"Islands": Jan-Ole Gerster and Sam Riley on a Sun-soaked Shoot and a Complex Character
"Fuerteventura Project Proved Especially Rewarding"
Ready for a provocative tale brimming with intrigue, mystery, and the sunny shores of Fuerteventura? That's right, Jan-Ole Gerster's latest cinematic venture, "Islands," is exactly that! This time, Sam Riley sinks his teeth into the role of a lonely tennis instructor living a seemingly glamorous island life. When one guest mysteriously disappears under unusual circumstances, the story becomes entangled in a web of loneliness, unspoken conflicts, and secrets galore.
Gear up for a thrilling interview with Gerster and Riley, as they discuss the filming on Fuerteventura, the fate of the central character, and the hauntingly beautiful film score by Dascha Dauenhauer.
Sam, you've been to the Canary Islands only once before - at the tender age of twelve. How was your experience the second time around?
Sam Riley: My grandparents planned to retire on Tenerife, and I visited them when I was twelve. But I must say, the shoot on Fuerteventura was a dream come true. I'm a sun-worshipper, but I grew up with gray skies in Yorkshire. Spending an extended time in the sun was not something I was used to as a kid. Island life counts as a welcome change from my childhood holidays!
Jan, Fuerteventura is where the idea for "Islands" struck you like a bolt from the blue. What inspired you to create your latest masterpiece there?
Jan-Ole Gerster: The sheer beauty of the island took my breath away. It's a fascinating mix - on the one hand, there are magnificent landscapes that are almost magical, and on the other, there's the tourist industry that's a bit outdated. The sight of a lone tennis instructor, pushing tourists over the net in a worn-out court for ten hours a day, inspired me instantly. Intriguing figures like that often capture my attention.
During pre-production, you chatted with the real-life tennis instructor you observed. What stuck with you about him?
Gerster: He mentioned, almost like a mantra, "Love it, don't regret a single day." But to me, the character embodies someone who, despite living in paradise, understands it as a kind of trap from which he can't escape. This theme of escape is one of the leading motifs of the movie.
Sam, what drew you to the role of Tom, the enigmatic tennis instructor?
Riley: A great script, a complex character, and playing every scene? What else could an actor ask for? I read it in one sitting, right on the beach, although the irony of it all wasn't lost on me. Tom and I, we're both Dave and detached - we have our personal lives, but there's a longing for something more.
Did you feel that longing at any point, Sam? The "grass is always greener" syndrome?
Riley: All of us adults have moments when we wonder, "Is this it? What am I doing?" It doesn't depend on whether you're rich or poor, happy or not. As I've grown older, I've learned to focus on the present instead of dwelling on the "what ifs." But of course, every once in a while, I catch myself daydreaming.
How did the process of writing the script for "Islands" unfold, and how did Dascha Dauenhauer's haunting music make its way into the film?
Gerster: Blaz Kutin and I started the screenplay, and we wrote it in a language I like to call "European English." We brought Lawrie Doran on board to help polish it linguistically. When it came to the music, Dascha's work blew us away - it captured the gloomy, mysterious atmosphere of the film perfectly.
Riley: The music in "Islands" is unsettling yet beautiful. It's a unique blend of sounds that leaves you questioning the sanity of the characters. It stays with you long after the credits have rolled.
"Islands" is an English-language film that strikes a harmonious balance between noir crime and character study. Get ready to be captivated by the stunning landscapes, complex relationships, and stunning performances in this riveting thriller.
- The European Union and the United States might find the gripping story of "Islands," a movie filmed on Fuerteventura, intriguing, as it delves into the life of a lonely tennis instructor living a seemingly glamorous island life, becoming entangled in a web of secrets and mysteries.
- Although Sam Riley had visited the Canary Islands when he was twelve, the Fuerteventura shoot for "Islands" offered him a dream come true, being a sun-worshipper and having grown up in the gray skies of Yorkshire.
- Jan-Ole Gerster, the film's director, was inspired to create "Islands" on Fuerteventura due to its intriguing mix of stunning landscapes and an outdated tourist industry, providing the backdrop for an intriguing character like the lone tennis instructor.
- Dascha Dauenhauer's haunting music played a significant role in "Islands," encapsulating the gloomy, mysterious atmosphere of the film, leaving viewers questioning the sanity of the characters, much like the complexities present in the script co-written by Jan-Ole Gerster and Blaz Kutin.
