Director Sebasti?n Lelio: ‘The presence of porn is everywhere and making us numb’

The director of the Oscar-winning A Fantastic Woman talks about his new film, Disobedience, the story of a lesbian affair in a London orthodox Jewish communityThe Argentinian-Chilean film director Sebasti?n Lelio lives in Berlin but, when Skyped, turns out to be in Santiago. He is wearing a white T-shirt – it is almost summer in Chile – and it seems far-fetched that this should be the man whose film Una Mujer Fant?stica (A Fantastic Woman) won an Oscar this year, helped by an unforgettable performance by its lead, the transgender actor Daniela Vega. It seems improbable if only because of his lack of self-importance – he is an unusual mix of relaxed and concentrated, and it is not easy to picture him getting caught up in Hollywood razzmatazz. He is in Santiago seeing friends, writing, thinking about various possible new projects. Even with the wavering image on the screen, one gets the strongest sense of him – an attractive presence, searching blue-green eyes, a readiness to laugh. Within minutes of watching and listening, my verdict is that this is un hombre fant?stico.

He is talking about his new film, Disobedience, which is based on a novel by Naomi Alderman, about a lesbian affair in an orthodox Jewish community and stars Rachel Weisz, who co-produced the film. I tell him I’ve seen it twice, first, in a Jewish cinema in New York where a captive audience seemed captivated. Second time round, seeing it in London (it was, he reveals, shot in Hendon), I was even more bowled over by its subtle craftsmanship and emotional punch. It is about acceptance, the anarchic nature of desire, and what it means to be shunned. This is not new territory for Lelio; you could even say it was an obsession.

Continue reading...