for a van you walk into a room and know, had it for when we got rained out. with no partitions was paramount. ‘This is the tone. This is the Lights would be there, pre-set, and So too the need for the front seats world we’re in.’ You don’t need we could crack on with our interior to swivel, so that they could be an awful lot of talk after that; scenes.” spun around for interior dialogue you can feel it.” DETAILING THE WORLD

“Every item that went into the camper van had a story behind it, and a feeling that it had been used and was important. Everything was in the small details.”

– Sarah Finlay DETAILING THE WORLD

The consistency also meant that in every detail to make it lived in. exactly what it was,” he laughs. more complicated shots could be “You’d be amazed at the amount “We were in shrouded, cloudy accomplished without the need to of stuff you have to bring into a conditions and that was exactly dismantle the van. “We could be room to get that feeling,” she says. what we needed.” looking down from the skylight in “You walk into anybody’s house the roof, straight down onto them and just the piles of random stuff Both of the actors felt the in the bed,” notes Pope. “I was are extraordinary. On a film, you weight of the world Finlay had able to get all these angles without have to collect it all, or it won’t constructed in this cottage, noting cutting the camper van in two, read right. They’re the things most the Bergman-like starkness of the but we could pop the windows off people wouldn’t even consider to isolated house. “It felt incredibly to stick the camera in and find all be part of a set, but it’s all detail appropriate for what we were these extra angles to create the feel you’d miss if it wasn’t there. shooting,” Tucci says. “I loved we were going for.” the way Harry shot the scene in There was a similar transformation which we arrive at the house, after Shooting the van interior in the for the cottage at Supernova’s I go in with the real estate agent, studio also meant the production climax, though it was contrasted and Colin’s at the window as I could take a breath, allowing against Sam’s family home by, in play the piano to see whether it’s scenes to come together at a pace Finlay’s words, a “cold and clinical” in tune. Harry said, ‘I’m going that would be conducive to giving sensibility. “We haven’t quite gone to shoot it in one shot,’ and as he the actors the opportunity to dig to extreme degrees, but it’s not described it, I said, ‘Well, nothing into their moments together. “It as personable, and the colour has makes me happier than that.’ It’s was brilliant that, for some of the been sucked out of it. It’s as quiet unrelenting. So little is said. It’s a more emotional scenes, we could as the environment in which it’s perfect, perfect scene. You could drive the van into the studio and set, and it was about toning it go in for all the little coverage, not have everybody stuck out in down as best we could, making it but sometimes that robs all the the woods at the mercy of the calmer and more reflective.” tension. I’m a huge believer in weather,” notes Morgan. master shots, and a huge believer For Pope, the weather once again in single takes, where appropriate.” At around the film’s midway proved a reliable collaborator point, Sam and Tusker visit when they shot these scenes. He jokes: “I love that. One, Sam’s childhood home, now Not because the sun was shining because it’s interesting, but two, inhabited by his sister Lilly and her and the ground was dry, but because you don’t have to do any husband. “It’s a joyous section of specifically because it wasn’t. “We coverage, so you get to go home the film, where everyone has come wanted it to be foreboding and early. I said, ‘Perfect, Harry, we’ll together,” Finlay notes. “We did dramatic and brutal and that’s be done at 4, cocktails at 4:30.’” quite a lot in the house to try and make everything inside feel like a big, warm hug. A safe space before the real darkness of the story unfolds. So, it’s a place of respite for them; a place of comfort and familiarity.”

