HollyShorts 2018 - The Visit
During an encounter with his mother, a man must face the unimagined consequences of his past actions.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Romina Schwedler
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
An irresistible idea popped in my mind and I just couldn’t keep it to myself.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Because you’re in for an unusual ride full of emotions and surprises!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I believe that what happens to the characters in this film are things we can all in different levels relate to. An unfortunate chain of events, familial relationships, a separation, and a questionable perception of reality.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Well, while the essence and message have been untouched, the story and how it’s told has evolved tremendously throughout each stage of production, pre and post. They say the final draft is written in the editing room and that was very much the case here. It’s super difficult to be objective when a project is so personal, AND when the director happens to also be the editor! So I had to step away for a while to make sure I was serving the story without particular attachments to certain scenes or shots. Once I was able to do that, everything flowed.
What’s interesting is that months into our festival run it dawned on me that the ending needed to be shortened, so I removed one full minute from the film! This felt like I was cutting off a limb of course, but it felt right, and it taught me that it takes time until a story matures in your mind. Whether it’s at the screenplay stage or in the editing room, you just cannot rush it. If I have the luxury of time, I always feel that I owe it to my project to step away and come back with fresh eyes a few weeks later.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Thankfully, the things that both audience and critics keep agreeing on is the level of the performances, the cinematography (Alan J. Carmona) and the music (Dan Zlotnik). I’m lucky enough to have had the chance to work with tremendous talents in all those fields.
Academy Award Nominee June Squibb is simply exquisite in her performance. I always say she made my life difficult in the editing room because every take was perfect! Also, Sean Maher who portrayed Ben (the lead character) with such heart I was just blown away. And supporting actors Sadie Katz and Dominick Coniglio who are not only extremely talented but also a treat to work with.
I feel very fortunate with the feedback we’ve been getting. My favorite things is when people come to me after a screening to say that they loved the twist, because I spent a great deal of work making sure that moment wouldn’t be ruined for anyone!
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I'm always excited every time I hear a new interpretation about what's going on in the film. I still see it the way I conceived it, but lately I've been refraining from sharing that point of view because I feel it will interfere with the experience each person has and the overall feelings or emotions they take home. So while I don’t think my POV of the story has changed, feedback has definitely taught me a great deal about how the same story can affect different people in different ways.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I’m always grateful to publications such as yours which do so much to help support and promote independent film. We’re talking to several people about distribution right now so this article is making it possible for more people out there to know about the film and hopefully they’ll be compelled to look out for it!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We’ve had a very intensive and rewarding festival run and even though we still have several screenings coming up, I think I’d like to close our run fairly soon. So this would be the perfect time to hear offers from buyers or distributors.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I’d love for people’s hearts to be touched in a way that they’ll be compelled to relive how they felt right after watching. I’d also love for people to be alert at how their minds might sneak up on them and not always act in linear or predictable ways.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
I’m gonna leave this one out because the answer would reveal the twist!
How would you describe the experience of watching your film on the big screen?
A happy mix of bliss and agony! Bliss because of the obvious: Months or sometimes years of hard work come down to a few minutes on the silver screen. The lights are out, the audience is ready, and this is just a dream come true.
But then, it is nearly impossible for me to just enjoy the show! I just keep tweaking in my head, even months after our premiere, and no matter how much success the film may have had, I’m still looking for those details. I’m also always afraid that a technical issue at the theater will interfere with people’s experiences.
Then, there is that bliss again! Watching first-hand how an audience experiences the product of all your and your team’s hard work is just priceless.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Our cinematographer Alan J. Carmona has been working nonstop on commercial work and is currently working on a campaign for Casio.
I’m working on 3 very exciting projects right now. The one that’s closest to completion is another short, quite different from The Visit in content and style, called Boom: A whimsical story about two women “of a certain age” waiting to audition for a one line commercial. It deals with ageism and the concept that after a certain age, women begin to become “invisible”. So psyched about this film. Can’t wait to finish post!
Interview: September 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
The Visit
During an encounter with his mother, a man must face the unimagined consequences of his past actions.
Length: 12:30
Director: Romina Schwedler
Producer: Romina Schwedler
Writer: Romina Schwedler
About the writer, director and producer:
ROMINA SCHWEDLER, the daughter of a successful actress-director and an award-winning photographer, moved to NY from her native Argentina at the age of 15. With a solid background in acting and writing, she made her directorial debut in 2014 with a 1-min micro-short film. She has been working steadily since then and has been the recipient of over 40 international awards and mentions for her work, including her first short, The Visit. After the 6 fests they have coming up in Sep-Oct, the film will have screened at over 40 festivals worldwide, including Oscar Qualifying HollyShorts 2 weeks ago, Catalina Film Festival, Sedona Film Festival, Oscar Qualifying Cinequest, Florence Short Film Festival, Oscar Qualifying St. Louis International Film Festival, CineGlobe at CERN, Vail Film Festival and SOHO International Film Festival. It has also received 9 awards, 16 nominations and 5 special mentions to date.
Key cast: Oscar Nominee June Squibb, Sean Maher, Sadie Katz, Dominick Coniglio.
Looking for: producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists
Facebook: The Visit short
Twitter: @RominaSchwedler
Instagram: @RominaFilm
Other: www.VisitTheFilm.com
Funders: Crowdfunded and credit cards!
Made in association with: Skyframe Pictures
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Austin Revolution Film Festival, Rendezvous Film Festival, SAG-AFTRA Foundation Short Film Showcase, Borderlands Film Festival, Liverpool Film Festival, Chelsea Film Festival