A young woman overcomes a lost love through the figure of a life size male doll.

Interview with Writer/Director Charlotte Colbert

Watch The Silent Man here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Reading about the legendary grieving process of early 20th century painter Oskar Kokoschka from his great love Alma Malher through the figure of a home made doll.

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

It's a dark, strange and hopefully entertaining and funny story about love and grief.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Any human emotion is deeply personal yet universal through our shared condition.

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

Its always such an amazing process to take what is first in your head, put it on paper then share it with a team to recreate imaginings. The characters coming to life at the same time as their surroundings. The reality both restrictive and inspiring.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Some people find the film very dark and sad while others find it really funny. It doesn't seem to leave anyone indifferent which is really nice.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Some people have come back with really elaborate and interesting back stories for the characters which have shed an interesting light on the narrative.

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

The short film format is inherently uncommercial. I love that as it allows them to be freer in some ways. Like small poems. But it does mean they need all the support they can get to be seen.

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

The more the merrier.

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

A small window into a world. Hopefully some laughs, some questioning, some empathy, some surprise and some aesthetic pleasure.

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

This notion of love, obsession and the contemporary drive toward cyborgs/sex doll partners. There is something fascinating about the emotional relationships we can have to inanimate objects which act as a mirror against which we can resolve the issues troubling us.

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Charlotte Colbert (writer/director) has a show in Hong Kong alongside Basel art fair this month and another opening end of March at the Saatchi Gallery in London. She is also developing a feature film to be shot next year. Anneka Haskins (producer) has worked on Tommy's Honour and is currently working on feature film Murder on the Orient Express. Noam Piper (set design) art directed indie hit Burn, Burn, Burn. NAKED (score) have launched a new record with LuckymeRecords. Ann Evelyn Lawford (cinematographer) has just headed the second unit on Christmas hit A streetcat named Bob. Ewa J Lind and Julia Knight (editors) are working on respective features.

Interview: March 2017

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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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The Silent Man

A young woman overcomes a lost love through the figure of a life size male doll.

Length: 15min

Director: Charlotte Colbert

Producer: Anneka Haskins

Writer: Charlotte Colbert

About the writer, director and producer:

Charlotte Colbert (writer/director) is a Franco/British artist and filmmaker who, alongside her screenwriting, (for Olivier Dahan, Quad Films, the Bureau, the BFI etc) has developed a strong visual identity as an artist showing her surreal black and white photography and large scale moving image sculptures at art fairs and shows internationally.

Anneka Haskins (producer) is a UK based creative. She enjoys discovering and exploring unique material in a collaborative environment. She has produced both short films and branded content - which have been selected for Oscar/Bafta affiliated film festivals around the world, and has worked in various roles on feature films including the upcoming MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS directed by Kenneth Branagh, and TOMMY’S HONOUR (BAFTA Scotland, Best Feature Film 2016) directed by Jason Connery.

Key cast: Sophie Kennedy-Clark (Philomena, Nymphomaniac), Simon Amstell (Nevermind the Buzzcocks); Ben Miller (Jonny English) and a surreal cameo by Cillian Murphy (Inception).

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): all the above although the film now has distribution

Funders: Quad Films, Gazelli Art House

Made in association with: Quad Films, Gazelli Art House

Where can I see it in the next month?

Manchester film festival, Portland Oregon's Women's film festival.