Hot Springs Film Festival / Austin Film Festival 2019 – Guest House
Three women meet in a re-entry house as they attempt to acclimate to life after being released from incarceration and battling addiction.
Interview with Director/Producer Hannah Dweck
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Yael Luttwak and I heard about Friends of Guest House from a friend Melissa Goldman Davidson who teaches yoga at the program. She told us that this class had become one of the highlights of her week, and she invited us to come, and meet these intelligent, funny women for ourselves. We were immediately drawn to the women’s personal stories because they are representative of millions of women who are struggling with opioid addiction. We wanted to make the film to break down the biases and misinformed opinions that people have around those who struggle with addiction.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You should watch Guest House to be surprised and see a side of addiction and recovery that you haven’t yet seen in film, TV and other media. Guest House offers a perspective on the realities of addiction that are intimate and honest. You should watch this film to gain a greater understanding of how people find themselves struggling with addiction. It’s so easy to be afraid of what we don’t know.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Throughout the filming process, it became clear that the main issues that these women struggle with afflict almost everyone at one point or another: lack of self-confidence, loneliness, shame, hopelessness. We are all trying to survive in life. We all desire to be accepted, to be appreciated, to have friends, to be part of a community.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
During the first few days, we didn’t know what would unfold. It was important for us to be objective and have no expectations about which women we would follow. Maddison, Grace and Selena naturally gravitated toward us, and during the editing process, it became clear that showing the three perspectives was more impactful than showing one.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The film has been received well by both women in similar circumstances to Maddison, Selena and Grace, and to a wider audience. People have been finding the film to be engaging, and an accurate portrayal of what it’s like to struggle with addiction.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
We have thrilled by the positive feedback we have received, and many people have come up to us after screenings to relay their personal stories of addiction or stories of addiction in their family. While our point of view has not been challenged, it has become clear that there are so many more stories to be told surrounding the opioid crisis, and our criminal justice system.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We are interested in seeing the work of other new filmmakers who gravitate towards highlighting personal stories that represent larger societal issues. Additionally, we would like to have our film reach as many viewers as possible in an effort to showcase these powerful women who represent so many people struggling with addiction today. The more viewers we are able to reach, the greater our impact will be in chipping away at preconceived notions about who is affected by opioid addiction, and how empathy and support go a long way in the fight for recovery.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We hope to find a distributor with a great track record of sharing documentaries. We are also looking for partners to join our impact campaign to shine a light on businesses leading the way in hiring practices for those who have been previously incarcerated and share the film with people currently struggling with addiction to show that they are not alone in their recovery.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
We hope this movie offers hope to those currently battling addiction, in whatever form it’s being experienced, and also to their families and loved ones. We also want to show that community support is vital to the recovery process. Everyone needs a way to make a living in order to maintain a roof over their heads and food on the table. We hope this film shows that those who struggle with addiction are just as deserving of jobs and opportunities as anyone else.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
The number one question we are still debating ourselves is: What are better, more compassionate and more effective ways for communities to respond to non-violent drug offenders? Addiction is an illness, not a crime. How can we best meet the needs of those battling addiction?
Would you like to add anything else?
We offer a thousand thanks to the dedicated staff of Friends of Guest House and their Executive Director Kari Galloway. We could not have made this film without their endless generosity and support. We are also humbled by Maddison, Selena and Grace, and the many other women at Friends of Guest House who let us into their lives (literally letting us film them waking up at 5:30 am!) and trusted us to honestly document their experiences. They shared their lives with sincerity and gave people a window into their most vulnerable moments.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Hannah Dweck and Dweck Productions are partnering with Hardball Entertainment to produce the narrative feature Giving Birth to a Butterfly. Yael Luttwak is currently directing the media content at the Holocaust Museum in the District of Columbia.
Interview: October 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
Guest House
Three women meet in a re-entry house as they attempt to acclimate to life after being released from incarceration and battling addiction.
Length: 1:15:00
Director: Hannah Dweck and Yael Luttwak
Producer: Hannah Dweck and Yael Luttwak
About the writer, director and producer:
Guest House is HANNAH DWECK’s first documentary feature. A graduate of the University of Rochester with a passion for women’s stories, her previous work includes comedy short The Business Meeting and videos for the Humane Rescue Alliance.
Filmmaker YAEL LUTTWAK’s work highlights the humanity of her protagonists and covers pressing social issues. A graduate of the University of Rochester, Yael’s films include A Slim Peace, Maine Girls, and My Favorite Neoconservative.
Key cast: Grace, 29, just got out of her third stint in jail for possession of heroin. Grace is smart, driven, and emotionally intelligent, but also hot-headed and confrontational. She is running out of chances to turn her life around, but Grace is determined that, this time, she will make it. Maddison, 30, grew up in the foster system, was adopted by abusive parents, and eventually turned to heroin to understand why her birth mother left her. Maddison is committed to the cold-turkey method of cutting off her past. She wants to leave the program a professional, successful woman. Selena, 39, comes to Guest House optimistic, focused and ready to change her life. Her infectious spirit, ever-changing hairdos, and motivation to succeed inspire others, yet in private Selena admits to having low self-esteem. Selena struggles with the balance of maintaining past ties while simultaneously realizing her dreams for a drug-free future.
Looking for: distributors, journalists
Instagram: @dweckproductions
Hashtags used: #GuestHouseDoc
Website: www.guesthousedoc.com
Funders: Sonnie Dockser, Dweck Productions, The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Foundation, Melanie Nussdorf, Kinney Zalesne
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Hot Springs Film Festival / Arkansas - October 23, 2019; Austin Film Festival / Austin - October 26, 2019