Cinema for me is…
United Kingdom- Douglas James Greenwood from Europa Cinemas on Vimeo.
Douglas in 23 Frames:
1. Describe yourself in ten words.
I’m not sure if I can think of 10 words! There’s 10!
2. Your best quality? Your worst habit?
Best quality: I love work.
Worst habit: I love work, but perhaps a bit too much
3. Your dream job?
I’m sort of doing it already: running a magazine and writing about cinema, music and fashion for publications I grew up obsessing over.
4. What do you like most about your country?
The banter, and the general unity of the population. If you leave Scotland and run into another Scot elsewhere, you instantly become friends.
5. Your favorite dish in your country?
Haggis – vegetarian, though. I don’t drink or eat meat, which is practically Scottish sacrilege!
6. Which word or phrase in your native language do you like the most and what does it mean?
I heard somebody use the word ‘barry’ for the first time in ages the other day. It means great/brilliant.
7. What European capital have you visited lately?
Barcelona!
8. Other than your own, which European country would you love to live in?
Germany or Portugal.
9. What does Europe mean to you? 3 values.
I love that Europe is a respectful, accepting and culturally exciting place to live.
10. What film made you fall in love with cinema?
The Disney renaissance films led to me becoming obsessed with cinema, but my first encounter with arthouse was del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth (2003, US) as an 11 year old!
11. Your favorite film theatre? What do you like about it?
I’ve always had a soft spot for Filmhouse in Edinburgh – not just because they led me here! When I was 16, the first ever film festival I went to was Edinburgh’s and Filmhouse is its official home. When I moved to the city for university I’d spend every Friday morning and afternoon binging on the new releases thanks to their matinee deals! I admire its strong stance on remaining independent, which is a real rarity for cinemas these days.
12. Who is your movie hero?
River Phoenix. I wasn’t born when he had died, but he captures a youthful, free spirited era of late 20th century cinema that I love. He was such a huge talent, and the story of his sudden demise always breaks my heart when I hear about it. Thankfully, the Phoenix genes are brilliant and Joaquin continues to make unwaveringly great work.
13. Which movie director would you like to be?
Harmony Korine. He’s provocative, dangerous and a genius purveyor of modern Americana.
14. Briefly describe your favorite scene.
I still obsess over the penultimate scene in Tomas Alfredson’s Let The Right One In (2008, SE). As Oskar confronts his bullies and they try to drown him in the school swimming pool, Eli swoops in and sinks her teeth into them all. Let The Right One In righted all the wrongs of modern vampire cinema. It’s delicate and beautiful, but its bite is so much more affecting than any disposable horror film’s attempt at telling a similar story.
15. What are the 3 best European films you have seen in the last year?
My Life as a Courgette (Claude Barras, 2016) CH,
Loveless (Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2017) RU,
The Square (Ruben Ostlund) SE.
16. Which film character do you most identify with?
Sid from Toy Story – a bit intimidating on the outside but, in reality, a proper wuss!
17. Your favorite soundtrack or song?
Mica Levi is a genius, so anything from the Under the Skin score, or Vanity from her Jackie OST. The latter is the strongest example of her music being inspired by Disney films; it sounds like it’s been plucked from the Sleeping Beauty score.
18. If you had to live in a movie, which one would you like it to be?
KIDS (Larry Clark, 1995, US)– just to experience dingy, 90s skater boy NYC.
19. Your life becomes a bio-pic. Who plays the role of you?
I reckon Tilda Swinton is a versatile and talented enough actress to give playing a 22-year-old Scottish lad a good go.
20. Which talent would you most like to have?
I’d quite like to be able to skateboard or roller blade. My balance is way off!
21. What is your most treasured possession?
Probably more memories than actual physical objects. Family and close friends mean a lot to me. And my first experiences of the film/journalism industries are always going to be cool to look back on.
22. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Being 21 and having headed up three issues of an award-winning magazine with a collection of incredible people. Oh – and interviewing Rooney Mara over a terrible phone line in the Tate Modern in London. The resulting article wasn’t my favourite thing that I’ve written (she’s quite a reserved person), but I’m just glad I didn’t die of shock halfway through!
23. What is your motto?
If you work hard and care enough, you’ll get there.