Mostra Internazionale d Arte Cinematografica Venice

©Photo: La Biennale di Venezia

Chilean director Pablo Larrain and Kristen Stewart at debut of Spencer at Venice. Larrain calling Stewart a "miracle" made her wince. The film operates around the "mystery" of Diana Spencer and the projections those who didn't know her made. Pablo Larrain's vision was to "make a film his mother would like", a film that took three days to make, a visual choreography set to Jonny Greenwood though when filmed, the set was silent while Stewart danced,  But larger than that is Diana and references to Anne Boleyn beheaded for treason, 500 years ago.

"Of course there is a sort of fascination around Diana and the Royal Family is very discreet. You don't really know much, and that gives room to fiction but it was a way to enter a psychological space and that crisis , that moment of her life is really about the the re-organizing of her identity in order to move out of there with her own name... That is why the film is called Spencer - her family name"...The prince chose her and we thought she would be queen....We all saw her in that dress and we thought she would succeed and it just didn't happen like that ". (Larrain) 

©La Biennale de Venezia Sept 3, 2021

"She is touchable....with undeniable penetrating energy.... Everything I perceive about her is from the outside as everyone other than the people who know her intimately. People feel like they know her and that you're best friends with her. That is a unique talent that is very rare and ironically she felt so isolated and so alone. In preparing for the film it was about allowing her to affect me and absorb me. When I look at her, the ground shakes, like a live, on fire wire."(Stewart)." 

Moira Jean Sullivan

©Filmfestivals.com

FIPRESCI