Jack James, writer/director: MALADY

Jack James, directing MALADY

1Q: Tell us a little about the origins of MALADY, from concept to financing.

Malady was something thematically I’d been working on and researching for a very long time before the film came about. I spent a long time working in different mediums before I worked out that film was the route I really wanted to go down. Year after year i promised myself I would bring the elements together and make a film, thankfully I was introduced to [co-producer, actor] Kemal whose enthusiasm and belief in seeing me go on to write and direct was really the catalyst that gave me the confidence to go on and pursue Malady.

Raising funds for the film was incredibly difficult, especially as I had very little behind me in the way of existing work to be able to convince people I could actually make it. Thankfully there was a lot of faith by initial investors in the script and in us as people. The rest of the financing was raised as we were shooting, which was a hard situation to be in, but I think having existing footage was probably the thing we needed to help secure the rest of that financing anyway.

2Q: Cinequest Film Festival is hosting the World Premiere of MALADY. Explain to us how it feels to bring this film before audiences for the first time, and what do you think their reaction will be to your film?

It’s honestly something I’ve never felt before and something I find incredibly difficult to describe. Making Malady was always a struggle, and the people behind the scenes who knew the ins and outs of the content and subject matter were always left questioning whether someone would be brave enough to present this to other people, but were so invested in the project that they had to see it through.

Thankfully, Cinequest saw the film and believed in those subject matters and its execution and invited the film along for its World Premiere.

It feels pretty daunting, it now being put to audiences but I’m excited to see what happens. It’s difficult to guess whether the response will be positive or negative, but as long as it provokes a reaction and makes people feel something then for me the film works and is doing its job.

3Q: What was your best and/or worst experience while making MALADY.

The experience is a really difficult thing to pin down. In all honesty, as intense and gruelling as the whole process was, it was all made ten times easier by the cast and crew and their dedication to the project. Finding the right people and having them believe in the project as much as I did is without doubt the best thing about making Malady. Without that it wouldn’t be the film it is today.

Myself and Kemal experienced a few bad experiences during pre-production, but they ended up being turned into positives after the fact. What didn’t kill us made us stronger. Unless it did kill us. Which it didn’t.

4Q: Festival audiences often have to make hard decisions about what to see, and the catalog descriptions sometimes run together. In your own words, why should people see your film?

I think people should see the film because I believe they would be entering into a unique experience they wouldn’t forget in a hurry. I genuinely believe the film creates an immersive and expansive atmosphere as well as having very engaging performances that I’m incredibly proud of.

When Cinequest launched the line up, I was incredibly happy with Liva Petersone’s description of the film and think she put it best in referring to Malady as an unorthodox experience. That was something I really worked hard at trying to make happen, and if I saw a film being described in that way then I’d want to seek it out and see exactly what that entailed.

5Q: Time to pre-plan: You just won the Oscar for MALADY. Give us your acceptance speech.

Well, I’d start by thanking my cast and crew, because they were amazing and without them the film would not be the film it is today, I’d then swiftly move on to family but then I’d “pull a Kanye West” on myself and dismiss my own film from winning and endorse a completely different project.

The interesting thing about this is that I’d be playing both myself, and me as Kanye. So there would be a lot of hopping back and forth; I’d be incredibly animated and passionate about why I shouldn’t win, and I’d also be completely confused and shocked at the same time, as to why this was happening. I’m not sure this would actually work but I’d still probably do it.

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