Melbourne Documentary Film Festival 2020 – Stranger/Things
Jim Jarmusch's Stranger Than Paradise (1984) was partially filmed using leftover film stock from Wim Wenders' The State of Things (1982). The visual and poetic connections between the two films and their directors are explored in this essay film.
Interview with Writer/Director/Editor Philip Brubaker
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made the essay film, Stranger/Things because I wanted to share my observations with the cinephile community that there was an unspoken connection between two different arthouse films that had not yet been explored.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
My project treats cinema as an art form in an unpretentious way that is accessible to anyone who wants to learn about it as such.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Since I narrate Stranger/Things, my own feelings about what cinema is, are found throughout the running time. Universal themes on the recognition of similar visual elements and international cooperation permeate the entire finished product.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I found that I completed one version of the essay film, then threw it out and started over from scratch with a new script, because what I had made did not match how I wanted the film to feel.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Overwhelmingly positive. It was accepted to five film festivals including Adelio Ferrero Festival in Italy, where it won a prize. Stranger/Things was also chosen by three video essay scholars as one of the best essay films of 2019 in the annual Sight & Sound poll for video essays.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I felt validated by the feedback as this was one of the first essay films I created independently after my job as a video essayist at Fandor ended. I had been making video essays for the streaming service for a year and a half before they suddenly went out of business. The fact that Stranger/Things has met such a positive response enforces my belief that people like essay films that discuss cinema.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I'm looking for more exposure for Stranger/Things and my other work, and hopefully a larger base of interest for my future projects.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Journalists and film festival directors or anyone who writes about, curates or programs essay films would be valued collaborators in my career now and going forward.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would love for it to continue to be viewed, shared and talked about.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Does the feeling you get from watching a film remind you of other films you've seen in a way you can't quite put your finger on?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am always working on more essay films.
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
Stranger/Things
Jim Jarmusch's Stranger Than Paradise (1984) was partially filmed using leftover film stock from Wim Wenders' The State of Things (1982). The visual and poetic connections between the two films and their directors are explored in this essay film.
Length: 10:25
Director: Philip Brubaker
Producer: Philip Brubaker
Writer: Philip Brubaker
About the writer, director and producer:
PHILIP BRUBAKER is a writer and filmmaker who specializes in non-fiction essay films. He has made over 100 video essays for the streaming service Fandor and has appeared on the Best of Video Essay Poll from Sight & Sound magazine for the past five years.
Looking for: journalists, film festival directors, sales agents, distributors
Facebook: Philip J. Brubaker
Twitter: @lens_itself
Instagram: @bolddecade
Hashtags used: #videoessay, #essayfilm
Other: YouTube
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Melbourne Documentary Film Festival streaming platform June 30-July 15th.