EXCLUSIVE: Oscar-winning writer-directorEmerald Fennellsays that if youre prodding at something uncomfortable, thats what movies are for.
That maybe we dont want to interrogate.
I stick my finger in, she adds gleefully.
Emerald Fennell on the set of ‘Saltburn’John Wilson
And I give a thumbs up to Fennell for sticking her finger in.
Quite reasonably, she says that you want to make something that everyone talks about afterwards.
Laughing, she adds: And everyone has a slightly different impression of what happened.
Emerald Fennell chats to guests at BFI London Film Festival opening night gala reception. Photo: Baz Bamigboye/Deadline
The dance youre always doing as a filmmaker is around how much you let people fill in the gaps.
And how much do you show?
Saltburnsset in 2006, as a new intake of freshers arrive at Oxford.
Freshest of them all, is earnest and eager, Oliver Quick, played with ferocious fearlessness byBarry Keoghan.
Sorry, mate, Felix tells Olivier, We dress for dinner, black tie.
Do you have cuff links?
Its that seemingly easy formality thats hell for any outsider who doesnt know the rules.
Theyre not written down anywhere.
Rather,theyre handed down to a particular class along with a silver spoon.
Theres a shift when Oliver arrives at the Cattans impressive pile.
Mission accomplished for Fennell .
Everyones talking about it.
Thats what we want.
Better than all this anodyne stuff weve been getting, a gent muttered.
Oh, wait, that was Fennells father.
Fennell calls Olivier Quick our throbbing desire.
Fennell tells me that Keoghan has absolutely no fear or shame …he just wants to get into it.
I suppose were all looking to drill down into something deep.
The dress code read formal, but there was a lovely clash of ever-so slightly formal and ever-so casual.
And theres the rub, chums.
There were no stars in glorious gowns and dapper black-tie get ups.
