Emily Watson Joins JFK-Era Short 'The Drive' as Executive Producer
Two-time Oscar nominee Emily Watson has joined short film The Drive as executive producer, Variety reported on 20 October.
An executive producer lends weight and support behind the camera, often helping a film reach buyers, festivals and voters. Here, Watson backs a project from husband-and-wife film-makers David Arrow and Amber Paul, organised through their company 4 A Films.
The story is set on a warm November afternoon in the early 1960s. It follows Liz, played by Paul, on a routine school carpool when news breaks of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
The film is inspired by a little-known episode from that day. The focus stays inside the car, with the children's behaviour and the adults' reactions shifting as the broadcast filters through.
Watson has been friends with Arrow for many years, according to the report. Arrow's screen credits include Igby Goes Down, Hostage, Broad City, NBC's The Hunting Party and AMC's Turn.
Paul's credits include The Woman From Hamburg, That's My Boy, Nurse Jackie and Music for a Sushi Restaurant opposite Harry Styles. She writes, directs and stars in The Drive alongside Arrow.
The short has already played at more than 40 film festivals and won multiple awards. That circuit matters for shorts, because festival selections and wins are a standard route to qualify for consideration for the Academy Awards, and The Drive is qualified for the 99th Oscars.
What makes this stand out is the timing. A short with a completed festival run does not always add a high-profile backer. Watson brings instant recognition to the awards campaign.
Watson received Oscar nominations for Breaking the Waves and Hilary and Jackie. Her recent work includes Small Things Like These opposite Cillian Murphy, for which she won a Silver Bear performance prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, and Chloe Zhao's Hamnet.
