WE ARE NOT HERE
After recently finding herself in the afterlife, a young woman and her new companion are moving freely through time and space while being invisible. But this sense of freedom is challenged by the fact that they’re not able to touch each other.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Kasper Quintanilla
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! WE ARE NOT HERE was pitched to me by fellow writer Sunneva Elvarsdóttir and I was immediately very moved by the simple premise of the need for intimacy and being touched. At the same time there was an opportunity for me to explore some new settings and genres, and also move more in an experimental direction. When the pandemic happened, we also saw how our subject and themes seemed more universal than we originally thought, so that gave us an extra boost to give this project everything and get it out while it still felt relevant to most people.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This film can hopefully feel relevant for many people these days, as I believe many of us has felt distanced to other people and more alone than usual. And we try to tap into that, the actual physical need for closeness. There’s also a hint of science-fiction and/or fantasy elements, as our two leading characters are digital ghosts moving and dancing among the living. And of course one might enjoy this if you’re into more experimental narratives, dancing films or music video aesthetics. It’s also relatively short, so if you’re in need for something a little more quick and snappy, this might be for you.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Well, this was my big concern as we started this project, as I felt the ‘need to be touched’ angle maybe felt a little too simple. But as we got into rehearsal and actually shooting it, it became very clear to me that this simple theme carries a lot of baggage for many people. And of course, as mentioned, when the pandemic struck everything we had discussed, imagined and fantasized felt much more real and universal as we saw people becoming isolated everywhere around us. So it became quite important to us to tell this story and tell it now, as it felt much more relevant than ever.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The most interesting aspect for me was that we shot this in 2018 and felt the need to rewrite the whole film in post-production, more or less. I’m no Terrence Malick, so this became a very time-consuming project. It was very hard at times, but as mentioned, when we saw what happened to the world as the pandemic hit… It really was a shock to the system. The parts I was unsure about suddenly felt much more real. The last pieces of the puzzle fell in place, so to speak. In the end, I feel we were able to tell this story in the best way possible.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It has been quite overwhelming! Of course, being nominated for The Golden Chair for Best Norwegian Short Film at the Norwegian Short Film Festival was quite special for us, and we even got mentioned as one of the top 10 films from the program by the renowned Norwegian film magazine Montages. So right now we’re kinda riding the wave from that, and hopefully there’ll be more feedback from other festivals and screenings around the world soon.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Well, there has been many people who has read the film as a «pandemic-themed» short film, which is no surprise. Even though we shot this in 2018, we have surely been influenced by the world events around us, so I don’t view it as anything negative. If anything, some people has told us «it’s too short!» which may have surprised me a little bit, as I regularly find a lot of short films too long! But it’s a good thing I guess, leaving the audience wanting more. At least I choose to view it that way.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
First and foremost, we just want to show our film to more people! We really believe that there’s something recognizable here for a bigger audience, and hopefully there’s more people out there looking for something different that still feels relevant.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
The most relevant thing for us now is talking to film festival directors who needs these short time slots filled in their short film programs! But we’re totally open for conversations with journalists, agents, buyers and distributors. If a producer wants to join in on this and/or our next project that’s in development now, that would also be wonderful!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
As our society opens up, and we get more and more used to socializing, hugging and being close to people again, one might have to be reminded about how it felt when all of that wasn’t possible. And if our 7 minute short film sparks that memory or feeling or desire, I feel like we accomplished what we set out to do.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
‘How free or in love can you actually be if you cannot share it physically with someone else?’
Would you like to add anything else?
A big shout-out to our actors Ingeborg, Helle and Fanny who made this film come alive. And a very special thanks to our editor Brynjar Lien Aune who never stopped believing. This film would never have seen the light of day without your support, and I hope we’ll do this again for many years to come.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
There are so many talented individuals connected to this project, I don’t know where to start when it comes to all the fascinating projects that are in the loop from these people!.
I can only speak for myself, and I’m currently writing a new short film and trying to develop another short documentary project. Both are actually sport-themed in some way, although their subject matter is more personal.
Interview: August 2021
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
WE ARE NOT HERE
Length:
6:49
Writer
Sunneva Elvarsdóttir & Kasper Quintanilla
Director
Director, writer and editor KASPER QUINTANILLA is currently based in Oslo, Norway. After graduating from the European Film College he has edited and directed several short films, music videos and commercials, and is currently active as a freelance editor on several TV productions, documentaries and feature films.
Producer
Maja Flaathe & Kasper Quintanilla
Key cast:
Ingeborg Mantor (Elise), Helle Bendixen (Maria), Fanny Ovesen (Narrator)
Looking for:
film festival directors, journalists, producers
Twitter:
Instagram:
Hashtags used:
#WEARENOTHERE #WANH #VEIH
Where can I watch it now?
Screened and nominated for a Golden Chair Award at the Norwegian Short Film Festival in June 2021. Currently doing it's festival round all over the world, so hopefully coming soon to a festival near you!