By Hanna Rantala
LONDON (Reuters) – Jodie Comer’s new drama “The End We Start From” is an exploration of motherhood amid a climate crisis.
In the film the British actress plays “Woman”, a first-time mother who goes into labour while watching London become submerged by rain and flood waters. The environmental disaster forces Woman, her partner, “R” (Joel Fry), and their newborn to flee the capital in search of shelter as Britain starts descending into chaos around them.
“I always felt like I didn’t really necessarily have a maternal instinct. And then I felt like throughout this process I kind of found that within myself, which was really beautiful,” Comer said as she premiered the film in London on Tuesday.
“I’m realising more and more that the roles you choose, you learn something from them. And that’s definitely something I felt on this,” said the 30-year-old “Killing Eve” star, who also executive produced the movie.
“Being the lead in this film and being an exec and being so supported by the production company and sharing my opinions, that felt really validating.”
Adapted by Alice Birch from Megan Hunter’s 2017 novel of the same name, “The End We Start From” is directed by Mahalia Belo, who set out to depict the triumphs and tribulations of the first year of motherhood on screen.
“I found it one of the most beautiful periods in my life, but also probably the most traumatic,” Belo said. “I felt the most vulnerable and the most strong. All these kinds of complex ideas were running through my feelings that I couldn’t quite nail down. And it was really interesting in this film to look at that and explore that.”
Along her journey for survival, Woman finds respite with R’s parents, played by Mark Strong and Nina Sosanya, and forms a close bond with another young mother, simply known as “O” (Katherine Waterston). Benedict Cumberbatch, another executive producer on the project, also makes a brief appearance.
“The End We Start From” is out in cinemas in the United Kingdom and Ireland on Jan. 19.
(Reporting by Hanna Rantala; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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