Australian screenwriter Becca Johnstone smiles when requested in regards to the hardest a part of adapting a beloved novel for the display. “Selecting what to chop is troublesome… however I feel the toughest factor is deciding what so as to add, or what to lean into to make sure that the e-book continues to be honoured, whereas additionally permitting the story of Grace to have a brand new life in a distinct kind,” she says of Addition, the quietly highly effective new movie lastly arriving in cinemas this week after premiering at TIFF in 2024. “The toughest half is all the time taking these good phrases and actually drilling down into the fundamentals: how does this look on display? How will an viewers expertise this story?”
Starring Teresa Palmer (The Fall Man, Hacksaw Ridge), Addition follows Grace Lisa Vandenburg, a younger girl who counts the whole lot—the letters in her title, the poppy seeds on her orange cake. She counts as a result of for her, numbers maintain the world collectively. However when an opportunity encounter with Seamus (Joe Dempsie of Skins and Sport of Thrones) disrupts her fastidiously ordered life, Grace is compelled to confront uncertainty, connection and the potential of one thing extra. Primarily based on Toni Jordan’s novel of the identical title, the movie explores anxiousness, love and identification with tenderness and humour, finally asking what—and who—actually counts.
For Johnstone, whose adaptation of the novel earned her the 2024 Australian Writers Guild Award for Function Movie Adaptation, updating the story for at this time’s viewers was essential. “This can be a story a few woman with fairly extreme OCD that was initially printed 17 years in the past,” she explains. “So for me it was essential to essentially dig into the analysis, to talk with folks at this time residing with this sickness, and to make sure that the expertise felt actual for 2026.” That emotional authenticity is what grounds the movie’s romance and offers Grace’s journey its depth—not a metamorphosis, however an acceptance of who she already is.
After its world premiere on the Toronto Worldwide Movie Pageant—a second Johnstone calls a “pinch-me” profession milestone—Addition now begins its wider life with audiences. Forward of the movie’s cinema launch, GRAZIA sits down with Johnstone to speak adaptation, anxiousness, falling in love, and why she hopes viewers depart the theatre “wanting to like… loving another person, loving ourselves. Let’s embrace the enjoyment.”
GRAZIA: In adapting a novel, what have been the toughest decisions you confronted—what to maintain, what to alter, and what to go away behind?
BECCA JOHNSTONE: I really like the difference course of, and it’s made a lot simpler when you could have underlying materials that’s so good. If you add to that the truth that Toni Jordan (the writer of Addition) is an extremely gracious and inspiring soul, it makes the method so dreamy. However the hardest half is all the time taking these good phrases and actually drilling down into the fundamentals: how does this look on display? How will an viewers expertise this story? And quite a lot of the time, which means discovering the fitting method by way of the story itself. So sure, selecting what to chop is troublesome… however I feel the toughest factor is deciding what so as to add or lean into to make sure the e-book continues to be honoured, whereas additionally permitting the story of Grace to have a brand new life in a distinct kind.
I feel, within the case of Addition, it was additionally vital to take a step again and take a look at the subject material by way of a brand new lens. This can be a story a few woman with fairly extreme OCD that was initially printed 17 years in the past. So for me, it was essential to essentially dig into the analysis, communicate with folks residing with this sickness at this time, and make sure the expertise felt actual for 2026.
GRAZIA: Was there a selected scene from the e-book that you simply have been excited to convey to life, and one that you simply discovered difficult? Why?
JOHNSTONE: There have been so many scenes I used to be excited by! And so many who (alas, as is the best way in filmmaking) we needed to depart on the reducing room flooring. I feel the 2 that stood out for me from the e-book that I used to be actually eager to play with have been Grace and Seamus’s second meet-cute, the place they’ve all this enjoyable, flirtatious banter at a café. And our notorious yum cha scene, which is stuffed with sensory overload and finally ends up triggering Grace fairly closely. However I feel my favorite factor that I pulled from the e-book and knew immediately I wished to convey to life was the character of Nikola Tesla (performed by Eamon Farren of The Witcher). Grace’s obsession and admiration for him drips all all through the novel… I knew early within the writing that I wished to make him a residing, respiration character on this world. And being allowed the liberty to do this and to have Nik and Grace on their very own little relationship arc was such a pleasure for me.
