You may have seen the above article recently that was shared on our social media pages. The drama ‘Dominion’, that was filmed over three years ago, will finally be shown on the big screen.

Initially, I was excited to hear the news and was looking forward to watching the film at long last. However, there were two words within the short piece that sent cold shivers down my spine – ‘biographical drama ’. This film is a number of things but factually accurate it is not… and was never intended to be.

In 2014, I spoke to the film’s writer and director Steve Bernstein. I had just read the initial script and I was armed with a long list of incorrect facts and biographical inaccuracies. From the start, he was quick to tell me that he had not based the film on any of the well-known biographies. In fact, he did not consider it a retelling of Dylan’s final weeks, it was actually more his journey to understand the man behind the words that he had fallen deeply in love with. He felt that by recognising the type of person Dylan was – complex, sensitive, vulnerable and fallible – he could interpret the poetry he so clearly admired in a more profound way.

I have to admit I also questioned Steve on his choice of actor. Rhys Ifans is a tall, slim and blond man unlike my grandfather who is somewhat (how shall I put this politely?) cuddlier looking.

Rhys Ifans as Dylan Thomas.

He explained that because it wasn’t a true to life drama he could select someone that looks wise at least, was poles apart from Dylan. What he felt Rhys could offer was an actor that loved Dylan’s writing and could therefore inhabit the role completely. And perhaps Steve Bernstein’s confidence in Rhys’s ability to do this has been rewarded as he commented that he has not, “seen anything quite like Rhys’s performance in my entire career.”

I think one final thing Steve communicated to me that he hoped would come across in this film was the idea that Dylan Thomas was one of the first modern day ‘celebrities’. He wanted to demonstrate how, regrettably, many of the people Dylan came across in his last dark days – the doctor, his agent, the adoring fans – were using him in some way for self promotion. The sad fact is that my grandfather probably realised that too.

After reading the article above, I immediately contacted Steve Bernstein. He assured (and reassured) me that he still stands by the original creative vision that we discussed back in 2014.   He has asked his sales team to make sure the film isn’t misrepresented in any official materials. Unfortunately, he also informs me, he cannot control how the press write about it, as they are very much a law unto themselves. For that reason, when you do get a chance to see the film ‘Dominion’ please remember that the concept is one of a ‘reimagining’ and not a biography.

To find out more about Steve Bernstein’s creative process when writing the Dominion script, please read this excellent interview that I recently discovered on the Festival do Rio website.

http://www.festivaldorio.com.br/en/news/the-last-days-of-dylan-thomas

 

 

Hannah Ellis – 20th November 2017.

Hannah is a teacher, writer and consultant.  You can learn more about her by visiting the website –  www.lovethewords.co.uk