AVC: I was watching a clip from an awards show the other day and Glenn Close thanked her director for believing in the power of the closeup and for giving her so many close-ups: It is a very powerful thing. And I think Anna, Saela,
, the director is surrendering the story to the actor. It’s something that directors don’t like to do. They want to be in control of the picture and the close-up In terms of the relationship of the mother and son, we really leaned into that and it is on the edge of being quite dodgy. That’s very much part of the story is that she’s obsessed with her son. She’s blinded by his light, and he knows it and he manipulates it and it’s ultimately very destructive to that relationship.To me, the film is bookended for Aileen by two moments. One is when she prays to God for his return.