Benediction (film) explained

Benediction
Director:Terence Davies
Producer:Michael Elliott
Cinematography:Nicola Daley
Editing:Alex Mackie
Runtime:137 minutes [1]
Budget:£5 million[2]
Gross:$848,834[3] [4]

Benediction is a 2021 biographical romantic drama film written and directed by Terence Davies. It stars Jack Lowden and Peter Capaldi as the war poet Siegfried Sassoon, along with Simon Russell Beale, Jeremy Irvine, Kate Phillips, Gemma Jones, and Ben Daniels.

Benediction was Davies' final film before his death in October 2023.[5]

The film was released in United Kingdom on 20 May 2022 by Vertigo Releasing and United States on 3 June 2022 by Roadside Attractions.

Synopsis

The film follows the life of Siegfried Sassoon, a British poet and decorated World War I combat veteran who was sent to a psychiatric facility for his anti-war stance. He had love affairs with several men during the 1920s, married, had a son, and converted to Catholicism.

Production

In January 2020, Jack Lowden joined the cast of the film, with Terence Davies directing from a screenplay he had written.[6] In March 2020, Peter Capaldi joined the cast of the film.[7] [8] [9] Principal photography began on 8 September 2020,[10] [11] [12] and finished on 22 October 2020.[13] [14]

Release

Benediction had its world premiere as a Special Presentation at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival on 12 September.[15] That same month, the film's UK and Ireland distribution rights were acquired by Vertigo Films.[16] In October 2021, Roadside Attractions acquired North American distribution rights to the film.[17] It was released in United Kingdom on 20 May 2022 and United States on 3 June 2022.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Benediction has an approval rating of 93% based on 149 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The site's consensus reads, "It isn't an easy watch, but Benediction uncovers a profoundly affecting drama in the real-life story of a combat veteran whose poetry warned against the horrors of war."[18] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 81 out of 100 based on 32 critic reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[19] The IndieWire Critics Poll of 165 critics named it the 13th best film released in 2022.[20]

In response to the film's portrayal of Sassoon's conversion to Catholicism, the poet's niece, Sister Jessica Gatty (who attributes her own conversion to Sassoon's influence), repudiated the filmmakers by revealing that he had been both at peace and joyful in his later years, stating: "The redemption which he sought in many different ways and which he longed for, was found in the last decade of his life when he came home to Christ in the Catholic Church. He was transformed. I can witness to this, so I need to speak out."[21] [22]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Benediction. Toronto International Film Festival. 20 July 2020.
  2. Web site: Director Terence Davies on his latest movie, Benediction. digitaltrends.com. 7 June 2022. 31 August 2022.
  3. Benediction (2022) - Financial Information. Benediction-(2022-Australia). 22 July 2022.
  4. Benediction (2022). 658342657. 22 July 2022.
  5. News: 2023-10-07 . Terence Davies: Screenwriter and film director dies aged 77 . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-10-08.
  6. Web site: Jack Lowden To Star As WWI Poet Siegfried Sassoon In Terence Davies Biopic 'Benediction'. Deadline Hollywood. Andreas. Wiseman. 17 January 2020. 17 September 2020.
  7. Web site: Coping With COVID-19 Crisis: Director Terence Davies & Producer Mike Elliott On Halting Long-Gestating Movie 'Benediction' Days Before Shoot. Deadline Hollywood. Andreas. Wiseman. 27 March 2020. 17 September 2020.
  8. https://deadline.com/2020/11/jack-lowden-terence-davies-benediction-wraps-shoot-gerladine-james-simon-russell-beale-1234607510/ Terence Davies’ WWI Drama ‘Benediction’ Wraps Shoot With Geraldine James, Jeremy Irvine, Simon Russell Beale Among Joiners; First Look At Jack Lowden Pic
  9. Web site: Tom Blyth on His Journey from the TV Workshop to HBO's The Gilded Age. Left Lion. Roshan. Chandry. 23 February 2021.
  10. Web site: So exciting to be up and shooting again with the amazing Terence Davies. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/nicdaleydp/2393919524144803569 . 25 December 2021 . registration. Instagram. Nicola. Daley. 8 September 2020. 26 October 2020.
  11. Web site: Hello Siggy.. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/jack.lowden/2400221724315559149 . 25 December 2021 . registration. Instagram. Jack. Lowden. 17 September 2020. 17 September 2020.
  12. News: Why a Doctor Who star was shooting with film crews in Leamington this week. Coventry Telegraph. Enda. Mullen. 11 October 2020. 15 October 2020.
  13. Web site: That's a wrap on 'Benediction' after a 7 week shoot. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/nicdaleydp/2426303736696920465 . 25 December 2021 . registration. Instagram. Nicola. Daley. 23 October 2020. 26 October 2020.
  14. Web site: It's a wrap on #terencedavies's new feature film, #benediction. Twitter. M.Y.R.A. Entertainment. 24 October 2020. 26 October 2020.
  15. Web site: Rubin. Rebecca. 20 July 2021. Toronto Film Festival Lineup Adds 'Dear Evan Hansen,' 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' and 'Clifford the Big Red Dog'. live. 20 July 2021. Variety. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20210720142739/https://variety.com/2021/film/news/toronto-film-festival-dear-evan-hansen-1235023598/ . 20 July 2021 .
  16. Web site: Terence Davies' Siegfried Sassoon drama 'Benediction' sells to UK, Ireland, ANZ (exclusive). Rosser. Michael. Screen International. 6 September 2021. 16 October 2021.
  17. Web site: Terence Davies Drama 'Benediction', Starring Jack Lowden, Snapped Up By Roadside Attractions For North America. Deadline Hollywood. Andreas. Wiseman. 15 October 2021. 15 October 2021.
  18. Web site: Benediction (2021). Rotten Tomatoes. 20 July 2022.
  19. Web site: Benediction Reviews - Metacritic. Metacritic. 3 September 2022.
  20. News: Foreman . Alison . December 14, 2022 . The 50 Best Movies of 2022, According to 165 Critics from Around the World . . January 8, 2022.
  21. Web site: Siegfried Sassoon's niece hits out at biopic over misrepresentation of poet's Catholic faith. Catholic Herald. 3 July 2022 . 21 October 2022.
  22. Web site: Caldwell . Simon . 2022-07-03 . Siegfried Sassoon's niece hits out at biopic over misrepresentation of poet's Catholic faith . 2023-10-22 . Catholic Herald . en-GB.

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