Filmmaker Alice Englert spoke with MovieWeb’s Will Sayre about her new film Bad Behaviour, which stars her and Jennifer Connelly and explores the tumultuous relationship between a former child actress and her stunt performer daughter, against the backdrop of a chaotic spiritual retreat. She also touched on what it’s like being directed by her mom, Oscar-winner Jane Campion, in projects like Power of the Dog and Top of the Lake.

Bad Behavior is a valentine to adults who are still coming-of-age. Especially mothers and daughters. This story takes place in the space where tragedy is still taking its time to turn into comedy, where some wounds still feel fresh and others that might have healed have been continually picked open. My intention is to tell a story about the stories we tell, the egos that love them, the worlds that they build, the escapes we attempt, the futility of thinking and the thrill of it. This story is not a verdict on spirituality, but a contemporary, female-lead adventure into it.

Alice Englert is an Australian New Zealand actress and filmmaker who can most recently be seen in Goran Stolevski’s YOU WON’T BE ALONE which premiered at the 2022 Sundance film festival. She came on the scene in Sally Potter’s GINGER & ROSA and will next be seen starring in Starz’ reimagining of DANGEROUS LIAISONS with Kosar Ali and Lesley Manville. Alice can be seen as nurse Dolly in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix show RATCHED with Sarah Paulson and has also appeared in THE SERPENT for Netflix, TOP OF THE LAKE opposite Nicole Kidman and can be seen in Britt Poulton and Dan Savage’s THEM THAT FOLLOW with Olivia Colman and Walton Goggins. The film premiered at Sundance and later screened at SXSW. As a filmmaker, Alice has made two shorts, THE BOYFRIEND GAME & FAMILY HAPPINESS, that have played at festivals around the world including Berlin, Toronto, MIFF, BFI London and many more. THE BOYFRIEND GAME also won her a writing award at Melbourne’s St Kilda and is featured on Vimeo’s staff picks. Her debut feature, BAD BEHAVIOUR, starring Jennifer Connelly and Ben Whishaw is premiering at Sundance Film Festival 2023, in the World Cinematic Drama Competition.

more