The location they chose was a holiday home in the Lake District, and Finlay and her team transformed the interior, painting walls, laying carpet, and bringing DETAILING THE WORLD SUPERNOVA

Finishing Touches

Macqueen says that the old adage an enormous amount of freedom to With the limited timeframe of the that a film is rewritten three times experiment in a different way than journey, and the narrative beats – on the page, on set and in the you’re afforded freedom in other along the way, the key to finding edit – is true, but he would add parts of the process, and it’s deeply the film’s emotional core was that he felt himself finding the film rewarding to work with someone precision, notes Goligher. “The every day of the process. “You’re like Chris, because he’s so open to arc of their journey has to be very making it constantly,” he reflects. that experimentation.” precise and you have to walk that “Every time you watch it, every line very carefully. You don’t want time you listen to it, it’s slightly Wyatt “immersed himself in to be too cold; you don’t want to reinventing itself in your mind. the material” for a long while be too maudlin. And every version Or at least it should be, I think.” before the editing process began, of the film took a very significant Macqueen says. And pulling the step forward as Harry and Chris The director collaborated with film together was ultimately about found the film.” noted editor Chris Wyatt, whose refining rather than reshaping. credits include God’s Own “There weren’t any big structural Country and This is England, changes in the edit,” says Morgan. to bring the film home. “Chris is “It came down to nuance and quite simply at the pinnacle of hard finding the balance of all the work and skill and dedication,” different elements within this Macqueen says. “Chris found the A-to-B structure. Calibrating each heart of the film, and that’s really scene to find the perfect emotional difficult to do. The edit gives you punch.” FINISHING TOUCHES

With the film assembled, and huge in such an intimate and discussion turned to finding a humble way,” Henson says. “I liked “I like that while the composer who could deliver on the idea of talking about death story plays out, and the Supernova’s themes musically. and loss through the very simple, Many names were kicked around, human days surrounding it.” grand vistas roll but when music supervisor Sarah past us on screen, Bridge suggested Keaton Henson, Henson explains that his the noted musician whose work conversations with Macqueen the string players deals directly with mental health were about “mirroring the film’s breath and fingers and mortality, it was a lightbulb duality of existential themes moment. and humble realities with and seat shuffles are instrumentation.” The score takes present, hopefully “I’ve been a big fan of Keaton a lead in three key moments of for years, and his work had kind transition: the journey to the lake, making it sound of orbited around me for a long to Lilly’s house, and to the cottage, time,” Macqueen says. Not only and each transitional scene takes human. Like friends had a film Macqueen acted in us from one emotional state to with their arms used one of Henson’s tracks for a another. “I hope that they each key sequence, but Henson’s music describe the outer landscapes that around you.” had helped hone an assembly edit we see during these scenes, as well of Macqueen’s first directorial as the more complex internal ones Macqueen reflects on the music feature, Hinterland, even though within the two characters.” Henson contributed to the film: there wasn’t the budget to preserve “What he’s managed to create it for the final cut. “When Sarah With the exception of two pieces within the confines of the film is suggested him, I instantly had of piano music, the score was so beautiful and so painful. It’s a spine-tingling moment and recorded by a 10-piece string awe-inspiring and it’s life-affirming. thought, ‘Okay, if Keaton is up ensemble specifically chosen by It’s also intimate and romantic. It for it, this is going to be a really Henson. “The plan was always was incredible he could channel all interesting collaboration.’” to have hopefully profound and these different elements into our emotionally large themes and score, and we were very privileged Henson’s music is renowned pieces played by a small ensemble, to have him do that.” for its deeply autobiographical recorded close and intimately with sensibility, and its exploration no additional instrumentation It was Henson’s first experience of the kind of themes central to or sound,” Henson notes. He of scoring a motion picture, and Supernova. “The emotional weight worked with Fiona Cruikshank one he says made him very aware of his music is so utterly, totally at The Church recording studio of serving someone other than authentic,” Macqueen notes. “He in London to lay out how the himself. “When I write my own lives and breathes the emotional microphones and players would work, I’m looking for the chords weight of what he’s creating, and be arranged to lend to the sound or words that resonate within me, he really got on board with the he was seeking, which was then and in cases like this I am trying to themes we were exploring from set for the recording of the whole find those that resonate with the the outset.” score. story and add another dimension to a character’s feeling.” He jokes: For his part, Henson related to “The idea was to exist within these “I basically have to rein in my the way Macqueen was telling the limitations, and have something own rampant self-loathing and story. “I was drawn to the simple that sounded intimate and introspection and think about how humanity, and in how it talked familiar,” Henson continues. someone else might feel.” about something so existential FINISHING TOUCHES

