Directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson talk to The Contending about how they turned an unpublished short story into an online film phenomenon.
“I thought it was only my algorithm, but it’s cool you get them as well,” said Eleanor Wilson about the Wicker memes and videos that have flooded social media.
Wilson and her husband, Alex Huston Fischer, co-directed and co-wrote the film together based on an unpublished short story, about a single Fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) who asks the town’s magical basket weaver (Peter Dinklage) to create a husband for her (enter: Alexander Skarsgard).
“My favorite thing is the boost to the basket weaving community,” said Huston Fischer. “Eleanor just started weaving.”
Watch out, Alex! You might have a replacement coming.
What Wicker Says About Modern Dating
While mostly women are flocking to the film with their wicker baskets, Huston Fischer sees it as more than a film that single people can relate to, the idea that the only person left for you is a man made out of sticks.
“There’s two sides to it,” said Huston Fischer. “There are single people who really respond to the Fisherwoman. We’ve also had friends and neighbors who saw it with their husbands. We had a neighbor who leaned over to her husband during the film and said, ‘You’re my wicker husband!’ I think everyone can connect to it in a different way, whether there are no good men out there or ‘I love my husband!’”
“It feels like it’s come out at a good time,” continued Wilson. “People are openly speaking about these things already before this movie came along. It’s part of another conversation that’s already been happening, which is great.”
I had a great chat with this dynamic husband and wife team about how they found the script online and the inspiration for the Wicker baby.
Watch or listen to the interview below!
