The Fault in Our Stars

Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. Based on the number-one bestselling novel by John Green, it explores the funny, thrilling and tragic business of being alive and in love. It features Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley), a 16-year-old who loves and tolerates her sometimes over-doting parents and who develops a crush on a young man, Gus Waters (Ansel Elgort), who seems equally smitten with her. As they grow closer, Hazel and Gus share their fears that accompany their health issues, as well as their love of books, including Hazel's touchstone, An Imperial Affliction. She has tried many times to get in touch with the book's reclusive author Peter van Houten (Willem Dafoe), to no avail. When Gus manages to reach Van Houten through the author's assistant, it results, astonishingly, in an invitation to meet the writer in Amsterdam. Gus is determined to take Hazel on a journey that will answer every question she has ever had about the book that has meant so much to her.

But the answers she is looking for do not come from Peter van Houten; they come from living a great adventure that Hazel shares with someone she is not afraid to love - who has given them both what she calls a "little infinity - a forever within the numbered days".

Funny, full of life and great fun

John Green's novel The Fault in Our Stars was published on 10 January, 2012 and debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Sellers list. Green began work on The Fault in Our Stars in 2000 after serving as a student chaplain in a children's hospital, and explains: "I wanted to write a story about young people who were like many of those I had met in the hospital - who were funny, full of life and great fun to be around.

"I also knew that I wanted The Fault in Our Stars to be a love story, but it wasn't clear to me for a long time what kind of love story it would be," he continues. "Finally, after many years of looking for my characters, I found Hazel and Gus. They have very different ideas about what constitutes a well-lived life, as well as contrasting world views, but they are brought together by their love for each other and for a book."

Green's friendship with a young woman named Esther Earl, to whom he dedicated The Fault in Our Stars, provided the direction he needed to tell the story. Though Esther is not the model for a specific character in the book, Green notes that, "our friendship and the joy she had in her life were huge inspirations." Diagnosed with metastasized papillary thyroid cancer in 2006, Esther Grace Earl succumbed to the disease in 2010, at age 16.

Even before the novel was published, Hollywood came calling, but Green was reluctant to sell the movie rights. "I felt the story was so personal and close to me I just couldn't imagine it being turned into a movie."

A worldwide sensation

Two of the book's legions of fans - screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber - were pleased to come aboard and adapt Green's novel. "The truth is we were fortunate to become involved with the project before the book became a worldwide sensation," Neustadter explains. "At the time we read it, right before its publication, it was beloved by us. The reaction to the book since then is fantastic - we hope the movie is embraced in the same way - but it was not an issue when we were adapting, beyond our strong feelings for it."

"Our goal was to preserve as much of the book as possible while making sure it's a special cinematic experience," adds Weber. "As with most books, the biggest challenge in that process is externalising the internal voice of the book. John Green read our first draft and sent us the most wonderful email of support. When we work with an author of his calibre it means a lot to us that they approve of our adaptation."

The decision to have Josh Boone direct was an easy one. Godfrey was a fan of Boone's film Stuck in Love and had been tracking it since he had read the script. The film starred Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connolly and Lily Collins, but as Godfrey says: "It's ultimately about the character of the teenage son," played by Nat Wolff, who has a leading role in The Fault in Our Stars.

"It's sort of autobiographical and you watch this kid come of age in a way that is funny, emotional and yet never pandering," Godfrey explains. "It felt very real."

Boone's take on The Fault in Our Stars was certainly ambitious. His pitch to the studio and producers: "This story is 'Titanic' and cancer is the iceberg we're going to hit eventually. But the film cannot be about the iceberg; it has to be about the love story. It had to have real and special moments."

A heavenly couple

A love story is not the same with two dazzling lovers and Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort are a heavenly couple, delivering sincere performances that is astounding, turning an ordinary romance into one you will always cherish.

What makes The Fault in Our Stars such an incredible experience is the magical chemistry between Elgort and Woodley, a contemporary Romeo and Juliet whose story is most definitely one of the most powerful and memorable tragic romances in year.

