I’ve been wondering when someone was going to bring this up. Turns out Women & Hollywood is on the case, riffing off of a letter written to the HFPA to get Loveleen Tandan’s name as co-director on the ballot. IMDb lists Tandan’s name along with Danny Boyle’s yet she is never given any credit — Boyle is winning the awards, Tandan is not.
If you look back to last year’s Academy Awards nominations the Coen Brothers are both given a directed by credit (and won) for No Country for Old Men. And in 2006 Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are also both given directed by credits for Little Miss Sunshine. Both of those teams have worked together as teams for years. That’s just how they do their work.
Jan pointed me to the film City of God which was directed by Fernando Meirelles and also has a co-director Katia Lund listed. The film did very well in the 2002-2003 cycle winning numerous awards at film festivals and in getting nominations from the major awards organizations. While Meirelles alone won numerous awards for his directing, there are two instances — the AFI audience award and the Washington DC Area Film Critics association — which gave the award to both Meirelles and Lund.
The question remains, why isn’t Loveleen being awarded along with Boyle? Here is what Boyle says about her contributions in an interview with Jan Lisa Huttner (Hot Pink Pen):
Jan: Now you’re calling her your co-director, right?
Boyle: Yes, she deserves it! She’s a proper director. You can feel it. You just know, really. Initially it was obvious how she helped us with the casting. The little kids didn’t speak much English; they spoke Hindi. We’d be trying to audition in English and it wasn’t working with 7 year-olds, and she said, “I’m horrified to tell you, Danny, but you should do it in Hindi.” I said, “Okay, we’ll do it in Hindi.” It was like a million times better straightaway.”
He also says, “Loveleen was also my cultural connection. You have to check things, obviously, so you don’t make any howling mistakes. But also so that when you know you do want to make “a mistake” because the narrative demands it, you’re confident you’re making it for the right reasons. She sometimes would say, “That would never happen.” And I would overrule her, but it’s because I understood the parameters.”
The full interview in PDF is here. So the question remains, why is Loveleen’s contribution being pushed aside? Danny Boyle as the singular director is probably more appealing, awards-wise. One visionary director always trumps two (except in rare instances, like the Coens). Even if she isn’t going to win the awards, people should know her name, at the very least.
No Response for "Slumdog’s Mysterious Co-Director"
Well, 2nd Unit directors sometimes shoot a lot of the film, and on LOTR Jackson’s wife shot many segments, including film-opening scenes. But if Boyle calls for it, the Academy / studio should listen
T.
I was wondering the same thing.
Thanks Tufas, fixed it.
I read that post on Women & Hollywood and I agree. If Boyle thought she did enough to be co-director then she should be listed alongside him when he gets awards. Or least if he wins he should call her up there to speak.
It doesn’t sound like she is director, the creative force of the movie is obviously Boyle, it seems she was like an assistant/translator/cultural ambassador for the film, and wasn’t afraid of giving her opinions. Boyle is just being nice — maybe co-writer would fit if they really wanted to give credit, but turning her into an oscar nominated film director seems like overstating things from what they’re saying in that interview.
Having heard Boyle speak on the subject at TIFF, it’s pretty obvious that although Loveleen was no doubt an essential and important part of the film, she wasn’t a director, and was credited as such simply as a favor for all the incredible work she did on the film.
I wonder what scene she objected to and calling that it would never happen.
They should respect the credits as decided by the production. I wonder if SM submitted the credits to AMPAS with Tanden as a director.
From everything I’ve read/heard, Boyle wanted her to have the co-director name just because she was pretty indispensable as far as the cultural/lagnague barriers went. Without her it would have likely been a far different movie. But she didn’t actually do any directing.
The “co-director” credit is NOT the same as a shared directorship like the Coens or Dayton and Faris. The fact that IMDb doesn’t have a “co-director” field and thus credits them alongside the director only adds to the confusion. They are decidedly not equal roles — not even close. The co-director acts as an assistant in many ways.
Co-director is almost an honorary title for someone who assists or inspires the director in meaningful ways. It is common in animation (the majority of Pixar films have one), but it is rather rare in live action. Sometimes the co-director is someone who works with large casts, especially when there is a language barrier on set. The credit is often even designated or decided upon until after the film is completed, and the co-director does not have much in the way of artistic influence.
Co-directors are not generally included on the “directed by” title card, and are often only mentioned in the closing credits. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences DOES NOT recognize the credit, and the DGA discourages the use of it. Slumdog Millionaire is still credited as “directed by Danny Boyle.”
