Choice Brits - Script Factory

Shadows and Light

As our Choice Brits series starts to draw to a close, Sir Alan Parker turned up to a packed cinema in Hampstead to introduce one of the most eagerly awaited British releases of the year - Girl With a Pearl Earring. Praising the filmmakers for setting a luxurious pace, Parker also singled out the beauty of the film's 'look' which was photographed by Eduardo Serra who also shot the extravagant What Dreams May Come, along with Jude and Wings of the Dove. The film will be released in the UK by Pathe in the New Year.

Alan Parker introducing Girl With a Pearl Earring
at Screen on the Hill, Thursday 11 December
It’s very odd for me and other directors, being part of Choice Brits, in that usually we are here to say good things about our own films, and it’s impossibly difficult to say anything nice about anybody else’s work. Directing is a crash course in megalomania, and now and again we have to say good things about other people’s work because it’s necessary. As you just heard, those of you who are BAFTA members will be voting – this is the crazy season for awards right now – it’s not a very level playing field in that the American films have the resources to have many screenings and the whole machinery and they tend to dominate because of that, so this is an attempt to redress that, so that certain films that don’t get a chance to be seen don’t get ignored, and this is one of them.
I’m very pleased and privileged to be able to do this, but unfortunately I can’t stay to the end where I would be very interested to hear what Tracy thinks about how someone would adapt her book. So you’re very privileged that she’s here and to be able to hear those answers because the last book I adapted was Angela’s Ashes and Frank McCourt stayed in New York and then I adapted T Coraghessen Boyle’s book and then I did William Naugton’s book and Roddy Doyle’s book and the hardest thing of all was getting them to come to a screening to say something nice, so it will be interesting hearing what she has to say.
With regards to this film, I’m proud to present it and so I’m going to shut up and get out of the way in a minute. You won’t see a better looking film than this with regards to the craft and artistry of film – something that gets forgotten in this world of digital effects and films like Love Actually where they ignore it completely. It’s wonderful to see such a stunningly beautiful looking film. It’s also a first time director and I think it’s a very brave film because unless this film had been made by Pathe (my only tenuous link to this film is as Chairman of The Film Council) under their agreement as a Lottery franchise, and good for them that they did it and that they are promoting it as much as any of these smaller independent films have been promoted. It’s the kind of film that would never be made anywhere but here; no Hollywood executive would ever allow the pace of this film which I think makes it so special and it’s incredibly compelling and very brave and very beautiful and I’m very pleased to be able to say that I’m introducing it, and I don’t want to say much else really, and I’d like to say to you BAFTA members out there you should be voting for many things in this film that are very special, and I hope you do. Thank you very much.