God's Own Country
Short description
Set in the rural landscape of Yorkshire, this drama follows Johnny Saxby, a young farmer who manages his daily frustrations through alcohol and casual sexual encounters. His isolated existence changes when Gheorghe, a migrant worker from Romania, is hired to help with the farm during the spring season. As the two men work together, they develop an intense romantic connection that challenges Johnny's emotional outlook, though their relationship is complicated by the fact that Gheorghe is only there temporarily.
The film was written and directed by Francis Lee and marks the first of two films he has directed, followed by Ammonite in 2020. The cast features Josh O'Connor and Alec Secăreanu in the lead roles, with Gemma Jones and Ian Hart appearing as Johnny's family members. Produced by companies including Protagonist Pictures and the BFI, the movie earned 3 million USD at the worldwide box office.
Audience reception has been positive, with a rating of 7.6/10 on IMDb from over 34,000 votes and 7.7/10 on TMDB from 1,012 votes. These figures align closely with the reception from film critics, who gave the movie a rating of 8/10 based on 132 reviews.
What's left behind the scenes
- During auditions, director Francis Lee thought Josh O'Connor was from Yorkshire because of his convincing Yorkshire accent, although the actor is actually a native of Gloucestershire.
- The film was banned in China, Malaysia, and some Arab countries.
- All scenes involving animals were filmed on location on a real farm near the house where director Francis Lee grew up. No doubles were used in these shots.
- Before filming began, Francis Lee made the lead actors live and work on a real farm for several weeks.
- Filming was conducted in chronological order.
- Director Francis Lee spent about six months developing the plot before starting to write the screenplay, which was completed in just five days.
- Director Francis Lee insisted that the role of Gheorghe be played by a real Romanian. Alec Secăreanu, who got the part, spent two weeks on a farm to master the skills necessary for rural life.
- Director Francis Lee and cinematographer Joshua James Richards spent four months meticulously planning every shot before production began.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
