2023-12-01 22:50:37
In her latest cinematic opus, “The Eternal Daughter”, British director Joanna Hogg tells the story of Julie, accompanied by her elderly mother, both played by Scottish actress Tilda Swinton. They take a few days off in a hotel in the English countryside, where the young woman, director, hopes to find inspiration. Between these four walls, his mother instead finds the opportunity to bring distant memories back to life. When night falls, Julie explores the place, with the impression that a secret is haunting them.
Member of the jury of the 20th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM 2023), which takes place from November 24 to December 2, Joanna Hogg made her first appearance at the high mass of cinema last year, accompanied by her lifelong friend, whom she highlights in this moving and captivating work. Tilda Swinton, who is also taking part in this FIFM, tells Yabiladi that she finds in this double role the best illustration of the artistic phase that she currently enjoys experiencing.
Joanna Hogg’s film resonates with different aspects of the personal life of its author, who confides openly to Yabiladi regarding the mother-daughter relationship, regarding death and regarding the human cinematic experience.
You were here last year, to present your film “The Eternal Daughter,” a few months before its release. You direct Tilda Swinton, who is initially your childhood friend. How was working together enriched by this artistic complicity, strong over more than 40 years of friendship?
We have this beautiful artistic bond in cinema and beyond, since in our lives, overall, we have known each other for so many years. My life and my work – I find it difficult to describe it as such, because cinema is a pleasure for me and being able to do it is a privilege – are very connected to each other. Tilda Swinton, as a childhood friend, is in my life. Being able to work with her even though we have known each other since we were ten years old, and having her play the double role in my film “The Eternal Daughter”, gives me incredible joy.
Joanna Hogg et Tilda Swinton au FIFM 2022 / Ph. FIFM
I have to pinch myself every time to realize that we had this whole journey together, where I had the privilege of playing with a person, who I literally played with when we were kids. Doing it today, while also working on subjects that are the subject of deep questions such as death, family relationships – it is the relationship between a mother and her daughter in this film – is intimately and intensely special for me.
The fact that Tilda Swinton and I have known each other for almost our entire lives has allowed us to explore these themes by going very far, as the creative process progresses, to question ourselves regarding who we are.
Your film was released almost a year ago. How have you been impacted by the experience of crafting a work, in intimate interconnection with aspects of your life journey, and then showing it to audiences around the world?
I thought “The Etennial Daughter” would have a positive effect on me when my mother passed away. She was still alive when I was filming. Without spoiling the story of the film, let’s say that it notably addresses the theme of death and separation. I finally realized that I had imagined something that actually ended up happening. My mother died when I was editing this feature film. By having to go through this grieving process, in the middle of a creative process, I came to the idea that cinema cannot replace a real-life experience.
The Irish writer Oscar Wilde said: “All women end up looking like their mother: that’s their tragedy. Never men; It’s theirs.” Your feature film deals precisely with the complexity of mother-daughter relationships. Does this idea resonate with what you remember regarding “The Eternal Dughter,” from its preparation to its release?
What Oscar Wilde wrote would be in dialogue with what I say in “The Eternal Daughter”, in the sense that it is regarding girls who try to understand their mothers, more than those who end up looking like them. Through the attempt of this understanding, they might better understand who they are, because there is an overlap between the figures of the mother and the daughter. I don’t think this is something easy to solve.
After losing my mother, in real life, I realize how connected I feel to this idea of Oscar Wilde. I want to become my mother, in a way, for comfort. I find myself wearing some of his clothes. I very preciously keep objects that belonged to him, like this necklace that you see me wearing now. I gave it to her when she was alive. She especially loved it, so I took it back when she passed away, to always keep it with me wherever I go.
These elements, including these objects, are very important to me, in order to preserve my connection with my late mother.
Cinema is enriched by the innovative works of different generations of directors. You have left your mark on the seventh art with yours, inspired by an experimental approach at the beginning, then marked by a delicate mastery of staging, in addition to meticulous work of art on the technical aspects. What does the evolution of cinematographic creation inspire you today?
Joanna Hogg with the other members of the FIFM 2023 jury / Ph. FIFM
I find what is happening with the younger generations to be very encouraging. They are more and more interested in cinema. They are very curious to live the experience of being in a theater and watching a film collectively, with other spectators. I’m starting to see it on a recurring basis and in different countries. It is therefore a positive and salutary trend.
Our young people are passionate regarding what the seventh introduces them to and they want to perpetuate what is happening thanks to it. I hope that these generations will contribute a lot to keeping cinema alive. We need them to care.
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