- Music
- 19 Jul 17
Read the full interview in our new issue!
The new issue of Hot Press out on Thursday contains an in-depth interview with Len Collin, director of the critically-acclaimed Irish independent film, Sanctuary.
The debut feature from the Anglo-Irish actor and director, it tells the story of how Larry and Sophie, two people with intellectual disabilities, fall in love.
“Given the subject matter, I thought it’d be perceived as art house, but people are picking up on the fact that it’s actually a really entertaining film you can take your date to!" says Collin who's assembled a cracking rock 'n' roll soundtrack.
"“I had a ‘eureka!’ moment in the bath when I heard ‘Blister In The Sun’. Up till then I wasn’t sure what kind of soundtrack I wanted for the film. I shouldn’t be revealing trade secrets, but I approached Alice Nutter from Chumbawamba about using ‘Tubthumping’ for the scene that takes place on the bus. She said, ‘We love the film and given what it’s about you can have it for free.’ I was delighted, but our music supervisor, John, went, ‘No, let’s pay them a thousand for the music rights and a thousand for the performing rights, which is quite low, so we can go to Sony or EMI or whoever and say, ‘That’s what a number one single is costing us…’ We duly approached the Violent Femmes’ people and got ‘Prove My Love’, ‘Gimme The Car’ and ‘Good Feeling’, which closes the film for under ten grand which in cinematic terms for a soundtrack is half-nothing.”
Len also makes a bit of a confession...
"I’m famous – or infamous – for writing the only episode of EastEnders in which people get the shits!” he reveals.