When you imagine a movie about the European refugee crisis, it probably doesn’t look anything likeLimbo.
“This film is not about refugees, it’s about human beings.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What initially inspired you to make this movie?
Ben Sharrock on the set of ‘Limbo.'.Saskia Coulson / Focus Features
BEN SHARROCK:It’s something that stems back just over 10 years.
What kind of research did you do for the film to help bring an authenticity to the story?
I spoke to people that were waiting six years to for their asylum claim.
Vikash Bhai (left) and Amir El-Masry in ‘Limbo.'.Focus Features
So I was trying to do as much as possible in terms of grounding that research in truth.
As I said, I was testing the humor with people that had been through the asylum system.
It always came back with a resounding, “Yes.
Then in the rehearsals, we were balancing the level of performance so things are played quite straight.
It’s just lots of balancing in so many different ways.
Tell me about working with the cast how did you collaborate with the actors to build these characters?
That really started in the auditions, because we had a very thorough audition process.
What was it like filming on that island?
I read that this was the first movie to be shot on Uist.
We’re the first feature film to ever be shot there.
I wrote the island into the script.
It was amazing, but it was extremely challenging.
We were in a battle with the island all the time.
We’d have six guys holding down lighting stands; otherwise everything would just blow away.
It was exhausting, but totally worth it.
I’d imagine that contributed to the atmosphere and mood of the film as well.
That’s the thing.
But the other side of it is how much it actually feeds into the creative energy and the performances.
All of these things are feeding into the performances and the creative energy.
It wouldn’t have been the same film had we not shot there.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
