Pulling From His Own Personal Tragedy, Director Benjamin Cleary Stokes Emotion From Mahershala Ali's Powerful Performance With Swan Song
In his first feature length film, Oscar Winning film short director Benjamin Cleary takes on a heartbreaking subject which hit home for him personally with his new Apple Original Film Swan Song. The film tells the story of Cameron, a terminally ill man (Mahershala Ali) who is given a radical choice by his doctor (Glen Close) to make his passing easier on his family by creating a clone of himself to take over his life.
The film is a labor of love for the director who pulled from his own tragedy of losing several friends in similar ways. Cleary reflects on his emotional journey which led to his making the film when interviewed by Deadline's Contenders Film: Los Angeles panel at the DGA Theater,
When something like that happens, you see the grief emanate out and affect everyone else around you. In a way I just started thinking about, 'What if someone else close to me passes away? What if I were to pass away? What would happen to my family?'
Swan Song stars Mahershala Ali as Cameron, the man facing the bitter choice of how to handle his inevitable passing and the pain it will cause those close to him. In the film, Ali plays two roles as both Cameron and his clone. While speaking to Deadline about the role he reflects about how from physicality, body language and emotional state, he felt that he had to double the kind of work and effort he typically puts into a role.
It was more complicated than I imagined, but it was just a beautiful collaborative experience to be there for each other.
With the power and gravitas Ali brings to his roles, it is a safe imagine he will surely exude an emotionally driven performance with a last impact.
Glen Close, Niaomi Harris, and Awkwafina co-star along with Ali in the film which will be on Apple TV+ December 17, 2021.
