Bleeding Love, the debut film from Deux Dames Entertainment, follows the road trip of an estranged father and daughter following the daughter’s near-fatal overdose.
Starring real father-daughter duo Ewan and Clara McGregor, Bleeding Love provides an authentic insight into the fractured relationship of two complex characters. With colourful aesthetics and a hint of absurdist comedy, Bleeding Love successfully tackles sensitive issues whilst firmly establishing itself as a feel-good film.
The Indiependent spoke to the film’s director, Emma Westenberg.
The Indiependent: Thank you for speaking with us. Bleeding Love follows the road trip of a father and daughter. What were the benefits and challenges of making a road trip drama?
Intimate dramas really lend themselves to road trip movies because the car is such a good place to have a conversation. It feels natural; both characters are looking ahead at the same thing and not at each other.
Production-wise, it was a complicated thing to film technically. We were on the road a lot and had to go to a lot of different locations. We had to be smart about how we approached it.
Did you have to film the scenes chronologically?
I wanted to do it mostly chronologically because it works with the road trip and also it helps to portray the emotional development of the characters. We managed to shoot mostly chronologically, although sometimes we had to jump back and forth a bit.
In road trip dramas, the vehicle used is a really important part of the film and can feel like its own character. For example, the yellow Volkswagen in Little Miss Sunshine is an iconic part of that picture. Could you tell me about how you chose the blue jeep for Bleeding Love?
We were thinking about what type of car the father would have. He’s a landscape artist, so we thought a truck would be good. Then we considered the colour palette of the movie; I really like using colours to tell an emotional story. The film begins with cooler tones, there are really harsh lights and little horizon. As the pair get closer emotionally the palette then becomes warmer and more colourful, the world becomes more magical. I really wanted the truck to fit in with this scheme, so we made the outside blue and the inside red. I think it really fitted with the emotional journey of the film.
I really liked the film’s aesthetics. You have experience making fashion films, with your film Blue and You winning Best New Fashion Film at the Fashion Film Festival 2016 in Milan. Did you bring any influences from these films to Bleeding Love?
Definitely. I’m always developing my style and what I want to do, but there’s a lot of things that stay important for me. For example, I wanted to focus on the use of colour and the use of composition in this film. I also wanted to bring a certain type of offbeat comedy and a sense of magic and imagination.
The film did have great moments of comedy and lightness despite dealing with the heavy topics of addiction and abandonment. How did you strike this balance?
Whilst the film deals with pain, I ultimately see it as a hopeful story because it’s about showing up for somebody else and putting your own problems behind you. The dad does this for his daughter, but the strangers they meet along the way also play a big role, showing up for the pair in different ways.
I also wanted the film to have comedic moments to make it feel more real. In reality, people have pain and deal with issues, but there is also humour and hope.
What was your favourite part of the film to direct?
I really enjoyed working with Ewan McGregor. My love for cinema grew from watching movies that he stars in, so it was surreal working with him. It was also my first time working with Clara [McGregor]. She’s such a compelling actress and she’s very open for collaboration and sharing ideas. Working with the two of them truly was incredible.
We also made the movie with people that I’ve worked with for years. One of the costume designers was my friend from art school; we used to make little films together. Vera [Bulder] was one of the producers and plays the sex worker in the film. Years ago, she was in one of the first music videos I ever made. Vera’s husband [Jake Weary] also plays the clown in the movie, and his mother [Kim Zimmer] plays the tow truck driver. There were a lot of family ties. It was really special making a movie that was, on the one hand, really big, but at the same time so intimate because it was with people that I’ve known for so long.
The experience on set was special. We were dealing with a subject matter that is sensitive and close to many people’s hearts. We would shoot the scenes and then during the lunch break people would begin to open up about their own experiences. It was a really beautiful thing.
You mention family ties. Real father and daughter Ewan and Clara McGregor played the father and daughter in Bleeding Love. How did this impact the film and how did you ensure the characters remained distinct from Ewan and Clara?
The story is totally fictional. We talked a lot about the characters and how their dynamic worked, how their relationship pushes the narrative forward. We were very intentional in every scene of the characters’ dynamic and their journey as father and daughter. That’s what we mainly focused on, with them as actors and me as a director.
However, Ewan and Clara added an extra layer on top of the fictional story. Sometimes they would improvise, or something would happen in between takes which we decided to recreate in the film. It added authenticity. The characters feel like real father and daughter because they are.
Lastly, what can you tell us about your upcoming projects?
I am working on a couple of different things, including a musical movie set in Amsterdam. I would love to do a genre piece or horror movie next.
Words by Verity Alice Cartwright.
Bleeding Love is in cinemas now.
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