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Jun 16, 2026
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Ben Rivers Receives Don DeLillo’s Blessing for “Mare’s Nest”

AI Summary
Film‑maker Ben Rivers recounts how a handwritten letter from novelist Don DeLillo in 2017 led to the creation of his latest art‑house film “Mare’s Nest”. The collaboration blends DeLillo’s 2007 play with Rivers’ post‑apocalyptic vision, highlighting a rare literary‑cinematic partnership.

The Unexpected Letter That Sparked a Collaboration

In 2017, Ben Rivers received a hand‑typed note from Don DeLillo after a mutual friend sent the author a DVD of Rivers’ 2015 film The Sky Trembles and the Earth is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not Brothers. The letter praised the film’s power and opened a dialogue that would later shape Rivers’ next project.

From Fan Mail to Film: How DeLillo’s Response Shaped “Mare’s Nest”

Encouraged by DeLillo’s endorsement, Rivers wrote again in 2020 asking permission to adapt the author’s 2007 play The Word for Snow. DeLillo declined a direct adaptation but “absolutely gave me his blessing”, allowing Rivers to weave the play’s dialogue into a larger narrative about children navigating a climate‑scarred, adult‑free landscape. The resulting film, Mare’s Nest, juxtaposes the cryptic play excerpts with original scenes shot across Menorca, Snowdonia and a London studio.

Creative Choices Over Box‑Office Numbers: A Non‑Commercial Approach

Rivers’ work remains firmly in the art‑gallery circuit, favouring 16 mm grain and visual mystery over conventional storytelling or commercial metrics. No box‑office figures are cited; the film’s value is measured by critical reception, festival screenings, and the unique synergy between literature and cinema.

Reimagining Literary Adaptation in Contemporary Cinema

The partnership demonstrates an alternative to mainstream adaptations of well‑known novels. While recent attempts such as Noah Baumbach’s White Noise and the French Never Ever have struggled to retain DeLillo’s tone, Rivers’ approach treats the source material as a thematic catalyst rather than a literal script, preserving the author’s “cold, deadpan” language within an experimental visual framework.

What the DeLillo‑Rivers Partnership Signals for Future Art‑House Projects

Rivers’ success suggests that future independent filmmakers may seek “blessings” rather than full rights, using literary fragments to enrich visual storytelling without the constraints of strict adaptation. The upcoming screening at Curzon Bloomsbury, paired with a Q&A, underscores growing audience appetite for such cross‑disciplinary experiments.

  • A screening of Mare’s Nest with a Q&A with Ben Rivers will take place at Curzon Bloomsbury at 6 pm on Tuesday 16 June