Filmmaking can be a challenge at the best of times so to craft your feature debut mostly on a boat with an ensemble cast displays real ambition. This was the task ahead of NY-based director Lindsey Ryan who has brought her comedy drama Capsized to premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival. It stars Lily Rabe and Rhys Ifans and follows a hard-up Irish-American family who are facing eviction so they take an abrupt vacation on their houseboat. I was fortunate enough to sit down with the director to discuss the piece…
Every film is tough to get made but to have your debut take place on a body of water for large stretches, was this extra challenging?
Gosh, yeah, it was an uphill battle pretty much at every turn. You know, interestingly, I think because it was so difficult and it was one of these things that felt outside of the box of what first time filmmakers usually do, it worked to our benefit. I think that when you bring a new idea, people can get really excited about that, certainly in the case of our partners on the film. I think everyone misses the indies that dreamed a little bit bigger. In the States, we can’t really do those films anymore. I felt like Capsized came at a time where audiences are craving these types of movies.
I liked that with your ensemble you could go down slightly different tonal avenues with the various family members; humour with the little kids and deeper material with the adults. How did you balance all these little threads while keeping a consistent tone?
I think having an ensemble is incredibly difficult. You know, it’s funny, I now understand why people say ensembles are really hard. I was lucky because I had such a stellar cast on this film and it’s true that when you work with people better than you, you get better. They really understood the characters, but when you call action on every scene, you need to know where seven characters are at every moment. Nicole is aware of things in a way that the others are not – the kids are sort of in their own world. It felt like being organised was the most important thing to maintain all of these threads, and to make sure that we’re in the right headspace with each character at every scene.
You get brilliant moments with the kids and some hilarious one-liners. What was the process around working with them at that age?
I love working with kids for that reason. I just love how kids see the world, you know? We have Joan (Stein) here in Edinburgh with us, and she’s just the funniest, smartest kid. A lot of it was scripted but they certainly had moments, like when they’re doing the makeup, they’re sort of just in their own world. A lot of what I was trying to do is just capture and let them create the magic themselves but the logistical challenge of this was we only had them for four hours a day and they were in almost every scene. I do wish that I had more room for them to be more organic but they just smashed the dialogue. It feels so natural.
I thought Sarah Catherine Hook was terrific in the film – the real heart & soul with difficult relationships to navigate. I loved her arc…
Yeah, she’s such a delight. Such a breath of fresh air as an actor. She was willing to try anything and is very bold in her choices. Honestly, I couldn’t have picked a better collaborator for that role because I think that having her craft, for one, but also having her professionalism in that craft was such a joy and pleasure to work with. It’s nice when you can really have a back and forth with your actor to just excavate the material to its deepest layer.
I know the US class system is different to in the UK but I really liked the writing around those snobby micro-aggressions that Diane faces and how she deals with them. There’s a real satisfaction in how the script builds up that frustration and then releases it.
I love that scene because I think we all know that character. I think across any class system, we all have that character or that dynamic. Lily Rabe is just completely mesmerising and Diane, you know, has to learn to speak up for herself in a big way. I love what that character did for that dynamic but it also allowed for us to understand where the O’Briens sit within this world. They’re not of this echelon that these other people are. This wealthy person who has no time for you and the microaggressions, like you said, are these false, very performative behaviours of fake friendship. I see that a lot where I’m from. I love when you have ancillary characters that have an arc. That’s always fun for me in a movie so I was glad it landed in the right way.
What’s coming next for you?
I’m writing a lot right now and I have one project that I would really love to shoot. I would love to be shooting it next year which might be a little ambitious but it takes place in a Renaissance fair. It sort of grapples with the same theme of toxic masculinity. I think that’s a theme I really like to explore and also the sense of belonging and connection in the present time. I won’t say too much but it’s another crazy backdrop. I love characters that get to come in and out of very niche worlds.
Is this your first time in Edinburgh and how has it been having your film at the festival? How has the experience been in Edinburgh?
This is my second time here and it’s funny because when I first came, I just came on a vacation, actually for my birthday. I had always wanted to come here and I love the Gothic vibe and history of the city. We were getting close to closing our financing and I remember getting really good news while we were here. We were very much actively getting towards shooting Capsized so it feels so serendipitous and sort of crazy that this is where we’re going to premiere the film. This is probably my favourite city, hands down. I love the culture, the energy, the people here. It’s just the most incredible place on earth. I hope I can come back every year for the rest of my life. I love it so much.
Capsized premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival in August 2026
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