A new film from the legend that is director Mike Leigh is always an occasion and his latest, the BAFTA-nominated Hard Truths, is no exception. After the Victorian settings of Peterloo (2018) and Mr Turner (2014), he returns to the present day with a family story which could touch a nerve with just about anybody who sees it.

The immaculate outside of Pansy’s (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) suburban house disguises the constant tension inside. For her, life is difficult: she is agoraphobic, depressed and constantly angry with the world, losing her temper at the slightest provocation, real or imaginary. Her husband and son try to keep the peace, but it’s like walking on eggshells, yet her sister Chantal (Michele Austin), who is her complete opposite, is more tolerant and desperately tries to help. Despite her efforts, however, the future for Pansy and her family looks increasingly bleak.

We sat down with the director and his two main actors to talk about his unique filmmaking style, as well as their experiences of working together, both on stage and on screen. Jean-Baptiste, who’s received a BAFTA nomination for her performance, and Austin also discuss how their friendship impacted on portraying sisters and their reactions to working again with Leigh after a long gap. He explains the learning process he goes through with each of his films, and why he likes to leave the end of a story in the audience’s hands. And all of them own up to the everyday things that annoy them – and how they sometimes react.

You can watch the full interviews below:

 

 

Hard Truths is released in UK cinemas on 31 January.