Stirling’s Oscar winner says the support she received from the city has been “incredible” after the film she helped write claimed a much-coveted Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Lesley Paterson was one of the screen writers for the Netflix war epic All Quiet on the Western Front which was nominated for nine awards.
Originally from Stirling, Lesley spent 16 years trying to make the project a reality and she was rewarded when the movie claimed four Oscars at Sunday’s glittering ceremony in Hollywood.
In addition to claiming the accolade for Best International Feature Film, All Quiet on the Western Front also scooped the titles for Best Original Score, Best Production Design and Best Cinematography.
It narrowly lost out on Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Visual Effects.
Speaking to the Observer this week Lesley told how just being nominated was “a dream come true”.
She said: “Winning the Best International Film was incredible. Everyone was just going bananas. We knew we had a great shot, but it was so lovely to deliver and to see the trajectory of this film come to fruition.
“Being nominated is just crazy. Totally wild. It’s kind of like a dream come true. Obviously we wanted to win Best Adapted Screenplay and that was bitterly disappointing so we’ve got mixed emotions of being happy but also being disappointed all at the same time.”
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She continued: “I don’t think any of it has sunk in. It’s just been such a whirlwind and it’s tough to put in to words and now it’s a case of this has opened the door to our career and now we’re ready to jump in and get going.
“The support from Stirling has been incredible. How lovely (it has been) to hear from Allan’s Primary, Stirling High, lots of friends, lots of family. It just makes me want to come home and see everyone. We will be home in the summer and hopefully we can catch up with everyone.
“If you have a dream, go for it. It doesn’t matter whether you’re from a small town in Scotland or not, just chase after it and never, ever give up.”
Lesley co-wrote the screenplay alongside Edward Berger and Ian Stokell. It was released on Netflix last October and was directed by Edward Berger and stars Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl, Sebastian Hülk, Aaron Hilmer, Edin Hasanovic and Devid Striesow.
She attended Sunday’s awards ceremony, hosted by TV presenter Jimmy Kimmel, with husband Simon Marshall, also a screenplay writer and producer.
Lesley grew up in Clarendon Place, King’s Park, before later living in Bridge of Allan when her parents owned the Old Manor Hotel. She now lives in Los Angeles, California.
Lesley studied for her undergraduate at Loughborough University in drama and then went on to do a Masters in theatre and film at San Diego State University, in California.
During her formative years in Stirling the former Allan’s Primary pupil developed a passion for sport, and grew up playing rugby for Stirling County before going on to join Stirling Triathlon Club.
She eventually became one of the world’s top triathletes, claiming world titles. She claimed gold at the XTERRA Triathlon World Championships in 2011, 2012 and 2018 and was also victorious at the ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships in 2012 and 2018.
Lesley’s mum, dad and step-mum still live in Stirling, as does her eldest sister.
Lesley previously took on the role as Chieftain of the Stirling Highland Games back in 2016.
It wouldn’t be the first time that the famed Oscar trophy has made its way to the region.
Back in 1995, youngsters from Balfron Primary got their hands on the iconic statuette. It was taken there by villager Colin Cameron, executive producer on a film which claimed the title.
Colin, then head of television for BBC Scotland, had commissioned a competition called Tartan Shorts. One submissions was from Scots actor Peter Capaldi for Franz Kafka’s It’s A Wonderful Life. The short film was a big success at international film festivals before becoming Oscar nominated.
Capaldi, producer Ruth Kenley-Letts and Colin as executive producer all went over for the ceremony. Colin this week recalled: “My kilt of course got more attention on the red carpet than some of the more glamorous outfits around me – this was pre-Braveheart days. Peter and Ruth went on stage to collect the Oscar, and we did the rounds of afterparties.
“Peter stayed on to try to secure some deals off the back of it – he was determined to be a film director at that stage – so I brought the statuette back home in my backpack and hence to Balfron Primary.”
