In California's poorest desert region, a colorful group of regulars and their dogs gather at Rob's internet cafe for coffee and WiFi in "the last free place in America".

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Mikael Lypinski

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! I made my film because I fell in love with my characters and their off-the-grid lifestyle in Slab City, California. I wanted to explore the reasons why so many people have decided to leave society behind and start life from scratch in this very primitive desert community.

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

You should watch "Desert Coffee" because it allows you to spend 24 hours in the desert with a group of very bohemian, vulnerable and surprisingly funny people - and their dogs.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Freedom - or the search for freedom and independence - is a major theme that is explored on various levels in my film.

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

I spent a couple of intense weeks shooting the film and then we spent many long months in the editing room, aiming towards a very straightforward and clean - but constantly surprising - storyline. We begin the film early one morning when the main character, cafe-owner Rob, is searching for his lost dog, and end the film in the dawn hours the next day.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The feedback has been very positive. At the world premiere in Krakow (Poland), the film received high ratings and reviews from international critics. The documentary magazine Modern Times Review wrote: "These are the misfits among misfits, and they are also very human, vulnerable and in many ways relatable."

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I've enjoyed several incredible Q&A's with audiences in which all kinds of fantastic, captivating questions come up. From basic nitty-gritty to philosophical themes.

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

I'm very excited to have "Desert Coffee" featured on We Are Moving Stories. We hope to reach more festivals and audiences.

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

We have an excellent sales agent on board, Sideways (London) and confirmed TV acquisitions in several European countries. We would love more activity on the festival circuit.

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

Audiences seem to bond very quickly with my characters and their almost inherent vulnerability.

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

The inhabitants of Slab City call their community "the last free place in America"... But the key question is, can you really be free?

Would you like to add anything else?

Please find the time to read the following review of "Desert Coffee" in "Modern Times Review": https://www.moderntimes.review/coffee-end-world/

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

I'm developing a documentary in Sweden and finishing the screenplay for a fiction feature, to be shot in Poland.

Interview: April 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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Desert Coffee

In California's poorest desert region, a colorful group of regulars and their dogs gather at Rob's internet cafe for coffee and WiFi in "the last free place in America".

Length: 53 minutes

Director: Mikael Lypinski

Producer: Mikael Lypinski, Piotr Bogucki, Malgosia Koziol

Writer: Mikael Lypinski

About the writer, director and producer:

Mikael Lypinski was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. He graduated from the Directing Department of The Polish National Film School in Lódz, Poland. Mikael has directed close to 200 commercials, working for major clients around the globe – and several shorts, both fiction and documentary. Mikael is also an acknowledged photographer. "Desert Coffee" is his debut medium-length documentary.

Key cast: Rob Lane, Donita Boardman, Zack Wild, Dante Fields

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

Social media handles:

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

Other: Sideways (sales agent): http://www.sidewaysfilm.com/desert-coffee/

Made in association with: Efektura

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? AmDocs, Palm Springs. Sunday 8th of April. 6:30pm.