On Wednesday 6 March our members gathered for a special screening of Maiden, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director Alex Holmes and producer Victoria Gregory.
The Q&A, which was chaired by Beeban Kidron OBE, discussed shaping a narrative out of inherited footage, the depiction of sorority in the film, and what makes a great sports movie.
Catch up with all our live-tweets below.
We’re looking forward to our member screening of #MaidenFilm, followed by a Q&A with director Alex Holmes and producer Victoria Gregory. Follow #DUKMaiden afterwards for the tweets! pic.twitter.com/vYlAiZUu13
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
What an inspiring, thrilling piece of work #MaidenFilm was! And now it’s time for the Q&A, with director Alex Holmes and producer Victoria Gregory - chaired by Beeban Kidron OBE. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Beeban starts by asking why is it now, after all these years, the best time to tell this story. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Alex says that he saw Tracy speak at his daughters’ school and he was inspired by her story - but also was struck by the realisation that a lot of the obstacles Tracy had faced would still be faced by his daughters. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
We originally assumed that we would make a drama, as dodgy reconstructions weren’t the way to go. But Tracy made the opposite assumption, and revealed that the crew had shot lots of great footage - our eyes lit up! #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
We were blessed to have this incredible camerawork, and struck by the emotional intelligence behind it. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Beeban asks how long it took to get this footage and lay it out into the structure of the film, which follows the arc of the round the world race. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Alex: We wrote a treatment before we dealt with the footage. We knew we had a great first act and ending, the challenge was using the character to drive the story through the middle act and beyond. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Beeban asks how Tracy came to the realisation that she was a feminist, having insisted that she wasn’t early on. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Victoria: She definitely grew throughout the race and became more aware of the politics that surrounded it as it went on, and she’s taken that forwards in her life since. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
#DUKMaiden pic.twitter.com/Te8z7bGM7r
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
On Marie Claude, who left the crew before the race began after falling out with Tracy, Alex says that he was moved by the bravery of her interview. “That she recognised the greater achievement of the crew’s in the race is to her credit.” #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Beeban asks whether Victoria sees it as a good time for documentaries at the moment. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Victoria: I think it’s a great time for documentaries at the moment - and there’s a theatrical value to it too, it makes an emotional difference to see it on the big screen. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Beeban hands it over to the audience for questions. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
A member asks what Alex and Victoria think makes a sports film appeal to everyone. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Alex says he’s interested in people - he doesn’t love sailing, but he was captured by the characters in this story. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Victoria says it has to explore people pushing the limits of human endeavour. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Another member asks how much they thought about the depiction of sorority in the film, which she says is unusual in its positivity. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Alex: it’s their story, not mine - it’s just my telling of it. They guided me to the representation of sorority in the end, I just channeled that as a director. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Victoria: We has always felt as filmmakers that this was the story we wanted to tell - the timing of #MeToo was coincidental. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Alex: I think you could say we were lucky, people are maybe more ready to appreciate the film now. It didn’t feel that way when we started making it. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
Alex: These were all sports people. Everyone on that boat was in it to win it. Tracy would not have taken the risks she did without that attitude from the crew. #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
And that’s a wrap! Thanks so much to Victoria and Alex for a fascinating Q&A, and thank you to Beeban Kidron OBE for chairing! #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
#MaidenFilm is a fantastic story, beautifully told. Catch it previewing in cinemas from tomorrow! #DUKMaiden
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) March 6, 2019
After the screening, our members took to Twitter...
What did the amazing @TracyEdwardsMBE and her crew in the exhilarating #MaidenFilm teach me? Steeliness, and wherever possible enjoy the ride
— Hannah Berryman (@BerrymanHannah) March 6, 2019
Had the pure pleasure of watching #MaidenFilm with @Directors_UK this evening. A beautiful film by Alex Holmes. Cried like a baby and loved every minute of it. Especially seeing Southampton in the late 80’s. pic.twitter.com/wbolNRWAw6
— WILLY NASH (@willwillynash) March 6, 2019
What a stunning emotional rollercoaster of a film #MaidenFilm with filmmakers Victoria Gregory and Alex Holmes present. (Host Beeban Kidron) Men who did not turn up because it was about an all female crew - you missed out! #DUKMaiden @Directors_UK @cinesisters pic.twitter.com/H39CSEnyrL
— MaryMullan (@MaryMullan) March 6, 2019
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