Lighthouse International Film Festival 2020 – Islander
The storm took everything...
and everyone...
but, now, the pieces have begun to wash ashore.
Interview with Director Derek Pastuszek
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
We set out to make this film in the winter of 2014, two years after Hurricane Sandy devastated much of the Northeastern US. My family had a modest beach house in a town called Beach Haven, on Long Beach Island, New Jersey -- a house that my great-grandfather built in the early 1970s -- and I had spent so much of my childhood there. After Sandy, and seeing the devastation to that community, I wanted to return and tell a story on the island -- to explore the wreckage that was still there two years later and to reconnect with my childhood memories of that place. At the time when we shot the film, I was attending the AFI Conservatory with Nicholas Bupp, the cinematographer, and we decided to go out to Long Beach Island during our winter break together -- just us and Jeff Swisher, the lead actor -- and make this film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
At its most distilled, this is a story about how to carry on -- how to pick up the pieces -- after a catastrophe. And how to find hope in lonely and seemingly hopeless times. I think we can all relate, in some way (or many ways), to the feeling of living in catastrophic times right now. The isolation of the main (and only) character; the environmental disaster looming; the disconnectedness of the world around us -- these elements are all present in both the film and in our current state of affairs. If we've done our jobs as filmmakers properly, people watching the film will reach some kind of strange catharsis by the end -- and perhaps feel somewhat uplifted -- and perhaps feel a sense of hope.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
This story is deeply personal. Every shot in this film -- every location we found on the island -- has a tangible and profound connection to my childhood memories. This film is, in many ways, a love letter to a place where I grew up. It's an incredibly specific story and film, but I do believe, because of that, there's a universal element as well. Joyce said, 'In the particular lies the universal.' I fully believe in this idea as a storyteller. Again, if we've done our jobs properly as filmmakers, the audience will feel encouraged to project onto our film -- to engage with the story and not simply watch it -- to put some of themselves into the viewing experience.
Of course, there is a unified narrative here with driving thematic statements and elements -- and those themes are, as I see it, totally universal. The concept of moving on after tragedy -- or the primal human need to connect with someone, or something, else -- the relentless desire to make our own meaning from the chaos around us -- these thematic ideas are all at work.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The process of making this film -- from start to finish -- was completely instinctual. There was never a script -- Nicholas (the cinematographer) and I had a very loose idea of the overall story, or at least the start- and end-points in the narrative -- but everything else in between those points we found as we shot on the island and then later starting putting together the film in the edit. During the shoot, we set out to harvest as much cinematic material, and as many emotional moments, as possible -- following the overall narrative trajectory of the character that we'd discussed -- but, again, primarily relying on our instincts as we shot. Nicholas and I were in the middle of an intensive, exhaustive film program that was very much the opposite of this approach -- everything in film school had to be excessively scripted and pre-planned and approved by our professors -- so, in many ways, our process for Islander was a direct response to that -- we took the opposite approach to find the story.
In the same spirit, the editing process -- where the story was truly defined and shaped -- began as equally instinctual. Our fine editor, Yuri Chernykh, is another AFI alum and, thus, has an incredibly strong grasp of story and, more importantly, how to find ways to execute and heighten a specific narrative. He did an outstanding job at bringing his own ideas and experiences into this film while also understanding, in every moment, every transition, how to build the complex emotional and thematic journey in the film.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Honestly, not very much at this point. Our festival run is just about to begin, so we haven't had the pleasure of discussing the film with audiences.
I will say that, based on the limited responses we've gotten from our inner circle of peers, this seems to be a 'love it or hate it' kind of film. We've gotten passionately positive and passionately negative responses -- all of which are always appreciated -- as long as they're honest.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Absolutely. This type of feedback is, in my opinion, the most essential if you want to grow as a storyteller.
One example came from an older professor we had at AFI -- he said (I'm paraphrasing) he felt that we, as young filmmakers, were making assumptions about life as an old man -- and that these assumptions we made didn't ring true to him. I still have no idea what those assumptions are, but I think I'm just too close to the material, having only just finished the film. I'm sure, if I shelf this comment and give it enough time, I'll find the answers and the lessons within that feedback and hopefully, that will help me refine my craft.
I want to take this space to highlight that the score is one element that has seemed to receive universal praise. Katy Jarzebowski, our amazing composer, and a dear friend, produced stellar music for this film. I am so grateful for her and her work and that we continue to collaborate to this day.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
At this point, we just want our film to reach as many people as possible. We feel that it speaks, in ways, to things that we're experiencing in our world today -- and it could generate some positive and hopeful discussions. As the film is about to make its World Premiere, we are hoping to promote that -- and its festival run thereafter -- to let audiences know that Islander is out there and can be found on the festival circuit.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Primarily: Journalists, buyers/distributors, sales agents, and film festival directors. We feel that we have a timely film, on many levels, and that it can inspire both meaningful and hopeful conversations for audiences. We would love to have help in reaching as broad an audience as possible with the film.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
All I ever hope for is that my work resonates with the audience in deeper ways -- and that it can inspire and challenge people to start meaningful discussions.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
One fun pathway to go down after viewing Islander would be to ask what the Islander's backstory is. As filmmakers, we left clues behind in the story that may help you piece together his backstory -- but we also intentionally leave this question unanswered.
As this is a mythical, poetic story -- it may also be fun to question what elements are literal and what is symbolic in the film.
Would you like to add anything else?
I just want to take this moment to share my profound appreciation and admiration for my collaborators on this project -- Nicholas Bupp, cinematographer; Yuri Chernykh, editor and sound design; Katy Jarzebowski, composer; Joseph Miller (who voiced The Islander); and Jeff Swisher, who stars as The Islander. In reflecting back on the experience of making this film, I'm feeling so grateful that I had the honor of working with this team of brilliant human beings.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently developing my first feature film -- which will hopefully be packaged and set to shoot within the next year.
Interview: June 2020
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
Islander
The storm took everything...
and everyone...
but, now, the pieces have begun to wash ashore.
Length: 12:14
Director: Derek Pastuszek
Producer: Derek Pastuszek
Writer: Derek Pastuszek
About the writer, director and producer:
DEREK PASTUSZEK is an award-winning filmmaker whose stories weave the literary with the cinematic. Technically speaking, he is composed of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus (with traces of potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium). His first film, [solitary], finished its festival run with a special screening at the White House (Obama admin., July 2016), and is currently featured on the streaming platform kweli.TV (& Comcast Xfinity). Currently, Pastuszek is developing his first feature film.
Key cast: Jeff Swisher
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, buyers, journalists
Facebook: Islander
Other: IMDb
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Lighthouse International Film Festival (LBI, New Jersey + Virtual) - June 16 - 20, 2020