Director Dylan Southern Discusses Cumberbatch and New Projects

Dylan Southern, the writer-director of the film The Thing With Feathers, recently shared insights about his collaboration with Benedict Cumberbatch and his future projects. The film, which is an adaptation of Max Porter’s acclaimed book, Grief Is the Thing With Feathers, had its world premiere at the 69th BFI London Film Festival after debuting at Sundance. The narrative explores the grief of a father and his two young sons following the death of their wife and mother.

The film’s synopsis reveals the emotional journey: after the mother’s passing, the father, portrayed by Cumberbatch, finds himself accompanied by a crow, a manifestation of his grief, as he navigates the challenges of family loss. The film features the two sons played by Richard and Henry Boxall.

Creative Journey and Collaboration

Southern, known for his work in music documentaries, took an unconventional route in bringing 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.”

His determination paid off when he learned that Cumberbatch was also a fan of the book. “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. “And within two weeks, his company, SunnyMarch, got back to me and said, ‘Benedict really likes this. He wants to meet you’.”

The meeting between Southern and Cumberbatch proved to be fruitful. “He was such a great collaborator,” Southern said. “He asked as many questions of me as I asked him, and he eased me into it. We had so many long conversations about the character, weeks and months before we went on set, that by the time we got there, our working relationship was established.”

Southern highlighted the importance of this collaboration, especially given the limited shooting schedule. “I’d been thinking about this film for years, and then suddenly you have six weeks, and you have to make it,” he said with a laugh. “The first time I called ‘action,’ I forgot to call ‘cut’ because I was so mesmerized by his performance.”

Future Projects and Shifting Directions

Looking ahead, Southern hinted at a potential shift in his focus. “I was not going to do another music documentary. And then, I don’t know if you’ve heard of a band called Oasis!?” he quipped, indicating he might revisit the documentary space due to a request from the iconic band. “The ask came from Oasis if my directing partner and I would cover their reunion,” he added.

Alongside this, Southern is crafting a new narrative feature. “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 admitted. “That’s where I learned you have to have really thick skin.”

Regarding his upcoming project, Southern shared, “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.”

As Southern continues to navigate the world of narrative filmmaking, his collaboration with Cumberbatch and his evolving projects showcase his commitment to storytelling and his adaptability as a director. With each new venture, he aims to deepen his exploration of human emotions and experiences through the lens of film.