Filmmaker Sally Potter On Natural Wine And Her New Album ‘Pink Bikini’

27.12.2023 - 07:38 / forbes.com

While mostly known for directing and writing films such as ‘ Orlando ,’ filmmaker Sally Potter’s other talents have shined in many projects, including stepping in front of the camera and acting (and dancing) in ‘ The Tango Lesson ’ as well as composing the scores for many of her films. Now with her debut album ‘ Pink Bikini ’ Potter sings songs she composed about her teenage years in the 1960s with themes of growing sexuality and the fear of nuclear war. I spoke with Potter about he inspiration for making the album, the differences in songwriting and filmmaking and the wines she would love to drink — if she only could.

What was your musical background before recording ‘Pink Bikini’?

I started playing violin at seven but what I really wanted to play was piano, so I switched when I was fourteen and have been playing ever since. In my twenties I joined some groups and did a lot of improvised music and singing until I made my first feature film — at which point I concentrated exclusively on films. Except that I worked on the music for the films. So although this is my debut album as a singer-songwriter there’ve already been quite a few soundtracks that have my composing on them and my voice as well.

What was the inspiration to record a full album?

I've been spending a great deal of my time working on music for about the last three-and-a-half years. I decided to focus on this particular album — out of many different tracks that I've been working on —because I felt that it had a very specific story to it. And so in a way my filmmaking and storytelling instincts could also come through.

And the story was about your teenage years?

I wanted it to be very simple, very raw, very direct, truthful. And I hoped shaped in a way that other people listening would recognize the incredibly intense feelings that people go through in their teens. Feelings of love, feelings of fear about the future as you find your way in the world. I thought that was a really interesting area to look back on from where I am now.

Is there a different type of vulnerability to sharing your lyrics and voice as musician than as a writer and director making a film?

When you work on something for a long time and then put it out into the world it is inevitably a very vulnerable moment. You are exposed, whether you are on camera or it's your voice that's being heard. As a director, people can feel your hand on everything. They can feel your presence in the film even if you are invisible and behind the camera. So I think that moment of exposure is always kind of terrifying but at the same time that's where it's all leading to. You're making things to be able to communicate and whether people will receive it or welcome it, you never