PRISONERS : Media alert/press interviews/ other publicity

[mamaleh]

Interesting news from Hugh's TODAY Show appearance--he said he's taking Matt Lauer up on his offer to co-host the show one day. Very anxious to see that! At one point Lauer "accidentally" (probably) calls him Hugh Grant; the reaction from the regulars was pretty funny.

On THE VIEW, they unfortunately trotted out the old Barbara-Hugh lap dance thing. I really wish they'd let that bit lie in the dustbin of broadcast history; it just feeds stupid rumors. Best part: Sherri Shephard (spelling?) kept running her hands over Hugh's chest, LOL.

Ellen

[birchie]

Sept 18, 2013 13:31:04 GMT -5 mamaleh said:

Interesting news from Hugh's TODAY Show appearance--he said he's taking Matt Lauer up on his offer to co-host the show one day. Very anxious to see that! At one point Lauer "accidentally" (probably) calls him Hugh Grant; the reaction from the regulars was pretty funny.

On THE VIEW, they unfortunately trotted out the old Barbara-Hugh lap dance thing. I really wish they'd let that bit lie in the dustbin of broadcast history; it just feeds stupid rumors. Best part: Sherri Shephard (spelling?) kept running her hands over Hugh's chest, LOL.

Ellen

I thought the best part of the today show was when Hugh popped in early and got Matt completely flummoxed. Probably why he flubbed the name LOL! He can be an arrogant ass sometimes so I enjoyed seeing him squirm! He really liked Prisoners though and did a good job interviewing Hugh.

I totally agree about The View. I wish someone would burn those lap dance tapes! Also I hate when they all talk at once. I used to enjoy the show the first couple years it was on but then it went downhill. I only watch it when Hugh's on now.
Sue

[birchie]

This is not actually about Prisoners but it was part of an interview from the junket so I put it here! It's quite short but I got a kick out of it!

Sue

[birchie]

This is one of the best interviews I've seen. Hugh gives very thoughtful & insightful answers (not surprising) to some very good questions. It's about 9-1/2 minutes. I found it difficult to always understand the interviewer but when in doubt, I could get the gist of it by Hugh's answers. The very first question is about Zurich & Hugh also mentions Paris. Enjoy!


Sue

[israruth]

I watched Hugh's interview with Jon Stewart. Great interview but Jon asked him where he found the darkness in himself. Hugh kind of laughed the question off. I wish Hugh had answered that he didn't find it in himself, that he was doing what is called "acting.

[jo]

That was an excellent interview, Sue.

*Re Paris -- he is supposed to appear on French TV on Sept 24. Not sure if there is a Paris premiere for the movie

Mardi 24 septembre de 15h à 20h30 : DIRECT
Tony Parker, Hugh Jackman...

The San Sebastian (Spain) festival is on Sept 27 and the Zurich one is on the following day ( Sept 28). Re Zurich or Switzerland - did I hear it right that he mentioned spending Christmas there? He has said that he loves skiing and maybe a Christmas in Europe sounds great?? Probably a short trip, if the Houdini workshop will just be around the corner?

*Hugh is such a conundrum sometimes - he is an actor, deep into a profession which requires the most creative instincts and then he mentions that he loves mathematics! Maybe that is the reason why Jeffrey Sachs's book End of Poverty is on his book shelf - not just for the philantrophic inspiration but that book contains so much econmetric charts that it bogs you down reading it. I stopped after a few chapters - LOL!

*His comment about Les Miserables probably not going to have any sequel, when he was asked - because "(almost) everyone dies" - leads to an amusing speculation about "Prisoners, The Musical."...On Broadway or at the West End - it seems anything ( subject) goes! The latest Lloyd Webber musical is about the osteopath Stephen Ward who was involved in the Minister John Profumo/Christine Keeler scandal (which brought down the UK government at that time). Unlikely topic indeed! smiley-rolleyes010

Hugh is such an interesting interview subject!


