Lorna Tucker

Photo Courtesy Of Lorna Tucker

WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW AND HAVE YOU ALWAYS LIVED THERE?
I now live in East Sussex. It’s my sanctuary away from all the madness of work. I was born and grew up in a suburb of London but I left as soon as I could and never went back! I lived in central London until two years ago when I stumbled upon Lewes, It was love at first sight and shortly after I relocated there with my children and have never been happier.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED?
Watford, just north of London.

WHAT WERE YOUR ASPIRATIONS GROWING UP?
We never spoke of art and politics in my house. My mum had to work hard to provide for me and my four siblings, so I had no idea that one could grow up and be an artist/filmmaker. I do remember watching the film "Police Academy" when I was really young and wanting to be a police officer after.

WHY MODEL AND DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST EVER SHOOT?
I was an 18-year-old single mum when I was scouted to model. I was living in a hostel for single mothers and only just getting by on benifits. When I was scouted, I thought, why not. It was the first time i realized how big the world was. I got to travel, meet interesting people, artists, filmmakers, writers… It blew my mind. I didn’t do it for long, around nine months as constantly being told to loose weight was not very good for my mental health, plus I relapsed on drugs - so went back to working in bars and ended up studying art. I remember the first picture ever taken of me was by Rankin, I was topless and I was scared because I had stretch marks on my stomach. I kept pulling up my trousers hoping he wouldn't notice.

WHY ACTIVISM?
Vivienne westwood opened my eyes to all the suffering there is in the world and the way we are devestating the environmental. I have been lucky enough to work with Green Peace and to see the devastation in the Arctic first hand. I believe that everyone has a duty to do what they can to help heal our planet.

WHY WRITER AND DIRECTOR?
I love making documentaries, but I have also always had a vivid imagination and loved listening to stories. Naturaly I found myself being drawn to script writing. Now its my turn to use my experiences as a tool to try and inspire, and through film, I have found my medium.

WHAT THEMES AND SUBJECTS INTEREST YOU THE MOST?
I like to make films that give a voice to those that otherwise do not have a platform to be heard. Strong female led stories, the ones that rarely get told on subjects such as depression, loneliness, oppression and abuse. Stories that hopefully can either shine a light on and explore a little known subject or have the ability to inspire people.

WHAT HAS BEEN A PIVOTAL MOMENT?
I guess it took me a long time to break into the film industry as I was stuck in a situation where no one would fund me because I hadn’t made a film, but also because I didn’t go to film school I didn’t know anyone that knew anything about film who could help me. When I did finaly meet a producer that wanted to work with me I got totally ripped off on my first attempt at making a documentary as I had no idea how it all worked. I was so lucky to meet another producer, called Eleanor Emptage, and along with backing from Dog Woof and Passion Pictures, Eleanor and I managed to finish "Westwood". At the same time another film project I had been working on for ten years was funded by the incredible production company RainDog, run by Colin Firth and Ged Doherty. 2018 was a pivotal year for me as "Westwood" was premiered at Sundance and went on to CPH and True False, as well as pretty much every festival I have always dreamed of having a film at, "Amá"  had its first screening at The Global Health Film festival and is now touring the world. I think that will always be hard to beat having my first two films released in the same year. What is also amazing is now my first fiction film has been funded and we are currently in pre-production and start shooting later this year, and I am finally able to earn money doing what I absolutely love, although it does feel like it was a long time coming!

HOW DID "AMÁ" COME ABOUT?
"Amá" was started after a friend saw some documentary photographs that I had taken in Nepal of women whose husbands had been killed by the GVT's war against the Maoists. The friend handed me a book which exposed and explored the attack on Native American womens reproductive health. After reading it, I reached out to Charon Asetoyer, a bad ass Native activist and community leader. We started working together on what would end up being the film "Amá". The hardest part of making the film was gaining the trust of the sterilization victims as they felt such shame about what had happened to them that they had never told anyone, not even their families. It took the best part of 10 years to get to know the women and to document their stories.

WHAT'S YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
Ha ha, it varies from doc to fiction. For docs it's fully immersive. I very rarely do too much research prior to filming. My assistant gets the basic time line and research done, then hands me bullet points. For me it’s about becoming very close with my subject and keeping a sense of wonder, then going on a journey with them, gaining their trust, whilst also allowing a deep level of intimacy in order to get to the deeper story and under their skin. With fiction I need absolute silence. I have a studio near to where I live and I like to start my morning by lighting a candle and getting my emails done, then switching off the internet and writing. I work very intensely and quite fast. But I'm dyslexic and can't read very well. I write very short sentences and have to get my manager to help by correcting my grammar and spelling. The part that takes the longest for me is me reading over my work and taking notes and then immersing myself once again until everyone is happy with the script.

WHO OR WHAT HAS HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOU?
There are two people, Sam Roddick and Ged Doherty, without a doubt. These two angels have believed in me from the word go, have stuck by me through thick and thin and are a constant source of inspiration. Ged has a wealth of knowledge and patience and is the biggest male feminist I have ever met! Sam has a brilliant creative mind and has a lifetime of activism through the arts to drawer upon. She also has as dirty a mind, and as filthy a mouth as I have. Between them they have influenced me and continue to inspire me endlessly.

WHAT'S YOUR PERSONAL AESTHETIC?
I admire films and content that are technical works of genius, but that just isn’t my style. I like to feel immersed in something in all its dirty gritty realism, but I'm not into too fussy. I love fashion and enjoy nothing more than dressing up and putting on some purple lippy. It’s is so much fun. I was lacking in confidence when I was in my 20s but I really know who I am and what I like now, I make the most of any occasion to put together something fun and dress up. I love the cinema, walks in the countryside, a good roast dinner and of course spending time with the people I love. I'm at a place in my life and career now where I am able to spend a lunch or evening with friends, that is the biggest luxury to me, although there is a beautiful Rolex watch I've had my eye on for the last 5 years! That would be the only material luxury, I rarely take my phone with me and it's getting boring now having to always ask people for the time

WHAT DO YOU GET UP TO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING?
I have three children ranging from 18 to three. When I’m not working I try to give them my full attention. They are the best and I like nothing better than to put on our wellies and pretend we are going on a bear hunt, not literally of course, it's a kids book my children like to act out

HOW DO YOU UNWIND?
I treat myself to a massage once a fortnight albeit a simple bath and book is heaven.