Cloud South Films

It’s an interesting process to be shortlisted for an Oscar. In Los Angeles the screenings went really well. People clapped and the Q&A; went on for some time with really great questions. At the end a small crowd gathered round to talk about the film. One woman proffered an A4 poster of the film and asked me to sign it. Then she held out a large headshot of me that she’d downloaded and printed on glossy paper. She wanted me to sign that as well. Oh so now I’m signing headshots of myself like I’m a star. Later I asked her why she would want my autograph. It’s what she does, she said. ‘Just in case’. Like an insurance policy – in case I get famous. I think that little incident is emblematic of the Oscar short-list palaver. Certainly it’s a distraction. A pleasant one to be sure. But it’s easy to see how quickly it can become about the hype and the glory and the reason for making the film, the impulses behind it is somehow lost.

To some the Oscar nomination is the most important thing in the world but to most of the world it’s of no consequence at all. I think (I hope) we sit between those two poles. Dinner with the Karena’s last week bought that home. This charismatic, amazing family. The kids are growing up. Wellie’s voice is changing, Aurora is becoming even sweeter and her dad was praising her increasing skills with horses. Malachi is even more charming and perceptive, while Elias is intense and observational, drawing the world at every chance. Corban is clear eyed and smarter than ever and Salem is so full of her perfect world, more confident and competent than any other four year old I know. They hoovered up a table of food; they conversed with us and engaged the entire restaurant in their bright world. And that’s where the real glory lies – in the day-to-day life of this family and the great privilege of being part of their journey.

(with Fraser Heston and his son)