There’s an incredible karaoke scene at the end, where Frankie’s character Sophie sings R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” to a crowd of people in the resort’s amphitheater. How did Frankie pull that off?
On camera is how she pulled that off. We spent weeks in that amphitheater. During rehearsals I would sing on stage and dance and make as much of an idiot of myself as possible. I am not a karaoke person. It’s my worst nightmare, which is why the scene is in the film. But she wouldn’t do it. She just wouldn’t do it. We really, really built up to it–and maybe I got her to the point where we could be on stage together. All the while, I knew she was capable of doing it and I had to be like ok, I’m going to trust that she’s going to bring it on the night—and she did, oh my goodness.
She was in front of a real audience, and we were able to film it one and half times through before we ran out of time. And so thank goodness it was a perfect performance. She starts out and it’s fun and silly and then Calum doesn’t come and it becomes so despondent and sad and awkward. And she was so good. How she was able to do it in the end I just don’t know.
The film is very kind to the idea of parenting. And to being a child. Were you determined to strike that balance of sympathy?
Frankie says she thinks she’d be friends with Sophie. And Paul has said how much he loves Calum. I think I love them both. I have a lot of compassion for them both. Sophie, for this coming of age moment and idolization of her father and for Calum who is doing his best, which is what we all try to do every day, parent or not. I think in writing it’s hard not bring yourself to the characters. I think there is as much of me in Calum as there is of my dad.
This is only your first film. So what’s next for you?
I have no idea! This film has been my whole life, since we came to Cannes with it barely finished. I really look forward to sitting down with a cup of coffee and a blank screen and discovering something new. Writing is torture for me, but the best part of it is that discovery–of something you didn’t know was coming.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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