In December, FDMX hosted an evening with veteran film director Mike Newell. Best known for his work on both British and Hollywood classics including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco and the third instalment of the phenomenon that is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Mike Newell followed a screening of his early great Donnie Brasco, starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino, which was screened to an audience of 150 students, staff and members of the public at the University of Hertfordshire’s Weston Auditorium. The on-stage interview was conducted by British Film Magazine editor Terence Doyle.

Straight off a flight from the US where he has been endlessly promoting his latest offering and 16th feature, Love in the Time of Cholera, Mike was feeling a little apprehensive about how well the film had been received across the water. Adapted from the revered novel of the same title by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Newell was conscious of the huge expectations that lovers of the original story would have. “The most intimidating thing was that I was dealing with such a sacred text to me and many others.”

Although the film, already released in America, has not received the greatest of reviews leading Newell to feel that his biggest fear of being “found out” has come true, Cholera has achieved a successful run in South America where not only is the film set and filmed, but the author is also somewhat of a national icon there. Love in the Time of Cholera is due to be released over here this year, so British audiences will be able to judge it for themselves then.

Celebrating his honorary doctorate from the University of Hertfordshire, Newell spent the evening reliving several moments from his career in film and regaled a packed audience with enlightening and, often amusing, anecdotes of working on many differing sets throughout his 20+ year career in the industry.

Newell particularly noted early works such as Dance with a Stranger (starring Miranda Richardson and Rupert Everett), which tells the tale of Ruth Ellis, the last woman in Britain ever to be hanged. Newell confessed to having a deep connection with Ellis as he had based her character on his own mother: “I remembered her having to go through the same grim, bleak day to day routine at the time. It was a period when women had little choice.”

Newell then moved onto happier, feel-good stories, including his personal favourite Into The West (starring Gabriel Byrne) a mythical adventure about a white horse befriended by two young boys. Newell spoke animatedly about the film, insisting that: “if you can find a copy, watch it!”

The next stage saw Newell embarking on, what is probably his most recognisable piece to date, Four Weddings and a Funeral (starring Hugh Grant). He spoke about how writer Richard Curtis, after gaining more exposure recently after directing Love Actually, has been credited for making the film but Newell insists he had nothing to do with the directing and simply delivered a script. “He didn’t make the film, I did!” Although Newell had feared that the film wasn’t all that good and worried that the audience would be bored – he was delightfully surprised in the screenings when people laughed within the first few minutes and continued for the duration of the film!

Four Weddings shot Newell into Hollywood, where he made a series of star vehicles including the screened Donnie Brasco (Johnny Depp, Al Pacino) Pushing Tin (with Angelina Jolie, Billy Bob Thornton and John Cusack) and Mona Lisa Smile (Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllanhaal and Julia Stiles).

Newell was then honoured when he was asked to take the helm on the third instalment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. However, he does maintain that the whole experience was much like “controlling a large tank!” He is grateful for having the opportunity to do such a large scale film, but was happy to hand over to the next director in line to take the series forward to the fourth instalment.

The evening ended with an audience Q&A, where Newell answered questions on getting into the industry and where he is going next – a video game adaptation of Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is ready to go into production.

Newell then ended on a high point for one lucky audience member by picking a raffle winner (all members of the audience were given a raffle ticket on entry) who won a bag full of Mike Newell goodies, including a selection of his films on DVD!

You can read more about Terence Doyle’s interview with Mike Newell on his website www.britishfilmmagazine.com