Pan African Film Festival 2020 – Furthest From
When a water contamination issue forces a trailer park to be closed, a young girl must come to terms with leaving everything and everyone she's ever known behind.
Interview with Director Kyung Sok Kim and Writer/Producer Rex Reyes II
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
KYUNG: My life has been all about leaving people and things behind. I thought it would stop once I graduate from college and get a job, but here I am in a foreign country pursuing filmmaking, which can be absolutely unpredictable. Even though I’ve been living a life full of challenges, changes still scare me sometimes. And I remember how I used to crawl back into my cave and feel vulnerable when I was younger. So when I read Rex’s script, which was based on his own childhood stories, I was really able to relate to Jessie’s feelings and was confident that I can make this into a beautiful piece. That’s how we teamed up and came to make this story.
REX: I wrote this film at a time I felt I had to. I was just compelled to try and get my idea out there. I saw a little girl in my head named “Jessie” living in my childhood home. It was a combination of nostalgia and narrative intrigue that guided my pen into something that could be a movie. The image of the opening scene is the thing that made it into something cinematic for me, and so I knew it had to be filmed.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
REX: If you’ve ever had to deal with loss or change in your life and find yourself wondering about the future, then maybe this film may be for you. Through the central character, Jessie, we see a beautiful world ravaged by change. This change is disheartening at first, but upon taking a moment to understand that this change has led to a new beginning, Jessie sees that maybe it’s not totally awful. To me, this is the crux of the piece. I feel that at the base level there is a universality within the central idea that beckons to us, and I implore any audience struggling with such things to give this film a watch.
KYUNG: Not only myself but the whole team participated in this film felt that they got comforted by this movie while making it, and while watching it. As Rex described, this film is about coming to terms with changes in one’s life. We get frightened when unwanted changes come to us and often forget the fact that there are always precious people who stay together and stand next to us. I believe that this film will remind you of this simple but easily forgotten truth.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
REX: In the case of this film, almost the entirety of the film was based upon my childhood. This was a very personal story. Often odd at times. There was a moment when I looked at the pink trailer and was just bewildered, as though I was a time traveler standing in both the past and present. Thematically, I feel strongly that the idea of growing up is something that never entirely left me; indeed, I often find myself saying goodbye more than I say hello, and still struggle with change.
KYUNG: As Rex said, this is a personal story that is based on his childhood. And having presented the work that we did to Rex’s family was truly a joy and honor for me. The universal theme of the movie would be learning to accept change and move on. And I am sure this will universally impact audiences all over the world.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
REX: The script always maintained the key scenes. Lucas always had to leave, and Jessie had to try to understand someone outside of her own experience, Sam, her sister. However, the way we get there was a journey to be sure. Throughout development, many things were tried before the return to the toy water gun as being the ultimate form of a representation of childhood. This one item was both nostalgic to me and allowed for a beautiful connective tissue between Jessie and Lucas.
KYUNG: A lot of things have changed and evolved throughout the production of the movie, but the biggest change we made would be our ending scene. In the beginning, we were thinking about ending this movie with a shot of the water gun that is left behind. But during the reshoot process, we decided to convey this idea of leaving the water gun behind in a much more subtle way. Instead, we put the POV shot of Jessie’s car leaving to convey the emotional distance that Jessie feels from her beloved trailer park.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
KYUNG: A lot of audiences enjoyed the film saying that they were able to relate to the character. People were also mentioning how good our cast’s performances are, and they seemed to appreciate the cinematography of it too. Some people were actively discussing the water contamination issue that was subtly placed in our film with us. I’m also looking forward to other screenings and feedback that will come after that.
REX: The feedback has been positive so far. Audiences seem to be surprised by the quality of the filmmaking. I now look forward to screenings of the film, whereas before I’d often loathe the idea for the uncertainty of the reception.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
REX: Surprised in the best possible way, because all you can ever hope for is that an audience finds an emotional connection to the film. In our case, screenings have elicited a genuine excitement amongst filmgoers. They seem to laugh at the right moments and feel saddened by Jessie’s changing circumstances. This means there is a sense of empathy present in screenings.
KYUNG: I was also surprised by the fact that audiences saw a lot of subtle hints and metaphors in our movie. We deliberately made this film subtle and didn’t expect so many audiences will catch all the hidden meanings of it, but it seemed like most of the audiences caught those. It gave me a conviction that the audiences know much more than filmmakers would expect.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
REX: Visibility on this site is a gift to a film such as ours, as it allows for people who’ve perhaps not heard of our story to possibly become interested in the premise. The more people who invest interest in our story, the more the narrative reach grows, and in doing so allows for our film to possibly be screened to more people. This is our hope.
