[SPOILERS] THE LIGHTHOUSE Cast and Crew Q&A | TIFF 2019

Shot on 35mm black-and-white film, this psychological thriller from Robert Eggers (The Witch) follows the slow descent into madness of two lighthouse keepers (Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson) on a remote New England island at the turn of the 19th century.
After having spooked audiences into a delicious frenzy with his much-lauded feature debut The Witch (TIFF '15), director Robert Eggers returns to the Festival with this chillingly intimate tale of two men sequestered on a tiny - and perhaps enchanted - Atlantic isle.
Charged with tending to a lighthouse for a four-week term, the taciturn Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) spends his days toiling away with backbreaking upkeep, while during the nights it is only his elder cohort Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe, also at the Festival in Motherless Brooklyn) who is allowed to keep the beacon in operation. Growing weary of menial tasks, Ephraim's curiosity regarding Thomas' hours alone with the big light burgeons. But is it just fatigue and envy that cause Ephraim to become increasingly paranoid about the loitering seagulls, to the point where he's visited by strange apparitions?
Set in the 19th century and photographed by Jarin Blaschke in starkly beautiful black and white, The Lighthouse harkens back to the literature of Melville while accruing a hallucinatory ambiance that feels entirely fresh. The film's crude humour, hypnotic sounds, and spectral imagery lure us in, but it's Pattinson and Dafoe holding our attention, even as the men begin to slide off the deep end with truly unhinged performances that feature Pattinson, spellbinding with his bushy beard, piercing eyes, and salty accent, and Dafoe, captivating as he goads his young mate to reveal his shadowy past. As The Lighthouse - winner of a FIPRESCI award at Cannes - veers into ever-darker waters, this brilliant pair enters a dangerous dance that will leave you staggering out of the cinema on sea legs.

[@TheKenVlogs]

Willem Dafoe is such an absolute treasure. His performances across the board just show so much passion and dedication. He will be remembered for his contributions to the art of acting and performance.

[@CaptainKronkers]

He was incredible in this. Actually got chills a few times during the movie

[@asadnyjfan9008]

Last sentence sounds like a eulogy lol

[@millabasset1710]

I might need to watch Lighthouse again. Dafoe and Pattinson are just a powerhouse in this movie. I know Joaquin Phoenix has the attention now and he is 100% deserving of it, but he has competition for best actor when the Oscars happen.

[@freddiegrace3770]

@@millabasset1710 Dafoe was so good in this that I think he should get the Oscar for sure over anyone. Pattinson was very good as well, but I think I could have watched Dafoe all day playing this character.

[@andykal1137]

@@freddiegrace3770 Unfortunately not even nominated ...shame

[@TheMoviecritic2010]

Eggers is the man for thanking his crew.

[@nidebau]

He did the same on his audio commentary for The Witch. I was expecting this super serious auteur that talks in great detail about hard he worked on developing the story etc. but he's just constantly gushing about this crew and what amazing work they did. Such a humble guy. It's incredible how this is only his second film and how down to earth he remains.

[@VeryImportantPepe]

Eggers, acknowledge the Apple II team!

[@nickl9317]

To be fair he’s giving credit where it’s due; he did have an amazing crew and they did an incredible job. With the starification of directors and actors it is often forgotten a much a good, invested crew adds to the quality of a film. Whenever you see beautiful lighting, authentic costumes, beautifully accessorized sets, that’s all them. When it all comes together it’s f ing beautiful.

[@briansharp896]

Idk about his demeanor during this Q&A seems highly annoyed and like he doesn’t even want to be there.

[@HerEvilTwin]

Making cinema is fundamentally a collaboration. Thanking your collaborators should be a given

[@JusDion]

Robert over there lookin like he just took off the bat suit.

[@kevinvasquez5272]

@@mcplainview8376 hes going to be the new batman

[@Kiiieeechiii]

Imagine if eggers made a Batman film

[@laziiner1682]

@@Kiiieeechiii That would be Batman Gaslight

[@breadlee5337]

willem was so happy after they came back onto stage when the movie was finished

[@SupremacySinema]

Bread Lee If I starred in a movie like this, I’d be damn happy too

[@louiscyphre9003]

' bad luck to kill a sea bird '

[@julissa6715]

I couldn’t keep my eyes off of Robert Pattinson throughout the entire video.

[@LifeofMarie267]

You and almost every other woman watching this.

[@nhyiraowusu9906]

@StarlingRatpaws and why do u feel the need to determine another person's sexuality ?

[@franciscatv9681]

I hear ya! 😍

[@bethaniie_]

@BoredHub LMAOOO

[@kachi2782]

Actually i couldn't take my eyes off his jacket. I don't get the fashion there.

[@shannonwilliams7926]

WILLEM DAFOE LOOKS SO HAPPYYYYY he has this bouncy walk throughout the interview sooo precious!

