Upon the retelling of his first same-sex relationship as a teenager, an older man reflects on the strength and vulnerability required in both boxing and in relationships.

Interview with Writer/Director Shannon Anderson

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

The Fall was firstly developed based on how we love so deeply; every. single. time. And how people, even whom once were the most significant, lose touch with our lives, but not with our memory. The boxing element came from my own experience as a boxer and drawing the metaphorical connection between opening your guard to reach for your opponent, leaving you vulnerable to being hurt, and doing the same in relationships. It touches on the intensity of attachment, how it almost seems like you know when you're losing someone, and you find yourself holding them tight if only to hold them in the present, but the moment is already becoming a memory. So the film dances around the significants of memory, long after the person/s involved have left our lives.

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

I think it can be a particularly challenging film, it definitely gives rise to a conversation around the age of the characters when they get involved with each other. But the film also explores gendered expectations and portrays a sport typically represented as belligerent in a delicate and intimate way. The film incites vulnerability within itself and, hopefully, its audience.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Its an LGBT film that spans three decades, with Aydin represented as an older man (2030's), Teen (1980's) and a young boy (1970's) so we watch Aydin shift in his own ideology; wanting to be like his father, then his lover, and as an older man being able to reflect, poetically, that he has always been more like his mother. So there's this exploration of masculinity and what it means to be strong, in body and in relationships.

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

It was initially two different film ideas that merged - a film about a boy who develops a crush on his older brothers friend, awakening his own sexual development and awareness to attraction. And a boxing film about a troubled kid that is taken under the wing of their boxing trainer. It got to a point where I didn't know which film to develop so I blended the two.

Michael Shanahan (Left) Sebastian Torero (Aydin) (Right)

What type of feedback have you received so far?

That it's beautiful and poetic at times and that it's quite challenging to watch.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Not yet. I'm just taking a bit of a back seat and observing the conversations to come from the film. Some people take a keen interest in the age gap of the boys, others don't even notice it, so it's interesting to see what pokes at people.

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

I was reached out to, but am glad that the film is getting a bit of a buzz and people excited about emerging Australian work.

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

It is yet to begin its festival run, so would be great to speak to some festival directors if The Fall speaks to their ethos.

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

It's difficult to produce a short film that has a singular message, usually, it's part of, or the start of something, an idea at best. In this case, it's lining up something typically represented as masculine (the boxing) and asking for the audience to look at it with a softer, more intimate and vulnerable lens. And I wonder what would happen if we did that to other preconceived ideas that we carry around - whether it's about relationships, or race, or culture etc.

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

Did Asher do the right thing? Does Aydin still love Asher after all this time?

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

Looking to sink my teeth into another short film, and starting to write a feature. Bring on 2020.

Interview: December 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

The Fall

Upon the retelling of his first same-sex relationship as a teenager, an older man reflects on the strength and vulnerability required in both boxing and in relationships.

Length: 12:00

Director: Shannon Anderson

Producer: CJ Welsh

Writer: Shannon Anderson

About the writer, director and producer:

SHANNON ANDERSON is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) University of Melbourne. She has honed her craft through the making of short films and music videos. In 2019 her film On The Unkindness of Ravens played at the Warburton Film Festival and Melbourne Lift-Off Film Festival. Having always had a passion for storytelling and a background in unfinished psychology degrees, Shannon has a particular interest in people and how they respond to moral conflicts.

CJ is a Melbourne based producer, who graduated from a Masters of Producing at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2017. He had three films selected for the St Kilda Film Festival, Australia’s Top 100 in 2017. His film Creating a Monster was officially selected at Byron Bay Film Festival and subsequently was distributed by Ronin Films. In January of 2018, he co-produced his first feature, a micro-budget film titled Disclosure, due for its world premiere at Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Key cast: John Brumpton (Aydin), Michael Shanahan (Asher), Sebastian Torero (Aydin)

Looking for: film festival directors, journalists

Facebook: The Fall

Instagram: @shannons_room

Hashtags used: #thefallVCA

Website: shannonandersonfilmmaker.com

Made in association with: Victorian College of the Arts

Funders: Australian Cultural Fund

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? As part of the VCA Graduate Screenings at The Capitol Theatre (Swanston St) Program C, Sunday December 8, 5 pm & Friday December 13, 6:30 pm