Goligher says there was no better Henson did see in the film a sense myself what kind of gesture the composer for the task, despite of optimism to what is, essentially, work represents for the world,” Henson’s limited experience of a tragic journey. “If death does he says. “We tried to present a writing music for film. “We could one thing well, it’s to shine a stark really honest representation of have gone with a film composer spotlight on life, and the love we a situation that many people with a long track record who, on feel for one another, or even just find themselves in. It’s a very paper, was ‘safer’” he notes. “But the beauty of the hills and fields difficult place for people to be, with Keaton, his music has such a around us,” Henson concludes. but sometimes when you’re on the deep well of emotion to it, and we “So, in the same way I hope that precipice of something, you find thought he would bring something the music explores the depth of that love is even more beautiful truly distinctive to the film. I think sadness, in a way that isn’t hard to and transcendent than you ever his work for the film is absolutely look at, and there is an undertone imagined it to be.” remarkable, and it feels rich and of life carrying on around us.” He concludes: “I think if the complex. It’s absolutely perfect for gesture of the film is anything at reflecting what the couple is going Macqueen agrees, and hopes that all, it’s that. It’s about how we can through in the days we’re with for all the darkness and challenge overcome the greatest hurdles by them.” these two characters face in the being compassionate and being film, Supernova is an uplifting truthful with one another. I think experience for audiences. “When I that’s optimistic. I think that’s look at the work I do, I try to ask deeply romantic.” SUPERNOVA

About the Cast

Academy Award-winning actor In 2008, Firth starred in Universal novel. The film garnered three COLIN FIRTH (Sam) is a Pictures’ global smash hit Mamma Academy Award nominations, veteran of film, television and Mia! The film has grossed over including Best Writing, and won theatre with a body of work half a billion dollars around the the 2012 BAFTA Awards for spanning over three decades. He world. He also starred in the Outstanding British Film and has appeared in three films that Universal Pictures/Working Title Best Adapted Screenplay. have won the Academy Award Films hit film series Bridget Jones for Best Picture: The King’s and in the Universal hit Love, In 2013, Firth appeared in The Speech, Shakespeare In Love Actually, written and directed by Railway Man, directed by and The English Patient. Firth’s Richard Curtis. At the time of Jonathan Teplitzky and which also performance as King George VI its release, Love, Actually broke stars Nicole Kidman and Jeremy in The King’s Speech garnered box-office records as the highest Irvine. The film is based on the him an Academy Award as well as grossing British romantic-comedy true story of Eric Lomax, played a Golden Globe Award, Screen opening of all time in the U.K. by Firth, who sets out to find those Actors Guild Award, British and Ireland and was the largest responsible for his torture during Independent Film Award, Critics’ opening in the history of Working his time as a prisoner in World Choice Award and his second Title Films. War II. consecutive BAFTA Award in 2011. Colin also won the BAFTA In 2012, Firth was seen in Tomas In 2014 he starred in Kingsman: Award in 2010 and the Volpi Cup Alfredson’s Tinker Tailor Soldier The Secret Service as a secret for Best Actor at the 2009 Venice Spy, opposite Gary Oldman and agent who recruits and trains an Film Festival for his performance Tom Hardy. The thriller is based unrefined, but promising, street in Tom Ford’s A Single Man. on John le Carré’s Cold War spy kid into the agency’s competitive ABOUT THE CAST

