‘Pushing the boundaries of film and communication’. This beautiful, powerful and emotionally heightened film explores the destruction of human souls driving the multibillion dollar sex trafficking industry.

Interview with Writer/Director Shreepali Patel

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Many years ago I worked with producer Colin Burrows and actress and human rights activist Emma Thompson on documenting an art installation, a project spearheaded by Emma to raise awareness on sex trafficking. Through out that period I had this constant nagging thought in my head that one day, this could be my child. Hope, frustration and ambition driving a child to areas they shouldn't be in - and in one fail stroke to be denied all the affirmation of self that childhood implies. A few years later we discussed the creation of a film, a digital project that could somehow convey 'what it feels like' to be de-humanized, broken, invisible and for a 'body to be separated from its soul'. The Crossing is a result of these conversations and the sheer drive of all those who contributed to the project to somehow humanise the millions exploited for a multi-billion pound economy.

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

The project was made at a point during an increasing complex climate of hardening public opinion, compassion fatigue and moral self-questioning. As such the project was designed so the audience had the space and information to re-evaluate through an experiential process what it would actually ‘feel’ like to be in such a position where hope and trust were exploited to perpetuate a multi-billion dollar industry. The interlocking visual and narrative fragments are underpinned by an immersive soundscape. As such it creates an intimate binaural experience for each viewer.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The Crossing takes at its starting point the concept of ‘hope’ and its gradual unfurling into an exploitation of trust, through the story of one young girl who hopes to make a better life for herself and ultimately to make her family proud of her. These underlying themes resonate throughout the film, the sheer scale and un-believability of the violence and ability of human beings being able to do this to each other. The use of the soundscape is designed to put you within the body of our young girl and take you through her journey. The use of visual effects and split / multiple screens are designed to communicate these themes through various textual layers.

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

I researched various case studies of young trafficked girls and women and identified common themes - such as hope, destruction of identity, a separation of ‘body from soul’ to survive. I crafted a script based on these common elements and filmed ‘narrative fragments’ to portray our central character’s story. These ‘fragments’ form the foundation of the film to be played out in a number of environments and exhibition spaces (multi-screen exhibition, interactive documentary, wraparound screens and so on) including this split screen version. These fragments are underpinned by the girl emerging from the dark in slow motion supported by a cohesive and immersive binaural soundscape driven by her breathing. It was a complicated process to weave all these textures together and then lay a hyper real soundscape of a BBC newsreader towards the end of the film. All the elements - the projections, the visual effects, the slow motion filming and the drone shots combined with the soundscape were all combined to distort reality and place the viewer within the body of the girl. Hopefully it was successful.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The Crossing plays out on a number of platforms and each screening produces a different experience for the viewer and response. The audiences so far have ranged from 14 year olds to 90 year olds, public, students, police, government bodies, artists, celebrities, academics and charities. It has been described as a ‘powerful call to action’ and ‘pushing the boundaries of film and communication’ “Few things make me stop and think and this probably was one of them to ‘fucking insane’. The words used over and over again are ‘powerful’ ‘eye opening and ‘beautiful’.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Considering the subject matter I have been surprised at how audiences have submerged themselves in the space of the film and acknowledged, quite rightly Nicola’s beautiful cinematography and viscerally moved by the drone filming and how some have been very disturbed by just the breathing itself.

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

To raise awareness of the techniques used by traffickers particularly those most vulnerable and targeted (14-18 year olds). Raise awareness and place in context the sheer scale of the issue (over 40 million people were in slavery during 2016 worldwide, 21 million were trafficked) and the economics driving the black market trafficking ‘industry’ (generating over $150 billion profit worldwide). I hope this project can also highlight the long lasting impact of trafficking on the survivor. Cumulatively, through its visibility the project will hopefully support the work of various charities, organisations and government bodies to counter trafficking.

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

We need distributors, film festival directors, journalists, public agencies, government bodies, educational institutes to come on board to disseminate the project on single screens, interactive, exhibition spaces and to provide feedback on the impact and follow on activities from the screening.

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

‘If you could feel for five minutes what its like to be trafficked or enslaved…?

Would you like to add anything else?

The Crossing has been a mix of fimmaking and research. As such it’s the terrific support of industry professionals, namely Colin Burrows (producer), Emma Thompson (patron), Nicola Daley (Cinematographer), The Helicopter Girls and Angus Benson-Blair, Luis Azuaje, Carl Peck, Adam Azmy (vfx), Jeremy Sallis (BBC Newsreader) as well as academics Rob Toulson (sound) and students John Renny (right hand during production) Naastja Juricev, Dagna Pietrzyk, Reyshand Luximon, Reeta Varparma, Jack Rutherford, Pedro Ribiero, Adam Broder, Alejandro Ahedo-Perez, Jamie Denny, Luke Tsamados, Sam Holmar, Ben Cooper-Bland and Andrea Bortolosa, and institutions such as Special Treats Productions, The Parish of St. Pancras, The Farm, Cambridge School of Art and CoDE/StoryLab, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I’m about to begin a project on 1980s counter culture. Cinematographer Nicola Daley’s latest feature film, Pin Cushion, Opened Critics Week, Venice Film Festival and The Helicopter Girls have just finished shooting on J K Rowling’s Strike. So many wonderful people were involved in the project - who are all moving on to interesting projects or the next stage of their studies.

Interview: September 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

_______________________________________________________________________________

The Crossing

Length: 14’08

Director: Shreepali Patel

Producer: Colin Burrows

Writer: Shreepali Patel

About the writer, director and producer:

Writer/Director: BAFTA winning filmmaker, Shreepali Patel is a former BBC director with experience of documentary, promos, drama, multi-platform and installations). She is co-director of Emmy award winning Eyeline Films.

Producer: Colin Burrows is CEO of Special Treats Productions, Europe’s leading production house for audio-visual coverage of the film industry. spectrum.

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

Other: The Crossing; Eyeline Films The Crossing

Funders: Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University UK

Made in association with: Eyeline Films and Special Treats Production

Where can I see it in the next month? The Crossing; https://theconversation.com/uk