Andrea Arnold reveals how she finds inspiration
When it comes to modern British cinema, there are few filmmakers who are as influential as Andrea Arnold. Developing a unique brand of contemporary social realism, Arnold’s films – such as Red Road and Fish Tank – have moved audiences all over the world.
One of the most distinctive features of Arnold’s directorial approach is the trust she places in her actors, giving them the freedom to flesh out their characters. While many auteurs exert tyrannical control over their actors, Arnold allows them to pour in their own reflections about the roles they play in her projects.
Although her work has been compared to the films of Terrence Malick and Larry Clark, Arnold maintains that she doesn’t take inspiration from other films while working on new projects. During an interview with Cineuropa, Arnold opened up about the kind of research she conducts while preparing for a new film.
When asked about her cinematic influences, Arnold responded: “When I’m making a film, I don’t want to watch other films. I take a lot of my inspiration for each film from the world I’m exploring. So I will go into the world, do a lot of research and immerse myself in the places and with the people I’m going to be making the film about.”
The director opened up about her approach: “That’s absolutely where I get my inspiration from. I find real life and real people really inspiring. In the past, Robbie [Ryan] and I might look at photographs, but we don’t say, ‘We’re going to make it look like that film or that film.’ I try to find my own way, my own voice.”
Arnold’s emphasis on field research is evident in her 2016 road drama American Honey, starring Sasha Lane, who runs away from her hostile home environment with travelling salesmen. The winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes, Arnold’s coming-of-age tale is a fascinating exploration of what it means to be young.
The filmmaker explained: “I think the film is a mix of the America I grew up with, which I mostly saw through Hollywood – you know, Little House on the Prairie and cowboys and those things – and the contemporary America that I saw when I did my trips. I was quite upset by some of the towns I went to and the poverty I saw. When people don’t have money, they can’t get healthcare. That kind of thing really shocked me.”