Jo

[jo]

This sounds like Hugh is a homecoming hero!


wcfcourier.com/news/local/iowa-falls-historic-theater-preparing-for-visit-by-actor-hugh/article_07d7bdd6-fbfd-56f1-bb18-9ecad5c365fd.html

Iowa Falls, historic theater preparing for visit by actor Hugh Jackman



DENNIS MAGEE / Courier


Jack Whitesell, owner of the Metropolitan Theater in Iowa Falls, spent Thursday making final preparations for the grand re-opening. The historic venue will host actor Hugh Jackman on Saturday.


25 minutes ago • By Dennis Magee

IOWA FALLS | The community and historic Metropolitan Theater on Saturday will host one of the brightest stars in the entertainment universe.

Hugh Jackman conquered Broadway and Hollywood years ago, layering on box office gold and critical acclaim with recent roles. On the big screen, those range from Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables" to the Wolverine in Marvel's X-men movies to the voice of Memphis, a singing penguin in "Happy Feet."

Mark Hamilton, publisher of the Times-Citizen in Iowa Falls, is serving as local publicist for the event.

"In the last 30 years there's never been a celebrity of this magnitude in town -- except presidential candidates," he said. "We're on a first name basis with presidential candidates -- and their wives."

Patrick Whitesell, Jackman's agent, arranged the visit and premier of the actor's latest film "Prisoners." Whitesell is a native of Iowa Falls. He and his father, Jack Whitesell, own the theater, rescuing the landmark from bankruptcy.

The pair paid $65,000 for the property, then sank about $500,000 into its renovation. The previous owner, Robert Fridley, had already dropped about $1 million on the project, according to Jack Whitesell.

Through his son, Whitesell has known Jackman for a while. Planning to bring the star to Iowa Falls began some time ago, but Whitesell kept the secret close until about a week ago.

Eric Brunsen is Whitesell's accountant. His wife, Dr. Laura Brunsen, is a member of the foundation board of directors for the Ellsworth Hospital Foundation, which will benefit from Saturday's film event.

Even they did not know what Whitesell had planned.

"He told me a few weeks ago. He said there would be an opening and a special event," Eric Brunsen said.

That Jackman would attend was not revealed until last week.

Downtown Iowa Falls will begin the day with its second annual Bizzarre Bazaar, a marketing tool for merchants. A local band, Mudpuppies, will start playing at 4 p.m. in nearby Estes Park.

Jackman is scheduled to join the crowd at 6:45 p.m. and hit the red carpet in front of the Metropolitan at 7. Inside, he will introduce "Prisoners" and "The Wolverine."

At this point, tickets are likely gone. Organizers sold 100 for $100 each ahead of time, then staged a raffle for what remained. Chances for those 90 tickets cost $25.


Whitesell said organizing the event required a community effort, and the last few days have been a little hectic.

"There's been a lot of phone calls," he said.

"We want to show off Iowa Falls. That's the main thing," Whitesell addded. "And we hope people will come back to our theater."

The theater and community have hosted other big names. Famous composer and conductor John Philip Sousa performed in the Met years ago, but more recently Michelle and Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton also passed through.

City Manager Jody Anderson said those campaign stops did not produce the kind of heart palpitations generated by Jackman's appearance.

Anderson found out about the actor's visit at 4 p.m. last Thursday.

"I'm thinking, 'Well that's pretty neat,'" he said. "About 11:30 that night I sat up in bed and said, 'Oh, my goodness. Hugh Jackman is coming to town. What have we got to do?'"

Anderson had time to think on that.

"I didn't sleep the rest of the night," he said.

The city is planning on 2,000 to 5,000 people Saturday and has lined up help from its own police force and Hardin County Sheriff's Office. EMTs and ambulances will also be standing by.

"It will take everything the city has to do this," Anderson said.

He recommends visitors watch for signs and directions as they enter town. Parking lots and shuttles will be available.