[@keplygatbikinibottomsmooth6418]

i noticed it too, its honestly so cute lol

[@joegould7487]

Eggers is truly without ego. The fact that as soon as he came up he said thanks and introduced rob and willem. Such respect

[@toothsayer]

I love how socially awkward and uncomfortable Eggers is here. such a creative.

[@nidebau]

He seems to be like that in all his interviews, I wonder if he enjoys these at all.

[@TheRedRaven_]

Nick LeMec I don’t think he does, he’s probably like me, hates to be the center of attention or around large groups of people.

[@albertomartin4812]

@@TheRedRaven_ Same here.

[@ajfrost3382]

I kinda don't like the idea that awkward and uncomfortable = creative. If I was less socially awkard and uncomfortable I'd be more relaxed and probably more creative. In another presentation, Eggers says he's absolutely comfortable in front of a crowd, and because of his theatre acting days it feels natural to him. He said he actually prefers being onstage in front of an audience than 1 on 1. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqPUnJmNe6h2f9U

[@targetdemographic1257]

The production alone in this movie had me elated. It’s so well crafted.

[@karenlindley.9756]

Robert looks very buff.....obviously been working out for The Batman film.

[@TheRedRaven_]

Damn I feel bad for Eggars, I don’t think he likes being the center of attention or in front of a crowd. I feel his pain 😅

[@1spidog]

The sequel to The Lighthouse... The Windmill

[@AdriOfTheDead]

The VVindmill

[@edmundcastle8201]

@@AdriOfTheDead Best Comment

[@Mattenthehatt]

AdriOfTheDead lmao

[@mmariankaa]

Lol well played 😏

[@princessthyemis]

hahaha!

[@ifoundtheaurora]

i’m watching this high so i don’t know if this is as painfully awkward as i think it is right now

[@user-jv4ro9yp7u]

you and me both

[@imemberberry]

I'm watching this drunk and it seemed great. Different strokes.

[@underthesea713]

@no way i'm cryinggggg this is so funny 😭

[@diannes3804]

Damn, Rob is handsome!

[@LifeofMarie267]

And he just keeps getting more so by the second. He's like a fine wine...gets better with age.

[@mackinjosh]

Spoiler at 7:50, basically the ending of the film. Skip to like 8:40

[@dexterjankaren]

Wow thanks! I read your post at 7:43. Thanks

[@angiieVEVO]

May God bless you

[@gamernation1400]

fuck i just heard it

[@gino2868]

IT says spoilers in the title of the video.

[@mackinjosh]

@@gino2868 they added that after i said this

[@katford7286]

Just saw it on Saturday, and it is absolutely crazy and weird and a masterpiece.

[@jobangharekhan2601]

Robert Pattinson has such an amazing Personality 😍😍😍

[@tonywords6713]

I’m happy to hear his answers about language and his attitude towards writing

[@ziggv563]

James Schultz * Est.1982 can’t wait for his next. Ari aster as well. Both are incredible film makers

[@TheGabrielberki]

I saw ye sparrin with a gull... in ems the souls of sailors what met their maker...

[@bptdns22]

bad luck to kill a seabird

[@ghoulbeansz]

This movie is nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece. Art.

[@christinagray6591]

I would love be a filmmaker but stuff like this seems like it would literally give me anxiety until I throw up

[@fifthbeatle]

I can deal with it, and I will push on

[@christinagray6591]

@@fifthbeatle congratulations

[@ryth-matic9434]

I’m sure there’s tons of filmmakers that feel the same as you but shouldn’t be the thing to hold you back from pursing that dream. Guess the thing that helps them is the thought that everyone there has the same love for film as them and are in an environment they can at least feel comfortable in that sense. Gotta be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Hopefully I can see your work in the future on the same scale as this video! Keep that love of filmmaking

[@christinagray6591]

@@ryth-matic9434 thank you for the words of encouragement

[@KetchupOverdose]

I don’t know why but it’s painful for me to see them standing. Get these guys some chairs! Lol

[@kayla5978]

lol I think they were having a hard time not looking at the interviewers wig, so they look even more awkward than normal 😂

[@RhinosaursRex]

Robert edgers looks like diet Tom hardy

[@Zachd500]

RhinosaursRex I was thinking more Jason Mamoa with a buzz cut.

[@charlieroberts5961]

You must have never seen Logan Marshall-Green.

[@internetdinosaur8810]

Looks like Stephen Ammell

[@TheBloodyWyrm]

Mr Wayne looking good.

[@thatguitarguy9157]

He could make a lovecraft movie right ya know

[@tonybaker1268]

He said in an interview he doesnt want to because lovecraft gives too many answers.

