305/307
Two strangers spend the night in a hotel room having a reminiscent dialogue about their significant others.
Interview with Writer/Director Clinton-Khile Brägger
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Well, to start, I made the film as my directorial thesis film to culminate my studies at UCLA’s school of Theater, Film, and Television. On a deeper level, I made this film because I am interested in the impulsive responses people have when they realize that they feel alone. It interests me that people may step out of the boundaries of their own character when they feel a crisis of loneliness. To achieve this, I wanted to tell the story of a fleeting moment among two strangers. Strangers can feel completely open with one another, as if separated from reality, because of the prospect that they have nothing to lose by interacting with one another.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This film is not about the characters in it, it’s about the people watching it. I used to say that if there were a tagline for my film it would be, “Based on true stories.” What I mean by this is that the characters in the film are not unique individuals as much as they are vessels for which the audience members are encouraged to reflect on their own lives and intimate relationships.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I’ve always thought that nostalgia and sentimentalism are emotions that are frequently overlooked in American cinema. I find both to be fascinating. They’re feelings that are frequently used beautifully in the cinema of China, Hong Kong and Japan — films from directors such as Hirokazu Koreeda, Yasujirô Ozu, and Wong Kar-Wai — but are often left out of American cinema, and I find this strange. They are universal feelings that drive people to reject reason and sense; they cause people to be driven by emotion rather than rationality. These are the basis of my entire story.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
The film started off as something very different than what is has become. It began as a dialogue film that focused on the moment that takes place in the hotel room, similar in tone to Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy. For the bulk of the previous cuts of the film, the viewer stayed with the characters in the hotel room as they spoke with each other. After several variations of this, I decided to instead capitalize on the notion of a “lonely city” rather than two lonely people. This is when I decided to incorporate the motif of the cityscape. After all, these stories are not unique to these characters, and I never wanted them to seem that way.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Mostly good. Mostly from my UCLA peers. Specifically, people have commended my ability to create an atmosphere that compliments the notion or loneliness.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Yes. I have always struggled with having a negative outlook on my work, so when I hear someone tell me anything that suggests my work is good, I worry that they’re not being truthful with me in an attempt to not hurt my feelings.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope that more talk around the film will get it noticed by festivals so it has a chance to be viewed by those who would not otherwise see it. Ultimately, I didn’t make this film for myself, I made it for those who find it unpleasant to discuss their pasts. I would like those people to feel comfortable opening up to others, the way the characters open up to each other.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I wouldn’t need anything other than the attention of festival directors. As I mentioned in the previous question, this film is not for me, it is for everyone who struggles with the notion of falling out of love with someone.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like people to be challenged to reflect on their own lives and relationships rather than the lives of the characters in the film.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Are the main characters of the film bad people?
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We are all recent college graduates, so we’re all doing the normal post-grad grind — internships, set work, part time jobs, etc. — anything to get our feet in the door and pay the bills.
Interview: December 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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305/307
Two strangers spend the night in a hotel room having a reminiscent dialogue about their significant others.
Length: 11:50
Director: Clinton-Khile Brägger
Producer: Haohao Yan, Maggie Galle
Writer: Clinton-Khile Brägger
About the writer, director and producer:
Clinton-Khile Brägger is a Los Angeles based writer/director. He graduated top of his class with an emphasis in directing from UCLA’s prestigious School of Film and Television.
Haohao Yan is a Chinese-American producer. She was the sole graduate of 2016 from UCLA TFT’s development and producing program.
Key cast: Dylan Griner, Sarah Clevinger
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Film festival directors and journalists.
Funders: UCLA and Clinton-Khile Brägger
Where can I see it in the next month?
We’re still waiting on word back from several festivals, most of which release their lineups in the beginning of 2017. We’ll keep you posted.