Women Who Kill
Commitment phobic Morgan and her ex-girlfriend Jean, locally famous true crime podcasters, suspect Morgan’s new love interest is a murderer.
Interview with Writer/Director Ingrid Jungermann
Watch Women Who Kill on Vudu, Kanopy and Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I was struggling with my past romantic relationships -- why have none of them worked out? I realize now that just because relationships end doesn't mean you or the other person failed. And it doesn't mean that person wasn't "the one," which is just a fairytale idea of what love is really about. It's this fairytale idea (Hollywood's "romantic comedy") that many people still believe that does a deep disservice to relationships. I wanted to comment on how we box ourselves in with tradition, how what is essentially a religious construct has defined who we are supposed to love and how we go about loving them.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
There's a universal message in it about fear, and loneliness, and how we are all equally imperfect no matter how we identify.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The more specific I am about my personal struggles and the deeper I'm willing to dig into my own vulnerability, the more universal the theme is, because we are all vulnerable people who have been taught that our vulnerabilities are weaknesses we should avoid at all costs. I also find the best comedy comes from very personal, sometimes painful, experiences. It's comedy that connects me to the audience; I want to invite people in and laughter, especially at the expense of my own shortcomings, is the best way to do that.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
Dozens of drafts of the script. It grew as I did. As my life experiences changed, so did it. Characters changed, story changed, themes changed. After many drafts, I started from page one. I had written three of four films before this, but WOMEN WHO KILL is the first time I really grasped what writing meant, how demanding it is, and that it can still give you joy if you let it.
Eventually you reach a point where you decide the script is done. Otherwise you write forever. I'm a big advocate for not being overly precious because you will never make a perfect film. You certainly strive for perfection, but you have to accept that you will fail. There comes a time to move out of the mentality of writing it and into the mentality of making it. Making it means other people have a stake in it, too. You are no longer alone. So while you are the person with answers when it comes to the overall vision, you also have to stay open about how other voices are going to influence the work. I'm proud of this collaboration; I feel the cast and crew gave their hearts and souls to this project and it shows.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We've gotten great reviews from people I respect. I like film nerds and they seem to like it. I'm happy that my commentary on gender and sexuality seems to be part of the discussion. I like that people are surprised to be entertained on top of seeing something that's clearly personal.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Feedback was not a surprise because deep down I tend to know what's working and what's not. So when someone questions something or doesn't respond to it, I usually know it's a problem, and it was probably at the script stage. It's part of making the decision to be done with the writing phase as a writer-director -- there will be mistakes you learn to live with because you have to make the thing. That just means next time I'll try to improve upon what I didn't get right. I do think our lack of resources/money affected this movie in ways that were frustrating because they compromised vision, but I had to get over that because I think that will always be an issue.
What does challenge me is when people seem to totally miss the whole heart of the film, but I just chalk that up to having different taste. I probably wouldn't be drawn to these people, or them to me, in everyday life.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I think it's a great way to get the film directly to audiences who may not have had the chance to see it at a festival or during a limited theatrical release. It's a platform that gives films that may not have the budget, or reach, the opportunity to have a voice.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Distributors. We know how critics and audiences feel, we just need to get it to audiences.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
On one level, I want it to entertain and have an emotional impact. On another level, I want it to have an impact on feminism and gender identity.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How does your relationship with fear affect the decisions you make?
Did you feel the absence of men in this film? How did it affect you?
What happens to Morgan? Jean? Simone?
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I'm in development at Showtime for F to 7th and working on my next feature film.
Alex Scharfman (Producer) is an exec at Parts & Labor films where he's producing several projects including an all-female horror film.
Interview: September 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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Commitment phobic Morgan and her ex-girlfriend Jean, locally famous true crime podcasters, suspect Morgan’s new love interest is a murderer.
Length: 93 MIN
Director: INGRID JUNGERMANN
Producer: ALEX SCHARFMAN
Writer: INGRID JUNGERMANN
About the writer, director and producer:
Key cast: INGRID JUNGERMANN, SHEILA VAND, ANN CARR, ANNETTE O'TOOLE, SHANNON O'NEILL
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): DISTRIBUTORS
Funders:
Made in association with: PARTS & LABOR FILMS
Release date: TBD
Where can I watch it in the next month? TBD