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Lynne Ramsay, the director behind Die, My Love, took the stage at the BFI London Film Festival after the film’s U.K. premiere to share stories from her career, touching on everything from working with unpredictable geniuses like Joaquin Phoenix to the challenges of post-production chaos. Ramsay also revealed how her latest film dives headfirst into the complexities of motherhood and identity.
Memories of Joaquin Phoenix and the chaos of creation
During her appearance at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Ramsay revisited her collaboration with Joaquin Phoenix on You Were Never Really Here, her acclaimed 2017 thriller. She didn’t hold back: “Honestly, I’ve never worked with such an exciting actor in my life.” There was admiration in her voice, but also a note of apprehension. “He’s totally terrifying,” she admitted, calling him “a beast” on set.
That raw intensity translated into unforgettable moments. Ramsay described a scene where Phoenix, without warning, threw himself down a staircase during an unscripted take. Everyone froze, unsure if it was part of the performance. For her, it was one of those rare, electric moments where an actor pushes the limits of both safety and storytelling. As someone who’s seen that kind of devotion up close, I can tell you there’s nothing quite like watching a performer blur the lines between role and reality.
Behind the scenes of You Were Never Really Here
That film wasn’t only intense in front of the camera. Ramsay recalled the turbulent post-production, shaped by pressure from a particularly demanding French financier. “He was obsessed with Cannes,” she said, explaining how that obsession created stress around editing the final product. Ramsay and her team submitted the final cut just a week before the film debuted at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. To read Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton face off in 2026’s Apex trailer
All that last-minute panic didn’t go to waste. The film was a hit. Phoenix walked away with the Best Actor award, and Ramsay herself was honored with the Best Screenplay prize. Considering what they went through to get the film finished, those accolades must have felt like hard-won victories.
An unexpected bond with Jonny Greenwood
Ramsay also spoke warmly about working with composer Jonny Greenwood, best known for his work with Radiohead. For someone like Ramsay, who had long been hesitant about using non-diegetic music (sound not coming logically from within the scene), Greenwood’s score was a revelation. “It felt like getting a Christmas present,” she said, remembering the moment she first heard his compositions.
This collaboration changed her approach to music in film. It’s something I often think about when watching her work: how much can shift in a scene because of a melody that wasn’t originally part of the world onscreen. With Greenwood behind the music, Ramsay found a new emotional layer she hadn’t explored before.
Die, My Love: A descent into postpartum psychosis
Ramsay’s new film, Die, My Love, had its UK premiere during the festival and continues the director’s fascination with deeply internal character studies. Jennifer Lawrence stars as Grace, a mother unraveling under the weight of postpartum psychosis. Opposite her is Robert Pattinson, who plays Jackson, her husband, both witness to and participant in her descent.
Here, Ramsay tackles the intimate chaos that follows childbirth—not just the physical toll, but the emotional shift that can shake a relationship to its core. From what Ramsay shared, the film looks at what happens when passion quietly gives way to resentment or confusion, and how identity can fracture during the early days of motherhood. To read Ranking Shyamalan’s Hits: Which Film Defines His Legacy?
Key themes explored in Die, My Love include:
- The emotional and physical toll of postpartum psychosis
- The slow erosion of marital intimacy after childbirth
- The struggle to reclaim personal identity in domestic life
As someone who’s always respected Ramsay’s ability to get under the skin of her characters, I’m especially intrigued by this new portrait of psychological unraveling. Lawrence, known for throwing herself entirely into her roles, seems like the perfect match for Ramsay’s intense storytelling.
Looking ahead at the BFI London Film Festival
The BFI London Film Festival, running October 8 to 19, continues to offer a space for bold, emotionally charged cinema. If Lynne Ramsay’s session is anything to go by, viewers are in for an experience that’s as unpredictable as it is unforgettable. For anyone who loves cinema that confronts more than it comforts, her work remains impossible to ignore.
