Erie International Film Festival - FILS ( SON)
Guilt will not let you go.
Interview with Director Cyrus Neshvad
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to make a movie where I would scare the audience but where in the same moment I would create emotions. These 2 feelings : FEAR and EMOTION were the initial reasons to start this project.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
As the audience is giving me the most valuable thing we have in this world for instance : TIME, I want to do my best to give them a good time by scaring and giving them emotions. If I succeed in this then I can also say that I did a successful movie.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
As soon as I found the feelings which I want in the movie, I turn myself on the elements which are important deep in myself - for instance - in FILS: CHILDHOOD, FAMILY and DEATH. After this I begin creating a story mixing all these elements to have here a story about a father who can’t forgive himself for what happened to his son and who slowly goes crazy.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
As I work with other human beings, I try to listen to all the suggestions and evaluate the movie during the shooting or editing. It is always told that the director should know what he wants, but I think it’s better to have doubts and get the help of the crew to evaluate. In FILS, the last sentence of the mother is an improvisation of the actress. I told her to think that the child is her own child and what she would say to her child before letting him go to heaven.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
“I was so scared”
“I cried”
“It’s not my type of movie.”
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
No not really. But when I was in the audience in some festivals it was a pleasure for me to hear people jumping out of their seats, or to see some people taking their children out during the projection.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com
Actually I was not searching this. They came to search me. So why did they come search me would be the right question.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I am happy when the audience is scared or touched. Only the feelings are important to me. I don’t try to change people, I just want to touch emotions, like a piece of music.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
That is not important for me as only the feelings are important.
Interview: December 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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FILS ( SON)
Guilt will not let you go.
Length: 15min
Director: Cyrus Neshvad
Producer: Mina Neshvad
Writer: Guillaume Levil and Cyrus Neshvad
About the director and producer:
Cyrus Neshvad is a Luxembourgish director with an Iranian background. “Fils” is his 5th short movie and was released in September. Until November 2016 the movie was already in 40 official selections in festivals and was 16 times rewarded. His previous short movie « ANTOINE » was in 92 official selections in festivals and 20 times rewarded. More information is available on: www.cyrusneshvad.com
Key cast:
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Funders: SYNECO
Made in association with:
Release date: septembre 2016
Where will it screen in the next month?
1. Golden Panda Int. Short Film Festival (Canada 2016) 1-2 décembre
2. Culver City Film Festival (USA 2016) 3-7 décembre
3. 16th Santa Fe Film Festival (USA 2016) 7-11 décembre
4. Monmouth Film Festival (USA 2016)16-18 décembre
5. Macaber Film Festival (USA 2017) 13-15 janvier
6. Flagler Film Fetival (USA 2017) 13-15 janvier
7. Festival Internacional de Cine de Cordoba (COLOMBIA 2017) 19-25 août