Woodley's views on the story, themes and characters mirrored those of her director and the producers. "The Fault in Our Stars is a love story about two kids with cancer, but it's not about cancer," she explains. "I was so deeply moved by Hazel and Gus, who are able to see things that a lot of us are too busy living our lives to see."

The object of Hazel's affections, Gus, played by Ansel Elgort, is someone who believes in big, heroic gestures. He's brash and tough, but also possesses an appealing intelligence.

According to John Green, Hazel and Gus' attraction to one another stems from the fact they possess a similar wit and intelligence. "There's a line in the Philip Roth novel The Human Stain, where a character says: 'The pleasure isn't in owning the person. The pleasure is this: Having another contender in the room with you.' I think Hazel is someone who doesn't have a lot of contenders in the room with her, and when she meets Gus she realises, 'Oh, this guy can hang with me.' For Gus it's the same thing. He's used to being able to attract women, but he's never encountered someone like Hazel before."

A complicated figure

Gus is a complicated figure: he's a former high school basketball star, and his favourite book - until meeting Hazel - is based on a video game. At the same time, he's an intellectual who enjoys giving long, thoughtful monologues.

Ansel Elgort already had a connection with Woodley, with whom he stars - as her brother - in Divergent. Woodley notes that this previous onscreen pairing was "a blessing for our work together in The Fault in Our Stars because we already knew each other and had this on-screen chemistry, so it was easy to connect as Hazel and Gus. Ansel's like my brother; he's so curious about the world and everything excites him."

"With love stories it's all about chemistry," adds Wyck Godfrey. "Shailene dominated many of the actors we had tested with her, because she has that kind of intimidating strength of character. But then Ansel came in and he had this charisma, exuberance and energy that put Shailene back on her feet a little bit, which is exactly what you want her to feel."

For Elgort, Gus was exactly the part he was looking for. Like so many others, he was a fan of the novel. "Above all, the book is full of beautiful ideas that make you think about life and love," he notes.

Tackling his most challenging role yet, Elgort credits Woodley as a source of strength. "I've had some moments in this film that have been harder for me than any in my career, so having Shailene by my side made it a lot easier."

For all the characters, it was paramount that every aspect of their lives felt authentic. Wyck Godfrey notes that: "John Green said the reason he loves writing about teenagers is that they are not yet that cynical. In some ways they live very openly, haven't yet been become jaded and it's a beautiful time for them. Teens are impulsive and will say and do anything. One of the most fascinating things about Gus, Hazel and Isaac is that their illnesses don't change that."

Cancer support groups

The filmmakers' insistence on verisimilitude led them to visit cancer support groups. "When Josh Boone and I got together with the actors, the first thing we said is that we must represent this experience and situation in an honest way," Godfrey explains. "The only way to do that was to spend time with young people who are patients and meet with the doctors treating them, as well as with the parents going through it all with them. When we got to our shooting locations in Pittsburgh, we reached out to the hospitals and the cancer centres and asked for their help with this."

The production made contact with several patients either going through treatment or in remission, many of whom became a valuable part of the production, appearing in scenes set at the story's cancer support group. "These young people have been so important to the movie not only because they lent their talents on screen but because it's given all of us an opportunity to talk about their experiences," says Green. "What we found is that what started off as research questions, like, 'Tell me what it's like ..." ended up with us talking about movies, cars, girls and whatever else. It was a joy just getting to hang out with them."

Prior to and during production, Green's book was a touchstone for everyone connected with The Fault in Our Stars. "My favourite thing about the book," Godfrey says, "is when you put it down you feel like, 'Every one of us should attack life with the energy that Hazel and Gus do.' At their core, Hazel, Gus and Isaac are experiencing many of the same things that teenagers have gone through for generations."

Be prepared for a tearful journey, but fortunately one that is never soppy.

You will shamefully cry with the characters and eagerly share their tears and joy. It's a happy cry, a life-affirming experience that underlines the true meaning of the word grateful, of making us realise how important it is to love, be loved, and through loving, make the most of every moment we have to spend with loved ones.

This is one film that will change the way you look at the world, mortality, faith and what it really means to love sincerely and passionately.

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