training program. The film was Eye in the Sky was released in In September 2017, Firth directed by Matthew Vaughn and April 2016 and is Firth’s first film reprised his role of Harry Hart in is based on the acclaimed comic produced and distributed by his Kingsman: The Golden Circle, book of the same name. The cast production company, Raindog the sequel to Kingsman: The includes Samuel L. Jackson, Films, with partner Ged Doherty. Secret Service. Directed by Michael Caine and Raindog Films also produced the Matthew Vaughn, the film also Taron Egerton. British-American feature Loving, a starred Taron Egerton, Julianne true-life drama about a couple who Moore and Mark Strong. The film In 2016, Firth appeared in Genius, were sentenced to prison because grossed $39 million in its opening a chronicle of Max Perkins’ time as of their interracial marriage. The weekend and won the Best the book editor at Scribner, where film, directed and written by Jeff Thriller category at the he oversaw works by Thomas Nichols, starred Joel Edgerton, 2018 Empire Awards. In February Wolfe, Ernest Hemingway Ruth Negga, Michael Shannon 2018, Firth starred alongside and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The and Nick Kroll. The film was Rachel Weisz and David Thewlis film premiered at the Berlin released in November 2016 and in the drama The Mercy. Firth International Film Festival in 2016 was nominated in both Best played Donald Crowhurst, a and starred Nicole Kidman, Jude Actress and Best Actor categories yachtsman who attempts to win Law, Guy Pearce and Vanessa at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards. the 1968 Golden Globe Race but Kirby. In the same year, Firth also The film was also selected to ends up creating an outrageous reprised his role of Mark Darcy in compete for the Palme d’Or at the account of traveling the world Bridget Jones’s Baby. 2016 Cannes Film Festival. alone by sea. ABOUT THE CAST

Also in 2018, Firth appeared in In 2019, it was announced that On the small screen, Firth is The Happy Prince, a film written Firth would star in John Madden’s famous for his breakout role as Mr. and directed by Rupert Everett, WWII drama Operation Darcy in the BBC adaptation of depicting the final years of Oscar Mincemeat. Based on the Ben Pride and Prejudice, for which he Wilde. The film was released at Macintyre book of the same name, received a BAFTA nomination the 2019 Sundance Film Festival Michelle Ashford has written for Best Actor and the National and was well received to many the screenplay. The story takes Television Award for Most four-and five-star reviews. Firth place in 1943, as the Allies prepare Popular Actor. also executive produced the film, to launch an all-out assault on which sees Rupert Everett, Emily Nazi-held Europe. They face a In March 2004, Firth hosted Watson, Colin Morgan and Anna seemingly impossible task—to NBC’s Saturday Night Live. He Chancellor amongst its cast. protect a massive invasion was nominated for a Primetime force from entrenched German Emmy Award in 2001 for In summer 2018, Firth returned firepower and avert a potential Outstanding Supporting Actor to the role of Harry in the iconic massacre. Two intelligence in the critically acclaimed HBO musical sequel Mamma Mia! Here officers, Ewen Montagu and film Conspiracy and received the We Go Again. Firth was joined by Charles Cholmondeley, dream Royal Television Society Best Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, up an inspired disinformation Actor Award and a BAFTA Lily James, Jeremy Irvine and strategy, centred on the corpse of a nomination for his performance many more in the highly successful dead man. in Tumbledown. His other musical comedy. television credits include BBC Other film credits include the television movie Born Equal, In December 2018, Firth starred Oscar-nominated Girl with a Pearl Donovan Quick, The Widowing as William Weatherall Wilkins in Earring; Bridget Jones: The Edge of Mrs. Holroyd, Deep Blue Sea, Disney’s highly anticipated Marry of Reason; Devil’s Knot; Arthur Hostages and the mini-series Poppins Returns. The box-office Newman; Then She Found Me; Nostromo. His London stage hit was written by Oscar nominee When Did You Last See Your debut was in the West End David Magee and based on Father?; Easy Virtue; Michael production of Another Country “The Mary Poppins Stories” by Winterbottom’s Genova; A playing Guy Bennett. He was P.L. Travers. Directed by Rob Christmas Carol; The Importance then chosen to play the character Marshall, the feature film also of Being Earnest; Atom Egoyan’s Tommy Judd in the 1984 film starred Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep Where the Truth Lies; Marc adaptation opposite Rupert and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Evans’ thriller Trauma; Nanny Everett. McPhee; What a Girl Wants; A In August 2020, Firth starred Thousand Acres, with Michelle in the latest adaptation of the Pfeiffer and Jessica Lange; 1911 children’s book The Secret Apartment Zero; My Life So Garden. Firth was cast as Far; Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch; Archibald Craven alongside Julie Circle of Friends; Playmaker; and Walters as Mrs. Medlock. The the title role in Milos Forman’s film is directed by BAFTA- Valmont, opposite Annette winning Marc Munden and Bening. written by Jack Thorne.

