Lady Filmmakers Festival - Possibility
Possibility is a dreamlike exploration of two defining moments in a young couple’s life as they struggle with the decision to have an abortion.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Siena Pinney
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! I was inspired by personal experience to share this story of a young couple going through an abortion. This is something that so many women go through, and yet we don’t often share our stories with each other. My hope in making the film is that women can relate and feel less alone in these decisions.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Possibility is not what you expect to see from a film about abortion. It won't hit you over the head with political arguments or necessarily try to change your stance on the issue. Instead it will draw you into the lives of these characters, take you on a dreamlike journey through their relationship, and show you a glimpse of an intimate moment that is rarely seen in cinema.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film is very personal and is based on my own experience, but is something many women will relate to. Abortion is still a heavily debated and polarizing issue, and this story is more relevant now than ever.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I worked closely with the actors to make the script feel true to them; it was a story that we all wanted to tell and I was grateful for their collaboration. This was a low budget production, which kept us on our toes—we ended up having to rewrite a scene at 1am in the middle of a shoot when a location fell through! But we had a very creative and supportive team that pulled it all together.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We’ve had a lot of feedback, especially from women, who were moved by the film and saw themselves in it. I wanted to capture the complexity of the choice to have an abortion—all the emotions you go through even if it’s the choice you want to make. It’s not a black and white thing, and I think audiences have appreciated the honest portrayal of the experience.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I’m moved whenever women share their own abortion stories with me after seeing the film. This is exactly what I wanted, and I’m grateful that friends, family members, and complete strangers have felt they could open up to me about this.
One of the more surprising responses was from a woman who was very moved by the film, who told me she had regretted having an abortion her whole life, and the film brought up those feelings. Although this wasn’t my experience, or the experience of the character, it meant something different to that viewer, and touched her.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I want to share this film with as many people as possible, so the exposure here is great and much appreciated. The film is available for anyone to see on Vimeo, so I invite readers to please watch and share.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Our main goal for the movie is, again, to share this story with people everywhere, and film festivals are a great way to bring the film to different areas. We have had a great time screening at several women’s film festivals, and hope to bring it to some larger festivals as well.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want this film to start a conversation about abortion that comes from a place of compassion and understanding.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How can we look at someone’s decision to have an abortion without judgment? How can we find a way to talk about this that starts from our shared humanity?
Would you like to add anything else?
Please reach out to us on Facebook or Instagram to say hi and share your thoughts about the film!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
My partner Michael Larson and I are currently developing a feature film that we hope to start production on soon, collaborating again with some of the cast and crew from Possibility. It’s a dark comedy about a struggling female-led indie rock band on their last night of tour. It’s going to be a fun one!
Interview: September 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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Possibility
Possibility is a dreamlike exploration of two defining moments in a young couple’s life as they struggle with the decision to have an abortion.
Length: 13 minutes
Director: Siena Pinney
Producers: Siena Pinney and Michael Larson
Writer: Siena Pinney
About the writer, director and producer:
Siena Pinney is a writer/director/cinematographer based in Los Angeles, CA. Named 2017's Filmmaker to Watch by the Women Texas Film Festival, Siena strives to tell honest portrayals of women's personal stories, big or small.
Key cast: Allie Pratt, Marcos Gonzalez
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Distributors, Film Festival Directors, Journalists
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Possibilityfilm/
Instagram: @sienapinney
Full film at vimeo.com/219104458
Where can I see it in the next month?
Our next screening is at the Lady Filmmakers Festival in Beverly Hills, Sept 29th-Oct 1st. Tickets available here: www.ladyfilmmakers.com/possibility.html