Ep 110: Radical period drama Mothering Sunday with Eva Husson, Liz Karlsen & Morgan Kibby

Mothering Sunday is a radical period drama and portrait of an artist as a young woman. During a sweltering summer in Britain between the wars, it follows domestic servant Jane Fairchild on the titular day off-duty – the day of a secret visit to her illicit upper-class lover. Starring Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth and Olivia Colman, the superbly acted drama explores themes of grief, class, sexuality and creativity. Our host Anna Smith sat down with the women whose collaboration brought it to the screen – director Eva Husson, producer Elizabeth Karlsen, and composer Morgan Kibby – in a special live webinar Q&A last week. In this podcast version, you’ll hear the panel in conversation with Anna and answering questions from our listeners. Sharing their motivations and inspirations during the filmmaking process, and their memories of the movie’s pandemic-blighted shoot, they give a fascinating insight into the female creative force behind this quietly rebellious tale. One of a small but growing group of female film composers, Morgan unpacks her longtime collaboration with Eva, who she has been working with since the director’s 2015 feature debut Bang Gang. Plus, she discusses the issue of gender in film composition, and the secrets of an emotional score. Eva shares her approach to depicting intimacy onscreen, and creating a heroine in control of her sexuality. We hear how her hands-on approach to the whole production helped craft the film’s immersive atmosphere. Elizabeth tells us how the film took shape from Graham Swift’s source novel, and talks working with Normal People screenwriter Alice Birch. Plus plenty more snapshots from the set, including what one standout sequence from the 20s-set tale has in common with a 70s punk band… Mothering Sunday is available to watch at home on digital download and on DVD and Blu-ray now. Become a patron of Girls on Film on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/girlsonfilmpodcast Follow us on socials: www.instagram.com/girlsonfilm_podcast/ www.facebook.com/girlsonfilmpodcast www.twitter.com/GirlsOnFilm_Pod www.twitter.com/annasmithjourno Watch Girls On Film on the BFI’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX…L89QKZsN5Tgr3vn7z Girls On Film is an HLA production. Executive producer: Hedda Archbold. Producer: Heather Dempsey. Audio producer: Benjamin Cook. Assistant Producer: Shanaiya Pithiya. House band: MX Tyrants. Thanks to Cristina Garcia at Bird’s Eye View. This episode was produced in partnership with Lionsgate.