Drama

DN LFF2010 – Leap Year – Michael Rowe

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Leap Year follows the month of February with freelance jounrnist, Laura. Shot within the four walls of her apartment, she observes her neighbours and eats canned food whilst lying to her mother on the phone about the life she’s living in the city. Some nights, Laura goes out and returns home with a man to live a one night love affair, this happens several times until she meets Arturo. The pair make a connection and their relationship soon turns into a sadomasochistic one, provoking difficult questions about sex and violence. Laura appears to be the victim throughout the film but it soon becomes clear that her intentions and past are the things that push Arturo to the limit.

Winning the Camera d’or at this year’s Cannes, this art house film is not one to be missed. Admittedly I left the cinema with a funny feeling in my stomach; some of the scenes make for difficult viewing. Released in the UK at the end of November, I spent some time at the London Film Festival with director and writer Michael Rowe to discuss how he went about making his first feature.

I think it was a leap of faith on her part because no one had seen me direct ever. But I think probably the sensibility that could be seen in the script helped.