[@RatSitnov]

@@tonybaker1268 well then there's always the Kubrick "Shining" way. Take the source material, enhance the mood and weed out the detailization

[@darby_hudson]

the lighthouse is basically david lynchs eraserhead

[@josephjohnson8705]

lovecraft works in literature but would be awkward to adapt, and I’d rather not see any movies of that sort made.

[@tanii1356]

Robert was giving tenet look vibes here Neilll......

[@pauljoseph2400]

I just watched it the other day and kept the subtitles on the entire time. 😄

[@austenholt2694]

Feels like this movie should be a foreshadowing of Robert as the Batman and Willem as The Joker

[@judybarcenas530]

This movie is great, the dialogue is beautiful. William Dafoe for best actor!!!

[@vaportibaby]

Rob's so tall I'm melting over here 😍

[@LifeofMarie267]

Well, he is 6'1" so yeah...I'm melting too.

[@vaportibaby]

Life Of Marie yeah but it's not always obvious. But here it's so apparent. 😍🥰

[@LifeofMarie267]

@@vaportibaby That's because everyone else is shorter.

[@vaportibaby]

Life Of Marie Yes I see that thanks

[@Aiden-ov7gj]

@@LifeofMarie267 actually he's 6 feet, I met him once and we talked, I'm 6 and a half feet

[@Pingaheimer]

I thank god for filmmakers like this guy who wanna tell original stories and do their own thing and have their own vision, we need as many as we can get. I'm so fed up with the same comic book characters movies over and over again. Interestingly enough, Pattinson's next role is batman, ugh what a fucking drag. Oh well, i prob wouldn't turn down the paycheck they're probably offering him either.

[@gamblorrr]

I think there's room for both types of films. There is merit in climaxing a decade long story the way Endgame did.

[@sonicboom20078]

@@mcplainview8376 Well, it's Matt Reeves who isn't much of an innovator. He can say all he wants in interviews but I don't believe him until his filmography proves so. I won't hold my breath.

[@sonicboom20078]

@@gamblorrr Disagreed, but to each his own.

[@gamblorrr]

@@sonicboom20078 you don't think his apes films are innovative or hold creative merit? Also why do you disagree with my first point?

[@nestorgarcia7213]

I'm right there with ye, brother! While no one can deny the success or quality of (certain) comic book movies as much as they try to deviate or bring in new "interesting" takes on them the fact of the matter is they are so prominent they can't help but fall into a structure and design that unfortunately gets old quick. No matter who plays who and what director is attached, story, script, Visual FX, etc. A certain element is lost somewhere due to the, how you say...derivative nature? I love Superman, Batman and Spider-Man but Robert Eggers, Jordan Peele and those types of creative writer/directors are a breath of fresh air and the real modern cinematic heroes.

[@imdiyu]

Nobody talks about the sound of the film except for the farts. The sound of the film was phenomenal, better than anything in recent years. It reminded me of Tarkovsky and Bresson.

[@Cabricabz]

please try to make an actual q&a session next time: give the audience a mic, they will have longer and fuller questions, give the directors and actors chairs so they are a bit more confortable, and have the moderator actually listen to the questions in full and not summarize them in such a bad way It's a shame. The Lighthouse is a complex and beautiful film that leaves a lot to decipher, yet i didn't learn a single thing though this session Both comedians and the director are awesome though

[@connorw2k]

It was 11 at night. Everyone was fucking tired.

[@mahath7]

Chairs and two wireless mics. Tiff, get em.

[@tarmancer]

oh i loved The Witch movie too. wow Robert Eggers makes some good flims

[@Psychoclaw]

"half 'n half" 😂

[@boothammer5756]

Just watched it today holy guac tac

[@maryjanestomberg2097]

Great talents here. The physicality of this film was brutal. Real professionalism is shown by actors. I still cannot see it all the way through, but am working on it. Robert Pattinson is too good-looking. He looks like a Greek bust, or maybe Michaelangelo's "David".

[@user-sh5iu1lq6x]

Jeez , get some damn chairs for the guys

[@brijazz]

F7 No one ever sits at TIFF Q&As.

[@MrChaseBlue]

Please put a spoiler tag on this q&a, but thanks for posting!!

[@HaleXF11]

I think the last 35mm black and white film I saw was Pi back in '98. Pretty cool to see the format make a comeback.

[@brijazz]

It also uses a nearly-square aspect ratio (1.19:1). Very unusual!

[@Pingaheimer]

@@brijazz i love it, really do. It's such a breath of fresh air. Every movie looks the same now. And shot on location, no green screen or cgi. I'm digging it.

[@richardsantanna5398]

The black and white was a beautiful choice. But the aspect ratio was completely unnecessary.

[@brijazz]

Richard Santanna This aspect ratio is better for filming tall objects (hi there lighthouse!) and framing faces (and there are plenty of closeups in this). A wide frame would've been less useful since so much is shot in cramped quarters. If Eggers tried getting a 1.83:1 in the tiny living quarters, you'd end up with Dafoe and Pattinson appearing much smaller in the frame. So, yes: this aspect ratio IS necessary.

