Big Apple Film Festival - The Love Bathroom
What would you do if you had an opportunity to have one last adventure before you say “I DO!” and would you still say “I DO?”
Interview with Writer/Director Anna Fishbeyn
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I had written and starred in a web series called, Happy Hour Feminism, a comedic talk show that took place in the future where gender roles were reversed: women were on top, in positions of power, and men came on the talk show to discuss their typical problems, which ranged from how to keep their skin firm and young, to trying Lipo-Draining Beer to help them lose weight, to how to deal with irritability and mood swings during their Wolf Periods (a term we coined on the show).
Throughout the making of the series, I realized I loved everything about filmmaking, the pre-production, working with actors, being on the set, and the editing process. Directing seemed like a phenomenally daunting undertaking, but at the same time, I knew I had a vision for my writing, and I wanted to be the one to give birth to it. The Love Bathroom is my directorial debut, which is why I’m humbled and proud that it is an official selection at the Big Apple Festival.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
The Love Bathroom is fun, witty, and sexy; it is that timeless fairy tale about a woman torn between the man her parents want her to marry, and her own unbridled desires – with a modern twist.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
On the personal level, it is simply the story of one woman finally realizing that she wants to marry the man her parents have chosen for her, not because she wants to obey them, but because she is confronted with the magnitude of her own desires, and their impact on her future. On the universal level, the film asks such questions as: 1) can we love those we do not sexually desire? 2) can marriage be seen as a partnership between two compatible individuals while desire is an entirely different and unrelated concept that operates outside the realm of love, marriage and emotional compatibility? and 3) is the experience of desire different for men and women?
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
I created the Love Bathroom as part of the Manhattan Film Institute, where I got the incredible opportunity to learn how to be a director by creating something of my own. There were very specific guidelines and rules all the students at MFI had to follow: the film had to be shot in 4 hours, the script had to be 5 minutes long, and we had to have two or maximum three actors. The script of the Love Bathroom is actually based on a scene from my novel, The Matrimonial Flirtations of Emma Kaulfield, which will be published in May 2017, where the heroine meets a man she desperately desires while agreeing to marry the man her parents set her up with.
So part of the challenge for me was trimming down the richness and descriptiveness of the novel and capturing the bare essentials of the story in order to bring it to life on screen. I had incredible support from Tony Spiridakis, founder of the MFI program, who believed in this script from the start and made me realize that the process of making a film is not simply a question of taking actions, but having faith in yourself as a creator throughout the process.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The film first screened in Greenport Long Island in a huge packed theater, filled with locals and Manhattan Film Institute students and staff. To my great surprise, everyone was laughing, even tearing up with laughter. The Love Bathroom also screened at the Action on Film Festival in LA, where it was nominated for best produced screenplay, and most recently, it screened at the Big Apple Film Festival. The response has been quite positive and I’m always happily surprised by the laughter.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Yes, the response from the audience members definitely surprised me. I had performed in comedic plays I had written, My Stubborn Tongue, and Sex in Mommyville, and I had done some standup, but to bring comedy to the big screen is a much greater challenge, and I learned how much more I still have left to learn.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
More visibility, more attention, more followers, and quite simply, I’d love for audiences to see The Love Bathroom enjoy it, laugh at it, and think about the role of sex and love in their own lives.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Sales agents and distributors to send The Love Bathroom out into the world, and journalists to spread the word.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I’d love for my audiences to laugh loudly, without reservations, and to recommend The Love Bathroom to their friends.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Do men and women treat desire differently? Would a man ever marry a woman he was not attracted to? What does the film say about a woman’s need to keep up appearances through the institution of marriage, and her struggle with her own desires?
Would you like to add anything else?
I want to thank everyone at MFI for making this film possible, to Tony Spiridakis – thank you for seeing potential in me as a director, to my cinematographer, Noah Yuan-Vogel for creating the beautiful images on screen, and to my talented actors - Ashley, Anthony, Chris, and Kelly, and to all the people who played extras, my heartfelt gratitude goes out to all of you.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m working on a feature comedy film, called How To Seduce Your Dinner Guest, and a bilingual dramatic short film, called Invisible Alice.
Interview: November 2016
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. 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
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The Love Bathroom
What would you do if you had an opportunity to have one last adventure before you say “I DO!” and would you still say “I DO?”
Length: 5 min
Director: Anna Fishbeyn
Producer: Manhattan Film Institute
Writer: Anna Fishbeyn
About the writer, director and producer:
WRITER/DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY
nna Fishbeyn is an actor, writer, director and filmmaker.
Anna founded XOFeminist Productions, a multimedia company devoted to culturally diverse and progressively feminist voices, specializing in theatre, film, and video content. Anna wrote, starred and created the web series, Happy Hour Feminism, a comedy talk show set in the future where men experience what it means to be a woman today. The series has won Award of Recognition for Leading Actress and Women Filmmakers, Best Screenplay, Best Web Series and has been nominated for best lead actor, best supporting actress, and Best Television Pilot, and has been officially selected at over 15 festivals. Happy Hour Feminism was most recently nominated for best comedy at the NYC Web Fest, alongside Collin Quinn’s Cop Show and Lewis Black’s The Mentors. War of the Dads, the fourth episode, has won for best webisode at the Moondance International Film Festival, and for best comedy short film at the Film Fest International Berlin.
Anna’s film work as a director includes The Love Bathroom, which has been officially selected at the Action on Film Festival, and Swallow Your Money, which was part of the 48Hour Film Festival. Her upcoming short film is called Invisible Alice, about a woman’s quest to find herself against all odds.
Anna also wrote and starred in two plays, My Stubborn Tongue and Sex in Mommyville. My Stubborn Tongue Cabaret had a London premiere at the Soho Theatre, where it was recommended by the Standard and received 4 stars from the Female Arts. Anna Fishbeyn’s first play, Sex in Mommyville, was called “comic genius,” by WCBS Radio, recommended by Bloomberg News, compared to Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” by Jewish Week, and described as “shattering all the myths around women” by the Huffington Post.
PRODUCER: MANHATTAN FILM INSTITUTE
Manhattan Film Institute is a boutique conservatory with a world-class faculty. MFI is a film school that provides passionate, individualized instruction to inspire all filmmakers in a supportive, challenging and safe environment. Whether acting, writing, or directing, all students will work side-by-side with industry professionals. The faculty is as distinguished for their accomplishments as they are for their dedication to teaching. Each shares the belief that by giving back, they can help nurture future generations of storytellers.
Key cast: Ashley Jordyn, Anthony Bucci, Chris Wims, Kelly Elizabeth Wray
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Producers, sales agent, distributors, and journalists.
Funders:
Made in association with:
Manhattan Film Institute.
Where can I see it in the next month?
Not sure…yet.