Jodie Foster, director of The Beaver, held a press conference on her movie - presented Out of Competition  - with screenwriter Kyle Killen. Highlights from the press conference.

Jodie Foster spoke about her double role as director and actor:

"It’s a very bad idea to direct and act at the same time. The advantage is you know the characters extremely well and know where the movie is supposed to be going. But the bad side is you don’t get surprises."

The director praised Mel Gibson’s performance:

"I knew that Mel wouldn’t have a problem with my directing. If it had been a different actor, I might have gone a different direction. Mel had a deep understanding of Walter’s character. He was prepared to show himself going through a struggle, something he has experience with. We talked about that a lot when we were shooting. For Mel, it was very important to shoot this movie. I know he’s incredibly proud of it."

The movie-maker explained her penchant for psychology:

"Actors love psychology. That’s why we’re actors. The root of psychology is family. (...) I make movies about spiritual crises. That’s what Walter is going through. Making movies is my own way of coming to terms with my own crises. It allows you to move through issues in your own life. It’s a healing process."

On the subject matter of the movie:

"Walter has a choice between a death sentence, through suicide, and a life sentence. His illness is a real psychological breakdown stemming from chemical depression. If there is one final thought in the film, it’s the idea that you don’t have to be alone. Being alone is a choice that we make."

 
Compiled by B.P.