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"We all grew up understanding what a fairytale is, but Diana Spencer changed the paradigm, and the idealised icons that pop culture creates, forever. This is the story of a princess who decided not to become a queen but chose to build her identity by herself. It’s an upside-down fairytale. I’ve always been very surprised by her decision and thought it must have been very hard. That is the heart of the movie. I wanted to explore Diana’s process, as she oscillates between doubt and determination, finally making a bid for freedom. It was a decision that would define her legacy: one of honesty and humanity that remains unparalleled.
A lot has been written about Diana; the stories are endless – some can be proven, some cannot. We did extensive research about her, Royal Christmas traditions, and the anecdotes of ghosts at Sandringham House. Yet the Royal family is notoriously discrete. They may appear publicly on some occasions, but at some point, the doors close, and once they are, you don’t know what is happening behind them. That gives a lot to fiction; that was our work. We didn’t aim to make a docudrama, we wanted to create something by taking elements of the real, and then using imagination, to tell the life of a woman with the tools of cinema. That is why cinema is so fantastic: there is always space for imagination.
Building the character of Diana, we didn’t just want to create a replicated image of her but use cinema and its tools to create an internal world that striked the right balance between the mystery and fragility of her character. Everything Diana sees reflects her memories, her fears, and desires, and maybe even her illusions. These elements take something that is happening inside her and show a vulnerability that is very beautiful."
Pablo Larraín
Spencer, with Kristen Stewart: Diana
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SPENCER - Official Trailer
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“Kristen Stewart is a miracle of cinema. She can be many things; she can be very mysterious, very fragile, and ultimately very strong as well, which is what we needed.” SPENCER director, Pablo Larraín
