Big Apple Film Festival - Control
A woman contemplating ending her life writes a suicide note that turns into a suicide binder.
Interview with Writer/Producer Alison Becker
Watch Control here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thanks! We wanted to show the humor that can come out of a very serious moment. And to give people an idea of what it’s like to live with depression and OCD.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Because you won’t expect your reaction. People have watched this film and have had such surprising responses - gasping, laughter, tears. It seems to take everyone by surprise and we’re proud of that.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film is based on me (Alison), but I think it highlights issues that many people struggle with. The idea of “control” is an illusion that we chase, but it’s pointless because we can never truly be in control. The film reveals this very real struggle with gravity, unexpected humor, and an extremely cute dog.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I originally had it in my head as a 5 minute piece, but the brilliant direction of Kimmy Gatewood brought out the humor in the subtle beats, filling out the film to a captivating 15 minutes.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
People really respond to this film. At one festival, a woman came up to us in tears telling us how much it spoke to her. At the same time, another viewer who loved it was saying how he couldn’t stop laughing. When close friends see it, they are moved and then immediately concerned about me, given the film’s topic. That speaks to how real it comes off.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Definitely. It’s made me realize that a lot of people struggle with mental illness. On an artistic level, it’s made me realize that subtlety is key.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We hope people enjoy the film and that it helps to keep a dialogue going about mental illness.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Right now we’re in the festival circuit and just starting to do press, so anyone connected in those fields would be helpful!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
We hope this film puts us on the map as a duo of powerful female filmmakers. We have some feature projects we are currently shopping around
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
"Have you ever thought about suicide?" It’s a heavy question, but most people have at least had a fleeting thought about it. If we talk about that more, maybe there would be fewer lives lost.
Would you like to add anything else?
We hope female filmmakers are inspired by our film to share their voices!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Kimmy and I are currently writing two feature scripts. Kimmy will appear in the second season of GLOW and Alison will appear in Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Interview: November 2017
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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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Control
A woman contemplating ending her life writes a suicide note that turns into a suicide binder.
Length: 15 min
Director: Kimmy Gatewood
Producer: Alison Becker, Kimmy Gatewood, Devin Doyle, Matthew Johnson
Writer: Alison Becker
About the writer, director and producer:
KIMMY GATEWOOD (Director/EP/Editor) is a director, writer, and comedian. She produced and directed the feature documentary, Nerdcore Rising, which premiered at South By Southwest. She’s also in Netflix's GLOW.
ALISON BECKER (Writer/EP/”Woman”) is a writer, comedian, and actor. She has appeared on "Parks and Recreation,” "Californication," "The League," "The Newsroom," “Curb Your Enthusiasm" and many more.
Key cast: Alison Becker and Dignan Becker (dog)
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): buyers, film festival directors, distributors, journalists
Social media handles:
We don’t have them for the film, but here are our personal ones:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimmyGatewood/
Twitter: @thealisonbecker and @kimmygatewood
Instagram: @thealisonbecker and @kimmygatewood
Other: https://www.control-film.com
Funders: https://www.seedandspark.com/watch/control
Made in association with:
LOUISIANA: southern screen film festival - nov 18
LA: 19th LA Comedy Festival - nov 11
SM: Santa Monica International Film Festival - dec 9