Interview With Camille Griffin Writer/Director Of SILENT NIGHT

During the 2021 Toronto Film Festival, I was able to catch Camille Griffin‘s feature directorial debut, the dark-comedy horror: Silent Night. Recently, I was able to sit down and speak with the hilarious writer/director, for a casual conversation about the origins of the film’s dark story, the blessing of Keira Knightley, and more!

This interview has been edited for clarity. 

This is Kristy Strouse with Film Inquiry: Really enjoyed the film, didn’t know a lot going in so it really took me aback!

Camille Griffin: So I’m really sorry about that! I read your review. Thank you for writing about the film, and thanks for watching! I don’t think it’s very fair to trick people into the cinema. So I hope you were okay.

Oh of course! [laughs] I knew some things, but I also like going into a film surprised. 

Camille Griffin: Good!

So, what made you decide to write an apocalyptic Christmas Story?

Camille Griffin: First, I think is very important to know I wrote this before the pandemic existed. There are lots of reasons for this story. First of all: I’m a white middle-class woman, and I sound very posh, but I had a semi-posh upbringing. But, on the outskirts, I had some posh things, and then some weren’t. My family would kind of be mixed in that way, mixed backgrounds. I’ve always struggled with this kind of I don’t know if it’s the kind of anti-system or anti-authority, but I struggle with the privileged in the UK or around the world being given power. I don’t think they’re always necessarily responsible for the power they have.

So, all my material has always been about the dysfunctional middle class. I tried to make a film for years, and I couldn’t, I couldn’t get the film funded. I’d been on the set of Jojo Rabbit because obviously my son Roman was in it, and I saw Taika using comedy this way. Taikainspired me. I don’t want to be name-dropping, but after that I was like, wow, you can do anything with comedy! It hadn’t occurred to me. I do think I can be funny, but I thought I didn’t really know that comedy was an option for me if that makes sense. So, that’s what I’m doing wrong! I’m not making it funny!

This was going to be a low-budget film, so I thought, okay, I wanted to do one location and not ask for funding (because they wouldn’t fund me). Then my kids watched Warhorse and they said, “What would happen if there was a war?” And I said, Well, it’d be pretty bad; there’d be a nuclear war, we’d have to live in a bunker and would just rot out, and it was a horrible conversation to have!

I’m sure it was.

Camille Griffin: I said, we’ll end up in the forest shooting or eating each other. [laughs] Or we just sort of lay down, take some medications and go to sleep. And they were like, “wow, we’re not doing that!” So, I think in my household, we do talk about a lot of things. And I do suppose I use humor throughout it all. I think that was just an extension of the conversation of like, what do we do when we’re privileged? How responsible are we? How do we treat our children? Do we know best? I suppose, most of that was challenging the status of the privileged classes.

I can see that!

Camille Griffin: That’s not what you asked me, but that’s the origin – you asked me why Christmas. Christmas because it’s sentimental. And because the Brits either make period dramas or working title movies, or kitchen sink dramas, and that kind of annoys me. I thought, well, actually, I’m going to take the piss out of that a bit! So why not? Why not make a working title movie where everything turns to shit. And why not set it at Christmas which is really sentimental and emotional and loving, right? It’s supposed to be like the happiest time of the year. Does any of that make sense?

Absolutely, and it’s so interesting that your dialogue at home inspired some of the writing. There’s truly inspiration everywhere. 

Camille Griffin: Yes. I mean, I don’t think I’m as bad. I mean, I am probably a bad parent and a good parent, but I think Keira said it perfectly in an interview, “when you have a child, you give birth to fear.” And I think, if you’re a little bit on the neurotic side, I think it’s not easy being a parent. I think she summed it up. And there was something cathartic in this experience with my own fear as a parent, but I didn’t intend to traumatize the audience. So I am also very sensitive to that.

I understand, and I think there are definitely scary elements but it’s also hilarious and moving. The cast is fantastic, you actually have three of your children in the film, yeah? Did you have them in mind?

Camille Griffin: I’ve done a terrible thing. I’ve read every comment out there about my film, but it will stop soon. But I’ve read every Twitter comment. I read every letterbox I’ve read everything right, and there’s this question about nepotism. I was going to make a low-budget film. So I was like, What do I have? I’ve got a dog. I’ve got a house. I’ve got a husband and I’ve got three kids. When you make seven short films, and when you make things for no money, you reach out to what’s around you. So, that was my immediate inspiration. Well, Roman, obviously, I think he’s an exceptional actor. And he didn’t just get Jojo, he spent two years auditioning for that role. I feel like it’s a relationship we nurtured together. I also thought that I need the kids, whoever plays those roles, they have to be safe on set. There’s a lot of actors, we’ve got a short tight schedule. And, and it’s tricky material, and they’ve got to feel safe. It’s important that they feel secure and not intimidated. All the kids I met were so delightful! But they were terrified when they walked into the audition room. And I was like, How can I make a movie with them? They’re going to be terrified on set. I can’t. My kids have been exposed to me for how long? They’ll be fine. And they were fine! Yeah. So it wasn’t and it was out of convenience. It was out of love. It was awesome inspiration, and it was out of respect, for the situation as well. And for them. I knew this wouldn’t destroy them.

