Interview: Doug Block (112 Weddings)

Being that roughly half of the human population at some point in their life embark on the insanity that is marriage, it’s unlikely you’ve managed to avoid the various celebrations that come with the amorous union, whether a willing participant or a postulant onlooker. Director Doug Block has himself professionally bore witness to dozens of weddings, documenting one of the single most extreme days in a person’s life with a subjective eye and a feeling for the emotional rhythms of the eponymous event. With 112 Weddings, looks back at these time capsules and asks a select few of the lucky couples to reflect on their matrimonial decisions, essentially investigating the balance between love and the legalities that come with marriage.

Having premiered on the opening night of the Full Frame Film Festival back in April, the film has gone on to play a variety of high profile festivals including the Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto, which is where I had the opportunity to sit down with the filmmaker to pick his brain a bit. Being that my own wedding is just on the horizon, I had a vested interest in the perspective that Block’s film so sincerely presents. He takes pains to clarify that, despite undergoing this cinematic investigation of what makes a marriage work, he himself is no expert on the subject. This wedding stuff is messy business, full of beauty and horrors, often in equal measure. Our conversation can be found below in a series of videos.

The film itself was backed from its early stages by HBO and was executive produced by docu heavyweights Sheila Nevins and Lisa Heller. Thus, after it’s bright but brief festival run, the film premieres tonight, June 30th at 9 pm on HBO. (My review of the film can be found here).

http://vimeo.com/98915925

http://vimeo.com/98969895

http://vimeo.com/98881442