Whistler Film Festival 2018 - Fantasmagoria
Struggling to cope with the loss of her daughter, a grieving mother embarks on a surrealist journey to find peace in the realm of lucid dreaming.
Interview with Director/Producer Lilén Aimare
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
The very first thing that caught my eye was the story, which I found very intriguing and challenging at the same time. When reading it, I could picture this dream world where Mara, the protagonist, would be immersed in; a surreal world where she could meet her daughter and where almost everything could happen. I was also interested in portraying a female character that struggles and finally finds the courage to overcome her pain, which is what I would like to keep on developing in my work.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
It is a moving, touching and a bit of an odd short film. I hope people enjoy watching it.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film talks about the loss of Mara’s daughter, which is personal to her, but through the different dreamscapes we see reflected the five stages of grief which she will have to overcome: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I believe that a story usually is rewritten at least three times over the course of its development. In the pre-production of Fantasmagoria I had lots of conversations with Norman Yi Li (writer/producer) where we talked in depth about the story that inevitably transformed the script. While in production, I found minor things that needed to be changed and that is what we did. Finally, in post, this third stage when you watch how all the pieces come together, I realized that there were some parts – specifically in the beach scene – that didn’t work out, so I decided to remove them.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I received great reviews where people really liked Fantasmagoria. They mostly talk about the use of colours, its cinematography and the story itself. Some of them had questions after watching it, but I believe that in order to understand the course of events that happen in the film you have to have an open mind without trying to rationalize everything because Fantasmagoria itself is about embarking on this surrealistic dream journey.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It surprised me because I was not expecting all the wonderful feedback we got, but only because it is hard for me to be completely satisfied with my work.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I want Fantasmagoria to be reached by more people which is what most filmmakers ultimately want: their work to be seen as much as possible. Also, I want people to get to know our team and what we do.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We need more journalists to help us spread the word and film festival programmers that can support us by screening this short film.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want to entertain people while also encouraging them to tell their stories. For me, Fantasmagoria was a dream come true. One year ago, I wouldn't have expected to have moved to another country on my own, pursuing my passion in film and produce this short film that ended up being appreciated by people. As a foreigner, it was and it still is difficult to be away from home, struggling with the language barrier and trying to fit in another culture. However, that never stopped me from moving forward and keep on doing what I love: making films.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
If you were lucid dreaming in a dream of your design, what would you do and why?
Would you like to add anything else?
I would like to thank all the team involved in Fantasmagoria, I had an outstanding crew to which I'm very grateful to for being on board. Thank you to the Langara College Film Arts program, my mentors Jonas Quastel and Janin Palahicky, my friends and family, and We Are Moving Stories for having us.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I have a few projects that I'm working on. I recently finished “White Noise”, a short film I co-directed with Tito Ferradans. It's an adaptation of a story by Geoff Gander, about a woman trying to survive in a post-apocolyptic world with the help of her radio equipment. I have been writing a few more short films; the most recent one is about a girl that struggles to relate with others in social gatherings, which I expect to shoot next year.
Norman Yi Li is working on “ What I've Forgotten” a 15min short film about an amnesic ghost embarking on a journey to slowly discovering his unspeakable past. It's written and now in pre-production.
Interview: December 2018
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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
Fantasmagoria
Struggling to cope with the loss of her daughter, a grieving mother embarks on a surrealist journey to find peace in the realm of lucid dreaming.
Length: 9:30
Director: Lilén Aimare
Writer: Norman Yi Li
Producer: Norman Yi Li, Lilén Aimare, Angelo Fiel Robledo
About the writer, director and producer:
LILÉN AIMARE (director/producer): a fan of thriller, sci-fi and drama genres, Lilén Aimare is an Argentinian born director with a passion for life rivalled only by her passion for creating engaging filmaic characters and stories for world audiences.
NORMAN YI LI (writer/producer): a writer/producer recently graduated from Langara Film Arts Program. With a background in cognitive sciences, Norman is fascinated by the peculiarities of human consciousness and an individual’s search for meaning in life.
ANGELO FIEL ROBLEDO (producer): an aspiring actor and filmmaker, Angelo Fiel Robledo seeks variety which inspires him to find fun and creative ventures. He loves action, drama and psychological films with a sense of humour.
Key cast: Emily Kate Weldon (Mara), Hayden Rabson (Hans), Daphne Hoskins (Hannah), Andrew Frostveil (Frank), Tori Dmytar (Ava), Richard Hersley (Edward)
Looking for: producers, film festival programmers and journalists
Facebook: Fantasmagoria Film, Lilén Aimare, Norman Yi Li, Angelo Fiel Robledo
Website: www.laimare.com
Made in association with: Langara College Film Arts
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? At the Whistler Film Festival - December 2nd 1pm, Maury Young Arts Center. Eventually it will be online.