Hi reddit! I'm Jan Komasa. I've directed CORPUS CHRISTI (Nominee for Best International Feature Film at the 2019 Academy Awards), ANNIVERSARY, WARSAW 44, THE HATER, and SUICIDE ROOM.
My new movie, HEEL, is out in select theaters and on demand starting March 6th via Magnolia Pictures.
I'm here to answer your questions!
Starring: Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, & Anson Boon
From Academy Award® nominated director Jan Komasa, HEEL is a twisted thriller that follows 19-year-old hooligan Tommy (Anson Boon), who revels in a life of drugs, parties, and violence. One night, on a bender with his reckless friends, he becomes separated from the group and is abducted by an unknown figure (Golden Globe® winner Stephen Graham). Though he is no stranger to inflicting violence, he is enraged and horrified when he wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the isolated suburban family home of Chris (Graham), his wife Kathryn (Academy Award® nominee Andrea Riseborough), and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). The family sets out to reform Tommy's unruly behavior, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games or seek escape at any cost.
Official Trailer:
AMA! I'll be answering questions here starting at 11 AM PT/2 PM ET on Tuesday 3/17.
by JanKomasaAMA
16 Comments
hello, Im curious about process. Do you use a lot of time before writing scenes, on theme and outlining characters? Or do you dive into the concept / plot idea first?
that’s awesome, man! big fan of corpus christi and can’t wait to see heel. what’s been the biggest challenge in making it compared to your previous films?
Hey Jan! Loved this movie when it screened at TIFF and it ended up being one of my favourites of the festival. Was there pressure to change the title from that *other* movie called Good Boy that released around the same time?
Hey Jan, I was wondering how the process of translating the screenplay into actual scene works. Do you produce another document in cooperation with DOP and the rest of the crew where you detail how you imagine it playing out or is it just a screenplay as a base and then talking, talking, talking?
Hi! I know that your priority at the moment is promoting The Good Boy/Heel, but I wanted to ask you about Balladyna, although maybe it’s too early to ask. What are the biggest challenges in adapting an old story like Balladyna for a modern audience? Will the characters speak using exact lines from the original drama, or will you modernise them? What inspired you to adapt Balladyna?
Edit: Just thought about it re-reading my comment. Why two different titles for your film? And which one is the proper one? Heel or Good Boy?
Hey Jan. thanks for doing this.
I really enjoyed Heel but was never quite sure why Stephen Graham had the wig that he put on when people came to the house. Was there a reason for this or just to add to his oddity ?
Hi Jan, no questions here – I love your movies! Pozdrowienia z Polski ☺️
Hi Jan, huge fan of your work. *Corpus Christi* had a big impact on me.
I’m a Honduran/American writer/director currently in post on my second feature, and I’m hoping to make the jump into more international work soon. I have great LA based managers but no agent yet. The creative side feels clearer to me, but the business side of that transition still feels a bit opaque.
If you could go back and talk to yourself right before you made that leap with the insights you have now, what advice would you give yourself? Are there things you wish you’d known about navigating the industry at that stage, especially in terms of representation, the politics of it all, how you pick a project, or pitching or selling yourself to land a gig above other directors?
I know it’s a loaded question but any insights into what you’d tell your younger self would be very helpful. Thanks so much, and congrats on all your success, your work is really inspiring.
Corpus Christi is one of my favorite movies in years. How did you achieve such natural performances from the actors while also making such a controlled film?
Hi Jan enjoyed the hell out of this movie. The Tommy character was so well written and acted as well as the husband and wife. Are you going to do anymore genre titles like this?
Hi, This film was such a surprise. I loved the cast and the acting was superb. I felt like I knew where it was going. But then it would take a sudden turn and surprise me. I wonder if you thought about adding more to the family’s back story about their previous guest or what happened to their son ? Did you have any tough choices to make when cutting the film. Like adding more about the housekeeper backstory ? Also .. this could or should even be a mini series. I feel like there is so much to unpack that can’t be done in just one film.
Hey, Hope you’re well. Looking forward to seeing the film. As a creative, I’m curious as to what keeps you going during tough times? This industry has so many peaks and dips and it can get to you sometimes. Thank you 🙏🏼
Hello Jan! I was lucky to be at the premiere last year at TIFF for this film and enjoyed it. The direction you took the story in was fascinating, I was expecting one thing going in and but was thrown for a loop. I’d love to know what about this particular character, that drew you in. Why a story about a British hooligan as the main character. Thank you! Excited for your future projects.
Hello Jan, big fan! I’m wondering if you could recommend us a few of your favourite films that might be lesser known or underrated…films that you hold a special place for that others might not expect.
PS. Corpus Christi was my favourite movie of 2019 and seeing you in person for your Q&A with the cast at TIFF this year was really special. Loved Good Boy!!!
What was the overall inspiration for Anniversary? I really enjoyed it and it stuck with me far longer than most of the films I saw last year. The concept itself felt unique despite many of the character arcs being very relatable to people I personally know that have been unable to keep their inner peace during decades of rising political acrimony.
Hi Jan! I really enjoyed *Anniversary* in the theater, and recommended it to several people. It forms a great pair with *Eddington*. It’s always a bummer when good movies are ignored in the theater which is where I think movies should be viewed. It must have been a bummer that it was not promoted better, yes?