Film Invasion LA 2020 – The Hostess
There's no time for crying during the dinner rush.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Actor Rosalie Alspach
Watch The Hostess on Prime Video and Film Festival Flix
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! I wrote this film a few years ago because of one particular exchange I had that really stuck with me. I had been working at a restaurant and was in a situation like Margot's with a customer on the phone. For context, the character Margot in my film was sexually harassed over the phone while trying to take a dinner reservation--this occurs right before the film begins. When I hung up the phone, I stepped off the floor and went to the employee room to gather my thoughts. One of my coworkers was there and asked me if I was ok--I was ok, but I told her what had just happened. She shrugged it off. My initial thought was, “that was not an appropriate response. How could someone think that was an appropriate response?” Then I stopped and checked my judgement and found myself asking, why did I think that she should know how to respond? Why did I expect her to know the appropriate response? The expectations we have of each other in such moments as those exist, and how they're handled, and how the exchange plays out from there really intrigued me. So, I unpacked those thoughts in the form of a short film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I would say that you should watch this film because it might give you a new point of view. A survey in January by Stop Street Harassment found 81% of women experience sexual harassment. That's a lot of women. Add the 43% of men who experience sexual harassment. That's A LOT of people! So, if anyone has been in a position similar to any of the women in the film, I hope that empathy for a new perspective is found.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
My big themes (focusing on sexual harassment and female dynamics/relationships) are all in the dialogue because the whole film is a conversation. I do get to play with the bathroom mirror a bit though. I love the mirror. It serves as a second lens through which the audience sees the characters and a way for the characters to experience each other. It was used to reflect the internal transformation of a character but also as a shield to distract or avoid. I love how much Charlotte avoids eye contact with Margot and how Margot can see this avoidance in the mirror. That was something that Bri Oglu and I spoke in detail about because that difference between mirror eye-contact and real eye-contact is significant and needed to happen in specific moments. We can also see Charlotte's softened reaction in the mirror when Margot isn't looking. In the end, before Charlotte leaves they are both seeing each other in a very exposed way--I mean, they aren't just looking at the other person from their own perspective, they're seeing themselves as well, the whole picture--but indirectly in the mirror. It's part of what makes it sad when we see Charlotte decide to tell Margot she looks "normal." It's a way to expose the expectation they both hold for each other.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
After I wrote it and let it sit for a bit I came back and made some adjustments before jumping into pre-production. It was really important to me that Charlotte was relatable and likeable so I made some slight changes to make that happen.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Well, the first time it screened at a festival a couple of months back, people laughed. It was surprising and also a relief because I meant for parts to be funny. So far people seem to receive the message of the film clearly, but humor is so subjective and since the topic is on the heavier side I still wonder if I'm the only one who will think it's funny. Knowing that at least one group of people embraced the humor in addition to the message feels really rewarding.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Not yet. I was a little surprised that people embraced the humor but I think that was more due to my own insecurity--I definitely hoped for laughter. The Hostess has only been in the world for about four months, three of which have been during a pandemic, so I'm sure I'll get some interesting feedback as time goes on and festivals are able to start doing screenings again.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
First of all, it's really amazing to have this opportunity to talk about my work on this platform--thank you. Having more visibility for The Hostess is really meaningful. I hope that my film inspires conversations because it is about a difficult subject, there's humor, and there's no clear right or wrong, or even lesson learned for the characters. So I hope those elements are engaging for the audience, and I hope this article fuels interest for people to a) watch it, and b) talk about it.
I'm also grateful to be able to make the film more visible here because it shines a light on the cast and crew. Not only were they a fantastic group, but in a time when this industry is still so male-dominated, especially behind the camera, I would like to point out that 10 out of the 12 people who worked on this film are women. I bring this up because we didn't actually set out to have 83% of our team be women--it just happened because they're out there and they're good, and there's really no reason for a set to be lacking in female-identifying representation behind-the-camera.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I think journalists, film festival directors, and eventually distributors would all have the power to amplify the film's message while we continue this year with the festival circuit.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope that it sparks conversations and inspires more empathy, especially during conversations about sexual harassment.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
I'd like to ask viewers who they like best, who they relate to the most, who they feel most sympathetic towards, and why.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently in pre-production for a feature that I've written. Similar to The Hostess, this film deals with sexual assault but focuses on a deeper exploration of repressed trauma. It also challenges perspective--that's a really important point for me to address with my work not just in terms of the perspectives my characters hold or represent, but in the overall storytelling and message.
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
The Hostess
There's no time for crying during the dinner rush.
Length: 7:23
Director: Rosalie Alspach
Producer: Rosalie Alspach & Cameron Michell
Writer: Rosalie Alspach
About the writer, director and producer:
ROSALIE ALSPACH is a Los Angeles based director. Growing up in Ashland, OR and seeing a lot of theatres, she always had strong ideas of how stories should be told, so directing seemed inevitable. She was introduced to directing in high school and her interest grew throughout college. As an actor, she loves working with strong directors with clear visions; she aspires to one day be a director that she, as an actor, would want to work with. She started writing for performance projects and sketch comedy shows while in school, and started screenwriting after moving to LA. This is her first short film, with hopefully more to come.
CAMERON A. MITCHELL wears many hats, from writing and directing to producing. In 2013 he moved to Los Angeles and turned his eye to production. He has produced a slew of small commercials, independent music videos, and films since. In 2017, Cameron started Tequila Mockingbird Productions. He's won awards for his writing and directing, and he's happy to say that many of the films he's produced have gone on to festival success, including The Hostess.
Key cast: Bri Oglu (Charlotte), Rosalie Alspach (Margot), Tristyn Lau (Server)
Looking for: film festival directors, distributors, journalists
Facebook: Rosalie Alspach
Instagram: @rosaliealspach
Hashtags used: #thehostessfilm #femalefilmmaker #womeninfilm
Website: www.rosaliealspach.com
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: Heart On Fire Productions
Funders: GoFund Me and self-funded.
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Film Invasion LA/Los Angeles 6/8-6/15 (Available date TBD); Upcoming film festival selections will be announced on Rosalie Alspach's Instagram page.