Anderson suggests the park will be the best opportunity for those without tickets to see and perhaps get close to Jackman.

He also thinks as many people as possible should turn out.

"It will be a once-in-a-lifetime event -- unless Patrick Whitesell invites some more of his A-list people."

Jake Gyllenhaal, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck*, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Denzel Washington, Joaquin Phoenix, etc., anyone ??

*Yup, Patrick was the one in direct, secret negotiations about the Batman role for Ben Affleck ...Just as I am pretty sure that he helped Hugh tremendously to get that Valjean role!


Jo

[jo]

Roger Friedman shares some details on the movie --

www.showbiz411.com/2013/09/20/hugh-jackman-says-even-more-intense-scenes-were-cut-from-prisoners

Hugh Jackman’s new film, “Prisoners,” is not ‘les miserables’ in the truest sense, but incredibly intense. In fact, there are a few times during this film about two little girls who are abducted from their suburban neighborhood when you do kind of flinch. Jackman and Terrence Howard, fathers of the missing children, exact some torture on the man they think took their kids (Paul Dano). At one point quite a few snakes slither across the screen.They are not the comedian snakes from “Snakes on a Plane,” either.

“Denis [Villeneuve, the director] actually had to cut a couple of scenes from the final version, Hugh told me at lunch yesterday at the Monkey Bar for the movie’s cast. “They were just too intense.”

Jackman, Howard and co-stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano and Maria Bello were all on hand for one of those rare great intimate New York lunches to meet the stars and chat about the film. Michael Shannon, one of Jake’s pals, came, as did Gyllenhaal’s writer-director mother Noami Foner. Some New York actor stalwarts like Bob Dishy and Dana Ivey made the scene as well. Director Tony Gilroy (“Michael Clayton,” “Bourne Legacy”) was also Gyllenhaal’s guest. He’s producing “Nightcrawler,” written by his brother Dan Gilroy, and also starring Jake.’...


At the other end of the table, Shannon and Gyllenhaal were talking about Syria. And you thought Hollywood types were shallow!

Jo

[jo]

Hugh Jackman‏@realhughjackman5m
Thanks Iowa Falls. You sure know how to make a guy feel welcome. #grateful #IowaFalls #prisoners…

http://instagram.com/p/eiXS_oihKH

Hugh Jackman‏@realhughjackman19m
Great to be here!! The scenic city!!! #IowaFalls

http://instagram.com/p/eiQ-6GChM9

Hugh Jackman‏@realhughjackman20m
Landed in Iowa . Can't wait for the opening of The Metropolitan in Iowa Falls. Thanks to fans for…

http://instagram.com/p/eiQdSMihLz

Jo

[jo]

It's a joint promotion for PRISONERS and THE WOLVERINE --

wcfcourier.com/news/local/fans-gather-early-to-see-hugh-jackman-in-iowa-falls/article_a57d60b9-f13c-5c88-bc37-3deeaf7ad044.html

Fans gather early to see Hugh Jackman in Iowa Falls

DENNIS MAGEE [e-mail]


Betsy Weber, a janitor, in the Metropolitan Theater in Iowa Falls, scored a T-shirt with actor Hugh Jackman as the Wolverine Saturday. The theater will host Jackman in a few hours.


IOWA FALLS | Hours ahead of Hugh Jackman's appearance, excited fans were already starting to gather on Washington Avenue.

The megastar is scheduled to arrive about 7 p.m. tonight, but Gretchen Skellenger, a Wartburg College student, and friend Jessica Payton of Cedar Rapids stacked out a spot early on.

"Probably about 1-ish," Skellenger said.

Jackman's agent, Patrick Whitesell, is a native of Iowa Falls. He and his father, Jack Whitesell, rescued the Metropolitan Theater from bankruptcy and then invited Jackman to participate in its grand re-opening.

