An aging woman attempts to regain her youth through her taxidermy and spell books.

Interview with Writer/Director Marinah Janello

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! I made this film as an ode to menopause and menstruation...two parts of womanhood that are completely natural and yet taboo. I was inspired by my own reflections on physical deterioration, or a descent into chaos as one grows older, and the emotional toll losing one’s youth takes on the psyche.

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Entropia is a crazy fun ride! The first shocking moment doesn’t prepare you for what you will encounter next!

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I have seen someone very close to me deal with the trauma of menopause and the feeling that at some point all is lost and there is no going back. It makes me question: how close are women’s physical appearance tied to their self worth and how do societal pressures factor into this?

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

When I first wrote my script, it was a mere eight pages. I realized while directing that there were parts of my main character that needed fleshing out. This, in turn, added to the length of the film. In the editing process, I eliminated a couple of scenes I felt didn’t add to the story in any significant way, and in the end, the film ended up running fifteen minutes.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I have received quite positive feedback. Especially during screenings, people will remain squeamish through the entire film, hooting and hollering. At one particular screening, a man was yelled at for his disgust at the sight of period blood, but likewise, I heard many female voices in the crowd, easily as disturbed if not more!

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

The feedback has made me excited to continue creating. People have told me that it might not have been the grossest film they have ever seen, but it has been the strangest film by far. Although I indulge in the gross, I am much more thrilled to hear this be called the strangest film they have encountered.

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

I feel this film is bit of a hidden gem. It doesn’t quite fit into the genre of horror, but it is by no means your average art film. I feel if more people could access it, it could touch a larger audience who haven’t been exposed to films addressing similar topics.

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

I would love for more journalists to bring light to short films. Film festivals are a great opportunity for filmmakers and journalists alike to connect, and these connections need to be more commonplace, especially at smaller festivals. Distributors are also important for short film makers in offering a platform for the film to thrive and reach more people after its festival run, since so often, after its run, it generally seems to go into hiding and may disappear indefinitely.

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

I’d love for my film to continue having the impact is has had. I love how people have relayed to me that it’s left a lasting impression on them long after its screening and how it has made them reflect on issues of identity and their own preconceived notions of bodily functions particularly pertaining to women.

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

How have you dealt or how would you deal with the tole that aging takes on your mind and body?

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

I, along with Evan Phennicie, my producer/composer, are currently in pre-production for our first feature that deals with issues of life, death, and close connections between women of different generations.

Interview: May 2018

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, 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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Entropia

An aging woman attempts to regain her youth through her taxidermy and spell books.

Length: 15min

Director: Marinah Janello

Producer: Evan Phennicie

Writer: Marinah Janello

About the writer, director and producer:

Writer/Director:

Marinah Janello is a video artist/filmmaker whose work deals with issues of circumstance through humor and creative writing.

Producer:

Evan Phennicie is a boston-based composer, sound designer, and film producer.

Key cast: Sissy O’hara

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

Journalists, distributors

Facebook:

facebook.com/entropiashortfilm

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

Moviate Underground Film Festival (Harrisburg,PA)