For me, it’s all the time the ‘crunchy’ scenes which are difficult: the breakups and arguments. As a result of Marcelle Lunam (our director) and I have been so on the identical web page in regards to the tone for the movie and having all of it really feel very actual and lived-in, dramatic scenes like that may get tough. As a result of we’ve seen so a lot of them earlier than, and we don’t need something to ever really feel melodramatic. So it was all the time about bringing the whole lot again all the way down to earth, to residing with these uncomfortable moments all {couples} undergo… simply specializing in the true.
GRAZIA: If you hit a artistic roadblock when writing a script, how do you get unstuck and hold the method shifting?
JOHNSTONE: Two martinis and an 8-minute voice be aware within the group chat. [laughs]
In reality, I’ve all the time been one to essentially push myself by way of author’s block. As a result of it’s simply so agonising, isn’t it? Staring on the display, the blue gentle feels prefer it’s mocking you. In some unspecified time in the future, that frozen state begins to really feel like self-sabotage. So I routinely will simply hold going. I’m a agency believer in writing by way of it. And that doesn’t imply what I truly get on the web page is any good (it’s routinely fairly sh*t)… however by way of that course of, one thing good may come. Just like the kernel of a good suggestion or good little run of dialogue is likely to be born, ? And even whether it is simply objectively unhealthy, it’s greater than I had after I began the day. And sometimes that alone is sufficient to kick me out of my funk. Writing is enhancing—we are able to all the time return and make it higher. However we are able to’t try this if it’s not there within the first place.
GRAZIA: Writing about anxiousness, order, and the necessity for certainty might be very private. Did this story require emotional excavation from your individual experiences?
JOHNSTONE: I might by no means have come on board this movie if I didn’t assume I might communicate to it personally, or no less than it had echoes in my very own life. Whereas I don’t have OCD, I’ve lived with anxiousness my entire life, to various severities. So, in my analysis course of, understanding that the foundation of compulsions and intrusive ideas for folks with OCD is all about anxiousness, too, it actually cracked open Grace’s expertise for me. I used to be capable of method the scenes in methods I might perceive, too. And naturally, I convey a few of my experiences to the desk as effectively. One in all my favorite scenes within the movie is that this actually tender second between Grace and her Mum, the place Grace catches her Mum smoking within the yard. It was a second I lifted straight from my life. I knew if my Mum had began smoking once more, it meant she was anxious about one among her children, about our psychological well being. It was a traditional inform. It’s been type of wild to see these moments from life up on an enormous display, however they’re actually vital. The entire group on Addition is aware of that psychological well being is a household sickness, and we actually wished to seize the highs and lows of that, too.
GRAZIA: If Grace have been your pal in actual life, what recommendation would you give her originally of her story? And what recommendation on the finish?
JOHNSTONE: That is such an important query! I feel originally of Grace’s journey, I’d inform her to be courageous. Once we meet Grace, she’s form of walled herself off from the world, so the story actually turns into one among awakening for her—and to do this, she must confront the ugly sh*t. It’s a tough street and is gonna be uncomfortable—however something actually value it in all probability takes a bit ache. And it’s not nearly Seamus being value it (he positively is, for the report) … it’s about Grace realising she is value it. She has worth and area to take up on this world. And I feel that journey requires bravery.
On the finish of the movie, I’d in all probability inform Grace to be mild with herself. She has come to this point and completed the onerous work, and he or she owes herself that recognition. As a result of the ‘Dreamboat BF’ isn’t the prize… he’s the bonus. The connection Grace has with herself now could be what actually issues, and that’s sure to be up and down typically, too. So be mild, Grace… take it one step at a time. Your new world seems to be fantastically expansive!
GRAZIA: Congratulations on having Addition’s world premiere on the Toronto Movie Pageant! What position do you assume movie festivals play for tales like Addition, particularly in an period so dominated by franchises and streaming algorithms?
