A man who would never cheat is asked by the woman he loves to sleep with someone else to save their relationship — a compromise which may ultimately destroy them as love becomes corroded by jealousy.

Interview with Writer/Producer Claire J Harris

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! Once I finished the screenplay, I didn't really know what to do with it - and I didn't want to end up with a screenplay that never became a film, after pouring my heart and soul into it for two years. I met the director at film school so, rather than spending more years trying to sell it, we decided to go ahead and make it ourselves. We got together a majority-female crew through our networks, so Zelos has a female writer, director, producers, camera department and production designer.

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

The story really speaks to young people navigating the complex world of modern romance, and explores themes such as online dating, cheating, open relationships, infidelity and monogamy. Zelos puts a unique spin on an age-old question: can settling the score ever save a relationship? For Australians, it's also refreshing to see people like ourselves on screen - young urbanites living in a recognisably Australian city speaking in Aussie accents.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

While the story never happened to me the way it does in the film, I drew heavily on my own personal experiences and feelings I had about relationships as I entered my 30s. But I also spoke to a lot of people around me, particularly in our target demographic, about their experiences. I was actually surprised by how many people had been through some variation of what unfolds in Zelos, and how keen they were to talk about it. So that's when I realised the themes were more universal, and that, on a broader level, the film is delving into life in your 30s and the sorts of compromises you have to make.

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

I think it's inevitable that a script will evolve enormously. A lot of script editing happened before we went into production, as we had such limited time and resources we had to be really ruthless in cutting it down to fit our shooting schedule. But then again during the edit, entire scenes were dropped to make the film as tight as possible. As the writer it hurts to kill your darlings, but you have to remember that filmmaking is a collaborative process so the script and film are going to change as each creative person has their input and interpretation - and that ultimately makes it better!

What type of feedback have you received so far?

It's been overwhelmingly positive and we've picked up some awards on the international festival circuit, which has been very humbling. We've had a limited theatrical run in Australia and I've attended almost every screening to do a Q&A after the film. It's been wonderful to actually watch the audience react to the film and to have the opportunity to chat with people afterwards. The Q&A always becomes a discussion engaging with the themes rather than the filmmaking process - my aim was not to preach a message but to open up questions, so I see it as a success if people come out of the cinema debating the ideas raised in the film.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Audience members usually have quite differing perspectives, and tend to come down quite strongly in favour of one character or another depending on their own experiences with infidelity. The only feedback I received that really surprised me was someone telling me that the film promoted cheating! I certainly don't think that's the case, but I would like to think it doesn't judge the character's behaviour either.

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

I would love to achieve greater visibility for Zelos - the toughest part of this whole process is actually just getting the word out there, without having much budget for marketing and promotion. A lot of people committed their valuable time and energy to creating the film, so of course we want as many people as possible to have the chance to see it.

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

Because the film is already in cinemas, at this stage it would be great to screen at more festivals and get some more media involved. We have a local distributor attached but I'm very keen to attract an international sales agent.

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

I'm hoping we can continue to achieve the same audience response as we've had so far :)

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

How can you save a relationship after an affair?

Would you like to add anything else?

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

I'm currently working on another script. I have a producer interested so I'm very excited about what this year will bring!

Interview: January 2018

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTIQ+, scifi, horror, world cinema. 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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Zelos

Length: 86 minutes

Director: Jo-Anne Brechin

Producer: Claire J Harris, Jo-Anne Brechin

Writer: Claire J Harris

About the writer, director and producer:

Claire J Harris is a screenwriter who has spent 10 years travelling and working around the world. Her short stories and creative non-fiction have been published internationally.

Jo-Anne Brechin is a director of short films, documentaries and music videos, and was named Young Filmmaker of the Year at the Cockatoo Island Film Festival in 2013.

Key cast: Ben Mortley, Shannon Ashlyn, Ainslie McGlynn, Leigh Scully

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

Social media handles:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zelosmovie/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZelosFilm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zelosfilm/

Made in association with: Painted Gate Pictures, The Steve Jaggi Company

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? See our Facebook page for upcoming screenings and announcement of the digital release