Rhode Island International Film Festival 2019 – April in Winter
At the bottom of a frozen lake lies April's husband along with his snowmobile, unable to be retrieved until the spring thaw. The winter allows her to deny the truth. Determined to ignore reality, April obsesses over the coyote who raids her chicken coop and sets out to hunt it down. Now, only a force of nature will make April face the truth.
Interview with Writer/Director Emilie Silvestri
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! I made April in Winter after spending time in the north woods of Maine. I found myself with conflicting feelings inspired by being surrounded by such dense wilderness, especially in the wintertime. It seemed possible to be comforted by the natural world and feel a deep sense of connectedness, and to also feel very alone and isolated at the same time. I wanted to make a film set in this environment, that would explore these feelings. It all felt closely related to the idea of control - that as humans we have a difficult time surrendering to the mystery of things, that we often need to define something or wrap it up neatly, to be at peace with it. Where do we find personal peace in times of grief? What are the things that comfort us? Where do we instinctively look for closure? What do we push away? Soon I was making the story of a woman surrounded by the natural world and yet unable to surrender to the natural way of things.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think the themes of April in Winter are universal. There are times life will inevitably throw us things that we can't justify or understand. When we're unable to accept certain situations because there's no way to make sense of it. I hope that by watching this film and going on this journey with April, people can feel less alone in those feelings.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
There's always so much change that occurs in the process of making a movie! The film I wrote is not exactly the film that's on the screen. But I do think that the heart is the same and the original intention is still there. It's really the small things that changed - bits of dialogue that ended up not being important or working on set, pieces of information for the plot that became unnecessary, even whole actions in scenes that I thought were essential, ended up on the cutting room floor. I feel like that through the process or writing, filming, and editing, you actually discover the real thing that your film is about. The film kind of takes over at a certain point and says "this is what I am." I didn't want to force it too much to be what that original vision was, because, for me, that evolution is part of the beauty of making a movie and getting to collaborate with so many other people in the process.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
This is our premiere screening at RIIFF, so I am excited to screen the film in front of an audience! We did receive some grant support in post-production which was very helpful - but mostly just encouraging to know that people not involved in the making of the film were excited by it. The best I could hope for is to engage an audience, and if I'm lucky, move them or have them see things from a slightly new perspective.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I'd just love to spread the word that this film is out there! Filmmaking is so collaborative in the production process, but it feels like there are fewer opportunities for that collaboration once a film is made. Communities like this help promote that sharing of ideas that's so inspiring!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Film festival directors! RIIFF is our festival premiere, but we're eager to keep the film traveling on the festival circuit!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Nathan Golon (the DP) and I actually just moved up to Portland, Maine. We're working on developing more film projects (both doc and fiction) in the state. Our producer Eve Symington has three feature films in the works too!
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
April in Winter
At the bottom of a frozen lake lies April's husband along with his snowmobile, unable to be retrieved until the spring thaw. The winter allows her to deny the truth. Determined to ignore reality, April obsesses over the coyote who raids her chicken coop and sets out to hunt it down. Now, only a force of nature will make April face the truth.
Length: 14:40
Director: Emilie Silvestri
Producer: Eve Symington
Writer: Emilie Silvestri
About the writer, director and producer:
EMILIE SILVESTRI is a writer and director. She earned her MFA in filmmaking from NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Singapore, and has worked on fiction, documentary, and commercial work around the world. Her graduate thesis film April in Winter was filmed in the north woods of Maine and was the recipient of the Panavision New Filmmaker Gold Circle Award from the Caucus Foundation in Los Angeles, as well as a Wasserman Award finalist.
EVE SYMINGTON earned her MFA at New York University’s Tisch Asia program in Singapore. Her thesis film Tether, shot on location in Guatemala, screened at the 2015 Rhode Island Film Festival. Eve recently produced a short film for the AFI Directing Workshop for Women and line produced a feature on Nantucket. Her feature Orientation was an Austin Film Festival Finalist and selected for the 2019 Women at Sundance Financing Intensive. Eve is based in Los Angeles.
Key cast: Audrie Neenan (April)
Looking for: film festival directors
Facebook: April in Winter
Website: www.emiliesilvestri.com
Funders: Indiegogo, Self-Funded, Post production grants from NYU and the Caucus for Producers, Writers, & Directors Foundation
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? The Rhode Island International Film Festival - August 11th @ 7:30pm in Providence, RI - VETS Memorial Auditorium