Hekademia
In the near future, an isolated teenage girl attends a virtual reality high school.
Interview with Writer/Director Gloria Mercer
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I was inspired to make this film while reading about radical pedagogical experiments in the twentieth century. Things like eliminating power structures from classrooms and taking new approaches to children's learning environments. Thinking about that in a modern context, I was fascinated by how these principles would be affected by technology like virtual reality and artificial intelligence.
With those concepts as a background, the film became a coming-of-age story about a lonely teenage girl's first romantic experience. I decided to set it in the near future because I think the adolescent relationship to the climate crisis is so heartbreaking and compelling, so the loneliness of Marion's apartment became more stifling and heartbreaking because we know she lives in a world that is becoming more and more uninhabitable.
I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Hekademia breaks new ground because it delves into social science fiction from the perspective of a teenage girl. Science fiction is so often from a male-dominated, heteronormative perspective, and this film moves beyond that into new territory. It also asks questions about the adolescent relationship to technology that have become increasingly relevant, especially after over a year spent relying on technology as our primary mode of communication.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
My films generally focus on women's relationships and explore loneliness and the struggle to connect with those around you. I like to have strong but idiosyncratic female characters in my films; women who are flawed and real. I guess these characters end up feeling isolated from those around them by design, because they feel like they don't fit in with the world around them.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I developed the script slowly over a few years, working on it when I had time. Originally the story was going to be about younger children, but it obviously evolved into a teenage coming-of-age story.
Now I'm actually developing the story into a one-hour teen drama series with my partner, Aidan West, who was a producer on the short. He is an amazingly talented writer, so it's been great collaborating with him on what a long form version of Hekademia might look like, and exploring that world in deeper ways.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We've been really lucky to be have been quite well-received so far. We made the film before the pandemic started, and it ended up being unfortunately prescient. It has been particularly gratifying to the film resonate with young people who relate to Marion's struggles.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
With every film, people see things or interpret things in ways that surprise me, but luckily it's usually in a positive way. With science fiction, there are so many mysteries about the world, which means people will draw their own conclusions. I also purposefully like to end things on ambiguous notes, which leads to people having theories and questions. It's great! I love when films ask more questions than they answer.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I think We Are Moving Stories is a great concept. Giving filmmakers the opportunity to talk about their work in depth is such a gift. I'm just happy if audience members read about the film and are compelled to watch it.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
At this stage we have secured a Canadian broadcast on the CBC for December of this year. However, we would love to have distributors come on board to reach other international markets. I would absolutely love to have a European streaming home for Hekademia.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Representation is important to me, so I hope that this film will impact young girls who see themselves in this film. I tend to make quiet films that explore character and inner conflict. My hope is that girls who are struggling with loneliness, whether that's caused by isolation from the pandemic or feeling alone because of the grim state of the world, will connect with Hekademia and feel like they're less alone. Or that they'll see a women-centric science fiction film and be inspired to pursue sci-fi storytelling themselves!
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What does authentic connection look like in a world where so many of our interactions take place in virtual spaces?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you so much for interviewing me about this project. I am so proud of everyone on the Hekademia team, and it means a lot to get to speak about the process of making the film.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Myself and Aidan West are currently in pre-production on a short film called "Smoke Eater", based on Aidan's feature script of the same name. We were lucky to be one of only three projects to receive the Harold Greenberg "shorts to features" fund. Smoke Eater is set in a 1981 fire hall, and explores a day in the life of one of the first female fire fighters at the time. Beyond that, we are also developing an indie feature feminist thriller titled "A Safe Distance", which we hope to film in the interior of BC, Canada in 2022.
Producer Andy Wong is currently producing a project called the "Quarantine Qapsule", a collection of artworks by Asian Canadians that reflect on life during the pandemic. He also owns Lonely Artist Productions, a film company where he produces independent films.
Interview: July 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
Hekademia
Length:
16:01
Writer/Director
GLORIA MERCER is a filmmaker from Vancouver, which is located on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Her award-winning short films have screened at international festivals worldwide. She is an alumni of the Simon Fraser University Film Program and the Women in the Director's Chair program. Her next short film, Smoke Eater, received funding from the prestigious Harold Greenberg Fund.
Producers
ANDY WONG is an Asian-Canadian filmmaker from Vancouver who has a passion for telling complicated stories with heart. His projects have gone on to win awards at film festivals such as Hollyshorts Film Festival, Vancouver Asian Film Festival, and FlickerFest. He aspires to connect the BIPOC community who are passionate at telling stories, hoping to be a part of the changing climate in Hollywood.
AIDAN WEST is a writer and filmmaker. He is an alumnus of the SFU undergraduate film program and the MFA screenwriting program at UCLA's School of Theatre, Film, and Television. His award-winning screenplays have placed in the second round at the Austin Film Festival, and have won awards through the California Film Awards, Canada International Film Festival, and placed as a quarter-finalist at the Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition.
GLORIA MERCER is a filmmaker from Vancouver, which is located on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Her award-winning short films have screened at international festivals worldwide. She is an alumni of the Simon Fraser University Film Program and the Women in the Director's Chair program. Her next short film, Smoke Eater, received funding from the prestigious Harold Greenberg Fund.
Key cast:
Emma Soothill (Marion), Serena Crouse (Cassidy), Lissa Neptuno (Joanne)
Looking for:
distributors, buyers
Social media:
https://www.facebook.com/hekademiafilm
https://twitter.com/hekademiafilm
https://www.instagram.com/hekademiafilm/
Hashtags used:
#hekademia #seehorsefilms
More info:
https://vimeo.com/seehorsefilms
Where can I watch it:
Vancouver Queer Film Festival / Vancouver, Canada - Aug 12th-22nd; Dublin Feminist Film Festival / Dublin, Ireland - Aug 20th-22nd