Hawke talks faith, art and directing his daughter

Director uses Southern Gothic writer's work to explore the creative process in the biographical drama 'Wildcat'

- MARRISKA FERNANDES

Ethan Hawke directs his daughter, Maya Hawke, in "Wildcat," based on the life of writer Flannery O'Connor. He says he's likely to continue directing but "will always be an actor."

When he makes one of his personal films, Ethan Hawke’s mission is a simple one: It’s not so much about selling tickets as it is using the medium to explore ideas.

In his new directorial effort, “Wildcat,” which premiered at TIFF last year and opens in theatres today, Hawke uses Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor’s spiritual journey as an opportunity to look at the intersection of faith, art and work.

In 1950, Flannery (Maya Hawke, the filmmaker’s daughter) visits her mother Regina (Laura Linney) in Georgia when she is diagnosed with lupus at the age of 24. Desperate to make her mark as a great writer, she dives deeper into her craft, as the film blurs the lines between reality, imagination and faith.

Hawke is fully aware of how faith-centred films are seen in Hollywood. “It’s funny, in Hollywood movies, you really only see priests in horror films, or in movies that are proselytizing to you,” he told the Star. “They feel like they come with a donation cup or something. When I was a young man, I was really struck by it. Maya was struck by it too.”

For the duo, it was the earnestness of O’Connor’s spiritual struggle that struck a chord.

“There’s a lot to say about her positives and negatives throughout her life,” he said. “But her seeking some kind of peace with her maker and connecting her faith to the best of herself, which was her writing, was really admirable.”