“West London, in my opinion, is where it’s at, especially for young independent filmmakers like me. Definitely, more people should be filming here.”
Max Mir, a filmmaker originally from Barcelona, has made a significant mark in the film industry. His career journey began at the Met Film School in Ealing Studios, where he learned his craft; and he’s since gone on to shoot movies and shows with Hollywood stars. And our borough has featured heavily as a backdrop.
Max’s breakout moment was a short film called Walking Fernando, about a bored travel agent convinced by a talking goldfish to break free from her mundane life. It was shot in West Ealing’s Dean Gardens, and Northala Park in Northolt.
Hollywood star Javier Bardem, who has won Oscars and BAFTAs, was the unlikely voice of the goldfish in Walking Fernando.
“It was a piece of luck. We met at a bar, and he agreed to be part of the film,” remembered Max. “Working with Javier was very, very, very special. It was also just easy in general because he was so transparent and so humble and honest about everything.”
Max’s latest movie features George MacKay of 1917 fame: “Working with George has been a dream come true. He has an incredible sensibility for humour, and a willingness to always go an extra mile to deliver the best performance. He’s incredibly humble and brings the best vibes to set, which is priceless.”
This latest project is not being filmed in the borough, but Lammas Park in Ealing is among the multitude of other familiar locations to have featured in Max’s previous work.
“Moving to Ealing was like a breath of fresh air,” said Max. “Not only because of all the locations and everything that has to offer, but the people. To me, it’s the people always, because everybody’s so welcoming and receptive. Everybody’s very film oriented and arts oriented and knows that there’s lots of artists and filmmakers here.”
And Ealing Council’s West London Film Office has played a central role by helping Max to find locations, as it does for film and television projects every day.
“Working with the film office has been very, very straightforward,” said Max. “They are very helpful. They are super supportive of up-and-coming filmmakers. For example, they helped co-ordinate with the police for a film involving a fake gun, making the process smooth and stress-free.”
Fancy a piece of the action?
Would you like the chance to have your house or flat in the next must-watch TV series and earn some money? The West London Film Office is on the lookout for local properties that could be transformed by film and TV crews. Visit the WLFO website and email wlfo@ealing.gov.uk to find out more.
