The author of the book had a great line about your films: “Laughs are never free. There are always strings attached.” Can you speak about the humor in this film and its fine calibration, especially in its opening sequences?
Taika Waititi: I always thought that humor and comedy are very powerful tools and effective weapons against bullies and bigotry.
The following questions and answers are excerpted from a conversation that followed the NBR screening of Hold Your Fire. The film took place in my old neighborhood—I lived a block and a half from where those events took place, right on the J line. It’s a major intersection, a very busy hub. To me, this is […]
What did your writing process entail?
It kind of had the whiff of destiny, from the time I read the book.
This is a very adult film about children and childhood. What were your inspirations for the story?
Eskil Vogt: I think I never would have made this movie if I hadn’t become a parent.