Farm League has added director David Findlay to its roster for his first U.S. representation spanning branded content and commercials.
Originally from Quebec City, Findlay as a teenager had aspirations of snowboarding glory which were cut short by injury, propelling him towards a career in filmmaking. He made an impressive entrance into the industry, quickly amassing a portfolio of short films, commercial and branded work, and music video projects, all characterized by his unique film language–a blending of raw performances, artful cinematography, and atmospheric worlds that draws audiences in.
Notably, Findlay’s narrative short film, Lay Me By the Shore, this year won Silver at the Cannes Young Directors Awards. This accolade adds to his growing list of honors, which includes being an alum of SHOOT’s 2019 New Directors Showcase, and being named the Vimeo Breakout Creator of the Year in 2022.
Findlay’s most recent project, a music video for singer and professional skateboarder Austyn Gillette’s latest single “Leaning Into Your Palms,” serves as a testament to his ability to capture the essence of human connection. Featuring acclaimed French actress, model, and journalist Agathe Rouselle, the video is set to be released on October 2.
In addition, Findlay recently released “Victims & Citizens,” a powerful PSA aimed at combating drunk driving, a testament to his commitment to using his art for social impact.
Findlay commented, “What I’ve learned from the ad world thus far is that all that matters is your relationship to your producers. With Farm League, clearly, the work is outstanding, but discovering that the people who run the company are genuine, hard working and unpretentious people, with sharp sensibilities who care about outcome as well as process was what got me very excited.”
Next in his work he said, “I’m eager for challenges, for projects that take on complex emotions and themes, and for me to render them simply, poignantly and with a lot of heart–leaving a lasting impression.”
Tim Lynch, founder/executive producer at Farm League, added, “David’s short film Lay Me By the Shore is a beautifully told emotional story about a group of high school friends reckoning with a heavy situation. It feels honest while taking the audience into the world of these teenagers. After seeing it, I knew I wanted to work with David.”
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More