HollyShorts / Sidewalk Film Festival 2019 – Aloha
Aloha follows one new mom's quest to find the perfect birth announcement after the delivery of her baby doesn't go quite as planned.
Interview with Writer/Director/Actor Brandi Nicole Payne
Watch Aloha here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Aloha is a story that’s been in my heart for a few years but after having my youngest son, I knew it was time to tell it.
My baby boy was born two months premature in December 2013. It was a pretty scary experience as I developed HELLP Syndrome which involved a cocktail of complications that made my delivery a bit harrowing. Thankfully he was born without any health issues other than being tiny, so he had to stay in the NICU to get healthy enough to be released into our care. We visited him every day (except for the two days we were both sick and didn't want to pass that on to the little ones) and it was an enormous relief when, after one month, he weighed 5 lbs and we could finally take him home. After having had two relatively smooth deliveries prior to him, having a baby in the NICU was something I NEVER thought could or would happen to me. It was an eye-opening and humbling experience and I will forever be grateful to the nurses who took care of him around the clock.
While our family in Aloha experiences a different set of complications, my personal experience was the catalyst that allowed me to make this film. It served as a stark reminder that despite all of our many technological advancements, childbirth is still a marvel and a miracle. My hope is that each person who watches our film will have a greater sense of how special every child is, no matter their birth story.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If you like heartwarming films that broach difficult subjects with a lighter touch and films that are beautifully shot, this film is for you.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The main theme of this film is that every child is worth honoring and celebrating and that we should give parents the space to do so even when it may be painful for them to share or for us to hear.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
After writing the first draft, I created a Google Worksheet where I asked parents who had miscarriages or pregnancy complications to share their experiences and that contributed to the development.
Winning the Emergence Program grant certainly elevated the project as I had access to cameras, equipment, lighting and other vendors that I wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I've received the most feedback from parents and families who have experienced something similar and are glad to see a film that they can relate to without a sense of heaviness. And the ending credit sequence is something many have appreciated which is rewarding to hear.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The only feedback I've gotten that surprised me was from a man who said seeing this film made him realize he's always wanted a daughter and couldn't express/admit that until now. I was not expecting that.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope the film can broaden its audience so that people get a sense that it's okay to talk about these things since it's likely someone in your life has gone through this or something similar.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We've had a tough time getting accepted into film festivals and have started to wonder if we need to go ahead and release online so that more parents can see it. So sharing with film festival directors, journalists and shorts distributors would be helpful.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope it makes parents reconsider keeping silent when they experience the type of pregnancy complication our lead character goes through. I also hope it helps others give their friends & family members the space they need to share these things when it happens to them, despite their possible discomfort in listening.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Do you know anyone who has experienced serious pregnancy complications? If so, how do you feel about discussing that experience with them? Do you assume or hope they don't want to talk about it? (And certainly, some may not) Do you let them know you're a listening ear if they ever need it? Do you make space for them to share if and when they're ready or do you feel like it's their personal business that they should keep to themselves?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you for doing this!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
You can see me next in The Mentor which should be having its film festival premiere soon. Our DP, Nate Rigaud, is directing an audio series called Quest of Heroes. Other than that, my producer Tara and I are both continuing to write and create material we hope to sell soon.
Interview: August 2019
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
Aloha
Aloha follows one new mom's quest to find the perfect birth announcement after the delivery of her baby doesn't go quite as planned.
Length: 13:03
Director: Brandi Nicole Payne
Producer: Tara Tomicevic
Writer: Brandi Nicole Payne
About the writer, director and producer:
BRANDI NICOLE PAYNE is a storyteller and artivist whose work has been featured on HBO and various film festivals. Selected for the inaugural Emergence Program (a production grant for female filmmakers), Brandi recently made her directorial debut with her short film Aloha, which was crowdfunded on Seed & Spark and supported by a grant from Grant Larson Productions. Brandi was recently featured in CW's Dynasty and can next be seen starring in the indie feature The Mentor.
After two seasons as the showrunner's assistant on ABC's Scandal, TARA is now at Netflix. Prior, she produced the multiple award-winning short Muted, which ran on HBO and Cinemax. Her short Cuddle Party was licensed by Tribeca Presents and is currently on Amazon. She is a Croatian war-refugee who grew up in Italy and received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley on a full scholarship.
Key cast: Brandi Nicole Payne (Camille), Noshir Dalal (Camille's Dad), Antonia Jones (Invitation Designer), Aishveryaa Nidhi (Noah's Mom), Deborah Lacey (Camille's Mom), Kim Estes (Camille's Dad)
Looking for: journalists, film festival directors, distributors
Facebook: Rainy Day Bliss
Twitter: @creativelyb
Instagram: @creativelyb
Hashtags used: #alohashortfilm #teamaloha
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: The Camera Division's Emergence Program
Funders: Seed & Spark
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? HollyShorts/Los Angeles, CA - Aug. 17th; Sidewalk Film Festival/Birmingham, AL - Aug. 23rd-25th.