WISH YOU WERE HERE

UK, 1987, COLOR, DCP, 92’,ENGLISH

A minor box-office and artistic wonder in its day, one that justifiably caused a sensation and introduced one of the finest acting debuts (Emily Lloyd), David Leland's first (and finest) directorial effort feels like an allergic reaction to the sedition and hypocrisy of mainstream British cinema at the time. At its heart, however, the story of an outspoken and sexually restless young woman growing up in a 1950s lethargic seaside town in England, hides the lonely and desperate rebellion of a girl struggling with her youthful urges, while seeking from the suffocating world around her what she was most deprived of: love. One of the worthiest lost gems of ‘80s cinema.

DIRECTOR: David Leland                                                                                                            SCREENWRITER: David Leland
DoP: Ian Wilson
MUSIC: Stanley Myers
EDITOR: George Akers
PRINCIPAL CAST: Emily Lloyd, Tom Bell, Geoffrey Hutchings, Pat Heywood, Jesse Birdsail

DAVID LELAND (1941-2023)
English director and writer. He started out as an actor, then wrote a script that Terry Jones turned into a film ("Personal Services"), one with Neil Jordan that became famous and we screen this year at the 30th AIFF ("Mona Lisa") and moved on to directing with “Wish You Were Here”.
 
FILMOGRAPHY
2007 Virgin Territory 
1998 The Land Girls 
1990 The Big Man 
1988 Checking Out 
1987 Wish You Were Here