Winners’ Press Conference interview with Rupert Lloyd & Naji Abu Nowar for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer
Q. So gents, how does it feel to win the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut?
A. Incredible.
A. In shock I think, still hasn't sunk in.
Q. A lot of pressure on your shoulders here for the rest of your career now?
A. No, I think we're done. We're happy.
A. We're excited about our future more than ever I think.
Q. Was it a complete surprise when your names were read out?
A. Yeah, we were pretty shocked.
A. It's a pretty incredible group of people in the outstanding section so, yeah.
Q. Tell us about Theeb for people who may not have seen it?
A. Some people call it a Bedouin western. It's really the story of a young boy coming of age at the time of the great Arab Revolt, just as the First World War is coming and the landscape of the Middle East is changing and it's very relevant to what we're seeing today and it was made with the last nomadic tribe to be settled in Jordan. We lived with them for a year and they are the co-authors of the film. We made the film with them.
Q. Wow. Did the film change in that year? Was it shaped in a different way?
A. Yeah, absolutely, we developed the screenplay, we workshopped the actors, all the actors are from the nomadic tribe, they're all amateur actors except for Jack Fox who plays the Englishman. It was just the process of developing them and they were the co-authors.
Q. Where are you going to keep these?
A. I have no idea.
A. I'm looking for a place to live at the moment.
Q. Wherever you lay your BAFTA, that's your home.
A. It has a temporary home at the moment.
Q. It works as a deposit you know. Go to any estate agent in the country and that is legally binding. What about you?
A. I think this will go at my family's, my parents', they've sacrificed a lot so I could stand here today so I think they deserve this.
A. I think I'll do that as well.
Q. On that note, please give it up, congratulations once again, the winners of outstanding debut.
