College student Darrel faces a series of events on his last day of summer as he tries to stay connected with his past, only to gradually realize that home might not be where one belongs.

Interview with Writer/Director Sancheev Ravichandran

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! I made this film out of a desire to express something I was feeling: the struggle of clinging to places and friendships of my past and learning to also accept their changing nature. I think this “letting go” is necessary because you can’t expect anyone to remain as you’ve known them- least of all yourself; we’re all growing all the time.

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

To be entertained! The film follows the antics of a group of childhood friends entering early adulthood, and our actors had a really fun chemistry that helped realize this. But hopefully to also feel what I was describing in the last question. If “Still Grove” is able to resonate on this deeper note, I’d imagine that it will cause viewers to reflect on how individuals and places from their pasts are evolving and always shaping them.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

It’s rare in today’s world that anybody lives the entirety of their life in the same place they were born. So most of us come from somewhere that’s no longer our home. I’ve always been fascinated by this idea of home. What makes a place home? What happens when a place that defines you doesn’t have a space for you? I really enjoyed exploring these questions in the context of old friendships through this film.

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

A ton. Since the themes of the film are rather amorphous, I initially felt that the best way to convey them was through a series of vignettes that showcased the emotional atmosphere of the suburbs. This was in an attempt to capture the nature of the many memories simultaneously triggered when in a previous home. This approach didn’t work. Perhaps it might have if “Still Grove” was a feature, but to divide a short into five shorter stories didn’t do justice to any of them. Through several iterations and notes, I cut the rest of the vignettes and expanded on the one that was most effective for the story we were telling.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We’re so thrilled to have just won the Audience Choice Award at the Erie International Festival! The film was also selected for the Barcelona Planet Film Festival and will hopefully continue to be exhibited at festivals in 2018. As far as individual feedback goes, I’ve been very happy with the response the film has received. Almost everyone is engaging with the story; and several viewers have personally related to the themes of the film.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Yes. Without spoiling anything, the events of the film can be summarized in a fairly objective synopsis. However, the closing note of the film is surprisingly subjective. The film ends in silence amongst the main characters, and I find that viewers have different interpretations of this. Initially, I found this disheartening until I realized the viewers’ interpretations are colored by their own experiences of growing in different or similar ways from loved ones.

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

I’d love for anyone who has seen the film and is curious about these questions to have them answered. We had a strong support base come together through our crowdfunding, so I’ll be stoked to share this with them. I’m also grateful for any additional exposure this might bring the film.

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

My biggest hope for “Still Grove” is that it’s seen. I’d love for it to give audiences an enjoyable experience that might cause them to reflect on their own pasts. I think film festivals are a terrific way to get shorts in front of an audience and on a big screen. So as we move forward with the film, support from festival directors and programmers would be fantastic.

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

I kind of touched on it in the last question, but I want this to be a film that has audiences look inwards. More than anything, I want for it to leave viewers with the feeling of growing in different directions from loved ones.

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

Is it possible to go back to the way things used to be?

Would you like to add anything else?

Just a thanks to you for featuring this and so many other films.

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

Sebastian Chacon, who plays the main character Darrel, was cast as one of the principals in Hulu’s pilot Crash and Burn last summer. Sebastian also has a recurring role in the new season of Narcos (Netflix) and numerous other TV shows and films. He recently played Sebastian in the Public Theater’s Twelfth Night, and Romeo in their staging of Romeo y Julieta.

Omar Nasr (the DP of “Still Grove”) and I are finishing up a documentary short in a series on immigrant stories in the food business in New York. We’re also in early talks about a sports film we plan to shoot at the end of this summer.

All of our department heads are busy with multiple really cool projects. I’m extremely stoked to see what our producers, DP, production designer, makeup artist, editor, and composer do in the new year.

Interview: February 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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Still Grove

College student Darrel faces a series of events on his last day of summer as he tries to stay connected with his past, only to gradually realize that home might not be where one belongs.

Length: 14:04

Director: Sancheev Ravichandran

Producer: Robbie Lemieux, Vivianne Nguyen, Brad Merk, Devin Tusa

Writer: Sancheev Ravichandran

About the writer, director and producer:

Sancheev Ravichandran is a New York based filmmaker. He shoots and directs a range of content: narrative, documentary, music videos, etc. He currently works as a camera loader on the Good Fight (CBS).

Robbie Lemieux is a Producer for Videofashion. He oversees the creation of Videofashion's slate of television series and online fashion videos. He also produces independent short films, branded content and music videos (including the official music video for Beat the System's "Be Your Own").

Key cast: Sebastian Chacon, Matthew Barrera, Bodhi Foster, Makenzi Koyen

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

Social media handles:

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

Funders: Indiegogo donors

Made in association with: New York University Tisch School of the Arts

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

Please contact me through our facebook page for a screener, and check our facebook for updates on festival screenings.