A young girl goes to the hairstylist to be fixed.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Rani Deighe Crowe

Watch Beautiful Eyes here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Beautiful Eyes is a narrative short experimental dark comedy/horror film on Black and White 16mm. It was one of the first films I made when I went to graduate school for film. It is based on a short story I wrote that is based on a recurring nightmare I had as a young girl.

The nightmare was about getting my hair cut at the beauty salon and as the hairdresser kept talking and talking she started cutting off my fingers and my ears and my eyes without really noticing. When I first wrote it up as a short story, I realized the dream was about my relationship with my mother and her desire for me to be more pretty and girly and interested in things that I felt were shallow social constructs of what it meant to be a woman. I was smart and moody and questioned things, and I felt like I was always getting the message that if I wore more makeup and got the right haircut and stopped being so intellectual- then I would be happy and pleasing and make everybody around me happy.

When I made it into a film, I realized it wasn't just about a mother daughter relationship, but about this message that society sends to women to be pleasing, but not to think too hard. It is about how we as women are complicit in enforcing this expectation on each other.

This five and half minute short film is about all that in a little comedic roller coaster short film about a haircut.

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

It has style and voice and a couple surprises, a very talented young actress, some humor, and something to say. Hopefully it is fun.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?

I started having this dream when I was under ten until I was about 16. When I was 26, I wrote the short story. When I was 29, I first tried making a video project out of it. I made this film at the age of 40. This film is around 30 years in the making.

The script I wrote for this version stayed much the same for the shoot. There was a little more voice over. Some of the film was found in the edit.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

It has been enjoyed at a few festivals. It is one of my first films. I absolutely adore it. There are a couple small technical things that would be improved if I made it with more resources and my current skills.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

No. It is a film that is best enjoyed in a theater with an audience. I enjoy watching and seeing the audience react while watching it. That is real.

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

I want to continue to network with more filmmakers and potential future audience.

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

I would love for Beautiful Eyes to find more places to be seen either online or in festivals.

I would be interested in developing this film into a bigger budget film or feature length concept with backers.

Interview: February 2017

_______________________________________________________________________________

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

_______________________________________________________________________________

Beautiful Eyes

A young girl goes to the hairstylist to be fixed.

Length: 5min

Director: Rani Deighe Crowe

Producer: Rani Deighe Crowe

Writer: Rani Deighe Crowe

About the writer, director and producer:

Rani Deighe Crowe is a theater and film artist teaching screenwriting at Ball State University. Rani wrote the short film, Texting: A Love Story. Her upcoming short film, Heather Has Four Mommies, was shortlisted in 2016 by the Kevin Spacey Foundation.

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

Screening Opportunities

Producers looking to develop the next iteration of Beautiful Eyes

Funders:

Rani Deighe Crowe

Made in association with:

Ohio University

Where can I see it in the next month?

TBD

Contact Rani at karani1100@yahoo.com for Online Link