Horrible Imaginings Film Festival / Fem.Cine.Anarchy 2019 – The Gaze
An actress is repeatedly catcalled on her way home from a shoot until just the right guy comes her way.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Christina Raia
Watch The Gaze here
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
The ideas for my short films are often not something I'm actively looking for. Premises tend to just come to me, usually late at night when I can't sleep as kind of paths for processing or channeling frustrations I'm feeling at the time. The Gaze was no different. I just started typing; and what came out was a little creepy, a little campy, and a lot of fun in the form of a meta-horror exploring and subverting objectification and the male gaze. When the setup and story excited so many people I told about it, I realized the film needed to be made.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Like I said, it's fun! My approach to horror films are always exploring something deeper under the surface, but entertainment is always a major part of the craft for me. At under 6 minutes, The Gaze is a playful ride meant to put a devilish smile on your face.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
It's a simultaneously timely and timeless piece. It was summer when I wrote it, so being catcalled was a daily occurrence. And I'd say the #metoo stories coming out left & right were... well, overwhelming is an understatement. I had also been binging my childhood favorite, The Twilight Zone, right before this idea came to. That emotional & creative mix resulted in a short that has some fun twists and turns that don't leave you questioning but offer a lot to unpack.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
This was my first time dabbling with some visual effects in post-production. So the film evolved a bit from what was originally on the page to accommodate the skills and style of my collaborators in that regard (as any film should, really). I made what I set out to make but it became richer as more people were brought on to add their layer of creativity to it.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It's been positive. I've only screened at one festival so far but the reactions were great. Some people just enjoyed it at face value, while others engaged with me in really nuanced discussions about specific choices. I can't wait to get more feedback from viewers.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
There have been a couple of men who have made comments that showed they really didn't get the point of the film. And that's not surprising but a little disappointing. That's ultimately the intention, though, to challenge people to think and talk about what I'm exploring under the surface.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I'd love for more people to know that The Gaze exists and seek it out on the festival circuit. If you've seen the film, reach out to me. I'd love to talk to you about 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'd like to screen it as much as possible, so film festival directors should definitely reach out if they're interested in considering it. I'm mainly looking for journalists, though. I want eyes on it from people who are interested in discussing the craft with me.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope it sparks discussion. But if not that, at the very least, for the people who need it, I hope it makes them chuckle, and for the people who deserve it, I hope it makes them think twice. ;D
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Would the ending be possible if not for the systemic structure that feeds it?
Would you like to add anything else?
There's so much real-life horror in the world right now. The one silver lining I see is that creators are making brilliant art that addresses it in a multitude of forms and styles. If you dig the sound of what I'm doing with my work, find me on social media so I can recommend some other filmmakers whose work I think really needs to be seen.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I just directed a new short called Affliction, which was written by my frequent collaborator Kelsey Rauber. It’s a chilling drama with a touch of body horror about two coworkers contemplating the aftermath of an encounter. Look out for it on the circuit next year!
Interview: September 2019
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 Gaze
An actress is repeatedly catcalled on her way home from a shoot until just the right guy comes her way.
Length: 5:25
Director: Christina Raia
Producer: Christina Raia
Writer: Christina Raia
About the writer, director and producer:
CHRISTINA RAIA is an NYC based Writer/Director and the Founder of CongestedCat Productions. She tends to focus on character-driven narrative projects that explore social issues through humor and horror. Her work, consisting of over a dozen short films, a web series, and two feature films, has screened at film festivals around the world and gained a large online following through multiple crowdfunding campaigns and coverage on press outlets such as Indiewire and BuzzFeed.
Key cast: Matrika HayKMatrika Hay, Latresa Baker, J.B. Rance, Jason Zednick, Alexander Alvarez, Dani Thomas, Maya Jasmin, Miranda LeeAnn
Looking for: journalists, film festival directors
Facebook: CongestedCat Productions LLC
Twitter: @CongestedCat
Instagram: @congestedcat
Hashtags used: #TheGaze
Website: www.congestedcat.com/the-gaze
Made in association with: CongestedCat Productions
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Fem.Cine.Anarchy on Thursday, September 19th at 7pm in Portland, Maine; Sick Chick Flicks Film Festival on Saturday, October 12th at 1pm in Cary, North Carolina; Adirondack Film Festival the weekend of October 19th in Glens Falls, NY.