It might be because of her crisp English spoken with a slight German accent, or the impeccable way in which she sits erect and directly addresses you, but it's hard not to see filmmaker Lone Scherfig and not think of the intelligent, young female protagonists whose stories she has locked onto. In An Education, Carey Mulligan played an intelligent young woman who falls in love with an older man only to find out about his deceiving bag of tricks too late to save her last year before University. In Scherfig's new film, One Day, based on the bestselling novel by David Nicholls, Anne Hathaway plays a brainy but insecure young woman who falls in love with an egocentric hedonist, played by Jim Sturgess, on her last day of college and spends the next few years pining for him as they continue their unlikely friendship. If nothing else, you certainly get the sense that Scherfig is sympathetic to the romantic yearnings of young, intelligent women.
Can you describe your film in a single tweet?
It's a film about love and a film about time.
What's a good log line for the movie?
That's hard. I'm hoping that it's a film that's in the tradition of a big romance that has wit and staying power. I love films so much I find it hard to compare it to anything. I'm too modest. I'm sorry.
If someone really liked this film, what three other films would Netflix recommend to them in their Netflix queue?
Once Upon A Time in America, maybe? Something about sweetness and gravitas and big emotions, but also something about it being snappy with fast-talking dialogue. I loved The Apartment, it's about death and time but very sweet. Four Weddings and a Funeral, but this one has a little more than one funeral. It's like 'One Wedding and a Couple of Funerals'. Does that answer your question?
Should you drink before or after the movie?
Maybe you should drink to something after you've seen it. I hope that even if it has some very sad moments, it also makes you aware of how precious life is and how important it is to find out what love is. That should be something to drink to.
What should you drink?
I hope the film is bubbly, but since the film ends in Edinburgh, perhaps you should go for a scotch.
Should you see this movie alone or with friends?
You should see it with someone you love. We know that men love the book as much as women, and I hope that even if there's a lot of kissing going on, men will feel it's relevant to them.
One Day opens tomorrow at the Ritz East.
Related Content on The Feast
Miranda July Can See 'The Future
Brit Marling Wants You to See 'Another Earth
Tom Hanks is a Wild One
