Dylan Southern, director of the film The Thing With Feathers, recently shared insights into his collaboration with Benedict Cumberbatch during a conversation at the 69th BFI London Film Festival. This adaptation of Max Porter‘s acclaimed book, Grief Is the Thing With Feathers, follows a father and his two sons as they navigate the tumultuous journey of grief after the loss of their wife and mother.
The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival before screening at the BFI London Film Festival. The plot centers on a father, played by Cumberbatch, and his two primary school-aged sons, portrayed by Richard Boxall and Henry Boxall. As they grapple with their loss, a mystical crow emerges from the father’s writing to guide them through their emotional turmoil.
Southern, who is primarily known for his work on music documentaries such as Meet Me in the Bathroom and Shut Up and Play the Hits, described the journey to bring this film to life. “I optioned the book on my own,” he recounted. “I did everything you’re not meant to as a filmmaker. I spent my own money. And I was sort of in the hole. But I believed in this book and the idea of this film so much that I just kept pushing it and pushing it.”
The director was particularly enthusiastic when he discovered that Cumberbatch was also a fan of the source material. “When I was told that Benedict was a huge fan of the book as well, I thought I’ll take a punt. So, I sent him the script, expecting to wait six months for a polite ‘no’,” Southern explained. To his surprise, Cumberbatch’s production company, SunnyMarch, responded within two weeks, expressing the actor’s interest in meeting with him.
Southern admitted feeling nervous about working with an actor of Cumberbatch’s caliber, especially as it was his first narrative feature. “I went to meet him, and all of those nerves were dispelled. We got on so well,” he said. Their collaborative dynamic proved beneficial, with Southern noting, “He was such a great collaborator. He asked as many questions of me as I asked him.”
The director emphasized the importance of their established relationship, which flourished during their extensive discussions before shooting began. “I’d been thinking about this film for years and years and years, and then suddenly you have six weeks, and you have to make it,” he said with a laugh. He even recalled a moment during filming: “The first time I called ‘action,’ I forgot to call ‘cut’ because I was so mesmerized by his performance.”
Looking ahead, Southern addressed his future projects, revealing he is returning to the world of documentaries after initially planning to move away from them. “I was not going to do another music documentary. And then, I don’t know if you’ve heard of a band called Oasis! The ask came from Oasis, if I and my directing partner would cover their reunion,” Southern quipped.
In addition to this documentary endeavor, Southern is developing a new narrative feature. He expressed optimism about this project, having gained valuable experience from The Thing With Feathers. “I wrote another film, an original film, and worked on that for five years and got to the point where we were casting and location scouting. But then the whole thing fell apart,” he shared. “That’s where I learned you have to have really thick skin.”
He described his upcoming film as a significant shift from his recent work. “It’s flexing a different muscle from The Thing With Feathers, in which the arc is emotional. There’s not so much plot in Feathers as it’s more about an emotional journey for a character. The next thing I’m doing is completely plot-driven with character. It’s a London-based thriller,” Southern disclosed.
As he continues to explore new creative avenues, audiences can look forward to Southern’s evolving career, marked by his passion for storytelling and a willingness to embrace both documentary and narrative filmmaking.