Besides introducing Jackman's latest film, "Prisoners," and re-introducing the theater, the event is also a fundraiser. An oversized check for $20,850 is waiting in the theater lobby and will go to the Ellsworth Municipal Hospital Foundation,


The community will open a $30 million hospital in the spring, according to Mark Hamilton, publisher of the local newspaper and publicist for Jackman's event.

About 300 seats are available in the twin theater screens. One will show "Prisoners," the other will show "The Wolverine," another recent Jackman film. Tickets sold for $100 or were available through a raffle. Tickets for chances cost $25.

Skellenger, though, will be outside and is hoping for a close encounter.

"Because he's a fantastic actor," she said. "I'm kind of an aspiring actress."

Skellenger also likes Jackman's reputation.

"He's supposed to be the nicest guy in Hollywood. They say you can't get ahead if you're a nice guy, andhe proves that wrong," Skellenger said.

"I want to be here to meet him -- or at least see him."

On Broadway --

Or Iowa Falls --

We are all Jackman fans

[jo]

Promoters behind actor Hugh Jackman's appearance Saturday prepared the seats in both of the Metropolitan's two theaters with T-shirts for the event.

[jo]

Iowa Falls, red carpet are set for Hugh Jackman

Sep. 21, 2013 5:52 PM |


IOWA FALLS, IA. — The glitzy scene here featured a half-block or so of red carpet rolled out along Washington Avenue for actor Hugh Jackman to premiere his new movie “Prisoners” in the town’s 114-year-old historic Metropolitan Theatre — an atypical small-town Saturday night to say the least.

Jackman and his wife, Deborra Lee-Furness, were expected to address the public at large in Estes Park and then stroll a barricade-lined path down the street to the theater.

This never would have happened if not for the convergence of several improbable paths that stretch back through the decades.

Of course there’s Jackman’s own steady ascent in 44 years from Sydney, Australia, to the ranks of A-list Hollywood actors — complete with his own perennial superhero role as hairy Wolverine of the “X-Men” franchise.

College juniors Kara Lee Ripley (from the University of Iowa) and Kristen Carollo (from the University of Northern Iowa), friends from Cedar Rapids, stood Saturday across the street from the Met hours before Jackman was due to arrive. They were ready to pounce and claim a spot pressed up against the barricades.

Ripley called Jackman, whose rare breadth also includes a knack for song-and-dance musicals, her favorite actor because he’s “very genuine.”

“He seems very nice to everybody,” she said, “and it doesn’t seem like it’s just some kind of façade.”

In other words, Jackman exudes his own authentic Aussie approximation of “Iowa nice.”

Iowa Falls ended up on Jackman’s radar thanks to the local Whitesell family. The actor’s agent, Patrick Whitesell, 48, was born and reared in this town of 5,200 before he became one of Hollywood’s key behind-the-scenes power brokers.

Patrick’s parents, retired 85-year-old attorney John (whom everybody calls Jack), from Pennsylvania, and Pat, from Waukegan, Ill., met at the University of Iowa. They settled in Iowa Falls on the recommendation of a priest who thought it would be a good move for Jack’s budding law career.

“I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing without that theater,” added Patrick, who fondly remembers showings of “Willy Wonka” and “Dumbo” with his dad.

So father and son purchased and saved this beloved theater for $65,000 in June and reportedly are sinking $500,000 into it, including a 3-D ready screen in the larger, 180-seat theater. Brass chandeliers dangle above moviegoers in the lobby, while an abandoned, dusty ballroom on the third floor must wait for some future phase of renovation.

A sign in the window of the women’s clothing store across the street from the Met proclaimed: “Congratulations! Iowa Falls loves our ‘Jack’ men!”

Iowa Falls native Mark Hamilton, publisher of the local Times-Citizen newspaper, was among the first to prod Jack to rescue the theater on behalf of the community after previous owner Big Times Cinema went bankrupt and shuttered it.

Hamilton as a kid spent afternoons watching B Westerns here — one of countless memories shared amid Saturday’s small talk.

