J.K. Rowling, a year in the life
James Runcie
2007
J.K. Rowling, a year in the life, is a documentary filmed by writer and filmmaker James Runcie, who joined J.K. Rowling for one year (from October 2006 to October 2007) to show this important year in her life, in which she completed and published the seventh book in the Harry Potter saga.
The film begins with a brief summary of her early years, showing lots of houses where she used to live, and declarations about important issues as the relationship with her parents. Among the interviews and Jo’s statements (directly to James’ camera) we can see fragments of videos recorded in that year, in some of them she is writing or singing the seventh book.
Since the completion of the seventh book to the printing of the first draft, chats with publishers, advertising decisions, anxiety prior to launch, and the same zero point where the mystery was unveiled. The emotions running through Rowling can get to a point transferable.You feel a little adrenaline, like her, to see how the saga ends, but also the joy of reaching the end point can be glimpsed between both marketing. How Rowling is the world within? How is the Harry Potter phenomenon from the very eye of the hurricane?
James Runcie makes an exquisite job, not only for their private meetings with J.K.Rowling and his direct questions asked to learn more about the opinion of the writer, but the way to portray some unique moments in her life. The camera captures every second of the end of the seventh book, as well as the instant opinion of Rowling and the minutes of calm after the storm.
And how can something finish that portrays the final year? Returning to its beginnings. Take Rowling (and show) the department where the first book born was a masterful touch and a fitting end. Rowling excited to see that, nowadays, inhabitants of the flat has their books shows the true feeling of the writer.
There are Harry Potter films played and financed by Warner Bros, but none is as exciting as this documentary, J.K. Rowling and the seventh book, in which we realise how fantastic the world is, we see that gives rise to what later will expand to millions of fans. Perhaps in the future someone will make a better documentary on the life of the creator of Harry Potter, but so far, this intimate record of that historic year has the first place.
10/10