From the "On The Scene" Archives:

by Anthony Kaufman

For first-time feature filmmaker Richard Kwietniowski, the trip to New York is almost a superfluous one. His film "Love and Death on Long Island", was already grabbed by Cinepix Film Properties after its debut screening at Cannes. More of a chance to stir up press and publicity than a search for support, Kwietniowski's movie exemplifies the film festival success story, like many of the films at the NYFF -- already picked up by distributors and hoping for an extensive run in the States.

But things weren't so simple for the British director. It took two years to get the project off the ground. Kwietniowski first had to convince author Gilbert Adair that his novel could be turned into a film. Once the author agreed, he had all the inspiration he needed. "The film was made ultimately because I loved the book so much, loved the premise of it, so I didn't give up," he said, explaining, "Whereas if it was a story that I myself invented, I think I would have buried it years ago." Once the project began to role, he soon realized, "If you're a first time feature filmmaker, as I know now, any other experience in television or short film counts for absolutely nothing."

Advised by indie producer James Schamus that money couldn't be raised in the United States, the director headed, of all places, to Nova Scotia. With help from the Nova Scotia Film Development Corporation, British Screen, and Telefilm Canada, Kwietniowski was able to make an intelligent and humorous reworking of the "Death in Venice" story, adapted from the novel by Adair, set in Long Island, shot in Nova Scotia and starring an excellent John Hurt as a British writer and a surprisingly apt Jason Priestley of "Beverly Hills 90210" as the teen idol he fixates on.

How did he get his two actors? "The simple answer was I just asked," he replied. "I quickly realized the only asset of the project was the script." After sending it out to Hurt, he arranged a lunch. "John [Hurt] came bouncing in, quoting lines from the script and had an immediate and precise appreciation of exactly what the script was doing and exactly the same thing happened with Jason. I then believed that possibly after all this time, this project could actually be blessed."

With two name actors behind the project and pre-sales to UK TV, Canadian TV and Italy, Kwietniowski had all he needed to undertake the project. Once the film was made, he said, "There was a rather peculiar selling strategy, which was basically not to let anybody see it until it screened at Cannes." Although he admits, "I thought it was rather daring, because why should people come see a movie they know nothing about," the strategy paid off and "Love and Death on Long Island", with its precise storyline and clever directorial choices, is likely to make Kwietniowski an important new talent on the independent scene.