ABOUT THE CAST

Academy Award nominee In February 2017, Tucci debuted his role as Jack L. Warner. He was STANLEY TUCCI (Tusker) Final Portrait at the Berlin also seen in The Children Act, has appeared in over 90 films and International Film Festival. Based opposite Emma Thompson and countless television shows. He on the memoir A Giacometti Fionn Whitehead; Beauty and the has performed in more than a Portrait, the film recounts the Beast, alongside Emma Watson, dozen plays, on and off Broadway, story of Swiss painter and sculptor Ewan McGregor, Luke Evans, and has been behind the camera Alberto Giacometti and stars Dan Stevens, Emma Thompson working as a writer, director and Geoffrey Rush, Armie Hammer and Ian McKellan; Submission producer. and Tony Shalhoub. The highly from director Richard Levine; and anticipated drama, which Tucci Transformers: The Last Knight Tucci reached his widest wrote and directed, released in the with Mark Wahlberg and Josh audience yet in the role of Caesar U.K. on August 18, 2017. Duhamel. Flickerman in The Hunger Games franchise. A box office sensation In 2017, Tucci also starred in In 2018, Tucci starred in Patient and critical success, the fourth Feud: Bette and Joan, for which Zero, opposite Natalie Dormer; and final instalment of the series he received an Outstanding A Private War, with Rosamund (Mockingjay) was released on Supporting Actor in a Mini-Series Pike and Jamie Dornan; and November 20, 2015. or Movie Emmy nomination for Night Hunter, opposite Alexandra Daddario, Minka Kelly and Henry Cavill. He also lent his voice for Show Dogs, alongside Will Arnett and Natasha Lyonne.

He starred in the Netflix horror film The Silence in 2019, and in 2020 can be seen in Worth, opposite Michael Keaton, and The King’s Man, with an all-star cast including Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Daniel Brühl, Djimon Hounsou and Charles Dance.

Lauded for his work in all mediums, Tucci was nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award, SAG Award and received a Broadcast Critics nomination for his performance in Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones. He also won and Emmy and a Golden Globe for his starring role as fast-talking Walter Winchell in the Paul Mazursky-directed TV movie Winchell. He received another Golden Globe for his brilliant ABOUT THE CAST