That makes perfect sense actually, and Roman is sort of the beating heart of this film in some ways. So, even if he wasn’t your son, he’s perfect casting.

Camille Griffin: Right and he probably would have said no if he wasn’t. [laughs]

What was the journey like getting the rest of the stellar cast?

Camille Griffin: Well, Keira came on first and I have to say, this probably wouldn’t have happened without her. She came up when Matthew, Matthew Vaughn and he was like the first lifesaver. And then he said, “who do you ideally want?” And I said… I suppose Keira Knightley. I mean, that’s hilarious. I mean, she is Miss working title, Miss perfection. She’s what everyone projects as British perfection. Then he called me one day and said, she was curious about the project. So, then she was having a child and we spoke for the first time. We met and she’s a remarkable, remarkable person. She’s so courageous because it wasn’t like she’s necessarily a good person in the film. But, she’s incredible in it, and I think it’s a brave decision. She’s a nice person and she’s very, very clever with it.

Matthew Goode came from Matthew Vaughn because they had a relationship, but Matthew Goode didn’t want to do the film, he was like “I can’t do that.” It’s f*cking a lot! A lot of people who read it went “what the hell is this?” But then felt compelled to come back and say actually, I can’t stop thinking about it! Matthew came on quite pretty late, actually, because he is very thorough and ambitious. I’m grateful for that. But everybody we have is who we wanted. It was hard casting Lucy‘s character, she and Matthew were last to sign on. It was quite poetic in the way the universe helps us.

Absolutely, I agree. So, this was your first feature, which has no shortage of challenges, was there anything in particular that stood out as the biggest challenge/lesson?

Camille Griffin: Well, how long it took to get made honestly. The shooting was easy, everyone was incredible, the crew the cast. I was so lucky. And I didn’t find it hard. Then the pandemic kicked in. And then people were frightened and that was hard to manage. I wouldn’t say I’m a people pleaser, but I genuinely do care that people are okay. I wish I could be one of those who are just like “f*ck the world, I want to shoot my film.” But we didn’t wrap late, we wrapped every day on time. So, I had this discipline because I spent many years as a camera assistant. There’s nothing worse than being on a film, and the director doesn’t know what they’re doing. I had spent 20 years now, so when you get your chance, you better show up and do your job well!

The trickiest bit, if I’m honest, was that I was in a position where it was my first film, and it was such difficult material. My producers trusted me enough to make the film but they also had their own opinions. I didn’t have the status to be trusted with what I thought might work, because it might not work. I think for any new filmmaker, I think people assume you get to have what you want. You don’t. That’s bullshit. What is on the screen is not entirely on me, right. The essence of the film is me. But there’s a lot of everyone’s work in there. And there’s a lot of beautiful work that people gave. For instance, when you talked about emotions… I think those characters, I love them, but I don’t like them, but I love them because they did an exceptional job. But the process, probably the hardest bit of the film, was trying to try to protect what I knew would work without having the status to deliver. I knew something was gonna work, they didn’t always know that. Because it’s so unusual.

That’s interesting, and I think a lot of that is helpful for those looking to make their first film. Any other advice for budding filmmakers or writers?

Camille Griffin: Don’t give up! Because I should have given up years ago. I think it wasn’t easy for my family because I cried, I applied. I wrote a letter a day of all the things I’ve done. And it’s the list of a mad person who wouldn’t give up. And I’m glad I didn’t. Because I think the film’s interesting, I think the film is worthy for me to have a career. And I think I can make interesting work. I’m glad I didn’t give up. And I finally thank God to Matthew and Keira, and I have more films to make. But the one thing is to make sure you know what the f*ck you’re doing. You can show up and do your best. And nothing is not worthwhile. I made school videos for years, I made videos for my kid’s school for years. Only a few years ago, you know, I would do anything just to tell stories, even if it was about the local prison if it was about the kids’ school. It was just to train and train and train and learn and learn so that when you do finally get your chance, you are great at what you do.

That’s great advice! Just be creating, doing it! I love it. Thanks again for taking the time to speak with me today, and congrats on the film!

Camille Griffin: Very nice to meet you. Thank you!

We want to thank Camille Griffin for taking the time to speak with us!

Silent Night is available in theaters and AMC+ on December 3rd.