Athena Film Festival Opening Night - Little Pink House
LITTLE PINK HOUSE tells the real-life story of a small-town nurse named Susette Kelo who emerges as the reluctant leader of her working-class neighbors who battle political and corporate interests bent on seizing their land and handing it over to Pfizer. The historic fight goes all the way to the Supreme Court, and unites a nation in the process.
Interview with Writer/Director Courtney Moorehead Balaker
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
When Susette Kelo was going through this ordeal over 10 years ago, her story was widely covered by the media. As time passed, the sting of the SCOTUS decision seemed to dissipate for some. I wanted to honor the courage and sacrifices she made for our rights. I wanted to shed light on a problem that still affects many poor and minority communities all across the United States -- eminent domain abuse. Jeff Benedict wrote a brilliant book of the same title and the project was brought to me and my husband and producing partner, Ted Balaker, by the Institute for Justice – the non-profit law firm who took her case the Supreme Court. After I read the book, I couldn’t get the story out of my head. It had to be made into a feature film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You should watch this film because this really happened and continues to happen. Eminent domain is a fancy term for legalized bullying. It happens when insiders take advantage of outsiders. And the people who push it have so many resources they often have a huge PR advantage. They promise more jobs and more tax revenue, so it sounds appealing to lots of people. But all the high-minded talk obscures what’s really going on—they’re forcing people out of their homes. If you own your home and you want to keep living in your home, you should be able to stay in your home.
Eminent domain abuse happens far more often than most people realize, and it rarely brings the kind of economic development its supporters promise.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
A major theme in the film is the concept of a person’s value. What happened in this case, as in all eminent domain cases, is somebody else is defining other people’s value. How can someone put a price tag on something that isn’t for sale? Who decides what your property is worth? Many of Susette’s neighbors were elderly people who had these homes in their families for over 100 years. For many, these were not just homes, but symbols of tradition, memories passed down through generations.
For Susette, this was the home she wanted to spend the rest of her life in. She was a mother of five boys all grown and out of the house. She worked insane hours as a paramedic, then studied to become a nurse. All she wanted was peace and quiet – to come home and look out her window at the water. Then the city came along and said“Your property would be better used for Pfizer’s expansion. You need to leave.”
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
One of the biggest keys to telling this story in a compelling way was finding the actress who would play Susette Kelo. After my first conversation with Catherine Keener, I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. She brought a beautiful authenticity to the character, and there were times when we would change the script so that it fit her approach more appropriately. Catherine is brilliant with dialogue – she deconstructs a scene so that there is no fat, nothing superfluous. But she’s extremely collaborative and worked with me to make adjustments to some of her scenes.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The most common reaction I get is “I can’t believe this really happened!” At the world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the real Susette Kelo attended the Q&As. People would come up to her, shake her hand, and say “Thank you for fighting for us.” It was the most gratifying moment I’ve had in this entire process so far.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Nothing has challenged my point of view, but there are two sides in this story, and it was fun to see how that sparked a lot of discussion among the cast. Should it be legal to force Susette and her neighbors to leave their homes? What if forcing them out would help the economy?
There is a lot to think about, and I hope audiences come away with a clear understanding of both sides of the argument. But in the end, it was pretty clear our cast stood with Susette and her neighbors. That squares with public opinion polls that were taken after the Supreme Court weighed in on Susette’s saga in 2005. More than 80 percent of America stood with Susette. That’s pretty remarkable considering how hard it is to get 80 percent of Americans to agree on anything.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
To bring awareness to Susette, her remarkable story, and Catherine Keener's impeccable depiction of this incredibly strong woman.
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 are looking for distributors.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
LITTLE PINK HOUSE will be the centerpiece of a social action campaign designed to ensure that all Americans can be safe in their homes.
And of course there is the Institute for Justice, the organization that is leading the charge to reform eminent domain laws. We’re excited to partner with IJ, Susette, Jeff Benedict, and many others to shine a light on eminent domain abuse.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Should it be legal to force people out of their homes if it helps the economy?
Would you like to add anything else?
If anyone is interested in supporting our social action campaign, you can get more information by emailing:
or keep up with the film on Facebook: facebook.com/littlepinkhousemovie and Twitter: @LPHmovie)
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
My husband and I made a feature documentary last year called Can We TakeA Joke? about the negative effect 'outrage culture' is having on comedians and comedy in general. We are in the process of turning that into a TV series.
Interview: February 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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LITTLE PINK HOUSE
LITTLE PINK HOUSE tells the real-life story of a small-town nurse named Susette Kelo who emerges as the reluctant leader of her working-class neighbors who battle political and corporate interests bent on seizing their land and handing it over to Pfizer. The historic fight goes all the way to the Supreme Court, and unites a nation in the process.
Length: 98 minutes
Director: Courtney Moorehead Balaker
Producer: Ted Balaker, Joel Soisson, Arielle Boisvert
Writer: Courtney Moorehead Balaker
About the writer, director and producer:
Courtney Moorehead Balaker is an award-winning filmmaker and theatre director. She has produced for the likes of Dimension Films, The Weinstein Company, NBC News, PBS, and Universal Pictures. She has directed actors such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Catherine Keener, and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
Ted Balaker is an award-winning filmmaker and journalist, and co-founder of Korchula Productions. Ted directed Can We Take a Joke?, a documentary that examines the clash between comedy and outrage culture.
Key cast: Catherine Keener, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Callum Keith Rennie, Colin Cunningham
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Distributors
Made in association with: Brightlight Pictures
Where can I see it in the next month? Stay tuned!