Cinequest 2019 – Blood Paradise
Reeling after her latest novel flops, a best-selling crime writer is sent by her publisher to the Swedish countryside to regain inspiration. Totally out of place in her new surroundings, she discovers just how dangerous farm life can be.
Interview with Writer/Producer/Editor/Actor Andréa Winter
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made this film because I don't know what else to do. I think all filmmakers (and artists) are mad. Why do we create art? I don't really know. It's a voice in my head telling me that I have to tell visual stories. I also want to show the world that we need more women in cinema!
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If you like vintage horror films, mysteries, thrillers, dark comedy, if you like to have fun and be entertained, watch our film. Also, if you're interested in indie cinema and low budget filmmaking you should definitely watch it, since we made this one for what's considered a micro budget.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The movie deals with obsession. It's about the crisis of an artist. In this case a writer who's suffering from a writer’s block. Being an artist and film-maker myself, this script is very close to heart and symbolizes the struggles that every artist faces. There's no map an artist can follow when it comes to creation itself. It just has to come from somewhere deep inside. If it's not there, how do you find the inspiration you seek? It can drive you mad. The movie's perspective is also very much made from a female’s point of view. The writer "Robin Richards" is a woman, so we're breaking the stereotypical Hollywood version of a writer who's a gruff man with a beautiful muse by his side. In our movie the main character has a boy-toy who doesn't inspire her anymore. She smokes cigars and likes to drink. I wanted to show that modern women do all those things and that relationships have different dynamics than we're used to seeing in movies. I feel like a lot of films still live in the past. I believe we've come much further than what's being portrayed in movies today.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Patrick (the director and my life partner) and I, were both struggling with a writer’s block before we wrote this film. So one day I said: "Let's just write something that takes place in my hometown about a writer who can't write. It can't be that hard right? Let's just use our own experiences." Two years later here we are with a feature film that we shot on the very farm I grew up on. The script changed a lot while shooting it and especially during the editing process. We dealt with a really small budget and couldn't afford to do any re-shoots, so we had to spend a lot of time with our editor to get it right. That's when I realized editing in half of the writing in a way. You'll never really know how the movie will turn out until you're in the editing room.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Some people are really in love with our film and some hate it passionately. I welcome both opinions. I always said that some people were going to hate our movie just as much as some were going to love it. Since I was the sole producer on this film, we made it on our own terms and we didn't have to listen to anyone. It was extremely satisfying since we know how hard it can be to work on a film with "too many cooks in the kitchen". But that also means that not everyone is going to like it. We see film as art, not everyone is supposed to like it.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It hasn't really challenged my point of view. I've been very satisfied with the feedback. Both good or bad.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope that more people hear about it and get a chance to see it. I wanted to make this movie so that it could be seen by a broad audience. I also wanted to show what you can do on such a small budget nowadays. If you are creative, the possibilities are endless.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Our film already has distribution, but we'd love this film to go to a couple of more films festivals. As of now we haven't hired any PR. So we're also looking for journalists. Patrick and I have hold off with signing with an agency until we finished this film, so now is a good time to catch us.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope this film can help to change the way we make movies today. I produced, co-wrote, co-edited, composed and was the lead-actress in this film. Big crews are not always necessary. I hope I can inspire other indie filmmakers to do their films the same way. I also hope that other women will be inspired by this and dare to make their own movies. I was met with so much skepticism before I made this film, most of the time because I hadn't gone to film school, but also because I was a woman.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What is a woman today? Is she the creator or is she the muse? Can she be both? What is possible today? Can you make a high quality film with a very minimal budget? I believe so.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Patrick (the director and my life partner) and I are working on two projects right now. One is a television show we've been writing on for a couple of years and one is a feature film we're planning on shooting in Europe. We're going to present both projects at the market in Cannes this year.
Interview: March 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
Blood Paradise
Reeling after her latest novel flops, a best-selling crime writer is sent by her publisher to the Swedish countryside to regain inspiration. Totally out of place in her new surroundings, she discovers just how dangerous farm life can be.
Length: 1:24:00
Director: Patrick von Barkenberg
Producer: Andréa Winter
Writer: Andréa Winter & Patrick von Barkenberg
About the writer, director and producer:
PATRICK VON BARKENBERG is a German-born filmmaker. He received a scholarship to study directing at the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles where he was mentored by Frank Pierson, Gil Dennis and Jim McBride. His short films received the Richard P. Rogers Spirit of Excellence Award, the Telly Award, the ECU Best Editing Award, the Technicolor Grant and the Fuji Grant. His first feature film, the Arthouse/Horror motion picture Blood Paradise had its world premiere at Scary Movies XI at the Film Society of Lincoln Center in NYC (08/18/18).
ANDRÉA WINTER Producer/Screenwriter/Actor/Editor/Composer grew up on a farm in the North of Sweden, close to the Arctic Circle. She left home at the age of 16 to study music and singing at the prestigious Rytmus Music School in Stockholm. She later relocated to New York City to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. After graduation, she moved to Los Angeles where she acted in countless commercials, three short films and two music videos and discovered her passion for screenwriting and producing. She wrote three full-length feature film scripts and produced her Horror/Arthouse feature film Blood Paradise, which was finished in the summer of 2018. Blood Paradise had it's world premiere August 18th 2018 at Scary Movies XI at the Film Society of Lincoln Center in NYC.
Key cast: Andréa Winter (Robin Richards) Christer Cavallius (The Driver) Rolf Brunnström (The Farmer)
Looking for: journalists, film festival directors
Facebook: Blood Paradise
Instagram: @loodparadisemovie
Website: www.bloodparadise.com
Other: IMDB
Made in association with: Winter & Von B
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Cinequest/Century 20 Redwood City Screen 18, 9.50 PM - 03/15/2019; Cinequest/3Below, 11.59 PM - 03-16-2019