Townsfolk reminisced about the days when soda cost 10 cents, kids’ movies were a quarter (or 35 cents for Disney flicks) and teenage boys’ arms went numb while slung around the shoulders of their dates in the back of the balcony.

Jack, a spry and quick-witted World War II veteran, was drawn to U of I in the first place by its theater department, before he ended up with a law degree. He and Pat raised six boys, supported the local live theater community and obviously instilled a love of film: Four of the Whitesell boys became seriously involved in the entertainment biz as producers or writers for everything from “Days of Our Lives” to “Homicide: Life on the Street.”

Patrick, the youngest of the six, with Ari Emanuel (the inspiration for HBO’s “Entourage”) is co-CEO of the William Morris Endeavor agency. He worked his way up from the mailroom to helm Hollywood’s top talent agency and guide the careers of a long list of celebs such as Matt Damon.

Patrick returned to his hometown Friday with three of his four kids (ages 5, 7 and 24) in tow.

Jack described his youngest son: “He’s tall. He’s good-looking. He’s honest.”

In a sense, the timeline leading up to Saturday’s premiere was more than a century in the making: The original William Morris talent agency was founded in 1898 during the vaudeville era. The Met opera house in Iowa Falls opened the following year thanks to philanthropist Eugene S. Ellsworth.

Back then the Met was a single room with a balcony and seating for 800. By the time Iowa movie theater magnate Bob Fridley was convinced to purchase and save the theater 20 years ago, he was forced to split the space into two different theaters.

Saturday’s grand reopening benefited the Ellsworth Hospital Foundation, with more than $20,000 worth of tickets sold to simultaneous showings of “Prisoners” and “The Wolverine.”

The brainstorm for this Hollywood-gone-rural interlude began when Patrick and Jackman were at the London premiere of “The Wolverine” and made a congratulatory phone call to Jack for buying the Met.

Jackman “thinks every little community in Iowa should have a theater,” Jack said.

In this age of content on demand while we’re curled up with our tablets or smartphones like babies in the womb, there seems to be at least a small pendulum swing back in the direction of preserving shared public cinema. And not just multiplexes, where the size of seats threatens to dwarf the screens. Some historic theaters across Iowa and small-town America have endured thanks to nostalgic benefactors or non-profit volunteerism. The Orpheum Theatre in Fairfield, for instance, reopens Sept. 27.

What has sustained or helped to revive downtown Iowa Falls in the decades since the 1980s farm crisis have been “investments of love,” Hamilton said.

The Whitesells hope merely to break even — an altruistic, not capitalistic agenda, Patrick said.

“If we can just keep the doors open we’ll be thrilled,” were the stereotype-shattering words from the mouth of this Hollywood agent.

Patrick didn’t want to see the hallowed building that spawned his love of film disappear as an all-too-visible reminder, he said, of “how times have gotten tougher.”

“You’ve got to have a reason not to just sit at home and watch Netflix,” Hamilton added.

Meanwhile, Jack’s love of movies goes back to when 1933’s “Mystery of the Wax Museum” “scared the living daylights” out of him.

The ultimate aim with the Met for this rural patriarch who in the literal sense gave birth to a major slice of today’s entertainment industry is to “restore the idea — you go to a movie, it’s an occasion.”

Without a doubt, Saturday qualified as an occasion in Iowa Falls. It also was an auspicious reopening for a building that has tried to embrace its community in the name of shared entertainment long since before there was any notion of modern Hollywood or a Wolverine you would pay good money to see anywhere but a zoo.

Kyle Munson can be reached at 515-284-8124 or [e-mail]. See more of his columns, blog posts and video at DesMoinesRegister.com/munson. Connect with him on Facebook (Kyle Munson's Iowa) and Twitter (@kylemunson).

