NDH26’s guest was acclaimed director Mike Leigh, who's filmography includes High Hopes, Life is Sweet, Naked, Secrets & Lies, Topsy Turvy, Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky, Mr. Turner and Peterloo.
Tues 4th Feb 2020 What an amazing session! Thank you so much to everyone who came for their great questions and the overall atmosphere of excitement which was palpable. Mike was insightful, funny, cutting, extremely passionate and committed, with great insights into the specifics of his unique process and the fascinating stories about the making of films like Naked, Secrets & Lies, Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky, Mr. Turner & more.
"Well, we're all in the same boat, aren’t we?”
"Every film, song, piece of art is a synthesis of improvisation and order" , and finally "Never compromise" - I hope everyone in the room felt empowered and rejuvenated in their filmmaking endeavours.
We of course would like to thank Mike again for his time, and also because, rather wonderfully,
Mike has agreed to be the 2nd patron of NoDirectionHome (along with Marc Munden).
To say we are thrilled is understating it slightly.
Writer-director Mike Leigh trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Camberwell and Central Art Schools in London, and at the London Film School. His first feature film was Bleak Moments (1971); this was followed by the full-length television films, Hard Labour (1973), Nuts in May (1975), The Kiss of Death (1976), Who’s Who (1978), Grown-Ups (1980), Home Sweet Home (1982), Meantime (1983), and Four Days In July (1984).
Other feature films are High Hopes (1988), Life Is Sweet (1990), Naked (1993)), Secrets and Lies (1996), Career Girls (1997), Topsy-Turvy (1999), All Or Nothing (2002), Vera Drake (2004) Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) Another Year (2010) Mr. Turner (2014) and Peterloo (2018).
VIDEO CLIPS HERE AND LISTEN TO THE FULL AUDIO BELOW:
“Never compromise.” Mike Leigh
