“It was almost too difficult for me to watch – there are so many memories of my own”: Sam Mendes, Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward and Tanya Moodie on Empire of Light

Written and directed by Sam Mendes, Empire of Light is a romantic drama inspired by his own childhood, with the feature set against the backdrop of a cinema in a British unnamed coastal town in the 1980s.

Olivia Colman takes the lead as a long-serving employee called Hilary who struggles with mental health issues until Stephen (Micheal Ward) joins the front-of-house team and the two form a bond. Whilst romance blooms, her fragility is brought to the forefront with a series of breakdowns that ignite both the carer side of Stephen and also the push he needs to explore his own destiny. Romance and era nostalgia aside, the film also delves into themes of racism and the political landscape of the time.

The Upcoming had the pleasure of speaking to Mendes, Colman and Ward about what the film is about, their individual roles on the project and the delicate layers of the relationships that were forged on screen.

We also spoke to Tanya Moodie about her role as Stephen’s mother in the film, how she prepared for it and the conversations we can start having around the issue of mental health.

Ezelle Alblas

Empire of Light is released nationwide on 9^th January 2023. Read our review here.

Watch the trailer for Empire of Light here: