Crooked characters, pounding music, bright neon, forbidden substances, an explosive mixture of love and revenge - this is the formula in the movie "Love, Lies, Blood" (Love Lies Bleeding) is used by director Rose Glass. Having debuted five years ago with the psychological horror film "Holy Fashion" (Saint maud), the British artist quickly established herself as the owner of a unique point of view, who talks about uncomfortable topics and is not afraid to do it intensely and shockingly, so it is not surprising that her films are presented by the A24 studio.
"Love, lies, blood" - a story about how Jackie, a bodybuilder who dreams of escaping poverty, is drawn to a competition in Las Vegas. The owner of her gym is the father of Jackie's new girlfriend, Lou, who she wants nothing to do with. Hollywood star Kristen Stewart played the main and very atypical role in R. Glass's new film, which will hit Lithuanian cinemas on September 20. Emma Jones talks about working with the young generation director and colleagues with the actress.
When Rose Glass offered you the role of Lou, were you intrigued by the idea? Did you know this director?
I first met Rose and the idea for this film in a hotel lobby. I really enjoyed her first film Saint Fashion - I was surprised that it was her debut. I saw it at a horror film festival and accidentally sat in on a virtual Q&A session. I was impressed with how easily she talked about how she made the film. "Holy Fashion" is funny, at the same time serious, confrontational and really scary.
And then I got a message from Rose about an idea for a new movie. Her conversations with studios up to that point had been pretty abstract - about, yes, you need to make a movie about a strong woman, and you are, the world needs more strong women making movies about strong women. This is not untrue, but the problem is presented very simply. Rose turned that idea upside down.
Indeed, the character Lou you play in the film is very far from the traditional protagonists. So, ironically, I played a woman who is not strong at all. She is weak-willed, trapped in the paralysis of internalized misogyny. Lou grew up in the 9s, in a small town, in an abusive family, she's homosexual, she didn't fit in.
Basically, Rose described the story of the film to me like this: All the affirmations we repeat, all the ideas that America is built on, sound great on paper, but believing something doesn't necessarily mean it exists in reality. I relished the opportunity to help her tell a story about destructive love, about justifying and rationalizing bad and extreme behavior, all in order to get closer to someone you might not even know.
Katy O'Brian was invited to film later than you, it is interesting that she is a former bodybuilder. How do you think she did in portraying Jackie?
Jackie had to be more than menacing. When she walks into the gym where Lou works, it becomes clear that Lou has never seen anything like it. The girls in her town usually look, well, drastically different. A well-built woman who is also femininely cute is a pretty punk look. Katy infused this character, who also has a dark side, with a very sincere, naive, beautiful energy. Both Lou and Jackie see themselves as good people fighting for the truth, but eventually realize that a person can turn into a monster. Katy coped with this task just perfectly. Yes, as you mentioned, she's competed in bodybuilding, but I think more importantly, she's very aware of how much strength she has. This power comes from real experiences, it is intense and complex, just like a movie. I'm proud Katy.
Your father was played on screen by Ed Harris. What is the experience like?
My dad's hair is exactly the same as his in the movie, so when Ed walked onto the set I thought Rose thought to tame. It was awkward anyway, in the sense that I love my dad, but show me whose relationship with their parents isn't complicated? It was strange working with someone like him. And Ed, well, he's Ed Harris. It was hard to believe that he came down from his great heights to help us make this weird little video. If I remember correctly, he said something like this to Rose: “I don't know, I don't know - I don't know what your movie is, but I want to help you because you're weird.” He really likes the end result. He said that he didn't even expect that everything would work out, but it did. Ed is a legend, in fact it was hard for me to realize that we were sharing space and time. And he is a very nice person, so talented, and his daughter is really cool and beautiful. It was easy for me to play his daughter and really hard to hate him.
What could Love, Lies, Blood say about 9s American cinema?
When I watch the film, I feel that not only is it set in the eighties, but that's when it was created. The film is characterized by brazen sexuality. Now we are far from that, this strange morality has prevailed. This is probably what always happens when progress is extremely fast - there are always reactions to progress. The tone of the film is strange - it is scary and funny at the same time. It's scary not because it's a horror movie, but because it's us, the people, for real monster. The film is also something to be proud of. It's fun, but not biting.
The walls of the gym where Lou works are covered with motivational slogans - they also remind us of the American dream.
Rose has a very accurate view of America in the eighties - beautiful, cool, sexy, fun, but on the other hand, completely empty and raw. I'm not saying that the slogans on the club walls are fake. It is important to believe in what you are doing, then the dream will become a reality. But maybe not the reality we imagine. In that sense, not everyone can be a champion. It's impossible, and Rose plays with the idea. Beneath the starkness and emptiness lies a wealth of visual and conceptual inspiration. It's really motivating. Even I was motivated to go to the gym more often.
"Love, Lies, Blood" is a film unique in its story and tone. Would you agree that this has not been seen in cinema until now?
I think the humor in this film is the director's way of dealing with issues, and it's charming. Watching this movie is like laughing at a funeral, laughing at all the audacity that comes off the screen. We've already discussed that it's not often that good guys look like Lou in movies. It is worth noting that in most queer love stories or anti-love stories - and I think this one is because they should stand out! – there is a shame that is inseparable from being queer, and self-creation, which is necessary for survival. Yes, Lou is weak-willed, has daddy issues, can't get out of the vicious circle, but she knows who she is. It's great to see it on screen. It's great that Rose is pioneering this way of thinking and inviting me along for the ride.