Kristen Stewart has elaborated on the “unique format” of her upcoming Susan Sontag project, in which she is playing the US writer, philosopher and political activist.
“Sontag will be made over such a long period of time. It’s a hybrid documentary, research project, experiment, film-within-a-film type thing,” said the US actor. ”We started it last year at the festival. I don’t know when we’ll finish – it’s an open-ended process.”
US filmmaker Kirsten Johnson is directing project, which is being produced by UK-Australia outfit Brouhaha Entertainment, as first revealed by Screen ahead of last year’s Berlinale. WME Independent is repping sales.
Stewart was talking at a Berlinale press conference alongside UK filmmaker Rose Glass, to promote crime thriller Love Lies Bleeding, screening as a Berlinale Special Gala after its Sundance debut.
She spoke passionately about a new era for filmmaking in which queer characters are able to represent more than their sexuality. “We’ve all been here the whole time. The era of queer films being so pointedly only that is done,” she said.
And she wants more of it. “Not the reason they [queer characters] are side-lined, but their actual experiences – not always feeling like you have to stand on a fucking soap box,” noted Stewart.
On the subject of queer representation in Love Lies Bleeding, Glass said, “I didn’t put pressure on myself” when crafting the film. Glass also spoke of her surprise that Stewart agreed to star. “I remember thinking it [the pitch] went terribly and I wasn’t making any sense,” she recalled.
Another hot topic at the conference was a recent cover shoot for Rolling Stone magazine that has triggered chatter online, in which Stewart appears with a mullet and a leather vest-jockstrap ensemble, and discussed being fluid in her gender and sexual identities.
“I couldn’t wait to come and do this for all the follow-up questions,” joked Stewart.
“There are moments in time you would like to encapsulate and make a little collaborative art project about a moment in your life,” she said of the cover.
“The existence of the female body expressing any kind of sexuality that’s not designed for or desired by exclusively cis-straight males is not something people are super comfy with, so I’m really happy with it.”
“It’s cool here”
Love Lies Bleeding marks the follow-up to Glass’ acclaimed debut, religious horror Saint Maud. “I did this movie for Rose,” said Stewart. “Saint Maud is one of my favourite movies. When we met, we were friends immediately.”
Set in 1980s Albuquerque, New Mexico, Stewart leads the UK-US co-production as an introverted gym manager whose criminal father and new bodybuilder girlfriend, played by Katy O’Brian, envelope her in a world of violence and chaos.
A24 produces alongside Andrea Cornwell for the UK’s Lobo Films and Oliver Kassman for Escape Plan Productions. Film4 developed the project, with A24 repping sales, and Lionsgate set to release in the UK and Ireland.
Last year, Stewart attended the festival as head of the international jury. She heaped praise on the “radical leaning” festival and its programming of films “that might not have commercial success” but “make statements and ruffle feathers. There’s something irreverent and cool about it. It’s cool here.”
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