HollyShorts 2018 - December
At year's end a woman tries to move on as her past comes rushing back. In matters of the heart do we take a risk before it's too late or hope for a second chance?
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Luciana Faulhaber
Watch December here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
My films are always like a burning desire. I joke that inspiration is everywhere, but it really is! It starts with a spark and somehow the story grows inside of me until I can no longer contain it and I just have to put it out in the world. Indie filmmaking is so tough that unless one has a real need to create something, it is easy to be complacent and let ideas go. December has a special place in my heart. It was meticulously designed from the writing, to the style and its execution. I had a wonderful team of collaborators in every department from the actors to the music that fit so perfectly it's like it was made for the picture.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Have you ever ended a relationship and wondered if things could have been different? Maybe if you said something or didn't do something maybe you would have gotten a different ending? If you ever felt that way then this film is for you.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
As a director I strive to tell the stories that bring out the most human in us in a time of so much detachment. December is one of those incredibly personal and for that universal stories. As we hide behind our screens we say less of what we mean and pretend to care less than we do. Then one day we wake up and realize we missed out on what we actually wanted.
The characters of this film don't have names, the location is not specific and the audience is not told what transpired between them. All we see is how these people feel at this moment in time and how they are dealing with it. This was done purposefully so the audience fills in the blanks with their own experiences Love, hurt, regret, hope are all universal feelings that are brought to light in December. We have all been there. We have all been these people. I want the audience to watch and think of the those times and how they shape who we become.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Of course! There were so many drafts before I got to the final version. It was particularly tricky to get the right combination of the things the audience needed to know and what they needed to piece together throughout the picture. There is a touch of romance in every aspect of this film from the wardrobe to the coloring because again, this is how this woman sees the world and not necessarily the hard facts of what happened between them. That, in any relationship or event, we will never truly know.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It has been amazing! People keep approaching me after it screens to tell me their break up stories. And I love listening to them! It usually starts with how they have been through something similar and they fill in all details with what they have been through. The story specifics are always different from the original idea of the film showing me I accomplished what i set out to do. I also get complaints about the ending – how they want to know more and I love that too because the point is not what happened before or after. The point is what's happening in this moment. It's to take the leap now so you don't have to wonder the "woulda" and "shoulda" later.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
So far it has been exactly what I expected. There is the crowd that totally gets lost in the moment and the crowd that wants and needs the details of the story all wrapped up in a bow. I like to make the audience think so regardless in what way, it certainly is hitting the mark and I could not be happier with it.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I am so grateful to be able to share a little bit more about my work with you! Everything I make has such personal meaning with the hopes it will reach an universal feeling. I won't sugar coat it for you. Making movies is difficult and expensive even when you get lucky and work with fantastic people. Now add being a woman, immigrant, and of color. So to me, the work's gotta be meaningful. It's gotta have something to say. Gotta be worth the nights you don't sleep and all the frozen pizza you had to eat because you put all your money in the film. People tell you not to do that but if you don't put your own money where your mouth at first, who will? When you find a story you must tell go do. That's the case here.
Beyond December, I made a horror feature called Don't Look that aims to put the stereotypes of the genre on the spotlight with lots of humor. In this picture, we put diversity on the forefront and the women are the true heroes fighting for themselves and each other. I am tired of that cultural rhetoric that women are waiting to be saved. That's the burning desire this project came from. Don't Look is also screening in the festival circuit now and will be released in November. After hearing more about the roots of my work, I hope you get curious and go check out not only my short December, but Don't Look and other projects my partner Javier E. Gomez and I are currently developing.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
The goal with December is just to reach as many people as possible and hopefully make a difference that way. The festival circuit is very important as well as journalists, like you, who will share all the hard work, dedication and intention behind it. The wider the audience the bigger the opportunity for reflection and hopefully inner growth. Small shifts can have major impact.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
It has been exactly what I hoped and set out to do. I can only wish that it plays at more festivals to reach as many people as possible.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
In matters of the heart do we take a risk before it's too late or hope for a second chance?
Would you like to add anything else?
I would like to take this time to thank everyone who helped me make this picture: TJ Scott, Juliette and Sean Beavan, Stuart Brereton, Todd Leykamp and my amazing co-stars Dan Feueriegel and Chris Conrad. They are incredible professionals and I am still over the moon they all agreed to jump in and make this picture with me. Directing this talent was nothing short of a dream come true. I would also like to thank the band 8MM for the amazing music that brought all the pieces together.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Javier and I at Enuff Productions are currently pitching a comedy series and developing a documentary. The series is about a coming out story of a young latino journalist that finds himself a fish out of water in his own culture. It is based on a true story. The documentary is in pre-production and I am not allowed to disclose details at this time. But for updates follow me in instagram @lucianafaulhaberofficial.
Interview: August 2018
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
December
At year's end a woman tries to move on as her past comes rushing back. In matters of the heart do we take a risk before it's too late or hope for a second chance? This movie is about the messes we make.
Length: 6 min
Who is being interviewed for this article?
Director: Luciana Faulhaber
Writer: Luciana Faulhaber
Producer: Luciana Faulhaber
About the writer/director/producer:
LUCIANA FAULHABER is a female Latina director. Born an raised in Brazil, she came to the US with a full scholarship to study at Fordham university where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor of science. Then, also on an academic scholarship she continued her studies at Columbia Grad school. During that time Luciana started to combine her time with acting and writing as a way to tell the stories she needed to tell. As an actress she has worked on programs CSI, Grey's Anatomy, Gotham, among others.
Key cast: Dan Feueriegel (Spartacus/Chicago Fire), Chris Conrad (Patriot), Luciana Faulhaber (Gotham/Shades of Blue)
Looking for: film festival directors, journalists
Facebook: December AND Luciana Faulhaber
Twitter: @Lu_Faulhaber
Instagram: @lucianafaulhaberofficial AND @decembershort
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
August 16th, 5pm at Hollyshorts Film Festival