It's rather surprising that Tom Ford has had no prior experience in the film industry until now. His directorial (and screenplay) debut, A Single Man, has attained generally positive reviews - especially for Colin Firth's astounding performance (he's already received several awards). Although it's safe to assume that the visually breathtaking masterpiece is attributed to Ford's familiarity with the fashion world. After all, fashion is prominently a visual market. Everything needs to look good.

Ford, however, tells the Guardian's Andrew Pulver that there's no association. "Don't think of it as coming out of the fashion world. This has nothing to do with fashion. Think of it as coming out of me."

Ford ended up single-handedly backing the film financially after the budget fell though during pre-production. And he hired a cinematographer, Eduard Grau, with little previous practice. He also told Pulver, "This film was the first - the first - pure expression of anything I've ever done in my life. I had to make this movie. I put so much of myself in it, it scared me." The struggle seems to be worth it; with the buzz the film has generated, it may end up being a contender at the Oscars (specifically in the Best Actor Category).

The film is an adaptation of the 1964 novel by Christopher Isherwood that chronicles the story of a gay man's heartache following the death of his partner. It was released in theatres late last year.

Source: Guardian