- Title: "Milton's Secret" revealed in new film
- Date: 30th September 2016
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 27, 2016) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ, SAYING: "I was pretty much an animal until about three years ago. What you say? No, seriously I'm not even joking. I've been researching symbolism and religion for 15 years and I never quite understood it and it wasn't until I got older that I started paying attention and I started reading philosophy and psychology and the old greats and I thought 'I'm starting to get it now'."
- Embargoed: 15th October 2016 22:13
- Keywords: Miton's Secret Michelle Rodriguez Barnet Bain Donald Sutherland William Ainscough Mia Kirschner David Sutcliffe Eckhart Tolle
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Film
- Reuters ID: LVA00651RF4NH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: "Milton's Secret", which goes on release on Friday (September 30) taps into a modern day condition about the worries of modern living.
The film follows only child Milton (William Ainscough) who at the age of 12 is beginning to get overwhelmed by his parents' problems as well as his own situation of being bullied at school.
His mother Jane (Mia Kirschner) is worried about not hitting targets as a realtor and about payments on the family's mortgage, while his father Bill (David Sutcliffe) is wired into his own work and is constantly on his cell phone.
Michelle Rodriguez, who plays Milton's firm but fair teacher Ms. Ferguson, explained "So much of the time I'll be sitting here with you and I'll be thinking about a deadline I have for a script or I'll sit here with you and not look you in the eyes and think about the fact that I'm here right now with you. So many people do that on a day to day basis because life kind of has its circuitry in your brain and I think this film is a good reminder to be here so we can love each other."
The film is written and directed by Barnet Bain, who based the film on spiritual author Eckhart Tolle's novel, which Bain said changed his view on life.
"We hear it all the time in our culture - love yourself, and it usually sounds like narcissism," he said at the film's press junket. "It's a prescription for narcissism, but in the movie we model but it's not a tutorial. There are certain self-witnessing things that go on with this boy. He starts to pay attention to his thoughts, pay attention to his feelings and have a bit of compassion for them and that's a valuable message."
Rodriguez said Milton's transformation from underdog to confident child through the help of his grandfather (Donald Sutherland) touched her and made her think of her own experiences.
"I was pretty much an animal until about three years ago. What you say? No, seriously I'm not even joking. I've been researching symbolism and religion for 15 years and I never quite understood it and it wasn't until I got older that I started paying attention and I started reading philosophy and psychology and the old greats and I thought 'I'm starting to get it now'," she said.
"Milton's Secret" is playing on limited release in theaters and is available on demand from Friday (September 30). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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