Cannes Short Film Corner - Binary
A short film about the tension between the stability we find in monogamy and our tendency towards promiscuity. A young girl sees her love life unravel online as the clues pile up.
She needs to know, and whatever she finds out will force her to make a decision.
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Interview with Director Luis Fanti
Congratulations! Why did you make a film called BINARY?
I wanted to write a story that could be told on a very small budget, so in this sense financial constraints led to important decisions around the format (telling most of the story through the screen of Valentina’s phone and her social media accounts) The title alludes to the digital world in which the conflict unfolds but also to the romantic search for a complimentary opposite, an “other” that in which we identify our own idealized image of a partner, often ignoring the particularity of their own person.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I wanted to make a film in which the audience could find a little piece of themselves, and a reflection of a piece of their world in the flood of digital interaction and the confusion it can cause.
If boiled down to its basic elements the story is about our protagonist’s realization that she is incapable of showing others the same degree of honesty she demands from those around her. Her arc, and therefore her process towards change and growth, takes place inside of her. The challenges and difficulties she faces don’t disappear, she merely learns to confront them with greater maturity.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film touches upon the basic duality of human nature and our romantic search for a complementary opposite. And specially on how that search is often encumbered by our difficulty to be honest with others and how such difficulty is just a straightforward consequence of our difficulty to be honest with ourselves
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
The format allowed for major changes throughout the process as most of the story takes place in the world of social media. This meant that big chunks of the story were actually re-written during the edit.
The shooting of the one live action scene of the film was only undertaken after extensive work with the actors, during which some aspects of the characters were modified or completed and big chunks of dialogue re-written.
I had never worked on a project that changed so much between the script and the final edit, and it was a really interesting, even if at times grueling, experience.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Overwhelmingly positive. People tend to love the originality of the format and the fact that the form of the film constantly points to the complex and not-yet-fully-understood nature of our lives online.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Some professional feedback has definitely left me thinking that, had I known the short would be screening at the Short Film Corner in Cannes, I would have written it a lot better. Big lesson for the future: write and shoot everything as if it were to screen in Cannes.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Exposure for a film that can hopefully function as an interesting credit when seeking a crew and/or funding for future projects. And, let’s face it, one’s own vanity always rejoices to have a project reviewed and featured alongside other fantastic projects.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Distributors, journalists and film festival directors, for the reasons mentioned in the previous question.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I think that achieving a sense of identification in your audience as they see a part of themselves reflected in the characters is one the most important effects a film or any work of art can have. If that is achieved I would consider the film’s intention to be accomplished.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How often do you lie to others only because you lie to yourself?
What are you developing or working on now?
Right now I am in the second semester of the Master of Screenwriting at the VCA and developing a true crime feature film project as I continue working as a freelance videographer and editor.
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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Binary
Length: 12’50’’
Director: Luis Fanti
Producer: Luis Fanti
About the director and producer: Born in Buenos Aires, currently based in Melbourne. Working as a freelance videographer and editor while I write and direct my own stuff. Studied Fine Arts and Film and worked as an editorial illustrator, storyboard artist and production assistant for commercial and production houses.
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Distributors, journalists and film festival directors
Funders: self-funded
Made in association with: n/a
Release date: 16/5/2016