portrayal of Lt. Colonel Adolf Tucci’s additional film credits Tucci’s theater work includes Eichmann in HBO’s Conspiracy. in front of the camera include Frankie & Johnny in the Claire de Spotlight, A Little Chaos, Lune, Execution of Hope, The Tucci is also a writer, director Transformers: Age of Extinction, Iceman Cometh, Brighton Beach and producer. Big Night, Tucci’s Wild Card, Muppets Most Memoirs and The Misanthrope. first effort as a co-director, co- Wanted, Mr. Peabody & He has also performed in a screenwriter and actor on the Sherman, Some Velvet Morning, number of off-Broadway plays same film, earned him numerous The Fifth Estate, Percy Jackson: at Yale Repertory Theater and accolades, including the Waldo Sea of Monsters, The Company SUNY Purchase, where he first Salt Screenwriting Award at the You Keep, Jack the Giant Slayer, studied acting. 1996 Sundance Film Festival, Captain America: The First Recognition of Excellence by Avenger, Margin Call, Burlesque, Tucci made his directorial debut the National Board of Review, Easy A, Julie & Julia, The Tale on Broadway with a revival of an Independent Spirit Award, of Despereaux, Kit Kittredge: An Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor The Critic’s Prize at the 1996 American Girl, Swing Vote, What starring Tony Shalhoub. The Deauville Film Festival, and Just Happened, The Devil Wears production received a Tony Award honours from the New York Prada, Shall We Dance, The nomination for Best Revival of a Film Critics and the Boston Terminal, The Life and Death Play. Society of Film Critics. of Peter Sellers, Spin, Road to Perdition, America’s Sweethearts, The Tucci Cookbook, released His second project, The Sidewalks of New York, A in October 2012, appeared on the Imposters, was an Official Midsummer Night’s Dream, The New York Times Bestsellers List. Selection at the 1998 Cannes Film Alarmist, Deconstructing Harry, His second cookbook, The Tucci Festival. The film, which Tucci The Daytrippers, Big Trouble, A Table: Cooking with Family and wrote, directed, co-produced and Life Less Ordinary, Kiss of Death, Friends was released on October starred in was acquired by Fox Mrs. Parker and the Vicious 28, 2014. The family-focused Searchlight Films later that year. Circle, It Could Happen to You, cookbook includes recipes from The 1930s farce starred Tucci and The Pelican Brief, Prelude to a Tucci’s traditional Italian roots as Oliver Platt as a pair of out-of- Kiss, In the Soup, Billy Bathgate, well as those of his British wife, work actors who find themselves and Slaves of New York. Felicity Blunt. Tucci currently aboard a cruise ship. The cast also resides in London, and he has included Steve Buscemi, Alfred His work on television includes served on the Board of Directors Molina, Lili Taylor and Bojack Horseman, Metropolis, of The Food Banks for New York Hope Davis. Fortitude, Bull, Equal Justice, City. Wiseguy, The Equalizer, Next, he directed and co-starred thirtysomething, and The Street. as famed New Yorker staff writer He also played Captain Hook in Joseph Mitchell in Joe Gould’s ITV’s two-hour drama Peter & Secret, opposite Ian Holm in Wendy, alongside Laura Fraser the title role; executive produced and Paloma Faith. Tucci received Behind the Sun, starring Rodrigo Emmy nominations for his work Santoro; co-wrote, directed and in Murder One and ER, and an starred in Blind Date, a remake Emmy Award in the category of of the 1996 Theo van Gogh film; Outstanding Guest Actor in a and produced the Ivan Kavanagh Comedy Series for Monk. horror film, The Canal.

SUPERNOVA About the Filmmakers

HARRY MACQUEEN (Director/Writer) trained as an actor at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, before turning to filmmaking in 2013.

His debut feature as a writer/ director/producer, Hinterland, was theatrically released with Curzon Cinemas and Soda Pictures in 2015. The film was nominated for several awards including Best British Feature at the Raindance Film Festival and Best Debut Film at Beijing International Film Festival. It was also the UK’s first fully carbon neutral feature film.

His acting credits include Richard Linklater’s Me and Orson Welles and the hit British TV show Eastenders. In 2017 Harry won Best Supporting Actor at Madrid Film Festival for his performance in Provenance.

Supernova is his second feature film as a writer/director. He also has several other projects in development. ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

