Cinequest - What If It Works?
Adrian, a tech nerd, has OCD. Grace, a street artist, has Multiple Personality Disorder. It’s a love story that seems impossible. But what if it works?
Interview with Writer/Director Romi Trower
Watch on Vudu and Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
My interest in telling this story is born of my personal experiences. I have only one older brother who has a severe case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and has suffered with this since I was five years old. My aunt is a psychiatrist who specializes in Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder) and it is her career that sparked my growing fascination with this disorder over many years. My mother is also a psychotherapist who specializes in sexual therapy, and growing up, our dinner time conversation often revolved around OCD, DID and sexual difficulty and dysfunction (interesting stuff for an 8-year-old!).
I have therefore had the privilege of getting to know some individuals with DID, and have witnessed the process of switching between alters or ‘parts’, and have sat through many riveting therapy sessions. I am compelled to tell a story about characters such as Grace and Adrian as they are so real to me that it feels only natural to give them a voice through the script, to explore their possibilities, and to tell a story of eccentricity and truth.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If you enjoy films that walk the comedy/drama tightrope, then this is a film for you. I believe that the line between comedy and tragedy is so faint that sometimes you dance across both without even knowing it; that often we sit on a thin ledge between sobbing and uncontrollable laughter and are equally likely to fall to either side depending on the balance of the day. I am aware that in order to survive pain I personally have sought out the beauty or comedy within any given situation, and this is quite naturally how I seem to have approached my life and how I see stories.
WHAT IF IT WORKS? is an exuberant, comic film that leaves you feeling good despite a little emotional battering along the way; that for all its humor, has the bite of life. For me, the greater the pain may be, the greater the scope for noticing beauty and finding the comedy. So whilst our subject matter is far from light, the film is designed to entertain. At its core, it’s a colourful, joyous, hopeful love story, with an awesome soundtrack that fuels the high energy, all the way. We feature some of Australia’s hottest young music acts.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
What If It Works? is a colourful dramedy about finding the courage to love and be loved, against all odds. Adrian (Luke Ford), an irrepressibly chirpy tech nerd, suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Grace (Anna Samson), a beautiful street artist, suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (aka Multiple Personality Disorder). In their own way, each is trapped. As new neighbours, in an edgy, graffitied suburb of Melbourne, they crash into each other one evening, and a colourful and impossible love story ensues.
Whilst the two protagonists suffer in an extreme and extraordinary way, the love story - at the core of our film – is something much more ‘ordinary’, that everyone can relate to. At the end of the day, it is ‘boy meets girl’, ‘boy and girl like each other’, ‘boy stuffs up’, ‘girl stuffs up’, and finally, ‘can boy and girl make it work?’ (The obstacles are just a little more wild and challenging than in most romances…)
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
With 8 years of development behind this project, the script probably ‘grew up’ as I evolved as a person and as a story teller. It was of course way too long many times over and many scenes have been killed both at script stage and in the film edit for the greater good of the film. Nothing wrong with clutching onto a little reel from the cutting room floor (helps you get over the cutting at the time!).
What type of feedback have you received so far?
So far the responses at festivals have been heartfelt and have really moved me. There was one lady in California who waited until the end of my Q & A to approach me in private, and told me about her son who has schizophrenia. She started to cry and thanked me for making a film that was not dark and depressing, but rather colourful, joyful and hopeful; and that made characters with severe mental illness both lovable and relatable. That was a special moment and is the best reward I could ask for.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It’s been amazing to see the way in which audiences have engaged with the two main characters. I thought there may be more questions about their conditions. I had wondered if there would be any difficulty in grasping the way DID works, but have been amazed at how easily audiences understood and related to these characters. Being such extreme characters, I didn’t know if audiences would fall in love with them and it has been amazing to see that indeed, they have. I’ve had several audience members suggest I make a TV series out of this, because the characters are so complex and the material is so rich. So I’m thinking about it…
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
The more awareness of the film, the better. We are looking for international sales and we are still travelling the festival circuit and are far from done. So come forward if you have any festival suggestions!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
International Sales would be wonderful. We would welcome the interest of journalists and are happy to provide interviews; both to raise the profile of the film and to raise awareness of our film’s subject matter.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want audiences to be entertained and to walk away feeling something. If I tick these two boxes, I’m happy.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
It’s a love story that seems impossible. But what if it works?
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I have a second feature on the boil and a TV series in development.
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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WHAT IF IT WORKS?
Adrian, a tech nerd, has OCD. Grace, a street artist, has Multiple Personality Disorder. It’s a love story that seems impossible. But what if it works?
Length: 95 MIN
Director: ROMI TROWER
Producer: TRSITRAM MIALL
Writer: ROMI TROWER
About the writer, director and producer:
Writer/Director:
Romi Trower is an Australian director, writer and producer. Her short films Chocolate Cake (2010) and No One Is Listening Anymore! (2014) both premiered at the Aspen Shortsfest and screened at festivals including The Melbourne International Film Festival, The Cleveland International Film Festival and The Starz Denver Film Festival. What If It Works? is her first feature film. It recently had its world premiere at the 2017 Cinequest Film & VR Festival in Silicon Valley Cailfornia.
Producer:
Tristram Miall’s feature credits include Strictly Ballroom, the first feature by director, Baz Luhrmann. The film won The Youth Prize in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival, 3 BAFTA Film Awards, 8 AFI Awards, and was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards. He also produced Children Of The Revolution (3 AFI Awards, 6 nominations), The Black Balloon (Crystal Bear at Berlin, and 6 AFI Awards, including Best Picture), and Executive Produced Looking For Alibrandi. (5 AFI Awards including Best Picture).
Key cast: LUKE FORD, ANNA SAMSON, BROOKE SATCHWELL, WADE BRIGGS, KAARIN FAIRFAX
Social media handles:
Facebook: @whatifitworksmovie
Twitter:
Instagram: @whatifitworksmovie
Other:
Looking for: sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists
Where can I see it in the next month?
The Gold Coast Film Festival. Australian premiere April 28th and 30th!
Synopsis:
Adrian (Luke Ford), an irrepressibly chirpy tech nerd, suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Grace (Anna Samson), a beautiful street artist, suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (aka Multiple Personality Disorder). As new neighbours in an edgy, graffitied suburb of Melbourne, they find themselves in therapy with the same psychiatrist and crash into each other one evening. Soon after, Adrian’s ex (Brooke Satchwell) turns up, to really mess things up.
As Adrian becomes aware of a threat to Grace lurking in the form of a fellow street artist ‘Sledgehammer’ (Wade Briggs), Adrian knows he should help Grace. But he struggles to break free of his OCD in order to do it. Will he overcome his biggest fear? Will he sacrifice the object he loves most? What if Adrian forgot his illness for a split second because of his love for Grace? It seems impossible. But what if it works?