Vinnie finds a shoe that's missing its other half and discovers his love for high heeled pumps

Interview with Director/Writer Cinder Chou

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

This film was specifically made for the Filmshop Collective’s end of season showcase. All the short films made for this event were five minutes in length and followed the theme, Unfinished Business. I also wanted to make a film about someone questioning traditional societal norms.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

You should watch this film because it is a sweet story about following your bliss. Every person is taught from a young age that you have to be a certain way based on gender or race and it doesn’t have to be that way. You have the freedom to choose who you are and who you want to be.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The film is about self-exploration and questioning gender norms. To me, high heeled shoes were always symbolic of femininity. The higher the heel, the more feminine. The societal norm is that these are made for women, but I’m hoping that is changing.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

This is the first script I wrote with another writer. Since this was intended for the Filmshop collective’s end of season showcase, I wanted the process to be as collaborative as possible. At each step, I felt that the film was going to be better than if I was doing it solo because of the strengths and talents of my fellow collaborators. We made this film in just two months from script to post, which is the fastest I’ve ever worked.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I’ve received very positive feedback with the film so far. This is our first screening so I will be excited to hear more after our screening

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

The feedback has made me want to continue making stories about people who are trying to make themselves feel whole.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I think our lead actor, Edward Prostak, is amazing in it and I’d love to show his work to as many people as possible. We are waiting to hear back from a few festivals and I hope that the film has a great festival run.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

We would be looking for film festival directors, sales agents, buyers, and distributors to come on board.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I would like to reevaluate the role of high heeled shoes in society and ultimately do away with the terms feminine and masculine

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Have you ever worn a high heeled shoe?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I am currently working on my feature film, Missus Softee, which was selected as part of NYWIFT’s development lab for female writer-directors. Martha Frances Williams, who was the producer on If the Shoe Fits, will also be partnering with me on Missus Softee.

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

If the Shoe Fits

Vinnie finds a shoe that's missing its other half and discovers his love for high heeled pumps

Length: 4:49

Director: Cinder Chou

Producer: Martha Frances Williams

Writer: Cinder Chou and Brittany Prater

About the writer, director and producer:

CINDER CHOU is a writer-director based in New York City. In her work, she is interested in exploring the mundane and the surreal, and the intersection of these two worlds. Cinder's work has screened at many festivals around the United States including the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, the Big Apple Film Festival, and the Orlando Film Festival among others. Her short film, The Man With The Western Hat, won the Audience Award at the 2017 Artists Forum Festival of the Moving Image.

BRITTANY PRATER is a filmmaker and artist living and working in New York. Founder of Cornfield Productions LLC, Prater has screened short films, videos and other works in New York and internationally. Her work has been reviewed in ArtNews, The L Magazine and Hyperallergic as well as the Kansas City Star, The Des Moines Register and The Ames Tribune. She received her MFA from Temple University her BFA from Kansas City Art Institute.

MARTHA FRANCES WILLIAMS has always been a natural storyteller with a more than meets the eye quality, a bold imagination, drive, and curiosity mixed with her southern hospitable roots. She’s spent much of her life pouring these qualities into different artistic endeavors and discovering the curated style that is BAD MoFo Productions. A brave, unapologetic, roll with the punches, dreamy, and highly personal approach.

Key cast: Edward Prostak (Vinnie)

Looking for: film festival directors, sales agents, distributors

Facebook: Cinder Blockade Chou

Instagram: @cinderblockade

Hashtags used: #iftheshoefits

Website: www.cinderama.com

Made in association with: Filmshop

Funders: Self-funded

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Queens World Film Festival/New York - March 23rd; More to come