Sarasota Film Festival 2020 – (You'll Make It In) Florida
When a magazine ad comes to life, a depressed English teacher (and her dog) embark on a wild ride through the wonders of the Sunshine State.
Interview with Writer/Director/Editor Phil Chernyak
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thanks! This movie is a result of my unique Floridian upbringing and a sort of love letter to my home state. My parents emigrated from the USSR and (it’s a long story) ended up in Sarasota, Florida where I was born. Growing up, I saw how difficult it was for my family to assimilate into American culture, so I turned to my best friend — television. A steady diet of old Disney films, TV specials, commercials, and psychedelic promos captured my imagination and gave me insight into life in the USA.
Occasionally, my family would hop into our Nissan Stanza (whose boxy, futuristic design partially inspired the vehicle in this movie) and we’d drive to EPCOT Center. Its original pavilions presented dry, yet musical journeys through an optimistic (and corporate-sponsored) future. While these disparate elements have been percolating in my brain for years, they ultimately coalesced into this film — an EPCOT ride through blind optimism and the harsh reality of adulthood; a musical homage to the sights, sounds, and feelings of my Floridian youth.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think viewers will connect to this movie because it doesn’t easily fit into a single category! I like using familiar styles and tropes from the past and playing with them in new ways (without it feeling like a parody or pastiche). Hopefully, the result is unique and surprising.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
It wasn’t until I left Florida in my twenties that I realized how much it rubbed off on me. The flora and fauna, the endless suburbs, the beaches, the shopping, the dining! I understood why people saw it as a place to retire or reinvent oneself. I thought a story about an unhappy teacher in a depressing city seeking change would be a good vehicle (pun intended?) to express my thoughts about my home state.
We also shot most of the Floridian locales in my hometown of Sarasota (many people think it’s stock footage). The flamingos, suburbs and swampland were all shot there. Even the underwater footage was shot at the local aquarium.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The film really came into focus when I had the idea to portray Florida as an utterly perfect place to live. That approach struck the right balance for me between satire and loving tribute. Florida has always been a low-hanging fruit (low-hanging orange?) for mockery and I didn’t want to take the obvious route with jokes about “Florida Man.” It’s a state that’s as bizarre as it is fascinating, and I didn’t want to take my years there for granted.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
People have said very positive things. Or they’ve been lying in order to spare my feelings. Either way, people have been nice.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Honestly, I’m always surprised when I hear that people enjoyed this film. It also makes me question their taste in movies! But seriously, I’m usually very hard on myself and think that my cinematic obsessions are sometimes so esoteric that they would only appeal to like one other weirdo halfway across the globe. It’s nice that audiences are open-minded enough to sit through a twenty-minute film that’s basically about my dream EPCOT ride.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Since its festival run was upended by the pandemic, I’m happy to for it to be seen and be discovered by an audience online.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I’d love to connect with journalists and film fest programmers! Initially, I thought that releasing and promoting this film during the COVID-19 crisis felt trivial and not exactly what the world needs now. However, friends and collaborators have assured me that art has a unique value during this time, so I’m staying optimistic, sharing my film with the world and seeing what happens!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope people like it!
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
“Can Florida REALLY be that perfect?”
Would you like to add anything else?
Thanks for talking to me!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I made this with some of my closest friends and we’re all working on fun stuff separately and together! My executive producer Zach Fleming is working on a satirical horror film set in Wyoming which is due to shoot soon. I also co-wrote the upcoming horror-comedy Killer Makeover for director Lindsey Denniberg with this movie’s two associate producers Sarah Fensom and Chris Shields. My partner and producer Jaclyn Perlmutter and I are developing a couple of projects aimed at kids. Lastly, I’m developing my next short which tells a story via a TV special with a positive message.
Interview: May 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
(You'll Make It In) Florida
When a magazine ad comes to life, a depressed English teacher (and her dog) embark on a wild ride through the wonders of the Sunshine State.
Length: 19:35
Director: Phil Chernyak
Producer: Zach Fleming, Blake Jones, Jaclyn Perlmutter
Writer: Phil Chernyak
About the writer, director and producer:
PHIL CHERNYAK is a filmmaker and composer whose films have played at Slamdance Film Festival, Austin Film Festival and more. Phil is also a songwriter and member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. His work has been produced Off-Broadway, and his musical Wasp Woman, co-written with Blake Hackler, was selected for the Dramatists Guild’s Summer Intensive. By day, he’s a television editor and cuts programming for Food Network, History Channel, and MTV.
Key cast: Emily Cass McDonnell (Pam), Tricia Paoluccio (Nancy), Danny Burstein (Tour Guide)
Looking for: film festival directors, journalists, sales agents, distributors, producers
Twitter: @PhilChernyak
Instagram: @floridamovie
Hashtags used: #florida #short #musical
Other: Vimeo
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? IndieLisboa International Film Festival / Lisbon, Portugal - Fall 2020; Florida Film Festival/Orlando, FL - TBD; Phoenix Film Festival/Phoenix, AZ - TBD; Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival - TBD.