Beginners is the new film from director Mike Mills. It's the story of graphic designer Oliver (Ewan McGregor) falling in love with Anna (Melanie Laurent).

Oliver's a solitary artist, drawing portraits of old girlfriends and rewinding memories of his past. He's grieving for his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) who has just died of cancer. Hal came out as gay in his mid-seventies shortly after the death of his wife, and spent four happy years as a gay man before getting sick.

Mike mined his personal history to create this love letter to his family. He previously worked as a graphic designer and his illustrations appear in the film as Oliver's work. His father also came out as gay shortly after his mother's death.

I spoke to Mike about grief, loneliness, and fictionalising his own life.

This interview was first broadcast by 2SER's Final Draft on 20 August 2011.