Introduction:
“God or no god.” It’s an age-old debate—and one that ends up as the centrepiece of my narrative feature debut (as writer-director) The Way We Speak. Despite the writing on the wall, atheist and futurist essayist Simon (Better Call Saul’s Patrick Fabian, in a blistering leading performance) and Christian author Sarah (newcomer Kailey Rhodes, in a live-wire performance of her own) contend for the prize at a prestigious thought-leader summit. But deep-seated cultural divisions, unhinged ego, and grief are what the film is ultimately exploring.
How far are we willing to go to defeat those who are different from us? Simon and Sarah’s debate appears to be about the existence or absence of God, but the real argument they’re having in public soon becomes about who is the better person. And the fallout, like the debate itself, only escalates in ways that have long-lasting repercussions for everyone in this character-driven dramatic ensemble, likened to the work of Aaron Sorkin by RogerEbert.com.
Inspiration:
Speaking of Roger Ebert, the documentary Life Itself, along with Best of Enemies, informed my screenplay in numerous ways, as I sought to distil themes of envy and competition—and the intriguing, tragic way opponents can come to be defined by their worst moments together, and almost end up tied to one another. Oh, and Michael Mann’s movie Heat was a big influence on two key scenes in The Way We Speak (and the music that carries one of those scenes into the end credits).
The Process:
Filming took place on the West Coast of the United States over 18 days. Locations and low-budget indie parameters kept us on our toes, but necessary speed and resourcefulness aided the final cut in a few ways—from deeply collaborative, energetic performances to how Director of Photography A.J. Marson and I simplified capturing certain scenes without losing the rich aesthetic we were after.
What It Means to Be an Official Selection:
Having our European and UK premieres at the Worcester Film Festival—and to be one of the closing day films—is genuinely such an incredible honour. We poured our hearts into this story, and it’s a film built with the audience in mind. We couldn’t be more proud to share it with such a well-regarded festival and that festival’s well-regarded, thoughtful attendees—and we’re thrilled that Patrick Fabian will be on hand to lead the Q&A after the show.
Where to Watch / Follow:
Follow The Way We Speak on Instagram @thewaywespeakfilm for updates and behind-the-scenes content—and visit my writer-director site for more (including my three short films) at http://brokentelegraph.com.