[jo]

Video clip of Hugh's red carpet interview at Iowa Falls for the reinauguration of the METROPOLITAN THEATRE --

www.kimt.com/2013/09/21/hugh-jackman-visits-iowa-falls/


Jo

[jo]

Another video clip interview on the red carpet in Iowa Falls and a more detailed background story.

www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130921/NEWS/309210062/Iowa-Falls-red-carpet-welcome-Hugh-Jackman?Frontpage&sf17496459=1


Jo

[jo]

[girlfromrio]

This has some interesting comments about making the film--

www.nytimes.com/video/2013/09/18/movies/100000002450826/anatomy-of-a-scene-prisoners.html

[jo]

From a historic theater in Iowa Falls...to the heart of modern technology - the flagship APPLE STORE on Regent Street, in London town!

Skint London‏@skintlondon16m
OMG! See @realhughjackman AND Jake Gyllenhaal talk Prisoners tonight 6.30pm, Regent St Apple Store. FREE ow.ly/p5uIU #skint

CelebIntelUK‏@celebinteluk6m
Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and director Denis Villeneuve promote new film Prisoners at the Apple Store on Regent Street tonight

I saw a previous tweet about this public appearance, but I had wondered why they chose the flagship APPLE STORE. I guess Hugh now continues more promotion for PRISONERS, starting off with a visit to the British capital city. I think he might also be proceeding to Paris ( only a train ride away, if he decides to take the Eurostar) for more promotional activity...Then San Sebastian in Spain on the 27th and winding up in Zurich the following day.


Inside the flagship store of APPLE on Regent Street --



Very modern inside, but look at the exterior facade !


........

Regent Street is one of the most elegant streets in central London!

I wonder, did Hugh use an Apple iPhone in the movie?


Jo

[jo]

...Er smiley-signs002

[mamaleh]

Sept 22, 2013 5:26:27 GMT -5 jo said:

Another video clip interview on the red carpet in Iowa Falls and a more detailed background story.

www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130921/NEWS/309210062/Iowa-Falls-red-carpet-welcome-Hugh-Jackman?Frontpage&sf17496459=1


Jo

Did Ava make a new friend in Iowa? I wonder who she's playing with as Dad speaks to reporters.

Ellen

[Jamie]

Sept 23, 2013 6:49:07 GMT -5 mamaleh said:

Sept 22, 2013 5:26:27 GMT -5 jo said:

Another video clip interview on the red carpet in Iowa Falls and a more detailed background story.

www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130921/NEWS/309210062/Iowa-Falls-red-carpet-welcome-Hugh-Jackman?Frontpage&sf17496459=1


Jo

Did Ava make a new friend in Iowa? I wonder who she's playing with as Dad speaks to reporters.

Ellen

Since they were inside the barrier, the other little girl may have been Patrick Whitsell's daughter though she's only five and the other child looked to be about the same age as Ava.

[mamaleh]

Seems plausible. I had no idea how old his daughter is. Thanks.

Ellen

[jo]

You want to see Hugh entertaining Iowa Falls??

blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2013/09/23/hugh-jackman-lingers-in-iowa-falls-after-prisoners-premiere/article

Please scroll down for the video clip.

He tried to sing DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING, but forgot some of the words - LOL! smiley-cool13

But no matter where he is - give him a mic and he will entertain the folks! Just a born entertainer!!

He is also looking great!

There is also a photo gallery - here are some






With Jack and Patrick Whitesell



The article also includes some more details from his stay in Iowa Falls.



Jo

[mamaleh]

LOL, a born entertainer, indeed--and probably a successful politician, should he ever decide to go that route. He knows how to frame his message to hit the right buttons in any audience. Talk about selling ice to the Eskimos!

I love the rapturous look on that young woman's face!

