Parched Dreams is an acid western / low fantasy / horror / about a few twisted characters who, beyond their knowing, have stepped out of society into a sub-hallucinogenic alternate realm. In this strange land, a godforsaken housewife attempts to woo her dull lover, a deranged spell-casting genie wreaks havoc, and an alluring alien haunts a woman's nightmares.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Hillary Andujar

Watch Parched Dreams here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Angela and I got inspired to make this film when we were at a witch retreat in Joshua Tree to celebrate Samhain. We were walking at sunrise in a river wash, and all of the items sticking out of the sand seemed to tell stories. That inspired us to work with debris in the desert to channel something ancient and surreal.

At the time, it was hard to make personal projects while balancing all of our freelance film gigs, so we made use of one of the only times of year when there’s not a lot of film work — the Christmas holidays. We couch surfed in a trailer in the desert from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day. It was super cold, and a goat woke us up before sunrise each morning by ramming his head into the door of the RV.

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

Parched Dreams isn’t trying to prove a point or push an agenda on you. It’s a psychedelic desert daydream within a nightmare that hopes to wash your eyes with dreamy faded pixels.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

We played with heavy themes like alienation, abuse, and suppressed sexuality in a surreal way, which made it more light-hearted and easy to digest. Also we wanted to tell stories about characters who co-exist with us in a sub-hallucinogenic realm, without judgment of their lives. We’re just witnessing them in their natural environments.

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

We had some rough ideas of what kind of characters we wanted to develop, so I loaded a car with costumes and props that I thought would be handy. Angela and I had each written some skeletal story lines, but we really wanted to write our stories based on what we found in the desert, so that’s exactly what we did. We drove through the desert until we stumbled upon a cool abandoned house or a turquoise mine or whatnot. We carefully surveyed the area and then we re-arranged what was there and augmented it with deco to set the scene. Once that was done, we spent a day writing and storyboarding before filming (usually at sunrise or sunset). That was our method, and we loved working that way.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

A lot of people say “that was weird,” but some people really resonate with it. Some people love to see visually driven films. For example, I think people with synesthesia would especially enjoy this film because of all the color gradation, texture, and the intricate sound design.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

For the people who are not satisfied by the visual aesthetic alone, I’m very motivated to make another short film that brings a more cohesive narrative, especially something with dialogue.

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

Visibility is key! We would love to be approached about more music videos, collaborations, and films in this style.

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

We would love help distributing Parched Dreams to any channels or internet platforms that would enjoy it.

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

We just want the feelings to flow naturally. We didn’t have a big agenda for this film while making it, but maybe that’s part of what made it so fun.

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

Since it’s such a visceral film, we could ask: “How does Parched Dreams make you feel?”

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you for your interest in this strange film! We appreciate you.

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Angela is a current Directing MFA fellow at the American Film Institute Conservatory, so she has several short films in the works and a couple feature films on deck.

Hillary is now writing and directing with her twin sister (who did the titles and animations for Parched Dreams). They have a surreal horror feature called Lovespell in the works with Snowfort Pictures.

Andy is currently filming a documentary that is taking him all around the world!

Interview: April 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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Parched Dreams

Length: 7 min 25 sec

Director: Angela Chen & Hillary Andujar

Producer: Angela Chen, Hillary Andujar, Andy Hoffman

Writer: Angela Chen & Hillary Andujar

About the writer, director and producer:

Hillary Andujar is a freelance production designer and director capable of making anything. Her work is dark, quirky, and surreal.

Angela Chen is a director who tells poetic stories of complex flawed relationships, often combining her love of the surreal and eclectic with tales of adventure and mystery.

Andy Hoffman is a hooligan cinematographer and ninja gaffer extraordinaire. He is one with nature; the elements just add to the charm in his projects.

Key cast: Angela Chen, Hillary Andujar, Andy Hoffman

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

Parched Dreams was not a commercial venture for us, but we would be thrilled for it to get out into the world more.

Funders: Angela Chen, Hillary Andujar, Andy Hoffman

Made in association with: An epic editor, Winnie Cheung, a genius sound designer, Dan Rosato, and some really awesome composers.

Where can I see it in the next month?

Parched Dreams is playing this week on Blue Fever, a streaming platform for badass women. It was also nominated for Best New Media by NewFilmmakers Los Angeles. Their 10th annual Best Of Awards ceremony will take place May 6th!