[@richardsantanna5398]

@@brijazz I just remember thinking through out the film that some shots looked so beautiful and could've looked even better it were on widescreen. I think that the close up shots would have looked just as good. But who knows? I need to watch it again.

[@DefenestrateYourself]

That's a unique suit coat Rob's wearing

[@bwoahviously]

13:14 I appreciate the audience member's "whoop" here

[@guerillawhite3083]

TIFF gotta invest in some chairs

[@MarmaladeSally]

Talk into the mic Rob!

[@radhikamathur2553]

Robert looking at the green shirt fellow's belly constantly is making me second hand embarrassed for the guy 😂😂😂

[@martysmith5260]

Subtitles would have been nice!

[@lturner7159]

Poor Rob looks like he's counting down the seconds until he can get out of there and as interesting as this movie looks I don't blame Robert but I'm looking forward to this one it looks original hopefully it is

[@connorw2k]

It was 11 at night so I don't blame him either.

[@judgyfudge3674]

I just watched it. It’s art.

[@88splow]

i have an idea: a lady and men take a sparks and run.

[@kachi2782]

Not getting Rob's jacket !

[@stickwoodthebrand]

The guy in the green shirt looks like a grown up yorki from joho rabbit lmao

[@magnet8185]

Wats a timber man, want.. with being a wickie?

[@puladavid]

why does TIFF Talks make their guests stand? Long time just standing., they look uncomfortable. Chairs?

[@arvindjaissy1955]

There is a vague tension between Robert and William

[@aly.campos]

The Windmill

[@88splow]

a scene took 6 month to finish

[@ziggv563]

Yorique Low which one

[@Aperki2010]

'You prefer to go into the past to look at humans today... would that quote apply to this film in any way?' What the fuck dude.

[@magnet8185]

Bro Willem Dafoe is 5'9 how fucking tall is the guy on the left.

[@galvinpro]

6 feet 1 and a half inches tall. 🤔

[@mariynakrolenko3914]

Guy on the left? Is that sarcasm?

[@jakqatif]

bring them chairs at least

[@jsmcguireIII]

Jarin Blaschke is the real star.

[@PrinceBejita]

Why none dared to crack a what joke? For example: what the cast thought about the Arghifn? What? What? etc...... would have been funny.

[@austinkent4663]

really looks like eggers just does not wanna be there

[@EmZevSS]

9:37 they didn't answer my question

[@grahamlovesmovies]

Could be because it was a stupid question.

[@EmZevSS]

Graham Smith yeah I only understood maybe half the dialogue so the story was harder to follow. I only ask because they had subtitles at Cannes

[@jokesterr119]

Just saw this movie, wished the moderator didn't reword your question because we can't be the only ones that couldn't follow half of the movie because of the accent. Hope there's a subtitled version tho

[@andygalligan4184]

Yeah I wish that guy didn't hijack the question

[@lorriekenobi]

I wished it had had subtitles 🤷‍♀️

[@criticalhippo4294]

Eggers always looks so uncomfortble.

[@isaacroberts9089]

willem dafoe is so ridiculously passive aggressive

[@brandon-xk4rk]

Does Robert Eggers have a speech impediment?

[@cassidy301]

I don't think so. It just seems like he was a little bit nervous during this interview. He usually speaks more fluidly.

[@RichardDemsick]

Man not one question about meaning, philosophical, or psychological influences or anything about substance?… were the farts real ?!? I give up

[@andrzelika8841]

Robert, I'm going to sleep, I want to yawn

[@andrzelika8841]

make the highest time to drink energy drink, he will give you a wing

[@milanxlewis]

Pattinson is so weird dude lol

[@mariynakrolenko3914]

Lovely weird

[@ajfrost3382]

I think he's really anxious

[@andrzelika8841]

this jacket on a jacket is what they do, they make a clown from Robert, that he agrees to everything, for me this film industry, brings actors to depression, I don't know how Robert finds himself in all this

[@Pingaheimer]

The way i see it they prob enjoy doing the work and getting the massive paychecks but hate having to do promotional shit like this.

[@ezj8262]

@@Pingaheimer Full-time direct marketing sales is worse

[@carolinekinoti4743]

Could be better with Robsten

[@roycastanon5754]

Directors got a bad stutter huh

[@coleton7048]

You don't even know what a stutter is, do you? That's not what a stutter is. lol

[@the.seagull.35]

I think it's more halting speech than a stutter

[@standard03]

public speaking is hard

[@kell_checks_in]

Loved the movie; this weird lefty ritual is bullshit.

[@TheKnight886]

Green Goblin and Vengeance

[@TheKnight886]

I can see Goblin and Batman