We're happy to announce our sixth Semi-Finalist of the 2007 NOW FILM FESTIVAL! THE DAWN CHORUS, directed by Hope Dickson Leach, is now available for everyone's viewing at www.nowfilmfestival.com!

Born in Hong Kong, Hope Dickson Leach was educated at boarding school in England. She graduated from Columbia University's Film MFA program with honors. During this time she spent 9 months as Todd Solondz's assistant for his most recent film, PALINDROMES. Her first short film, CAVITIES, screened at festivals worldwide including the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Nashville Film Festival and as part of an IFP Buzz Cuts. Her next short film LADIES IN WAITING, shot in London, toured Germany as part of Britspotting '06, and has received a Special Mention for Innovation from the Cannery Works Festival for Emerging Filmmakers. Shot on 35mm, THE DAWN CHORUS is her thesis film, completed in May 2006. She has recently been named as one of the 'Stars of Tomorrow' in Screen International as well as one of the '25 New Faces of Independent Cinema' by Filmmaker Magazine.


NOW CASTING: Would you please give a brief blurb about yourself?
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HOPE DICKSON LEACH: I was born in Hong Kong and attended boarding school in England. I just graduated Columbia University with an MFA in Film.

NC: Would you describe THE DAWN CHORUS?

HDL: It's been seven years since the plane crashed, but Bonnie and Lloyd are still searching for their parents in the wreckage.

NC: When and how did you come up with the unique storyline?

HDL: I had read that trauma survivors stay in touch for years, and I wondered what they had to talk about - I couldn't imagine that during the trauma itself many of them would make connections that would survive the event. So I wondered 'What if they didn't actually talk about anything? What would that mean for their recovery?'

NC: How long did it take for you to complete the project from development to editing?

HDL: Two years.

NC: What was the casting process like?

HDL: I had written several of the parts for actors I had already worked with (Valerie Shusterov, Henry Glovinsky, Julie Kessler and John Gemberling), which was a great privilege. We worked with a casting director, Julie Schubert, casting the rest of the parts, and were very lucky to assemble such a talented group of performers.

NC: What was the secret to creating the brother/sister chemistry between your two lead actors?

HDL: I rehearsed with them, giving them scenarios typical to brothers and sisters and made them improvise. I also gave them homework. Their personalities and acting techniques are somewhat similar to their characters, with Valerie working very much from instinct and Henry preferring a more methodical preparation, so it was easy for them to identify with Bonnie and Lloyd.

NC: Was it difficult to keep a straight face with the situation at hand?

HDL: Never. Operating on a few hours of sleep, with so many people relying on you to get them through the day (or night, or both) meant that there were very few spontaneous moments of hysteria. Of course, there were moments of laughing after fantastic performances - but always after the camera had cut!

NC: What was the hardest part of shooting?

HDL: When a wasp stung me on my breast in the middle of a massive set up—at three in the morning when the flares were burning, and we were running late.

NC: How did you find the right location?

HDL: We looked into finding forests that had suffered fires, as would have been the case with a plane crash, but discovered that fires actually encourage growth in forests. Ultimately, distance from New York City and proximity to amenities became as important considerations as looking right for the story. We were very lucky with the Pound Ridge Reservation - they were so helpful and understanding with what we had to do.

NC: You and your producing partner Jenn Westin went to Columbia. Before Shooting THE DAWN CHORUS did you know each other?

HDL: We didn't. Jenn was two years below me. Columbia arranged a pitch session where writer/directors pitch their thesis films to producers and Jenn and I met there. We discussed the project, which she responded to immediately, and we clicked early on. I feel it was one of the best things that came out of the project, collaborating with Jenn.

NC: What is the most popular question you receive when people see you film and what answer do you give?

HDL: Were you ever in a plane crash? The answer is no. The story is, on an emotional level, more about my parents' divorce, and how you grow up and learn to become adults without your parents to help you. The other question I get a lot is 'Are they ghosts?' to which the answer is also no, and I ask what difference they would think it would make to the movie.

NC: Do you have any projects in the works?

HDL: Jenn and I are collaborating on a feature film, ENGLISH ROSE. It is a comedy set in an English girls' boarding school about a girl who blames Princess Diana for the breakdown of her parents' marriage.

NC: Do you plan on shooting short films again?

HDL: I have a short film that I'm working on at the moment. If you have a story or a style that works in 15 minutes, it's a beautiful thing. I consider it a fantastic art form to perfect your craft as well as telling stories that could not survive in any other format.

NC: What are some of your favorite films?

HDL: Life is Sweet by Mike Leigh; Angel At My Table by Jane Campion; Ladybird, Ladybird by Ken Loach; Cabaret by Bob Fosse; Don't Look Now by Nic Roeg.

NC: When you're not watching or working on film projects, what do you do to relax?

HDL: I read compulsively - often detective novels or PG Wodehouse when I want to relax. I'm also a TV fan, obsessed with Californication at the moment. This week I'm on holiday and I plan to do a lot of walking in the woods.