SXSWorld
Issue link: https://sxsw.uberflip.com/i/211359
For Brie Larson, Short Term 12 Could Launch a Long-Term Career by James Rocchi rie Larson had a busy (and some Award) and during its recent thewould say "breakout") year at atrical opening. Her performance SXSW 2013, where she appeared as Grace has earned her accolades, in not just Don Jon and The and also made for a very different Spectacular Now but also co-directed and Q&A experience after some screenstarred in the short film Weighting, and ings: "I think that Short Term 12 is played the lead role in Destin Cretton's so vulnerable and open that it gives Short Term 12. That film won the SXSW people this opportunity ... that they Jury and Audience Awards for Narrative feel like they've spent true, intimate Feature, and Larson's performance as time with these characters and they Grace, a counselor for at-risk youth, has believe that we are real. We were in put her name on the shortlist of the best Switzerland and we had the same performances of the year. Interviewing sort of reaction. I mean, we did our Larson about what is next in her burjob correctly. But the thing about geoning career, it is both startling and is, people sometimes feel moved not totally surprising to note that the by it, and then they want to know 23-year-old actress still connects her why. And I think that people want own press calls: "Yeah, I like to keep it answers to why they feel a certain real, you know?" way, and I can't give them." Her memories of SXSW are both Larson's reluctance to unfold or bright and a little hazy: "It was a real Brie Larson explain the film too much, though, whirlwind of an experience. I love has nothing to do with the film's the world of the film festivals just so tough emotions — and everything much. I always leave feeling so inspired to do with her delight in the kind and that I've made new friends. I was of storytelling she gets to do as an homeschooled, and I think I still have actress: "It would be absolutely a residue of feeling different and alone, wrong of me to give them those and I'm always reminded when I go to answers. Anything that their imagifilm festivals that there are so many crenation can come up with is far Ron Finley ative and fantastic individuals." more interesting than the reality Even though she was busy working of it ... and bear in mind that if we the press duties of three separate films spent the money to go see the most and left on the first day of SXSW Music magnificent magic show, we don't ("I just watched, as I was driven to the feel upset afterwards, that the magiairport, what looked like a mass takecian didn't tell us how they did it, or over of white vans all parking"), Larson sit in our seats and demand a Q&A was able to take in a few films in Austin to know how he did it. We accept and even experienced SXSW's famed it and we enjoy the process of not interconnectedness among fellow artknowing; the mystery is so incredists. "I went and saw Drinking Buddies; ibly important to the work." I saw Joe Swanberg on stage and I just Even with a talked-about perthought, 'God, I just want to go talk to formance in a talked-about movie, the guy and tell him how excited I am Tony Danza, Larson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt at the Don Jon screening Larson is still looking for the right about it.' And then, the next day we during SXSW 2013. kind of challenges — and her right Caption here SXSW 2013 have our Short Term 12 screening, and kind of film. "Well, right after South By, I got on a plane and went to India and did a movie there for the lights come up, and I see him in the front row of the audience!" two-and-a-half months. It was a musical and that was a really special With the isolation and worry felt early in the process of making films, and incredible experience. It was so far away and completely out of my long before the festival debuts and heartfelt reviews, Larson sees the comfort zone, and I had to sing and dance and do my own stunts. But independent film world's sense of community and support as an antiI'm still kind of taking it easy when it comes to what the next step for dote to "where you're just blindly trudging forward with a belief. You me is. I think I put a lot of time and care into what projects I'm going don't know if it's ever going to be seen anywhere." to do because I'm dedicated to putting in the work, and when the thing Larson has been busy making other films, as well as screening and comes around that is the next step then I'll do that ... but it just hasn't talking about Short Term 12 on the festival circuit (including the Locarno been there yet." n Film Festival in Switzerland, where Larson earned the Best Actress B PHOTOS MICHAEL BUCKNER/GETTY IMAGES 12 SXSWORLD / NOVEMBER 2013