‘Nowhere Boy’ Directional debut for Sam Taylor-Wood
Nowhere Boy is the feature film directorial debut by acclaimed artist and photographer Sam Taylor-Wood, ex-wife of Jay Jopling, one of the most powerful men in the art world.
Film has always been the source of much of her art and this project, despite being a big leap, seemed like a natural progression from her well-recived short film ‘Love you more’ (2008).
Nowhere Boy received a Lottery funding of ₤1.2 million from the UK Film Council Premier Fund with an additional ₤35,500 from its Development Fund to develop the script. The film also received a grant from Film4 (the film division of Channel 4).
The screenplay for the highly anticipated feature was written by Matt Greenhalgh, and has been selected to close the 53rd annual BMI London Film festival on 29 October 2009. This will be the first time Nowhere Boy has been shown to the public.
During the making of the film, 42 year old Taylor-Wood fell for her leading man, 19 year old newcomer Aaron Johnson. There is a sense that their relationship might overshadow the film reviews – (they recently announced their engagement), however having been through a fair number of trauma over the years and having survived cancer twice, Sam Taylor-Wood lives her life to the full, and does not fear what the critics might say…
Nowhere Boy is a film based on the book Imagine This: Growing Up With My Brother John Lennon by Lennon’s half sister Julia Baird.
It focuses on the period of Lennon’s early life in 1950s Liverpool when, having been raised by his protective Aunt Mimi (played by Anne-Marie Duff), he becomes reacquainted briefly with his mother, Julia Lennon (Kristin Scott Thomas) who suffered from depression, lived nearby and later died in a car accident. Against the backdrop of his music career and his first steps to stardom, the two women fight for John’s affections. It also focuses on his friendship with future fellow Beatle Paul McCartney played by Thomas Sangster.
Producers negotiated with Yoko Ono for the rights to use some of Lennon’s songs and in addition to these songs, British electronica duo Goldfrapp will be scoring the film.
It’s a handsomely made film with a good lead performance from Johnson and an accomplished debut from Taylor-Wood.
Nowhere Boy is released nationwide on 26 December 2009.
