Ari Aster says 'Beau Is Afraid' is about 'unconventional family'

What makes a conventional family? American filmmaker Ari Aster asks, with his new film "Beau Is Afraid," set for release on July 5. The "Hereditary" (2018) and "Midsommar" (2019) director's new feature stars Joaquin Phoenix as the titular Beau...

American director Ari Aster speaks during a press conference for ″Beau Is Afraid″ held at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul on Tuesday. [SIDUS MOVIE]

What makes a conventional family?

American filmmaker Ari Aster asks, with his new film "Beau Is Afraid," set for release on July 5.

The "Hereditary" (2018) and "Midsommar" (2019) director's new feature stars Joaquin Phoenix as the titular Beau, who suffers from anxiety and goes on a surreal journey to attend his mother's funeral.

"People have told me that I deal with unconventional families in my films, and I would ask, what makes a conventional family?" Aster said during a press conference for "Beau Is Afraid" at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul on Tuesday. "Even a typically well-functioning family is hard to maintain when you look inside. Expectations, stress and disappointment are all there."

Main poster for ″Beau Is Afraid″ [SIDUS MOVIE]

In "Beau Is Afraid," Beau is the son of a wealthy businesswoman who is overbearing and obsessive toward her son throughout her life. Beau's relationship with her is dealt with thoroughly throughout the three-hour film, showing how and why Beau has come to suffer from anxiety.

"If we reveal the hidden layers to a 'conventional' family through storytelling, we can approach the real substance behind family relationships," Aster said. "I wanted to explore what it would look like if I changed the familiar exteriors of a family to something we don't know very well."

Aster wrote the script for "Beau Is Afraid" nearly 12 years ago but did not have the chance to make the film until after he wrapped up filming for "Midsommar," which saw critical and commercial success upon release in 2019, grossing $48 million.

"'Beau Is Afraid' is perhaps the film that I treasure most out of my own," he said. "I feel very proud of this film and am satisfied with the results. People around me tell me that this is the film that seems to best reflect me as a person, so I feel very attached to it."

Joaquin Phoenix plays the titular Beau in ″Beau Is Afraid,″ who suffers from anxiety and has to travel to attend his mother's funeral in Ari Aster's new film [SIDUS MOVIE]

When asked about how many viewers say they don't understand Aster's plots or characters, he said he couldn't understand them.

"People respond that they get confused by my films, and I can't understand that," he said, laughing. "From my perspective, I understand the script and everything to do with the film before we start actually filming, so I do not think my films are hard to grasp."

Aster noted that Korean films have been an inspiration and a source of study, adding he hopes to get more familiar with Korean works during his time in Korea.

"I am a big fan of director Kim Ki-young," he said. "Of the classic Korean films, I love 'Obaltan' (1961). I think it is impressive how Korean films deconstruct and change the structures of films without being tied down to the traditional way of making films. Directors Bong Joon-ho's, Park Chan-woon's and Na Hong-jin's films do this."

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]