Entry for Golden Goblet Awards｜KINDLING: The Fire of Life Burns to Be Eternal

The British film KINDLING, selected for the main competition of the Golden Goblet Awards at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), celebrated its Asian premiere on June 14 and the cast and crew attended a meet-and-greet. The film’s director Connor O’Hara, lead actor George Somner, actor Wilson Mbomio and producer Mark Foligno shared touching behind-the-scenes stories about the film.

The meaning of "to burn" as perceived by a young director

KINDLING is the feature film debut of director Connor O’Hara, drawing inspiration from his real-life experience. O'Hara wrote and directed the film, fuelled by the loss of a friend when he was young. The film tells the story of young Sid who is diagnosed with incurable cancer and wants to turn the last summer of his life into a celebration of life, love and friendship. So, during a university break, Sid’s four best friends come to visit him and complete the ritual by burning the objects they have collected. Sid leaves an indelible imprint on his friends’ lives in his own way.

Connor O’Hara mentioned at the meet-and-greet that he made short films about the friendship between five boys after he lost friends when he was 21, and that this film was developed based on those shorts. Connor explained, in response to a question, why he named the film KINDLING. “In the UK, ‘Kindling’ describes a burning flame, it means the start of everything. To me, burning is a celebratory activity. It’s the beginning of a new life for all the characters in the film. That’s why I chose the title. KINDLING is not only about a tribute to a friend, but also about their new outlook on their own lives.”

The recurring burning scenes in the film have garnered a lot of attention from media, and Connor said that he set them up to show that “every moment in life is worth remembering forever, and we need to have the courage to face the inevitable sad moments in life. Although the flame will be out, it will be a beautiful moment of eternity in our lives.”

A touching story on and off screen

The film takes a unique look at the friendship between young boys, which is not often explored in films. At the heart of KINDLING is the portrayal of the relationship between the boys, their inner struggles and how they express their emotions. That’s what the film wants to highlight and present.

Fortunately, the ideas that Connor O’Hara wanted to convey resonated with fans as expected, many of whom agreed after the film, “It was so moving and has made me quite emotional!”

The film was well received by the audience thanks to the excellent performances of the actors. Connor O’Hara said that he paid special attention to whether the actors fit the characters’ personas and whether they had good chemistry with each other, which he said was a very important element for the presentation of the film.

The actor who plays the lead role of Sid, George Somner, also shared his experiences on the film set. He mentioned that he consulted a patient named Bob, who suffers from the same disease as Sid in the film, before the film was shot. Bob gave him a detailed account of his life, his illness and all the changes in his state of mind. George said it was good to help him get into the character in a more realistic way.

Judging from the audiences’ response to the film, George Somner’s efforts were not in vain.