Logline:
After an argument with her father, Lili gives up on her dreams of becoming a painter until she meets Vincent, an addict poet who will re-ignite her aspirations... but at what cost?

Length:
21min52sec

Director:
Niav CONTY

Producer:
Mathilde DEHAYE

About the director and producer:

Director (Niav CONTY): Niav is an active freelance director, cinematographer, screenwriter, and editor in NYC. She’s received the Kodak Cinematography Award, the Princess Grace Award, and has had shorts in festivals worldwide.

Producer (Mathilde DEHAYE): Mathilde is a Belgian actor, writer, producer working in theatre, film and tv in NYC. She won the 2014 Strasberg Works Award with a play she wrote and produced, directed by Renoly Santiago.

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Sales agents, buyers, distributors, producers, journalists.

Funders:
Andre LECLERCQ & Mathilde DEHAYE

Made in association with:
Amathis Productions, LLC

Release date:
Unknown (after all festival submissions are finished – they just started in March 2016.).

Why did you make a film called Rhythm In Me?

That’s what the film is about: listening to the rhythm in us, what makes our hearts beat; our burning flame.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Because you might need to start believing, or be reminded to keep believing that you, as we all, are allowed to (and should) follow any dream we want.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The film deals with very universal themes… at the core, these characters' fear, dreams, doubt, and fight for self-identity, self-respect, and allowing one’s desires to become a reality. I personally come from a tiny city in Belgium, was raised by non artists, and wanted to act and make films... Well. Let's just say that required quite some thinking and sacrifices along the way to be pursuing a career in this industry.

How has the script and film evolved over the course of its development and production?

(Mathilde) Well, it’s based on a play I wrote, won the Strasberg Works Award 2014 with, and produced that same year, directed by Renoly Santiago.

The story didn’t change really, only my understanding of it and why I wrote it got clearer. Having Niav direct it transformed what was more of an idea into a reality, a fact. And that’s also of course thanks to every single person who worked on the film and brought something to it. It’s no longer just “my script,” it’s become a wonderful team collaboration that we are very proud of.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Most people were touched by the story, moved by the characters and wanted to know what was going to happen next with the story… “And then what?”. This is exactly what I was hoping for as the short is meant to become a feature. We are just planting the seeds of these characters’ journeys, and the hope is that the audience will want to continue to follow their lives a bit longer.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

We were very happy with the reaction, since the original goal was to make this short to pitch a feature, therefore their desire to know more felt perfect!

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

To help us reach out to a broader audience and thus influence more people. Isn’t that what movies are for? But also to find a producer interested in helping bring the feature to life.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

All of the above if possible! The more the merrier! Sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festivals directors, journalists, who are on the same page as us and believe in the story as strongly as we do, so that we can touch a greater number of people.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

Make people realize that following oneself is a difficult path, but also a very rewarding one.
To remind us about what life is for... living it to the fullest by being who we genuinely are and act accordingly. We live in a society where it gets harder and harder to connect with our inner selves. It tells us what to imagine, what to dream of, what to feel, how to act, and ultimately who to be.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

We’d steal a line from the film for this question: “What are we, in the end?”

Would you like to add anything else?

Perhaps share a verse from William Ernest’s poem, Invictus?

“ It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.”

What are you and the director developing or working on now?

We are both working on projects of our own, but also preparing the feature version of Rhythm in Me.