“I used to be embarrassed to say where I was from but now, I own it,” says director Jessica M. Thompson, who grew up in Toongabbie in the Western suburbs of Sydney, and whose latest film The Invitation is being released in cinemas around the world.
“I am the youngest of four, my mum is an immigrant and a single mum. I have zero family members in the arts; the vast majority of my family are educators and tradespeople. All that to say that this was an unusual and untrodden path for me to choose!”
An editor and actor, Thompson made her feature debut in the US back in 2017 with The Light of the Moon.
“At twelve, I declared I was going to become a filmmaker and I never wavered. And to my mother’s credit, she never said ‘no’. She never discouraged me. The only thing she said was, ‘this is going to be a very hard path’, and she was not wrong! My mum is deeply proud of me. I think she’d rather that I make easy-to-digest Pixar films, but she also knows I’ve never been one for the straight and narrow.
“I was so blindly obsessed with becoming a filmmaker that I saw moving to New York at the age of 24 to be a ‘do or die’ moment. I had no interest in being anything else and I found the Australian industry too small, competitive and cagey to break into. So even though it seems like a bold or brave decision, I’d say it was more a desperate one. I had no other option, no other choice, nothing else interested me. It felt like I had everything to lose if I did not give it a shot.
“I would 100% do it again. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I wish I could go back and tell my scared, anxious, nervous 24-year-old self that everything will work out. To think of all the countless, sleepless nights where I would lay awake agonising and fretting about my career… but perhaps you need to go through that, perhaps that is what drives you to succeed…”
It’s worked out in a big way for the young director, whose latest film is The Invitation, the story of an orphaned young woman (Nathalie Emmanuel) who is contacted out of the blue by a long-lost distant relative, inviting her to a family wedding in England. She is greeted with immense wealth upon arrival, swept off her feet by the lord of the manor, but something isn’t quite right…
How did you come to direct The Invitation?
“Blair Butler’s original script for The Invitation was sent to me in January 2020 and I was immediately drawn in. A contemporary ‘Brides of Dracula’ origin story felt fresh and unique – I hadn’t read anything quite like it. I have been wanting to direct in the genre space for a long time and had been looking for a horror, sci-fi, thriller, action story that spoke to me. I was particularly drawn to the mash of genres, romance and horror. I have always preferred a horror that is not about the monster under the bed but the monster in the bed. I revised the script, to emphasise that even more. Horror is typically a genre that lacks nuanced, emotional, and believable relationships and that was something important for me to showcase in this film.
“The very last in-person meeting I had before the Covid pandemic shut down the entire world was pitching The Invitation to Steve Bersch (President of Sony’s Screen Gems). We shook hands and then: lockdown. The production was delayed by almost a year, but it gave Blair and I time to really hone the script – we increased the romance, amplified the twists-and-turns, strengthened the characters’ arcs and their relationships – as such, we were very much ready when we did eventually swing into production in mid-2021.”
Is there a subtext to the story, in terms of class, race or otherwise, that you were interested in exploring?
“Deep down, The Invitation is about “smashing the patriarchy” without hitting you over the head with the message. I have been itching to craft a story that explores the #MeToo movement without making it directly about Harvey Weinstein, or Bill Cosby, or Jeffrey Epstein, (or any of the numerous real-life predators we’ve all come to know). And what better way to do that than with one of the oldest, most feared/loved, and most diabolical predators of all time?
“Beneath the cover of a scintillating, decadent, gothic-horror, The Invitation is ultimately about toxic masculinity, the power of the patriarchy, and one woman’s quest to overthrow it all. Evie becomes our unlikely hero. A fighter. A whistleblower. She discovers that the only way to beat the system is it to join it and dismantle it from the inside-out – in order to save future women from suffering the same fate. I always envisioned Evie to be a woman of colour. This choice adds another layer of depth to the story, as it is women of colour who have typically been most disenfranchised by the patriarchal world order. In the end, Evie literally lights “the patriarchy” on fire… In our preview screenings, hearing the audience cheer at the moment she chooses to fight back is electrifying…”
Why do you think that there’s a continued obsession with vampires?
“People have been obsessed with the undead for millennia. Almost every ancient culture has a legend about the dead coming back to life and feeding on the locals. I think there is something equal parts terrifying and alluring about these creatures that look deceptively like us but are all-powerful, supernatural, and who hunt us for their food.
“While prepping for the film I did a deep dive into vampire origin stories, and it was surprising just how much we have deviated from history and adjusted the lore through the books and movies of the past 30 years. Many customs that we take as “vampire rules” are not from folklore or even from Bram Stoker’s OG book. So, I decided to actually go back to the roots for some of the rules, which may surprise some audiences. I honoured the lore and the history of the genre but gave it a fresh twist.”
I believe that you shot The Invitation in Budapest… how was that experience? My impression is that there’s a lot of great emerging filmmakers coming out of Hungary, so I wonder if the below the line crew members are just as impressive? Did you visit Romania for inspiration when you were in that part of the world?
“Budapest is one of the most incredible and magical European cities! I absolutely treasured my 6 months there, and would happily go back and film there again. The crews are some of the best in the world. I have never worked with a more respectful crew – yes, Australia and the USA need to step up in that regard! Hungary is full of artists and craftspeople and I was wildly impressed with the crew’s abilities. You really are able to stretch your dollar there and make a visual feast.
