Jul 23
Luke Gilford Embraces Gay Rodeos with 'National Anthem'
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 8 MIN.
EDGE: How did making the photo book, and making music videos, prepare you for making your first feature?
Luke Gilford: Both photography and music videos taught me how to be economical with telling a story visually and without words. And also, to be efficient with time: We shot the film in 17 days. My experience with music videos was helpful for that because you have to work on a very quick timeline in order to make those days.
EDGE: You've got Charlie Plummer, who also starred in Andrew Haigh's "Lean on Pete" starring in your movie. What did he have that you wanted to bring to the film?
Luke Gilford: Charlie's just such a phenomenal talent, and he brings so much nuance and emotional resonance to every scene. A fun fact: As I had just started writing the script for "National Anthem," I did a photo shoot about young actors for V Magazine, and Charlie was one of those actors. They put him in a Western shirt for the shoot. As soon as I saw him, it was just like, "Oh my God, that's Dylan!" He reminded me of a young River Phoenix in "My Own Private Idaho," which is one of my favorite films, and also one of Charlie's favorite films, so that became a touchstone point for both of us. He also is able to bring that sense of wonder and hope that we were trying to communicate. He's just so gifted at that.
EDGE: There's a triangle between Dylan and Pepe and Sky. What exactly is happening with Dylan and Pepe, other than jealousy around Sky?
Luke Gilford: It was so important to me to show a more modern version of masculinity. The cowboy is often such a symbol of violence and domination, and I wanted both Pepe and Dylan to represent the cowboy for today's world – a cowboy who's not afraid to feel, and for there to be tenderness as well as toughness. I think both of them have that mixture of heart and grit. There is this masculine kind of competition between them, but also an attraction – sort of a brotherhood, as well as this sort of territorial feeling from Pepe, and then Dylan wanting to be part of that world and jealous of him [when it comes to Sky]. It's complicated, and I think both of them were able to bring that to life.
Source: Instagram
EDGE: How important was it for you to cast queer actors in these queer roles?
Luke Gilford: Oh my gosh, there was no question. It's been almost 20 years since "Brokeback Mountain." It was time for there to be a more authentic portrayal of what it means to be a rural queer American.
There's a lot of folks from my book, from the real community, in the film. And for the actors, it was so important for them to be able to be themselves, and for me to be able to collaborate with them and to bring that sense of authenticity. I hope you can feel from watching it that this is an authentic portrayal of what it means to be one of these people living in this beautiful country, and finding and building our lives within it.
EDGE: Speaking of authentic, I got the sense the rodeo scenes were filmed at actual rodeos.
Luke Gilford: Yes, that's absolutely true. That was also extremely important to me from the beginning, for us to be able to film at the real rodeos. Logistically, that can be quite a challenge, but it was so beautiful that our real cast was actually part of the community. Sometimes people at the rodeos didn't even realize we were filming a movie, because I had become so embedded within the community. It was so much the spirit of the film for us to all become like one big family, and for it to all feel very much authentic and real.
EDGE: So, when you're not behind the camera, shooting photos or making a movie about queer rodeo, are you competing in the events?
Luke Gilford: Well, I've watched my father in the rodeo for years, breaking his neck and his back so many times. I'm not super motivated to be jumping on a bull anytime soon. But I've always loved horseback riding and being out there in nature with animals and with community. It's very much a huge part of my experience when I'm not shooting.
"National Anthem" is currently in theaters.
Check out these pics from Luke Gilford's Instagram:
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
