Portugal Colonial - Kate Winslet 'so proud' as directorial debut premieres

Speaking at the Christmas drama's world premiere in London on Wednesday, the 50-year-old Winslet, who also acts in the film, said she found the experience of directing "incredibly rewarding".

"I loved being with those actors, I loved being with the children, to that extent, and also the collaboration with the crew, because it all has to work together, you all have to be a team, and it's something that, it really just lifted me up," she told AFP.

The film, about siblings coming together as their elderly mother's health takes a turn for the worse at Christmas, was inspired by the death of Winslet's mother and was written by Winslet's son, Joe Anders, whose father is British director Sam Mendes.

"I was so impressed by it and loved the dialogue -- it was just phenomenal," she said of her son's script.

"And so when it came to the point that the script was ready to send out to directors, I just realised that there was no way we could possibly let it go."

Winslet said she had thought about going behind the camera for years and other directors had suggested she should try, but she wanted to wait until she "really felt ready".

"I'm just so proud of myself that I did, and I'm 50, and ha-ha, I did it," she said.

The film also stars Dame Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Andrea Riseborough, Johnny Flynn, Stephen Merchant and Toni Collette.

It will be released in cinemas in the UK and the US on December 12 and then available on Netflix, the film's distributor, on Christmas eve.

M.Gameiro--PC