As someone who is passionate about film, I find it intriguing to get additional insight via roundtable discussions with the artists and creative/production team. During my visit to New York City, Disney and DreamWorks arranged for a special group interview session with actress Emily Watson, who plays Albert’s mother in the film War Horse, slated to be released this Christmas. As a mom to two young children, I found it fascinating to hear how she balances an incredibly successful career, the travel that often goes hand in hand with that career, and her family.
The British actress, who still resides in England, surprisingly has never been away from her family for more than three weeks. When an opportunity arises, her first questions are where the film will be shot and how long she will be on location. In a career such as hers, I find it admirable that she considers things like her daughter’s school schedule and whether or not her family can travel with her when offered a role in a film. Her greatest accomplishment as a mother is her daughter’s interest and involvement with books and literature. And her one piece of advice to us moms? To give ourselves a break…which is something I don’t do often enough.
The film itself is set in Dartmoor, England and as you might expect, the cinematography is absolutely stunning. There is an end scene with this incredible sunset that I never would have imagined was shot live (you absolutely must see it). Emily’s most memorable part of shooting War Horse was the location, which “is the most beautiful part of the country.” In that part of the country, you can stand “and not be able to see any sign of human habitation.” On a similar note, her favorite scene from the film is the no-man’s land sequence, not only because of the cinematography but because it is a powerful depiction of how pointless the war was.
War Horse depicts the incredible relationship between a boy and his horse. As you delve deeper into the film, you begin to not only see the inhumanity of war, but the inhumanity of how we treat animals. The film, which was directed by Steven Spielberg, is an incredibly powerful portrayal loyalty, bravery, and hope. War Horse debuts in theaters nationwide on December 25th, 2011.
No compensation was received for this post. All expenses related to the trip provided by Disney/DreamWorks.
Photo credit: Louise Bishop from MomStart and DreamWorks
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