“There was so much vampiric history in Hungary. Vlad the Impaler (who a lot of people believe Bram Stoker based the character Dracula upon), was actually imprisoned under Buda Castle for 13 years and I was able to visit the tunnels where he was held.
“The production filmed at Nádasdy Castle, about an hour outside of Budapest. We got a backstage tour of all of these incredible castles around Hungary, and when I saw Nádasdy, I knew straight away that it was going to be our hero castle, because it was built in the English Tudor style. But the icing on the cake was when I found out that Madam Báthory’s great-great-grandson built the castle – Madam Báthory is a woman who people call ‘Countess Dracula’ or ‘The Blood Countess’. She is believed to be the first known female serial killer, murdering over 600 virgins and bathing in their blood. What better castle to film in?!”
How do you think your previous experiences on film and TV, and your editing and acting background that informed the work on The Invitation?
“All of my experiences inform and mould the work that I do. Especially my work as an editor. It made me understand the craft of directing so much more. Editors are truly the third storytellers, and often the most overlooked. My work as an editor allows me to find the angles, the takes, the performances, effectively and efficiently, and helps me run a set smoothly. And my acting experience is a great help. The first thing I tell up-and-coming filmmakers to do is to get into an acting class. I studied in Australia and New York and it is vital to understand the different methods that actors use to get into the right headspace, the way they break down a script, and how best to communicate your desires and vision. Every new project I take on, I get better, stronger, more assured at my craft and that is because of the array of experiences I have now. It’s like having more tools to draw from.”
Are you surprised that Sony is releasing the films in cinemas at a time when streamers are king?
“Not at all. Cinema is very much alive! It is one of the things people missed the most during the pandemic, as evidenced by how much the box office is bouncing back this year. Cinema is my church. Watching a film with that communal experience – hearing the laughs, the shock, the tension in the room – nothing compares to it. Although I fully respect the streamers and love that there are now many niche platforms to tell an array of stories, some films should be seen in a theatre – with flawless projection and full surround sound. And The Invitation is one of them! I made this film for the big screen. It’s a hell of a ride.”
Can you discuss your leading cast and why you chose them for the film?
“Nathalie Emmanuel’s performance as Missandei in Game of Thrones was utterly enthralling and captivated audiences so much so that the showrunners purposefully increased her role in the later seasons. She was a fan favourite, and it’s easy to see why. She is the perfect leading lady. Audiences are going to fall in love with Evie, her character. Nathalie has a beautiful presence on and off the screen. She’s the most empathetic person – she really feels deeply for her characters and fleshes them out to become full, rich humans. All of the nuances – from the way she wears her clothes, to the way she creates her art, to the way she honours her mother… all of those little details give Evie so much breath and life.
“Thomas Doherty got the role off an audition. He blew me away. He has the X factor. You can’t not watch him. Part of it is the way he looks – he has these incredible features, so sharp and defined; but it is also the way he commands the space and handles himself. He really has to play two characters in this film – the charming, romantic Lord of the Manor, our leading man… and then, basically, the epitome of evil. That could have been difficult to balance, but Thomas makes it look easy.”
Can you discuss any mentors that you may have had that have helped you get to where you are today, and do you consciously pay it forward?
“Unfortunately, I have not had the pleasure of having a mentor and I very much crave one. I think this is one of the main obstacles barring women and minorities from breaking into ‘Hollywood’, as there are very few mentors who look like us and very few mentorship opportunities. Luckily, I have very strong friendships with other women filmmakers in LA and NY and we all look out for each other, and offer guidance and advice. Yet, we are all roughly at the same stage in our careers, so it would be comforting to get advice from other women who have had to navigate all the obstacles before us. Jane Campion? Kathryn Bigelow? Nancy Myers? Any takers??
“I did do an apprenticeship and shadowed director, Mike Barker on Season Two of The Handmaid’s Tale for six weeks and that was extremely helpful and insightful. But it was unpaid, I didn’t even get a stipend. I had to pay for my own airfares and accommodation and went into debt to be able to do it. Yet another way that the industry can be very classist!
“I love mentoring others, especially young women. I often speak at universities, colleges, high schools and organisations that are aimed at getting more women and minorities into the industry. I love providing whatever knowledge I can offer to help others find their voice and break into this business. I would love there to be so many more diverse storytellers and will do whatever it takes to fly that flag.”
How was the experience of directing episodes of Australian made series THE END? Is TV something that you’re drawn towards?
“After ten years of living and working in America, it was absolutely wonderful to finally come back to Australia and shoot an incredible series with the inimitable See-Saw Films producing. Sam Strauss, the creator, is a genius and the story is one I hold close to my heart. I absolutely loved the experience and would happily do it again. I am writing my own series at the moment and TV is definitely a space I want to explore more in future. Some stories need more than two hours to be told, and sometimes you want to spend hours-upon-hours getting to know your characters.”
Is Australia somewhere you’d like to return for work in the future? If so, what sort of projects are you interested in pursuing?
“Absolutely! I can’t wait to get back to Australia and film something! I love working in Australia. It’s such a phenomenally beautiful country with incredible landscapes that lend so easily to the big and small screen, and there is a wealth of untapped artistry there. I am not someone who likes to pigeon-hole myself, but I would love to continue working in dramas and the genre-space. I really want to make a grounded sci-fi and a crime-thriller in the future… but I am always open, constantly reading, listening, writing and absorbing stories, trying to see what inspire me next…”
The Invitation is in cinemas August 25, 2022