EMILY MORGAN (Producer) acclaim. Her next completed and went on to receive a BAFTA set up Quiddity Films to produce a productions are Supernova by nomination for Outstanding unique and diverse slate of feature Harry Macqueen, starring Colin British Film, and garnered films with partners across the Firth and Stanley Tucci, and Do Charlotte Rampling an Oscar world. In 2018, Emily was awarded Not Hestitate by Sharriff Korver, nomination for Best Actress. a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut through Lemming Film in the for the company’s first feature film Netherlands. He produced Harry Wootliff’s production, I Am Not A Witch, debut Only You, for which written and directed by Rungano Morgan is a graduate of the Wootliff was BAFTA nominated Nyoni. The film screened at NFTS producing MA, a recipient in the Outstanding Debut Cannes, TIFF and Sundance, was of the BFI Vision Award and a category and is currently in nominated for an Independent member of ACE Producers. production on Wootliff’s second Spirit Award and won three feature True Things. Goligher also BIFAs. TRISTAN GOLIGHER produced Peter Mackie Burns’ (Producer) is a partner at London debut film Daphne, and second Morgan’s next release, Make based production company The feature Rialto. His most recent Up, by Claire Oakley, was made Bureau. His credits include production is Harry Macqueen’s through the iFeatures scheme Andrew Haigh’s Weekend, Lean Supernova, starring Colin Firth and recently distributed by on Pete and 45 Years which won and Stanley Tucci. Curzon in the UK to great critical two Silver Bears at Berlinale 2015 ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

DICK POPE (Cinematographer) was also nominated for an Oscar Sayles, Christopher McQuarrie began his career as a documentary and ASC and BSC Awards. and Jill Sprecher. In recent years film cameraman. He worked he photographed Legend, about for many companies including Amongst many wins and the notorious Kray Brothers, the BBC, travelling the world nominations for his work on Mr. written and directed by Brian to remote and inaccessible Turner he was awarded the 2015 Helgeland and in New York; areas including war zones. He BSC Cinematography award, and Angelica for Mitchell specialized in shooting films about the Royal Photographic Society Lichtenstein, the son of painter endangered indigenous tribes 2015 Lumiere award and the Prix Roy Lichtenstein. In 2017 Pope including Disappearing World; Vulcaine for the Technical Artist photographed Peterloo, a major highly political films like World at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. new project for Mike Leigh, a in Action; and also TV Arts For the same film he was also period film set in the early 1800s. programmes such as The South again nominated for an Oscar Pope flew to Malawi, Africa to Bank Show. and BAFTA, ASC and British shoot The Boy Who Harnessed Independent Film Awards. the Wind, the directorial debut From the late ’70s through the for actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who early ’80s Pope shot hundreds of Pope’s many other credits include also stars. Pope recently worked concerts, many for The Old Grey films for leading US maverick in New York, collaborating with Whistle Test, and music videos directors such as Richard Edward Norton on his 1950s set for bands and artists as diverse as Linklater, Barry Levinson, John film Motherless Brooklyn. Queen, Freddie Mercury, Tina Turner, The Clash, The Specials, The Police, Neil Young and AC/ DC. In the mid ’80s he moved into TV drama and feature films, photographing amongst others, Porterhouse Blue for which he was BAFTA nominated, and Philip Ridley’s Reflecting Skin.

In 1990 Pope was asked by director Mike Leigh to photograph Life is Sweet, beginning a collaboration that has produced ten features including Naked, Secrets and Lies, Topsy-Turvy, Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky, Another Year and Mr.Turner. Pope has twice won the top prize at Camerimage, the Festival of the Art of Cinematography, for Vera Drake and Secrets & Lies. And in 1999 Leigh and Pope were recognized there with a major award for their career collaboration. He also won the Silver Frog at the same festival for The Illusionist for which he ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

