With LAND, acclaimed actor Robin Wright makes her directorial debut and also stars as a grieving woman who leaves her troubled life behind in favor of a spartan existence in the harsh wilderness of the Rockies. At death’s door, she is saved by a local hunter (Damian Bichir), which forges a friendship that heals them both in ways they never imagined.
We spoke with Wright, who explained how this script stood out from all others upon the first read. "I knew I wanted to direct this particular story," Wright said, "because it was about how empowered this character becomes and how empowering it feels to finish this movie. To see where she started, and then the resilience that took place, with the help of a beautiful stranger.”
Co-star Demián Bichir immediately fell in love with his character as well, calling it "a very inspiring role that also demanded different things from me that I have never tried before as an actor. It was a great opportunity for me to explore."
Bichir also praised his co-star and director. “I think there is a director in every actor, and sometimes it emerges.” He added, “I knew it was only natural she would go in that direction… and my goodness, what a way of making herself present in her first try."
While doing all the already-challenging work of filmmaking, Wright and her crew also had to deal with challenges brought on by filming in the wild terrain of the Rockies. "We were dealing with the elements every day," Wright told us. "Unpredictable weather patterns that were crazy. We only had twenty-nine days to shoot the whole movie and had to capture four seasons in that twenty-nine days. It was incredible."
Wright is excited for those who experience the vast and gorgeous landscape of the Rockies on the big screen. "Nature is a character in the movie," she said. "To be able to experience that on a big screen… you feel like you are on that mountain. You are feeling that cold in the dead of winter, the blizzard. You feel like you’re there.”
Check out our full interview with Robin Wright and Demián Bichir from LAND:
LAND opens on February 12!
All images courtesy of Focus Features.