Although Wuthering Heights is widely considered to be one of the greatest novels ever written, not much is known about the book’s author, whose life is largely a mystery.
In EMILY, actor-turned-writer/ director Frances O’Connor attempts to offer a glimpse into the Brontë family’s lives. Loosely biographical, it focuses specifically on the imagined life of one of the world’s most famous but mysterious authors.
The film stars Emma Mackey as Emily, who is portrayed as a rebel and misfit. The young actress relished the chance to tackle such a beloved character: “The Brontë family is shrouded in mystery. They’re sort of untouchable, especially Emily. She’s this mysterious figure, and I like that we’re fleshing her out and giving her a character, a personality and a voice and making her a living, breathing woman, as opposed to this figure from history.”
EMILY begins with a newcomer, clergyman William Weightman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), coming to the remote village of Haworth. His arrival not only disrupts proceedings but causes emotional ripples that gather momentum as the story unfolds.
The Brontë girls are initially quite curious about William, but soon become dismissive. However, things start to shift when William is tasked with giving Emily – who has grown up wild, free and fiercely independent – French lessons, resulting in an intense and all-consuming affair.
In addition to this forbidden and ultimately doomed love, which inspired the writing of Wuthering Heights, the film explores the various relationships that shaped Emily’s life, especially her raw, passionate sisterhood with Charlotte (Alexandra Dowling) and Anne (Amelia Gething), and her care for her maverick brother Branwell (Fionn Whitehead), whom she idolises. The film also stars Adrian Dunbar and .Gemma Jones
More broadly, EMILY is a coming-of-age story – it’s about a woman finding herself and her authentic voice and power in the world.
“Emily has a lot going on,” explains Mackey. “We see her start off as this timid, shy, and very observant girl. She’s seeking her father’s approval and doesn’t really know what her place in the family and in the world is yet, but she’s imaginative and curious and wants to tell all these stories. Over the course of the film, we see her evolve and develop relationships with her brother and William. Her relationships with her sisters evolve and change too, as well as her relationship with herself, her imagination, and her confidence. We see this evolution.”
The film is O’Connor’s directorial debut, from her own original screenplay. “There were certain things in Emily’s life that I identified with,” she says. “Certain things that I think thematically are part of ‘Wuthering Heights’ and her life that I also relate to, and I think a lot of women would relate to, so the idea came from that.” In writing the script for EMILY, O’Connor blended historical accuracy about the Brontë’s lives with Emily’s imagined world. “I could’ve told a story that was a straight biography, but I felt like that’s been done. I was more interested in finding a way to celebrate who Emily is, that’s connected to ‘Wuthering Heights’ and is more strongly narrative in a way that is a little like a fairy-tale.”
EMILY is beautifully acted, lovingly shot, and intensely imagined. It takes audiences on a journey that initially might feel familiar to fans of the Brontës, but which also offers up a fresh new take on the life of one of literature’s most mysterious authors, delving deep into the psyche of Emily and those closest to her as she navigates who she really is and what she is to become.
The film is a must-see for Brontë fans, Wuthering Heights aficionados, literature students, and book lovers.
EMILY is locally distributed by Filmfinity Pty (Ltd.) and will be released in South African cinemas on 11 November 2022.
Nuwe Rolprent Bied ’N Kykie In Die Verbeeldingswêreld Van Emily Brontë
Alhoewel Wuthering Heights algemeen beskou word as een van die gewildste romans wat ooit geskryf is, is daar nie veel bekend oor die skrywer van die boek, wie se lewe grootliks ’n raaisel is, nie.
In EMILY probeer die akteur, skrywer en regisseur, Frances O’Connor, ’n kykie gee in die Brontë-gesin se lewens. Losweg biografies, fokus dit spesifiek op die verbeelde lewe van een van die wêreld se bekendste, maar geheimsinnigste, skrywers.
Emma Mackey speel die rol van Emily, wat uitgebeeld word as ’n rebel wat nie inpas nie. Die jong aktrise het die kans geniet om so ’n geliefde karakter aan te pak: “Daar is iets magies omtrent die Brontë-gesin. Hulle is soortvan onaantasbaar, veral Emily. Sy is hierdie geheimsinnige figuur, en ek hou daarvan dat ons haar inkleur en vir haar ’n karakter, ’n persoonlikheid en ’n stem gee en haar ’n lewende vrou maak, in teenstelling met hierdie figuur uit die geskiedenis.”
EMILY begin met ’n nuweling, William Weightman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), wat na die afgeleë dorpie Haworth toe kom. Sy koms ontwrig nie net verrigtinge nie, maar veroorsaak emosionele rimpelings wat momentum kry soos die verhaal ontvou.
Die Brontë-meisies is aanvanklik nuuskierig oor are William, maar verloor gou belangstelling. Dinge begin egter verander wanneer William die taak kry om vir Emily – wat wild, vry en kwaai onafhanklik grootgeword het – Franse lesse te gee, wat ’n intense en verhouding tot gevolg het.
Benewens hierdie verbode en uiteindelik gedoemde liefde, wat die skryf van Wuthering Heights geïnspireer het, ondersoek die film die verskillende verhoudings wat Emily se lewe gevorm het, veral haar rou, passievolle susterskap met Charlotte (Alexandra Dowling) en Anne (Amelia Gething), en haar omgee vir haar ongenaakbare broer Branwell (Fionn Whitehead), wat sy verafgod. Adrian Dunbar en Gemma Jones is ook in die fliek te sien.
Basies is EMILY ’n storie oor volwassenheid – oor ’n vrou wat haar eie stem en krag in die wêreld moet ontdek.
“Emily het baie wat in haar lewe gebeur,” verduidelik Mackey. “Aan die begin is sy ’n skugter en oplettende meisie. Sy soek haar pa se goedkeuring en weet nie wat haar plek in die familie of wêreld is nie. Sy is nuuskierig en wil stories vertel. Met die verloop van die film sien ons hoe sy groei en verhoudings met haar broer en William vorm. Haar verhouding met haar susters ontwikkel en verander, asook haar verhouding met haarself, haar verbeelding en haar selfvertroue.”
EMILY is O’Connor se eerste poging as die regisseur van haar eie draaiboek. “Daar was dinge in Emily se lewe waarby ek aanklank gevind het,” sê sy. “Die idee is geïnspireer deur sekere dinge wat ek dink tematies is van ‘Wuthering Heights’ en haar lewe, waarmee ek, en baie vroue, kan vereenselwig.” Met die skep van die draaiboek, vermeng O’Connor historiese feite oor die Brontës se lewe met Emily se verbeeldingswêreld. “Ek kon ’n biografie gemaak het, maar het gevoel dat dit al gedoen is. Ek het meer belanggestel om maniere te vind om Emily te vier op ’n manier wat aan ‘Wuthering Heights’ verbind en ’n sterker narratief het wat jou aan ’n feëverhaal herinner.”
Die toneelspel in EMILY is pragtig, met liefde verfilm en met passie uitgedink. Dit neem die gehoor of ’n reis wat aanvanklik bekend voel vir Brontë-bewonderaars, maar wat ’n vars perspektief bied op een van die mees geheimsinnige skrywers deur diep in Emily se psige, en diegene rond haar, te delf soos wat sy ontdek wie sy regtig is en waar sy moet wees.
Dié rolprent is ’n móét vir Brontë-aanhangers, Wuthering Heights-liefhebbers, literatuurstudente en boekwurms.
EMILY word plaaslik versprei deur Filmfinity Pty (Ltd.) en sal op 11 November 2022 in Suid-Afrikaanse bioskope te sien wees.