Ellen

[birchie]

Here's another clip of that red carpet interview session from the fans perspective:


Hugh is incredibly loving, patient & tolerant of Ava's rambunctious behavior to say the least. For all we know that could have been the daughter of the Mayer she was running around with so maybe that explains it. I've never seen her that rowdy while attending public ceremonies before, but I love how Hugh handled it.
Sue

[jo]

Another insightful interview, with Denis Villeneuve --

www.movies.ie/Interviews/Interview_with_Denis_Villeneuve_for_PRISONERS

Interview with Denis Villeneuve for PRISONERS

Interviews | 23 Sep 2013 | 0 comments

We talk to the Oscar nominated director about his latest film




In 2010, Denis Villeneuve's film INCENDIES was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Although the film ultimately lost out to Susanne Bier's IN A BETTER WORLD, being nominated changed the direction of Villeneuves career. This week, PRISONERS hits Irish cinemas and we caught up with the director to talk dark stories, Oscar nominations and getting drunk with Jake Gyllenhaal.

PRISONERS was in development for a number of years - Leonardo DiCaprio was reportedly attached at one point - how did the project come to you?

Denis Villeneuve: That happens very often in Hollywood. It's all about windows of opportunity. They have a certain amount of money to spend in a year and they need a director, screenplay and stars all available in the same time frame. The projects are always a bit fragile. I think it's quite spectacular with PRISONERS because when the screenplay was released it was very popular and it attracted strong stars from the start. For some reason that I don't know, the project was always on turnaround. When I arrived on board there was nobody attached, I was the one who went to see Hugh Jackman to try to convince him to be part of this adventure. Hugh trusted me all the way. Once Hugh got on board, it was quite a quick process.

You seem to be drawn to dark stories and dark subject matter, was it this that drew you to PRISONERS?

DV: [sighs] Madame Inspiration! I cannot fight against inspiration! I wish I was attracted to cheerful, nice little comedies [laughs]. I will one day! Cinema can be a way of exploring our fears and when I read PRISONERS, I loved the script right away. I was very impressed by the script, but I said to myself ‘I cannot believe I will try to do this' so I put the script aside and tried to forget about it. I really tried; for weeks, for months, but it was coming back to me all the time, haunting me. I was doomed. It is such a strong, powerful story, but at the same time, it is not a comedy. It's a dark journey.

Did the Oscar nomination for INCENDIES change your career? Did it give you the freedom to do what you wanted to do?

DV: Yes in some ways. The fact that the movie went to the Academy Awards... They are the biggest spotlight you can put on a movie, so it allowed the movie to be seen by a lot of people. It helped me to make contacts, and the way awards work sometimes, they bring credibility. It's not that I agree with it, but it gave me a bit more freedom, which is very good.

Did you know what you wanted to do after INCENDIES? Were you drawn to doing a comedy?

DV: The thing is that as I was doing INCENDIES, I asked a friend of mine, Javier Gullón, to make an adaptation of a novel that I love; THE DOUBLE by José Saramago. This movie is dark, but a bit lighter. It's kind of a dark thriller, but it doesn't take itself seriously. I knew that I would do that project. I was hoping I would do that project, and then I fell in love with PRISONERS. You will never know when a screenplay will be done. Sometimes you like a screenplay and the movie will be financed in five years. I was very calm about it, but the problem was that both movies were greenlit a week apart. I received a phone call from Jake Gyllenhaal saying that he wanted to be part of ENEMY on the Friday, and I think the next Saturday I received a phone call from Hugh Jackman saying he would get on board with PRISONERS. So within a week I realised I would have to do both movies at the same time. That was quite intense. So in the past 18 months I have worked non-stop, trying to make those two movies back to back. They have just been finished so in October I am going home, and I will sleep for a week. [laughs]

How did you go about casting PRISONERS?

DV: I had just finished ENEMY with Jake [Gyllenhaal], and we had so much fun together, we felt so inspired, we felt that we had created a nice relationship while working on ENEMY that I felt it would be a fantastic idea to bring Jake onto PRISONERS. I needed his creativity. I needed his imagination to invade the part of the detective. I felt the detective, on paper, was lacking a bit of substance, and I needed someone who would be able to bring substance to the screen, and Jake agreed. After that it went quite quickly. Once Hugh and Jake were on board, the rest of the cast was not that difficult because, as I said, the screenplay was very strong, so all the actors were quite inspired by it. They felt it was a challenge.

