Not Film Fest / Nevada Women’s Film Festival 2020 – The Same Story
Madeline, a young journalist covering the trial of an old friend, can't stop thinking of all the events that brought them there.
Interview with Writer/Director/Editor Alice Airoldi
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! I was really inspired by a quote from the writer Antonio Tabucchi about how we act out the roles we are supposed to have in life and then end up becoming them. It can be a very pessimistic view but it’s also very nostalgic, it’s the idea that you can never truly shape who you end up becoming because much of it is determined by misunderstandings, mistakes, and what is expected of you. We can become strangers to the people who were once like family to us, and that’s the main theme of the movie. I decided to set it during the anti-war movements of the late 1960s as at that time a split happened within the movement between those who believed it was time to step up their efforts and those who kept believing non-violence was the only answer. I have always been fascinated by this time in history, it seemed to mirror the loss of innocence that comes with growing up, making it the perfect scenario for the story I wanted to tell. The choices that the three protagonists make will influence their lives forever, even though sometimes they are acting solely out of self-preservation or fear. It also raises some questions about what it means to be an activist, where do you draw the line between what is asked of you and your personal morals, and what is the best way to fight injustices.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script changed constantly during the development and pre-production stages, the main change being in the narrative structure. The first draft of the script was close to how the film is now, with a lot of back and forth between the flashbacks and main timeline, but the shooting draft was very different. My classmates and my teacher at the time were worried that the narrative would be too all over the place, so I rewrote it to be very linear, with the courtroom scenes happening only at the beginning and the end. That’s how the film was shot and put together for the first cut, but it dragged on for so long! So I shortened the scenes in the courtroom and made them into smaller connecting scenes, which made the film more dynamic and engaging. I also cut a lot of dialogue from many of the scenes after realizing how much of the plot was being spelled out by the characters and how little trust I had in the audience to be able to piece the story together. I think it came down to believing in my ability to convey the story visually and trusting my instincts paid off.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I have received a lot of positive feedback, it’s been really lovely! Many have made the connection with events that are happening now, and it often leads to some interesting conversations around activism and personal responsibility, which is all I could have hoped for.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I am hoping to connect with more festival directors, journalists or anyone interested in learning more about this film.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What does it mean to fight against injustice? It’s a very personal question and one that keeps coming back every time a social movement is born. When Renato Curcio, founder and head of the Italian terrorist group Red Brigades, was asked whether he regretted the multiple murders and kidnappings that he committed in the name of their organization, he replied that he didn’t. Something had to be done to disrupt the status quo, and although their revolution ultimately failed, he doesn’t regret doing everything he could have done to, in his eyes, help the cause. At the same time, there was a lot of resentment around him from more moderate members of the movement who think that his extremist measures are what killed it. We are seeing something similar happen these days with the new wave of Black Lives Matter protests (though not to the same extent): while many condemn the arson and looting that have happened on some of the sites of police brutality, it is exactly these acts that have attracted the media coverage necessary to raise public awareness and push for change.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently producing a feature documentary called Frontieras, it’s an experimental documentary talking about the experience of being an immigrant in the United States. We are hoping it will be a call to action and push for change at the local level, it’s my first time approaching the nonfiction world and I am learning something new every day.
Interview: July 2020
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 Same Story
Madeline, a young journalist covering the trial of an old friend, can't stop thinking of all the events that brought them there.
Length: 18:00
Director: Alice Airoldi
Producer: Paolo Cenci and Linus Schill
Writer: Alice Airoldi
About the writer, director and producer:
Born and raised in Milan, Italy, ALICE AIROLDI moved to the United States to follow her passion for filmmaking. She pursued a degree in Film Production at Emerson College in Boston and then moved to LA where she currently resides. Alice has written and directed several short films and music videos, she is always looking for new perspectives and underrepresented voices to bring to the forefront. Her award-winning short The Same Story premiered at the Pasadena International Film Festival and screened at the Nevada Women’s Film Festival in its online edition, where it was nominated as Best Short Film. It won awards at the Oniros Film Awards, New York International Film Awards, New York Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards and Feel the Reel Film Festival.
Key cast: Madeline Logan (Madeline), Zack Georgian (Frederick), Ari Miller (Leo), Liana Genoud (Alex)
Looking for: film festival directors, journalists, buyers
Instagram: @thesamestory_film
Website: www.aliceairoldi.com
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? NÒT FILM FEST/Santarcangelo Di Romagna, Italy - August 27 – 30, 2020