Harry Melling and Caleb Landry Jones' 'Harvest' Breaks the Mold
The world of cinema is a fascinating place where stories echo our realities, and one such story is about to make waves in an English village, challenging the very essence of community and tradition. Set against the backdrop of a 2024 Enclosure Bill, “Harvest,” adapted from Jim Crace's novel, paints a vivid picture of a secluded village grappling with the shadows of xenophobia and capitalism. Directed by the talented Athina Rachel Tsangari, known for her creative flair in films like *Chevalier*, this narrative immerses us in a realm where small-scale farming and pagan rituals are at the heart of daily life.
As the story unfolds, a mysterious fire disrupts the village, coinciding with the arrival of outsiders that stirs up feelings of paranoia among the locals. With a stellar cast including Caleb Landry Jones from *Get Out*, Harry Melling of *Harry Potter* fame, Rosy McEwen, Arinzé Kene, Thalissa Teixeira, and Frank Dillane, “Harvest” takes the audience on an emotional ride, reflecting on themes that resonate deeply with contemporary life.
The film premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where Collider's Perri Nemiroff caught up with director Tsangari and stars Jones and Melling at the Cinema Center at MARBL. During their engaging conversation, they highlighted the challenges and unique experiences they faced while bringing this intricate story to life, including filming in rainy conditions that added to the film's visceral atmosphere.
Perri Nemiroff: "Can you give us a brief synopsis of *Harvest* for those who might not be familiar with it yet?"
Athina Rachel Tsangari: "Oh, that’s a tough one! Harry, care to take it?"
Harry Melling: "Absolutely! Our story unfolds in a village, which is a bit ambiguous in time—perhaps it's the past or the future. It follows a community during their harvest festival, but then something dreadful occurs. It’s about watching how this community is affected as events spiral out of control." You May Like: