Nicholas Winding Refn: I Passed Away for 25 Minutes Prior to Creating Her Private Hell - MovieMaker Magazine

      Nicholas Winding Refn was finished.

      Three years ago, he discovered he had a medical issue termed a leaking heart — “which means that my blood was flowing backward.” It was an abrupt diagnosis, with potentially deadly implications. The surgery to save him involved detaching his heart from his body for 25 minutes, a period during which, he states, he was essentially dead.

      “But it came at the right moment in my life, as I had reached the creative conclusion of what I wanted to create,” he shares with MovieMaker. “I felt empty. There was nothing left for me to desire, so I passed away at the right time.”

      However, he emerged from the surgery revitalized, feeling thankful to be alive — particularly as a father of two daughters.

      “I don’t think my kids were prepared for my departure,” he reflects. “And upon my return, I recognized that I had received a gift, that I could start anew. My memory was nearly wiped clean. My bodily memory had vanished. I had feelings from my former life, but now had the chance to begin a new one.”

      Last year, he commenced work on his newest film, Her Private Hell, inspired by his fresh outlook: “It stemmed from my memory being wiped clean regarding what a film should be, which I found very satisfying,” says the Danish director of Drive, The Neon Demon, Only God Forgives, and the Pusher trilogy, celebrated for its dynamic energy, captivating visuals, and boundary-pushing performances.

      Sophie Thatcher stars in Her Private Hell as Elle, a woman ensnared in a harrowing relationship with her father, Johnny Thunders (played by Dougray Scott), her young stepmother, Dominique (Havana Rose Liu), and an influencer named Hunter (Kristine Froseth). The women frequently occupy a breathtaking, gilded-cage apartment in the sky, which serves as the film’s main setting. In the meantime, Charles Melton portrays Private K, a soldier navigating the foggy streets to rescue his daughter from torment. A killer known as the Leather Man lurks nearby.

      The film — stunning, vivid, dreamlike, enchanting — marks Refn’s first project since The Neon Demon in 2016. Since then, he has produced the series Too Old to Die Young for Prime Video and Copenhagen Cowboy for Netflix.

      Her Private Hell received mixed reviews at its Cannes premiere. This isn’t new for Refn, who accepts that his films won’t appeal to everyone.

      “It ultimately comes down to, ‘Are you satisfied? Do you feel free? Do you feel fulfilled?’ If you can affirm that to yourself, then you’re living as Aleister Crowley said: ‘Do as thou wilt.’”

      Even though he references the British occultist known as “the wickedest man alive,” Refn considers himself fortunate and reborn — “like an infant experiencing the grace of God.”

      In our latest installment of Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker, the 55-year-old director discusses youth, pleasure, and how to respond if your collaborators are unwilling to follow your vision. (His brief answer: “Well, then what would you like to do?”) — M.M.

      Nicholas Winding Refn: Things I’ve Learned as a Moviemaker

      Nicholas Winding Refn. Photo by Casper Sejersen. Courtesy of Refn

      1. The confidence of youth is the fuel. You just need the determination to make a film, and you have to believe you’re extraordinary because that self-assurance is essential for success.

      When you begin, it’s often advantageous to know little, as this means you can't really go wrong. There’s something untainted in that. It's crucial to remember that the first time will always be the best, as it is when everything is driven by sheer joy and enthusiasm. Whether in writing, music, or film, the first experience carries a unique magic, and if you’re fortunate enough to encounter that early on, the youthful arrogance and unblemished passion are truly valuable and worth safeguarding.

      2. Just bear in mind that when you die, all you have are your memories.

      3. If you return home feeling satisfied, it signifies that the day was worth living. Often, we expend a lot of effort on the outcome, which is naturally what the effort is for, but the result is ultimately void. You’re truly alive while creating it. The true creative high flows through that process — those endorphins that are unattainable through any other means, because the high from creativity is incredibly potent.

      The outcome tends to be about ego and vanity, about being appreciated or not, admired or despised. However, those external factors are somewhat secondary. Genuine enjoyment is found in the creative process, and those are the memories you’ll cherish when you pass away.

      A scene from Her Private Hell, directed by Nicholas Winding Refn. NEON

      4. I was