That’s true, Jeff, but would anyone really mind? Like who can compain that, instead of one person getting all the glory, two people get it? It’d just be a nice gesture from the HFPA. I hope Women & Hollywood pull this off.
It seems if it didn’t happen with CITY OF GOD, it won’t happen with SLUMDOG.
I don’t have any problem with her being praised for her assistance on the film, but the fact is that the 1st AD (not to mention the DP, editor, and production designer — whom I realize have their own categories) likely contributed much more to the shape of the final film than she did.
It just seems kind of arbitrary to honor on an equal footing with the principal guiding force of the film when she was maybe the fourth or fifth most important person on the crew at best. The misleading title of the credit and a fluke of IMDb make it seem like a bigger deal than it is. If they would simply change the title to “special assistant to the director” or something, it would be a lot more accurate and less confusing.
If she “didn’t actually do any directing” why is she credited that way? It just confuses things. I mean, I think it’s Danny Boyle being charitable because he’s a good guy; directing is always a collaborative process anyway, right? Films are always swayed in different directions depending on who is really calling the shots. I think it’s IMDb’s fault for causing the confusion.
The Boston Film Critics have announced their winners!!!
Best Picture
TIE – Slumdog Millionaire and WALL-E
Best Director
Gus Van Sant – Milk and Paranoid Park
Best Actor
TIE – Sean Penn – Milk and Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Best Actress
Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Screenplay
Milk
Best Cinematography
Paranoid Park
Best Documentary
Man on Wire
Best Animated Film
WALL-E
Best Editing
Slumdog Millionaire
Best New Filmaker
Martin McDonagh – In Bruges
Best Ensemble
Tropic Thunder
The “City of God” case pretty much have to do with #9.
It’s unanimous that Katia Lund work for the film is to provide the training for the kids and teenagers (not the adults), doing a very specific job, since a good part of them was no acting background – at the time.
The credit for her became a hot issue, specially after Meirelles was nominated for the Oscar.
Quoting Fernando Meirelles about that:
“I find funny that this controversial one only exists in the press. My contract with it is clearly. It is as the relation of the pilot with the copilot. The pilot makes the flight and the copilot is as the man in command. With the Kátia was the relation”.
” I spend four years involved in the film, while she, 11 months. Katia only worked in the cast area, without envolvement with edition, locations and camera, for example. ”
There other examples of a great controversy here, surrouding the brazilian movie industry: some says that the brazilian movies are becaming too much dependent of the “coach acting” figure (most notorius being Fatima Toledo), the directors are abdicanting to a crucial task for the cinema vision.
Oh, and…
Foreign Language Film
Let the Right One In
If I remember correctly, didn’t this same situation crop up with Sin City a few years back, with Rodriguez insisting on a “co-director” credit for Frank Miller? I believe the DGA refused, and Rodriguez quit the DGA in protest.
It seems like the union probably has *very* strict rules as to who gets the “director” credit, and would probably only grant a dual directorship in such cases like the Coens or LMS, where there was an actual team directing, not a principal/support scenario like this seems to be.
It’s likely that the decision of who is ultimately listed as director for awards is probably out of Boyle’s hands and likely the purview of his union.
speaking of slumdog here are the boston society of film critics award winners announced today, just in case anyone was interested..
Best Picture
Tie: Slumdog Millionaire and WALL-E
Best Actor
Tie: Sean Penn for Milk and Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler
Best Actress
Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Director
Gus Van Sant for Milk and Paranoid Park
Best Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black for Milk
Best Cinematography
Christopher Doyle and Rain Kathy Li¹ for Paranoid Park
Best Documentary
Man on Wire
Best Foreign-Language Film
Let the Right One In
Best Animated Film
WALL·E
Best Film Editing
Chris Dickens for Slumdog Millionaire
Best New Filmmaker
Martin McDonagh for In Bruges
Best Ensemble Cast
Tropic Thunder
http://www.thebsfc.org/CurrWin.html
Anyone else read “Chris Dickens for Slumdog Millionaire” above as ‘Charles Dickens’? My brain’s elsewhere today, but that made me giggle like the nerd that I am…
Oddly fitting, sort of? :p
damnit, the natural beat me to it
Lol Boston can’t make their minds up about anything! Picture – tie. Actor – tie. Director – van Sant for two films! Damn good list tho, even if I’m still holding out for a TDK wBP win somewhere…
@ Paddy M
Ditto about the Dark Knight. And I just saw Milk last night, so if The Dark Knight lost, I would prefer it lose to Milk more than Wall-e or Slumdog.
