Michael Bentham: “There’s an enormous amount of toxicity that comes out of a situation in which your child is either harmed or threatened.”
Now in release after Covid-19 wreaked havoc on its release plans, the remarkable, independent, hot-button sexual assault drama Disclosure is now on screens. Writer/director Michael Bentham kindly sat down for a deep-dive interview at the Cameo cinemas, which championed the film before it secured a spot on the program at the Nova.
Please enjoy. Includes The Schembri Challenge.
Disclosure interview index
00:00 Poster art
01:12 Outline of film’s themes;
02:30 Contemporary resonance;
03:19 Why make the film; genesis;
04:40 Re-victimization;
05:15 Original idea unrelated to news events;
06:00 Desired impact;
06:35 Issue of online parental protection;
07:25 Research;
07:56 Research vs drama;
09:20 Working with cast; long takes;
10:15 “Cooking” a performance;
12:00 Casting;
14:04 Touching on current events;
15:50 Christian Porter case; statistics;
17:00 Issue of credible allegations;
18:03 Making a film without support;
19:35 Cold submitting to festivals;
20:20 Palm Springs Film Festival and programmer Jane Schoettle;
21:30 Life of the film; COVID nixing deals;
22:47 Getting traction in Australia; Bonsai Films;
23:28 Cameo screenings;
24:41 Marketing and publicity budget;
24:59 The Schembri Challenge;
29:19 Teaching.