Writer Ed Solomon Collaborates with Soderbergh, McKellen, and Coel on ‘The Christophers’ and New Series ‘The Spot’ at Sonoma Film Festival
Ed Solomon Celebrated at Sonoma International Film Festival Amid Busy Production Schedule
Renowned writer and producer Ed Solomon made a brief trip to the West Coast over the weekend, attending the Sonoma International Film Festival in California’s wine country. His visit coincided with the screening of The Christophers, a dramedy featuring Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel, alongside Jessica Gunning and James Corden. The film received the Stolman Audience Award for Best Film at the festival, marking a notable accolade for the 65-year-old writer, known for his work on Men in Black, Now You See Me, and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
Solomon watched the film at the historic Sebastiani Theatre, where he was joined by his mother. Following the screening, he participated in a Q&A moderated by the festival’s artistic director, Carl Spence. During the discussion, Solomon candidly expressed his discomfort with watching his own work in front of an audience.
“I tend to not watch anything after it’s done,” Solomon said. “If one person [leaves their seat], I go, ‘Oh, I fu*king suck.’… The fact that the people who are still here are still here, that is amazing. That means everything. That is incredible.”
He elaborated on the challenges of seeing his work come to fruition, viewing it as a departure from the realm of possibility that exists during the creative process. "It’s the worst part for me because it’s like the death of the dream," he explained.
Reflecting on his time left in the industry, Solomon noted, “I know I don’t have a tremendous amount of time left, so I’m trying to just get better with each thing. Each project teaches vastly different lessons… How does anyone write anything?”
The Christophers marks Solomon’s latest collaboration with director Steven Soderbergh, following their work on the HBO Max series Full Circle and the film No Sudden Move. The narrative centers around an esteemed artist (McKellen), who has ceased creating new art, and his greedy children (Gunning and Corden), who conspire to employ Coel to complete their father’s unfinished pieces. Solomon recounted how the project originated during a chance meeting with Soderbergh in a London pub.
Solomon recalled, “I moved to London about two and a half years ago… I said, ‘What are you going to do in the meantime?’… We came up at this pub with this idea that what if [the artist] just despises his children, and they have no inheritance?”
Production for The Christophers was notably swift, wrapping up in just 19 days. Solomon praised the collaborative process, particularly the efforts of McKellen and Coel, who navigated the workload with impressive skill.
“It was beautiful,” he stated. “Honestly, if the movie had never come out, I would’ve still felt like it was utterly worth it.”
Although Solomon highlighted that extensive improvisation was limited due to time constraints, he expressed deep satisfaction with the final product and its reception.
Currently, Solomon is also busy as the writer and showrunner for the Hulu series The Spot, which stars Claire Danes as a pediatric neurosurgeon embroiled in a morally complex situation involving a hit-and-run incident. He humorously noted the challenges of his hectic schedule, saying, "If I’m here tomorrow night, that means I was fired from my own show."
As Solomon continues to balance multiple projects, his recent achievements and insights into the creative process resonate with audiences and industry peers alike.