KYUNG: We would always like to have opportunities to screen and show this film to as many people as possible. And we are so grateful that We Are Moving Stories is helping us promote our film. If people hear our stories, get interested and watch our movies, that’s all I want.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
REX: I’m always interested in meeting buyers, sales agents, distributors, film festival directors, journalists! All of these individuals are experts in expanding upon the reach of one’s film. I welcome any who are interested in the film if their hearts are in the right place. Also, there is some interest in expanding upon this narrative. However, in order for something like that to happen there would need to be people with the skills and drive to help facilitate that.
KYUNG: As Rex said, we are trying to make it into a feature and we would love to have a lot of talents involved in this project. In order to do so, having the chance to screen this film to more people is absolutely critical. We would want buyers, sales agents, distributors, film festival directors, journalists and everyone to join our screenings and come on board.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
KYUNG: Of course it would be nice to have all the positive receptions for this movie but more importantly, I hope audiences can relate to Jessie’s situation and feelings. And I wish that people can be given the courage from Jessie’s journey.
REX: Ideally, I would like for there to be a positive reception amongst younger and older audiences alike. There seems to be a universal quality to the film, although it’s told through the eyes of a young girl. Adults will pay more attention to the details of the water issues, and children will focus more on Jessie’s struggle to say goodbye to both Lucas and what she’s familiar with.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
REX: Why do we forget that children notice everything? Now keep this in mind when you look at the world around you, or at the very least the world you set for them.
KYUNG: when did you say sorry for the first time? I mean, when did you really mean it for the first time while saying that?
Would you like to add anything else?
REX: This project began with a treatment I didn’t think would be picked up. It was an idea birthed from emotion and nostalgia, so the likelihood of it being greenlit was slim, or so I thought. The notion that this story would resonate with an audience came later upon rewrites and test screenings. I am truly moved that there seems to be a genuine connection to the material, as it is in a sense a form of recollection to my own childhood, albeit designed as a form of entertainment that explores growing up. As an adult I’m still constantly finding new ways I’m growing into the person I want to be, so this project was a great form of therapy for me. The future doesn’t have to be scary, and there can be beauty in the unknown.
KYUNG: Making Furthest From has been an incredibly fun journey, and I don’t think this journey will ever end in my life. I grew up a lot while making this film, and I have a feeling that I will continuously learn a lot of things from this movie and Jessie. I will miss the time when I was making this film and also the time while I was so insecure just like Jessie. If you have an experience of leaving something that is really important to you behind, I am sure that you’ll enjoy watching this film or at least find some memories of yours from Jessie and her little pink trailer.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
REX: I’m currently drafting a feature out of Furthest From. I’m also working on three short film projects about different aspects of contemporary society. One story would focus on anxiety and peer pressure, another would be about child abandonment, and then there would be a story about a loss of connection in the age of casual romance and digital technology. I’m also writing a feature dealing with similar coming of age themes but in a more fantastical setting. The film would deal with the terrors associated with the cycle of hatred, and if a change in one’s perspective could eliminate such hate, or even bring about understanding.
KYUNG: As we mentioned before, we’re working on a feature version of Furthest From so that we can show more aspects of Jessie. I’m also writing two short film projects and prepping a music video shooting in April.
Interview: February 2020
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Furthest From
When a water contamination issue forces a trailer park to be closed, a young girl must come to terms with leaving everything and everyone she's ever known behind.
Length: 18:58
Director: Kyung Sok Kim
Producer: Rex Reyes II
Writer: Rex Reyes II
About the writer, director and producer:
KYUNG SOK KIM is a Korean filmmaker based in LA. His short films have won and screened in numerous film festivals such as Pan African Film Festival, and have won grants from Fotokem and Universal Studios. Kyung recently graduated from the American Film Institute (AFI) class of 2019, with an MFA in Film Directing.
REX REYES II is a recent graduate of the AFI Conservatory, where he studied Producing. It was here where he wrote and produced the film Furthest From. Prior to AFI he attended the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he earned a degree in Cinema and Media Studies. He has worked for the De Laurentiis Company and the Piracy Protection Platform Team at Universal Studios in addition to having written and produced several short films. A true Californian, he was born and raised throughout the Bay Area. Often known as a "tragic optimist," Rex is fueled by his love of storytelling and cinema.
Key cast: Amanda Christine (Jessie), Tucker Chandler (Lucas), Jasmin Jean-Louis (Sam), Mignon (Robin)
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, journalists, film festival directors, buyers, producers
Facebook: Furthest From
Instagram: @furthest_from
Hashtags used: #furthestfrom #afi #afithesis #shortfilm #film #comingofage #santaclarita #sandiegoblackfilmfestival #panafricanfilmfestival
Website: www.furthestfrom.com
Other: Vimeo
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Pan African Film Festival/Cinemark Baldwin Hills 15 Theater - Thu, Feb 13@12:15 Pm ; Thu, Feb 20@7:05 pm; Sun, Feb 23@9:40 pm