AN INTERVIEW WITH "I'M NOT THERE" FILMMAKER TODD HAYNES

By Maria Esteves - October 30, 2007

The 45th New York Film Festival (NYFF) 2007, Premiere film I'M NOT THERE, directed by Todd Haynes, was held at the Rose Theater, TimeWarner Center, Thursday, October 4, 8:30pm. Director Todd Haynes was interviewed on Monday, October 8, 3:40 pm.

ME: What inspired the making of the film "I'M NOT THERE?"

TH: The idea to tell Dylan's life story in multiple came to me in the year 2000. In high school, I was a fan Dylan's music. In my twenties and thirties, I spent time listening to other music genres. In my late 30's, I fell back in love with Dylan's music in a big way at a time where my wife was looking to make changes. I started reading biographies, interviews, and discovering a lot of his unreleased material. This led to the realization of him as an artist who really used change and survived because of his ability to enter intensely into one phase, to be ultimately rejected and then move on to something completely new and different. I thought that was a compelling way to get to the core of who he was and to explore a famous artist life on film.

ME: Why did you choose multiple stories to depict Dylan's life?

TH: The original concept of having seven different characters felt right! It reflected Dylan's songs and lyrics; the seven stages of man. In the beginning of the film, there was a character called Charlie telling of his past, a one-on-one mini silent film inspired by boy Dylan described as so Chaplinesque beginning his years in New York. The character Jack Rollins played by Christian Bale really counts as two very different sides of the same character, in that he's personally protesting and then later on he's a born again Christian. That satisfied my feeling of having seven personas with six actors. Then he became a reference at the end when the character Woody appears in riddle dressed as Charlie Chaplin.

ME: Are the stories relevant for today's generation?

TH: Our culture is still in reaction to the 1960's. Dylan's music is intensely relevant, unique and powerful, certainly for people who are discovering his music for the first time. The challenge of meeting the expectation of man, in marriage, in career, and being true to your own voice. These are obviously issues that we face today.

ME: What were the challenges in making the film?

TH: Getting the actors to agree to be in the film knowing how complex and unusual the script was. These amazing actors were so blatant to take part in this experiment and did with such immediate commitment. It was really encouraging.

ME: What was the budget in making the film?

TH: We had a very tight budget and schedule. It was approximately $8 million dollars; it might have expanded because of the finance and bank fees.

ME: Has Dylan seen the film I'M NOT THERE?

TH: We sent the DVD to Kim and we are eagerly waiting for his reaction. He is a busy person and I think he wants to watch it quietly in his own time. I don't think he has seen it yet.

ME: What film festival was I'M NOT THERE introduced?

TH: In October, at the 2007 Woodstock Film Festival, and at the 51st London Film Festival. The film opens at selected theaters on November 21st.

ME: What has been the audience reaction?

TH: So far the audience reaction has been very encouraging. Our first screening at the 34th Telluride Film Festival, the film was very well received. Our world premiere at the 64th Venice Film Festival, the film received a ten-minute standing ovation. It won the Best Actress Award (Cate Blanchett) and the Jury Prize Award for Best Film. At the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, the film was discussed very widely in the press, the critics responded extremely well to the film and continues to do so at the 45th New York Film Festival.

ME: Todd, where and what year were you born?

TH: I was born January 1961 in Los Angeles, California.

ME: Where and what did you studied?

TH: My undergraduate study was semiotics at Brown University.

ME: What films have you directed?

TH: In 1991, POISON was my first feature film. In 1993, I directed DOTTIE GETS SPANKED, in 1995, SAFE, in 1998, VELVET GOLDMINE, in 2002, FAR FROM HEAVEN and in 2004, CORPORATE GHOST.

ME: Any new projects currently being considered?

TH: No, nothing yet! I'm still working on the film's promotion.

ME: Thank you, Todd.

For more information contact: http://www.imnotthere-movie.com