Article: Hope, Despair and Indie Cinema: Director Sau Dachi talks Suit Hung. Tied Tongue

CB: The film has been well received, with the Sunday Times saying it has potential to be a 'cult classic' like other Irish greats such as Intermission and Adam and Paul. What's your greatest wish for the film and how it is received?

SD: It would be great to get it viewed internationally and for it to resonate with people. I'd like to see if the film gets opinions on all spectrums of reaction. Whether it elicits anger, sympathy or apathy – and if those opinions line up with the themes that are presented in the film. Outside of Ireland I think audiences will be interested in the different facets of Irish life, culture and the landscapes the film portrays.

CB: Are there any cult classics, filmmakers/directors or style of film that inspired Suit Hung. Tied Tongue? If so, what are they?

SD: Due to the low budget this was the only way to make a feature film within our means in my opinion; keeping it small but vast in story. And, if I was to cite a film that inspired it, I would say: Paradise Lost, 1996 (directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky) and in non-movie terms it would be loosely inspired by the Dnepropetrovsk Maniacs and to a lesser extent the Columbine Shootings.

CB: The talent of Paul St Leger and Alex Eydt who play the roles of brothers Sean and Freddie Halpin has been applauded and the chemistry between the actors is palpable. You've worked with the actors before in A Short Horror Film – where did you find them, and what did you see in them?

Yeah, I love the lads, they're really up for new projects, different ideas, concepts and their own original ideas while on set to help get the story across. They worked great together on and off set on A Short Horror Film and they're close in age so it made sense to cast them as the brothers in Suit Hung. Tied Tongue.

CB: Suit Hung. Tied Tongue made its debut on Ireland's only homegrown streaming site Eiretainment.com. Do you think there's a lack of representation of Irish film on mainstream streaming platforms?

SD: Indie-wise I think it's getting a lot better. Eiretainment is a brilliant idea and executed well, it's great to see all the Irish films and documentaries together and the library building as we speak.

The way I see it is if you want representation on worldwide streaming platforms you have to equal other countries' indie output at their level, because the competition is fierce, and also you need to have the budget for it. Freedom of expression and non-standardised ideas are very important in film too.

CB: The mockumentary and guerrilla style narrative in the film is at times chillingly real to life and it's easy to forget you're not watching a documentary. What were the challenges as a filmmaker of walking the tightrope between reality and art?

SD: One of things I was keeping in mind was having the brothers as organic and natural as possible in the way that I gave them an outline of what needs to happen in the scenes and then I let them improvise and bounce off each other, and I think that way we got a much more candid, brotherly vibe from them, and I think that comes across on screen. During the filming I realised how talented they are, Paul's guitar playing and Alex's poems, all of it was just great infectious energy.

CB: What do you want the audience to take from the film? Is there a call to action there?

SD: Maybe there is a call to action, and maybe there isn't. The corruption the brothers see and the negligence of the state they experience is enough to put them over the edge. Would that happen tomorrow? It very well could.

CB: The film has been described as 'controversial'. Where do you think the controversy is most prominent?

SD: I suppose the concept of a politician being murdered would be deemed to be controversial, would it be controversial to make a film about murdering a doctor, solicitor or an 'average Joe', or is there a different standard between people and politicians? I've seen some films made with similar topics that focus on the mourning of the tragedy or scandal of some aspects of Suit Hung. Tied Tongue – but I feel our film focuses on not letting it slide and doing something about it.

CB: There are some beautiful and at times haunting views of Dublin and Wicklow in the film. Is there meaning in the landscape for the film?

SD: I like their contrast – quiet and peaceful against the bustling city backdrop. The countryside, the trees and mountains are the perfect location to contrast with such obscenely violent murders. But, minus being the setting where our victims are killed, the views are, as you say, just haunting and beautiful and complement our great soundtrack by Dario Rodighiero.

CB: The film tells us what can happen when people lose all hope in things ever being different, losing hope in humanity. However, there is a lot of love in the film – between brothers, friends, family. Is there any hope in the film? And if so, where does it lie?

SD: Well, the inside joke is that there's absolutely no hope in the film, so I think I'll leave it for people to watch it and see if they can find any hope. But for me personally, I think that sometimes from an act that causes outrage – change can come about, so I guess that's a type of hope.

CB: What's the next move for the film, and for you as a filmmaker?

SD: We just finished up our first play Helter Shelter at Smock Alley Theatre in February. Since then, we've been doing pre-production on our next feature film The Giant of Glasnevin Cemeterywhich is a fun SciFi Western kind of thing – that has some Irish lore mixed in for good measure. And, if there's anyone out there who wants to get involved in the funding for it to give us a shout at standardpracticeproductions@gmail.com.

Another member of the production company has just finished the script version of an old Irish novel which is currently undergoing the final stages and rights acquisition with the author's family. So we're also looking forward to announcing that soon. www.standardpractice.ie

Thanks so much for chatting with us, Sau!

"Dachi’s refracted technique contributes to an almost claustrophobic sense of characterisation..." - Katharine Viner, Editor-in-chief, the Guardian

“provocative new thriller (it) feels visceral…like it could be in a Hollywood action flick.” - JOE.ie

"A cautionary tale... " - Alan Corr, RTÉ Entertainment.

Sau Dachi

Sau of Standard Practice Productions is the writer, director and producer of the highly regarded feature film Suit Hung. Tied Tongue. The film was featured in the Richard Harris Film Festival with a nomination for ‘Best Actor’ for Louth actor Paul St Leger, and has already won ‘Best Feature Film’ at the Underground Film Festival, as well as being nominated for ‘Best Feature Film’ at the Louth International Film Festival. It has also been nominated as ‘Best Genre Film’ at the Vancouver Badass Film Festival. The film was scored by Grammy nominee Dario Rodighiero.

Sau also wrote and directed the short film A Short Horror Film, a satire of filmmaking (which won the ‘Best Comedy’ award at the Santa Monica Film Festival), and recently, last February, wrote and directed the 60-minute play Helter Shelter, which was showcased at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin. The play tells the story of six dogs imprisoned in an animal shelter that is ruled by ruthless cats. Currently, Sau is in pre-production for his next full-length feature film, The Giant of Glasnevin Cemetery, which is a sci-fi western.
http://www.standardpractice.ie/