Legendary filmmaker Mike Leigh tells the BBC’s Culture Life that he’s "struggling like mad to get anybody to back a film". He's not short of ideas and energy, just money. The interview airs tonight on the public UK station.
Leigh has been a consistent figure in the world cinema scene with landmark works such as “Secrets and Lies", “Life is Sweet” and “Naked.” However, the British director has been struggling of late, 2014's "Mr. Turner," a biopic of artist J.M.W Turner, barely made any scratch and 2018’s “Peterloo” was famously rejected by Cannes.
When asked by Screendaily about receiving awards at festivals, Leigh mentioned the Cannes fiasco, “Everybody knows that Cannes rejected ‘Peterloo.’ They said they respected it but it wasn’t for them.”
Regardless, Leigh deserves backing for any damn film he wishes to make. The man is a legend.