Naked (1993)

Together with Heat, an Agency that represents filmmakers, we present a bi-monthly movie night curated by their wide array of passioned creators, designed for everyone looking to connect and be inspired. Every edition will center around a unique host and their inspiring guests; they’ll select a main film that showcases what they are all about and motivates them within their creative field. And they will take you on a two-hour journey into their vision.

In this edition, filmmaker Vincent Boy Kars hosts an evening centred on Mike Leigh’s ‘Naked’, starring David Thewlis as the nihilistic Johnny: a man who wanders through London at night and treats everyone he meets with equal parts intelligence and venom. For Kars, ‘Naked’ is a key source of inspiration for the feature film he is currently developing, a project he has launched together with actor Jonas Smulders, in which Smulders plays the lead role. They previously collaborated on ‘Drama Girl’ (2020). The inspiration lies in both the content and the approach. Mike Leigh has a very distinctive way of working with actors: he gives them plenty of freedom and develops the script together with them, including through improvisation. This method closely mirrors how Kars and Smulders are collaborating on their new project.

Following the screening, Kars will be in conversation with Smulders about this special collaboration between director and actor: how Leigh approached it in ‘Naked’, what unconventional collaborations Smulders has previously undertaken with directors and Kars with actors, and how they are now shaping this themselves. An evening exploring the origins of a good cinematic collaboration, and a unique insight into a feature film that is still in development.

Melkweg often hosts different types of programmes at the same time, such as concerts, club nights and films. Please note that there may occasionally be some noise pollution from other programmes during the screening.