To celebrate the release of Summerland, the directorial debut of writer Jessica Swale, we sat down with the writer/director as well as star Gemma Arterton to chat about the magical new drama.
Set in an around the British coastlines, Summerland follows the story of fiercely independent folklore investigator, Alice (Arterton) who secludes herself in her clifftop study, debunking myths using science to disprove the existence of other-worldly forces and magic. Consumed by her work, but also profoundly lonely, she is haunted by a love affair from her past and is soon asked to shelter a young boy named Frank, who has been moved to her little town as the war in London intensifies after the Blitz.
Speaking on the film, Arterton told us she was drawn to Alice due to her characteristics and allowing her to play something different to other roles she has portrayed and, as star and producer, fell for the film story of hope, imagination, love and family, all things we need right now. Swale also spoke of the film and its development as well as the unique pressures of being one of the first new films to be released in UK cinemas post-lockdown.
You can watch our exclusive interview here:
Summerland opens in UK cinemas on July 31st.