Credited titles are everything, because the slightest alteration can mean the world.
“Co-directors” are equals; neither are superior. Each has a say, and they are equally relevant… Like “co-kings,” so to speak. Definitely a team.
“Assistant Directors” have lesser roles, but still work directly with the Director. They create script breakdowns, shooting schedules, track filming progress, etc.
“Director’s Assistants” have even lesser roles, but are basically a PA (”Production Assistant”) that specifically or especially helps the Director, as opposed to an actor or lesser crew member(s). It’s one step up from a “regular” PA in that regard.
From what Boyle said above, Tanden was NOT a “co-director.”
The Coens were listed as “Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen” where in Slumdog it is “Directed by Danny Boyle” and then “Co-Directed by Loveleen Tanden”
No doubt about it, Nick. I’ve only seen wee bits of Milk but it really does look like the sort of film that deserves the outrage sparked when it didn’t get nominated at the Globes. Well, pretty much didn’t.
Like others have reiterated, having heard Boyle talk about Loveleen Tanden’s contribution at TIFF, she should not be awarded alongside Boyle – she contributed a lot to the film but she did not actually do any directing on the film. It’d be like rewarding a make-up artist for art direction. Her job was very different from Boyle’s and she didn’t actually shoot anything on the film as far as I know.
Essentially, you’re mistaking a “co-director” credit as a “director” credit. They are two very different things and you shouldn’t assume that they mean the same thing.
Yeah, you’ll note that the New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO) did include Loveleen as a paranthetical with Boyle… it was decided almost unanimously before voting on the category that Loveleen’s contribution would be given as much credit as Boyle deemed when he gave her the credit as his co-director.
I knew Loveleen’s inclusion on the ballot was going to be a point of debate. If anything, I think it’ll hurt Byle’s chances and strengthen those of David Fincher and Christopher Nolan. With Boston going for Gus Van Sant, let’s never count him out of this. I still believe that if Slumdog wins Best Picture then the Academy will be generous and give the best director award to someone else. Van Sant hasn’t won yet. He has been one of the best filmmakers in the last 15 years. From Finding Forrester to Elephant and Last Days, there are some beauties up there in the Van Sant ouevre.
Before we jump to conclusions, it’d be interesting to hear Tandan’s version of events as well. Does she want to be on the ballot with Boyle? Because if I remember with City of God it became a contentious issue and there was a lot of trouble between Katia Lund and the producers.
Let me see if I can find something here in the Indian newspapers or at least get an interview where she can express her opinion.
Also, since Slumdog has been shot on location, you can’t do anything here [Dharavi, Juhu and Mahim] without speaking Hindi, Marathi and I believe many regional languages.
These slums have people from all across the country. They come to what many claim as a city of dreams to earn a better living and make it big. Since the real estate here is ridiculously high, they can’t afford anything and slums and at times even footpaths and benches on railway platforms become a pitstop.
Tandan’s involvement is essential, no doubt. If Boyle wanted to involve as many locals as he has, he couldn’t have done without Tandan and many other crew members from Mumbai. I’m glad to read in interviews Boyle aknowledging it.
Simultaneously, I salute Boye’s heart to immerse himself into these territories which not many Bollywood filmmakers even dare to capture on celluloid. To acclimatize yourself to a whole knew culture, people and country, that’s a big ask. It’s also a huge responsibility to ensure that you don’t mess up the representation of the city. Boyle took on all these challenges and created a valiant effort.
you misspelled her name … it’s Tandan, not Tanden.
[...] the SLUMDOG Brouhaha on Awards Daily. Curious how all the people saying Loveleen does NOT deserve recognition for her contributions to [...]
If Boyle gave her the designation as a co-director, then she needs to be given the same credit as Boyle. it is presumptious to think that he did this because he was charitable. In his interview, he says clearly that she deserves the credit as a director because of the work she put in. Anyway, since there is a history here of ignoring women directors, I hope she is given the due respect as a co-director.
[...] Melissa Silverstein of the Huffington Post, Amar Singh of London’s Evening Standard, & Sacha Stone of Awards Daily. I really, really think this is an important issue, & I genuinely believe that [...]
[...] Huffington Post, Amar Singh of London’s Evening Standard, Anita Singh of the UK Telegraph, Sasha Stone of Awards Daily, and World Entertainment News Network published on IMDb News. The Oscar [...]
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