Mike Leigh Says Peterloo Gatherers Would Be ‘Horrified’ At Abstaining Voters, Wishes He Got Bigger Budgets for Contemporary Films

variety.com:

Rafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor Renowned British filmmaker Mike Leigh believes that if the subjects of his 2018 historical drama “Peterloo” were alive to see the upcoming U.K.

general elections they would be “not only horrified but mystified” about “people procrastinating about whether to vote and seeing justification in not voting, which is what’s happening right now.” While in conversation about his career with Chief Executive of Film London Adrian Wooton at the Mediterrane Film Festival, the director emphasized that his retelling of the Peterloo Massacre of 1819 is a film “about democracy” and felt it was vital to highlight the importance of voting ahead of the elections.

Speaking on his period films, which include “Peterloo,” 2014’s “Mr. Turner” and 1999’s “Topsy-Turvy,” Leigh said those were “the only times where I’ve been able to get bigger budgets.” “What I failed to do and continue to fail to do to this day is to get money together to make a contemporary film on a bigger scale and with more characters.

I couldn’t do a big wedding in detail because it takes time and money. My big regret – and I fear I will go to my grave before too long and carry this regret with me – is that no one ever had the balls to back a film on a bigger scale in the way I’d have liked to have made.” Still, even if it meant bigger budgets, Leigh continues steadfast in his belief directors shouldn’t have to bend to the will of others to get their films made.