Based on her true story as heard on This American Life; Gloria Harrison was pregnant and in labour, when she decided she needed to buy a new car to drive herself to hospital.

Interview with Writer/Director Julietta Boscolo

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

This film is an original true story about an incredible woman that’ll make you think differently about the world.

It is also personally important to me. I wanted to make a film about one of the myths of poverty: that poor people are unintelligent. This myth is often perpetuated by filmmakers as they have no experience of poverty themselves. My experience is different. I went to a private girls school on a scholarship but sometimes my family didn’t have anywhere to live. And I learnt from my experience that poverty makes you feel two things: it makes you feel like you have no control over your life and it makes you feel ashamed.

It makes you feel like you lack control because you have no security and it makes you feel ashamed because as the director of Moonlight, Barry Jenkins said: ‘You see how the world sees you and you accept it.’ This film is about a poor, intelligent young woman who takes control of her life for the first time in her own unique way. And it’s funny too. When you’re poor, being able to laugh at yourself is essential, it’s a survival mechanism. That’s why the comedy in the film is so important.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

It’s really important to me to have universal themes in my work. But I feel strongly that the best way to express and convey universal themes emotionally and with impact is through an individual’s personal story. In this way you’re not preaching to the audience but taking the audience on an emotional journey where they discover what the film is about universally through empathy.

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

I first heard Gloria Harrison’s true short story Let’s See How Fast This Baby Will Go on This American Life podcast. It made me laugh and then it made me cry. It was also very visual. I knew it had to be a film. Through the process of getting the rights, I got to know Gloria and read more of her autobiographical stories. Her history strongly informed why she ended up pregnant, alone and in labour and why she had no other recourse but the unusual, original one she took that day. So I worked this into the final script. In the edit, we also tried a voice over at the head and tail of the film but it felt that Liv Hewson’s incredible performance told you enough. Instead we used music to illustrate her journey and it was a lot stronger.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The feedback I’ve received so far has been on a whole very positive. We were preselected for two competitions in Cannes and I won the Emerging Filmmaker Award at Melbourne International Film Festival for the film. The only real criticism has been from people who don’t believe that the story happened, but it did (and has been verified by This American Life). Stranger events have happened. I hope that knowing that this story happened and why will give audiences a perspective on a world that has been often hidden.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I always go into a film with a strong vision so I don’t feel challenged by the feedback. I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the film has been received!

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

www.wearemovingstories.com is an excellent, diverse platform that has a fantastic established audience and is easily searchable. By having the film on the platform it is great exposure for the film and Gloria’s incredible story.

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 the film to screen at more international festivals to amplify the film’s message and screen in front of more diverse audiences.

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

I would like the film to promote discussion but ultimately change the way people think about people who have grown up without money and with the trauma that often accompanies poverty.

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

What are the longterm effects of poverty and trauma on an individual?

Would you like to add anything else?

I hope you enjoy the film!

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

Our producer Eva Di Blasio has just completed The Chinaboy Show which can be seen on ABC iview, and the short film Sleepwalking (written and directed by Melissa Anastasi). Julietta and Eva are collaborating with Lou Sanz on an exciting Screen Australia Gender Matters web series they hope to get up this year. Eva also has two features in development, Bluebirds (Melissa Anastasi) and Bogan Wedding (with Robyn Kershaw and Jessica Carrera). As well as a fun new TV series Squishy based on the children’s book series Squishy Taylor (written by Ailsa Wild).

Our cinematographer James L Brown has shot a feature in Colombia called Matar a Jesús that screened at Toronto and won awards at San Sebastian and Chicago. He also shot Billie Pleffer’s ABC series Deadlock.

Our editor Mat Evans has since cut a documentary The Pink House which screened at Sydney Film Festival and has also won a Documentary Foundation award. He also recently edited ABC series The New Legends of Monkey.

Our composer Basil Hogios has been living in Barcelona and was recently composer and MD for the Opening Ceremony of the 2017 European City of Culture in Aarhus, Belgium. He is now composing the music for a feature film called Double Happiness.

Sound designer Liesl Pieterse is also a musician and is currently preparing a new album.

Sound editor Andy Wright has continued to mix original TV series and films and recently won an Academy Award for his work on Hacksaw Ridge.

I am currently developing two feature films, one of which, Catching Sight, was shortlisted for the Sundance Screenwriting Lab. I am also collaborating with Eva Di Blasio (the producer of Let’s See How Fast This Baby Will Go) and writer Lou Sanz on a Screen Australia Gender Matters web series and a television series, The Bigger Woman, with Belinda Dean of Unko as well as currently directing a television commercial campaign.

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, LGBTIAQ+, 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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Let’s See How Fast This Baby Will Go

Based on her true story as heard on This American Life; Gloria Harrison was pregnant and in labour, when she decided she needed to buy a new car to drive herself to hospital

Length: 15 minutes

Director: Julietta Boscolo

Producer: Eva Di Blasio

Writer: Julietta Boscolo based on a true story by Gloria Harrison.

About the writer, director and producer:

Writer/Director: Julietta’s a graduate of VCA and Binger, Amsterdam. She’s directed Screen Australia and SNSW supported projects, winning awards from the ADG, MIFF and numerous others.

Producer: RKPix is a Western Australian film, television and digital production company headed by Producer/Company Director, Eva Di Blasio and acclaimed Australian Producer/Company Director, Robyn Kershaw.

Key cast: Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet, Top of The Lake) Tara Morice (Strictly Ballroom and Dance Academy)

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

Social media handles:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lets-See-How-Fast-This-Baby-Will-Go-492543994274686/

Funders: Screen Australia

Made in association with: Screen Australia

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