FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

A retired sea captain and his daughter must reassess their strained relationship after he begins a new romance with a widowed housekeeper.

Director: Klaus Härö
Writer: Jimmy Karlsson, Kirsi Vikman
Producers: Kaarle Aho, David Collins, Kai Nordberg

Q: What did you feel was the most fulfilling element of working on this film?

David Collins (Producer): "Setting the production in Achill was exciting and challenging for all concerned, but the end result was very beautiful."

Q: What do you hope audiences will take away from the film?

Klaus Härö (Director): "I really believe that this is a film that touches audiences in a way that you can feel that ‘this is about my life, I recognize myself.’ I mean, you can’t always expect that everyone in the crew appreciates the script because they’re here to do a job and they’re professionals so they’ll do it. But during this shoot I have so many people who wouldn’t have to comment on the script say, ‘this is a lovely story, I could’ve chosen something else and stayed home in Dublin, stayed home in Helsinki, but I wanted to come here because this is a special story.’ I think that it touched people's hearts and that’s what we tried to translate to the streets, so I feel that this is a film where people can recognise themselves and find beauty in that reconciliation."
Catherine Walker (Actor): "I think it’s because it’s a universal story and I think the familial relationship is the most complex that we have to deal with in our lives and we all can identify and we all have that fear of losing our loved ones. We constantly in life, with our family, are learning how to let go of the past, learning how to forgive, learning how to move on and also learning to let each other change and grow. So, I think that’s what makes it very special because there is nobody who isn’t touched by that."

Q: To what extent was your on-screen talent vital to the success of the film?

Klaus: "The cast of this movie has been our pride and joy, first just to get them to do the movie, Catherine Walker, James Cosmo and Bríd Brennan, but also as we were shooting, I’ve been sitting very closely, often by the camera watching them and you feel like you’re drawn into what they do. But then you look around and you see people around you like electricians , sparks, continuity, sound and they’re all impressed. So, I think after takes we very often were looking at each other thinking ‘oh yeah, we got it.’ We’ve had takes where people have just bursted into tears or applause after filming it because they’re being resembled by what the actors are bringing to the screen. You could almost say that we felt encouraged many times in this sense because they’re so moved by what they’re doing. I think you could say this about all of these actors, that they really gave the film their everything both professionally and emotionally if you will."

Q: What’s the most interesting/inspiring piece of feedback you’ve received from people who have seen the film?

David: "There has been a lot of positive reception on the film, it’s amazing that the film has had success on the critics front, but also to everyday audiences. . I think people like that the film has a different perspective because a lot of films focus on first loves, but this one is about your last love. It’s very touching in that way because it’s a story that often is overlooked but equally very tender. From a festival point of view, the film has had a strong run in the festival circuit and in particular has won the Audience Choice Award at the Chicago Film Festival."

Q: Can you speak to the growth in the Irish film industry in recent years and how it helped your film get off the ground?

David: "Having been in the industry for over 35 years, it’s amazing to see the strides that Irish filmmakers have made from past to present day. It’s great having worked with so many fantastic filmmakers who are still making strides now, I specifically want to highlight the Accomplice Television co-founder Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe for their recent success at Element Pictures for their recent success with ‘Poor Things’. However, there are so many emerging filmmakers who we look forward to working with in the coming years. With ‘My Sailor, My Love’, we were fortunate enough to get regional production funding as we shot the film on Achill Island, Co. Mayo. The scenery in this film was stunning and really adds to the story. We’re also so lucky to have the assistance of Achill Tourism and the WRAP Fund who were very supportive in this endeavour."

Q: Why is it important to see your work represented at the IFTAs and to be acknowledged by your peers in the Irish film community?

David: "For both cast and crew, an IFTA nomination is something to be valued. Samson has received multiple nominations at the IFTA’s over the years and we are always pleased to see the emerging talent that we are working with receive recognition."

CAST - IN CONSIDERATION