You had the legendary Roger Deakins doing your cinematography, what was it like to work with him?

DV: A privilege. It was the first time in my life that I had the opportunity to work with a master; someone who is in control of his art, and someone who had the generosity to share it with me. I felt, all the time, that Roger wanted to serve my vision and to protect my identity as a filmmaker. That really touched me. He was a strong ally on set, and what he brought on PRISONERS was very important. I was deeply influenced by him. It was really the most beautiful cinematic experience of my life because I had this fantastic cast in front of the camera, and because Roger Deakins was behind the camera. It was an experience that I will remember all my life.

The absence of hope is very noticeable in the film, did this influence your choice of locations?

DV: I think this is something that I brought to the movie, the screenplay was a little different. I wanted the movie to be set in an environment where there is no social link between people, it is just the TV and internet that is linking people. It is more of a suburban environment, where houses are linked together by highways, which is sadly what America looks like. I felt that the movie would be more frightening and more violent, set in that environment.

Can you talk about the conflict between religion and morality in the film?

DV: The religion aspect was already in the screenplay, and I felt it was a nice thing but it was not appropriate for what I wanted to do. I wanted to be closer to Keller's [Hugh Jackman's character] inner moral conflict, I wanted to be in touch with his vulnerability; it would be a nice idea to hear him pray. When a human being is praying, it is a very intimate moment. I liked the idea of being able to see the evolution of his prayers as the movie moves forward. I asked Hugh to add layers to the character. The idea was not just religion, it is more to see how someone can use religion as a strength, to justify and be comfortable with their actions. I thought this was an interesting idea.

The characters always remain relatable, was this something you worked on?

DV: That is the strength of Hugh Jackman; he is such a powerful actor. The fact that we stay in contact with his humanity, I think Hugh really did a fantastic job. That was the main focus of my job with this character; to really stay in contact with the moral conflict. I knew that the producers were afraid that the main character would not be likeable. I kept saying to them ‘It is not about loving him, it is about understanding why he's doing this. It's about staying close to his inner conflict, his vulnerability and his fears, and then the audience will not agree necessarily, with what he is doing, but understand why he is doing what he is doing, and that will make the movie more powerful'.

What do you hope audiences will take from the film?

DV: There are two things; first of all, the movie is like a puzzle. When the audience will see the movie, I think it will be a challenge; it is really like a puzzle and the audience has to put the pieces together to see the whole picture. That is quite playful. I think that's the nice thing about cinema. But more importantly, it is about the questions that are raised. I have heard from friends of mine that last week in North America, people were gathering outside the theatres and they were talking together about the moral issues in the movie. That, I think, is the beauty of cinema; it is a tool to explore reality, to approach our fears, to question reality.

You mentioned ENEMY, which also stars Jake Gyllenhaal and is released next year. I read somewhere that the film came about after you and Mr Gyllenhaal got drunk together. Is that true?

DV: No! I have been misquoted! [laughs] It is true that we get drunk together very often [laughs] No seriously, the movie was written for two years, so it is not an improvised idea. It's adapted from Jose Saramago's novel, so it was a long process of writing. That night I was not there to find the idea, I was there to convince Jake Gyllenhaal [laughs]. It's true that we got drunk together - we drank just one bottle of wine, we were very tired - but it was not about finding ideas, it was about whether we wanted to work together or not. It was the birth of a beautiful relationship though.

After you go home and sleep for a week, what's next?

DV: I have two or three projects on the table, and I have to decide soon, which one I will do first, but I am very attracted by sci-fi at the moment.

PRISONERS is released in Irish cinemas on September 27th

Words: Brogen Hayes