Cannes Short Film Corner 2020/21 – Lights
A short interpretive animated film about how our lives are affected by the people who light up our lives: parents, friends, role models, and what happens when they disappear.
Interview with Director/Producer/ Editor/Animator/Actor Evangelica Klein
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made this film as an entry to Campus Movie Fest when they came to my college. The basics of Campus Movie Fest is that you only have a week to make something to enter in the competition. I originally had something more complicated planned with a friend, but that plan fell through. I really wanted to end up entering something, because my dad was visiting for the showing, so I stayed up all night on the final day to make this film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I mean, it's short and calming to watch. There's not much meaning on the surface level, it's more meant to evoke a feeling out of the audience than to really pass on a message.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The universal theme at work in my film is that of connection. We all have those people who are "lights" in our life; they're our role models, they help us figure out where to go, and they help pick us up when we fall down. When they disappear, leave, or become unavailable, we can feel incredibly lost and alone, and we will try and cling to any connection that we can find.
More personally, I've been struggling with depression for several years now and for so much of that time I've felt so alone. When the plans with my friend didn't end up working out, I was very upset. I felt very alone, again, and channeled that feeling into my work. I was reaching out and hoping against all odds that I could make something that would make that connection for me, in this case with my dad. I wanted to make something that he could be proud of and that would help get all these negative lonely feelings out of my mind.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
There really wasn't much time for development. By the time I realized the original plan wasn't going to work, I had just under 24 hours before the final film for the competition was due. I started animating the title sequence, both just to try and do something and because I like drawing when I'm upset. I really started thinking about how I felt at the moment and how I could express that in the simplest quickest animation possible and ran with it. I stayed up all night working on it and finished it the next day with about an hour to spare.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Amazingly positive feedback! I was shocked when I won one of the jury awards at my college's Campus Movie Fest, and then when I got the email saying I was eligible to apply for Cannes I basically just thought that it can't hurt and applied for the opportunity. I got on the wait-list in December 2019 and then got accepted into Campus Movie Fest's Cannes program in January. I was completely taken by surprise cause I just really didn't think my film would be good enough for Cannes, but here I am! My academic advisor, and honestly all the staff at FSU's film school have been so supportive and helpful through all of this when I got the invitation to go to Cannes I was surprised and really didn't know too much about what I would be getting myself into. Lucky for me some of my teachers and upperclassmen have been to Cannes before and they really were able to help me get an idea of what I can learn from this experience. Sadly Cannes 2020 has been cancelled, but I will still be attending and showing my film at Cannes 2021.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It's just really encouraged me that I am on the right path in my life, and even if I feel so incredibly alone sometimes there are always people out there, some of which whom I may not even know, who appreciate me and care about me. When I was making this I never thought that it would end up going to Cannes in France, I just really wanted to have a finished project to show my dad. But now, seeing how supportive everyone has been about this project has encouraged me to look towards the future, plan what I want to do with these opportunities I've been given, and hopefully be a "light" for other people in my life.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I want to encourage other beginning filmmakers out there. I've been incredibly lucky with this, but it has given me so much hope. I want you to know that even the simplest project can turn into something very meaningful and beautiful if you put your heart into it. Don't give up, and don't get discouraged.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I never really had a big plan to do something with this film, and I still don't. It really was just a passion project for me and I'm happy with what I've done with it. I guess I'd just encourage anyone who's reading this to really think about the people you have around you and what sort of relationships you have with them. Who are the "lights" in your life? And who might you be a guiding "light" to?
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Really just to let people know they're not alone. You're not alone. Sometimes it feels like there is nobody there to help you, nobody who cares about you, but that is not true. It's never true. Some parts of life you may have to go through alone, but even when all the "lights" in your life disappear, there will be people who care about you in the future and there are people who care about you now that you may not even know yet.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
I guess just the same thing I've been repeating. Who are the "lights" in your life and who are you a "light" to? Who can you reach out to when you need help, and who are you helping?
Would you like to add anything else?
I think I just have a couple more things. I made this film during a depressive episode where I really just felt like nobody cared about me or liked me enough to work with me or support me. I think if I had been in a better place when I made it, I would've made the ending a bit happier, rather than having her fall apart without her lights.
Also, if someone you know is struggling, please reach out to help them. Be that "light" during their darkest times. And if you are currently struggling, please don't be afraid to ask for help. There are so many amazing people in this world who do care about you. Call a helpline, or reach out to a trusted friend.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Recently, I've worked with some classmates to make a short film to enter in the US Gov's Count Me In Census Competition. I'm going to start my sophomore year of college in the fall and I will be developing two short films during that year under my teachers' supervision.
Interview: May 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
Lights
A short interpretive animated film about how our lives are affected by the people who light up our lives: parents, friends, role models, and what happens when they disappear.
Length: 1:05
Director: Evangelica Klein
Producer: Evangelica Klein
Writer: Evangelica Klein
About the writer, director and producer:
EVANGELICA KLEIN is an aspiring animator and storyteller who is currently studying film at Florida State University. Her work is inspired by her personal struggles with mental health and family relations, as well as her childhood overseas. She will be taking three more years of intensive film classes before graduating in 2023.
Key cast: Evangelica Klein (Animator, Actor, Editor, Director, Producer), Isha Chekuri (Camera Operator)
Facebook: Evangelica Klein
Instagram: @evearellie
Hashtags used: #shortfilm #animatedshort #animation #rotoscope #24hrfilm
Other: YouTube
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Cannes Film Festival/Cannes, France - 2021