KEATON HENSON the recording of its follow up, mental illness from the inside out, (Composer) is an English folk “Birthdays”, in Los Angeles. intending to not only explain the rock musician, visual artist and feelings of anxiety and trauma but, poet whose work has explored Since then, after fast becoming a in certain movements, to make a complex array of feelings and cult hero, Henson’s projects have the listener experience them. For themes; from selfishness in love, varied wildly. From successful its first performance at London’s to mental illness and his struggles poetry books and art exhibitions, Barbican a section of the audience with notoriety. to out of the blue classical was hooked up to bio-monitors, composition “Romantic Works” their anxiety levels controlling the Henson’s music career began by and brooding electronic side lighting rig. accident, when encouraged by a project “Behaving”. Henson is an friend to put a collection of secret artist who rarely chooses to do the Henson’s most recent project is songs he had recorded online. obvious thing but carries through “Monument”, an album about loss, They gained traction fast, soon every project a unique spirit of and dealing with losing the ones being picked up by Radio 1’s Zane vulnerability and stark emotional we love, but told, in incredibly Lowe, among others, forcing honesty. candid detail, through the aspects Henson out of his bedroom and of our lives that surround the into the spotlight. This collection In 2016, at the height of an trauma itself, about love, ageing, of Songs became “Dear…”, his album campaign and following recovery, life, seen through the first record, which was originally a sold-out show at the London prism of grief. released in handmade packaging, Palladium, Henson abruptly Henson’s music has appeared in each copy with a unique hand released “Epilogue”, an enigmatic BBC Three zombie drama In drawn cover and the recipient’s song seeming to say goodbye to the Flesh, Ricky Gervais’s sitcom name inserted into the album title. his career as a singer-songwriter. Derek, CBS procedural drama This led quickly to a major label The circumstances that led to Elementary, and in the 2014 film re-release, followed by a small tour the release of “Epilogue” were X+Y. Supernova marks his first of tiny intimate shows in museums explored in his following project, original score for a motion picture. around the country, and eventually “Six Lethargies”, which examines ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

SARAH FINLAY (Production CHRIS WYATT (Editor) SHAHEEN BAIG (Casting Designer) has been working in has worked with an eclectic mix of Director) gained her first casting the film and television industry acclaimed filmmakers from Peter director credit on Alejandro for over 15 years, across a range of Greenaway to Shane Meadows. Amenábar’s The Others starring projects. She worked her way up Spanning a career of more than Nicole Kidman, and established through the art department to the forty years, credits include The her own company in 2001 after role of Production Designer. Her Pillow Book, This is England, assisting some of the leading UK feature credits include Andrew Dead Man’s Shoes, 71, Dreams of Casting Directors for several years. Haigh’s Weekend and 45 Years; a Life and Calibre. Before starting Since then, Shaheen Baig Casting The Levelling with director Hope work on Supernova, Chris edited has earned a reputation for finding Dickson Leach; Sebastián Lelio’s Francis Lee’s Ammonite having and nurturing new and diverse Disobedience; and Juliet, Naked collaborated on his debut feature acting talent, as well as supporting directed by Jesse Peretz. film God’s Own Country. promising new filmmakers and established directors in film & television.

CAST

Sam COLIN FIRTH

Tusker STANLEY TUCCI

Lilly PIPPA HAYWOOD

Clive PETER MACQUEEN

Charlotte NINA MARLIN

Paul IAN DRYSDALE

Sue SARAH WOODWARD

Tim JAMES DREYFUS

Lola LORI CAMPBELL

Rachel DANEKA CHARLOTTE ETCHELLS

Shop Assistant HALEMA HUSSAIN

Waitress JULIE HANNAN

Ruby TRUFFLES

Party Guests IMOGEN BARNFATHER RUTH CRANE TOBY GAFFNEY ADI JONES IAN MACKENZIE MILLIE MACQUEEN PAUL MARTIN ALEX MORRISON TINA LOUISE OWENS JOHN ALAN ROBERTS JOHN SEYMOUR LEWIS SOWERBY JUSTIN STOREY CHINTY TURNBULL CREDITS

Written and Directed by HARRY MACQUEEN

Produced by EMILY MORGAN TRISTAN GOLIGHER

Executive Producers MARY BURKE EVA YATES VINCENT GADELLE

Cinematographer DICK POPE

Editor CHRIS WYATT

Production Designer SARAH FINLAY

Costume Designer MATTHEW PRICE

Hair and Make Up Designer TAMSIN BARBOSA

Composer KEATON HENSON

Casting Director SHAHEEN BAIG

Line Producer JOANNA THAPA

Supervising Sound Editor JOAKIM SUNDSTRÖM

Music Supervisor SARAH BRIDGE