JOHNSTONE: TIFF was the quintessential pinch-me second! I feel festivals are extremely vital for tales like ours—and filmmakers like Marcelle Lunam and me, each first-timers at narrative options. I’m not out right here saying they’re the one method an indie movie could make it these days, however they’re actually helpful. And for me, it was extra in regards to the competition’s tradition, the expertise of being surrounded by different filmmakers, imbibing pure cinema. The odd get together didn’t damage, however other than the mania of the movie premiering and conferences and whatnot… it was only a good week to simply see some flicks and meet attention-grabbing folks. And also you’ll by no means be capable of recreate that with a streamer or a blockbuster franchise expertise.
GRAZIA: You’ve written for each movie and tv. What are the principle variations you discover between the 2, and do you could have a choice?
JOHNSTONE: It’s like selecting between my two infants! I feel essentially, the principle variations are actually solely structural. I’m what we name a ‘character first’ author, so each story that I inform has the muse of a really thought of, well-drawn character and an thought of the journey I wish to take that character on. The plot comes out of that later. And that’s form of one thing that has historically been extra related to movie versus TV (with some large exceptions, after all—taking a look at you Mad Males and The Sopranos).
So I are inclined to convey that ‘cinematic’ expertise to my TV writing too, so it doesn’t really feel too totally different to me. It simply turns into extra about how we inform the story—I’ve eight one-hour acts, as a substitute of three acts in two hours, for instance. However I do know so long as I keep true to the character on the basis, the story will get informed.
I actually don’t assume I’ve a choice. There are professionals and cons for each experiences. I’ll say this, although: it’d simply be recency bias, given we’re right here speaking about my debut characteristic… however there’s something very, very particular about making a film. It’s type of electrical.
GRAZIA: When you might train your youthful self one factor about storytelling, what would it not be?
JOHNSTONE: I had a instructor at movie faculty who mentioned one thing to me that I’ve carried my total profession, and need I’d discovered it sooner: “Don’t write what . Write what to be true.” It’s such a refined factor, however it actually helps me—and I feel it’s as a result of all of it comes again to the reality about folks (and character). It permits me to put in writing throughout so many various genres, instances, and locations… as a result of I can all the time return to the core of what I’m doing: writing what I do know to be true.
GRAZIA: Is there a narrative you’re personally dying to put in writing—maybe one which’s very totally different from Addition?
JOHNSTONE: I’m at present deep in analysis on a narrative I’ve been wanting to inform for years. I can’t give an excessive amount of away about it, however it’s set towards the autumn of the Soviet Union. It tracks a long-standing thriller from the previous and the conspiracies surrounding it. However, given my type, it’s a deep character dive for a lady looking for the reality of what occurred to her father behind the Iron Curtain. I’ve Serbian and Latvian heritage, each nations deeply impacted by communism, the USSR, and this sort of seems like a little bit of a reckoning of all that generational trauma.
GRAZIA: Are you able to give us a sneak peek at any upcoming initiatives you’re engaged on that audiences ought to be careful for?
JOHNSTONE: I’m completely blessed to be working with the unimaginable Phoebe Tonkin (The Vampire Diaries, Boy Swallows Universe) on a detective series (primarily based on Sarah Bailey’s good Gemma Woodstock novels). Movie-wise, we’re gearing up for my second characteristic, a survival thriller set on this planet of free solo mountain climbing, known as Ascent. And excitingly, I’ve teamed up with one other good Aussie actor (and now criminally good author) Eamon Farren: we’re engaged on a horny, high-octane spy sequence collectively known as The Foreigner.
GRAZIA: On the finish of the day, what do you hope audiences stroll away with after watching Addition?
JOHNSTONE: I hope our audiences stroll away wanting to like! That may sound foolish, however it’s true. This can be a heavy movie right here and there, however actually, it’s all about grabbing on to pleasure. And hope! I feel with the state of the world in the intervening time, all of us crave tales that make us wish to revel within the bliss of being alive and loving with our full hearts. Loving another person, loving ourselves. Let’s embrace the enjoyment.
THE FILM IS RELEASED INTO CINEMAS ON JANUARY 29.
