Made In Melbourne Film Festival - Innuendo
When a mysterious young woman starts a new life as an art model, will her demons leave her alone or finally reveal the naked truth?
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Saara Lamberg
Watch Innuendo on Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! I was frustrated at not getting the work opportunities I wanted as an actor which is why I started producing my own films. Innnuendo grew from that but became much more - the making of it truly instilled the love of making films, all aspects of it, in me.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
It's unlike anything else you would have seen before. It's genre bending, it's thrilling, it's funny, it's disturbing. It makes you shuffle on your seat for the themes explored are so uncomfortable and you want to stop watching but you are glued to your seat at the same time.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
They are interlinked and you can't tell one fro the other. It's painful to think that some of the themes and scenes from this film are based in real life, albeit the whole story is a fictional story.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
The first draft of this screenplay was written in four days and won the bronze award at the Beverly Hills screenplay contest. What you see on screen is about the tenth draft based on changes the writer made for dramatic, practical or editorial reasons.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
"Pure genius! I loved the plot twists." Damon Merchant, US
"It's a fascinating subject." Clayton Jacobson (director of Kenny)
"An impressive feature debut that shows Lamberg's unique vision and talent for all aspects of the film process." Sharon Hurst (film critic)
"Making a movie, a feature film is an extremely challenging exercise that makes enormous demands on all concerned but particularly the director. THEN to write, produce AND star in a double role, is an entirely new level of difficulty, especially across two countries and on a tight budget! Ms Lamberg has achieved something extraordinary and I truly look forward to watching her development as a film maker." Iain Murray-Murton
"Lamberg's movie scares me and I think she is crazy. Innuendo is the craziest film I have seen in a while, and I mean that in a very good way." Sonja Hammer, JoyFM Film Critic
"INNUENDO reminds me of the films I used to chance upon when browsing video stores with friends. We'd pick a random title off the shelf and see something that was unlike anything else you'd come across. Too many modern indie films are overly self-aware, too concerned with how they will be received, and flattening their personality in the process. INNUENDO's biggest strength is that it is its own thing; it does not look like it's trying to ape a trend. I found that very refreshing." Lee Zachariah, Film Critic
"Innuendo is a film I had to think about for a while before coming to a conclusion. As a person who loves films that make me think, thrillers that play with my mind and have me thinking back and questioning if that was what I saw, I can now say that I found Innuendo to be an interesting and suspenseful thriller. It messed with my head and I like it when a film does that. It was also very unique in it's choice of story as it could have been very cliche but it was unpredictable till the end. For me it was psychological as the character's motivations and how they link to her childhood are super important in pulling off a film like this one with a character as complex and as psychotic as her being the major link to all the films dramatic and intense scenes. I loved the shooting style and the locations, very artistic and had a very strong indie feel without looking cheap or low budget." Sarah Jayne, filmmaker, Made in Melbourne film festival organizer
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I have been pleasantly surprised how many people have said that Innuendo looks more like cinema than most modern films as that to me is a really high compliment regarding it's my first feature and made with a tight budget. To have it been compared with the works of Lynch, Polanski and Scorcese is just unbelievable as these are filmmakers I very much admire and look up to.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
A wider audience, as for me, making films doesn't make sense if they don't find their audience. Innuendo is never going to be a 'major mainstream' flick because it's so art house, but I believe those interested in more challenging films will really appreciate this.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Distributors that know how to tap into art house audiences worldwide. The film is in English but has a strong European background/influence for the creator was born in Finland as so is the main character of Innuendo. It was partly shot in Finland, mainly in Australia.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like people to have a strong emotional response to it, whether love or hate, I don't mind. Either way, I'd like it to stay in their minds, and make them want to watch it again as some of the layers didn't open in the first watch. I'd like it to make them think.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Are you mocking Christianity with this film?
Would you like to add anything else?
I'm better at walking the walk than talking the talk so I recommend just watch the film. That's the best way to explain the film.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Westermarck Effect, a feature about genetic love.
Interview: November 2016
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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INNUENDO
When a mysterious young woman starts a new life as an art model, will her demons leave her alone or finally reveal the naked truth?
Length:
100 min
Director:
Saara Lamberg
Producer:
Saara Lamberg
Writer:
Saara Lamberg
About the writer, director and producer:
Finnish Australian Saara Lamberg is a director, actor, writer and producer. She has received several awards for her work, including Bronze prize at the Beverly Hills screenplay contest (Hollywood 2013), Best Actor at Comfy Shorts (Melbourne 2014), Best Drama at the Connect Film Festival (Melbourne 2014) and Best Actor (Lithuania 2004). She lived in England 2006-2010 and studied in the critically acclaimed Dartington College of Arts, graduating with a BA (HONS) degree in Theatre and Choreographic Practices in 2007. She moved to Melbourne in January 2010 and received a Distinguished Talent Permanent Residency in 2012 and citizenship in 2014. Having made five short films previously, Innuendo is her first feature. She wrote, directed and produced the film in which she plays the lead.
Key cast:
Saara Lamberg
Brendan Bacon
Looking for buyers, distributors, international film festival directors, journalists
Funders:
100% Private
Made in association with:
Charly Harrison
Release date:
Not yet released theatrically, only at the Lorne Film Festival
Where will it be screened in the next month?
Palace Como South Yarra, Made in Melbourne Film Festival, 8th December at 9pm