Aviff Cannes Art Film Festival 2019 – The Widow
As she tastes the salt on her lips, a widow cannot but cry. But what better place to cool down tears, than a cold lover’s lap?
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Actor/Editor Eva Depoorter
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Sometimes, I wonder what my life would be like if I lost my husband. How raw would my emotions be? What would I long for? How would I fantasize about him? Where would I cry my tears? This fear for the unknown and unimaginable is the foundation for The Widow.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
The Widow is a visual feast of raw emotions, too delicate to be revealed, too urgent to be hidden. While faint dialogues transform into perished sexuality, barren reality stifles irrefutable desires - a foolish reverie of what is not. From a grave that is yet to be dug, inaudible whispers emerge - her parched lips, ready to burst. As the widow surrenders to the blackened sea, you cannot but partake... your hands comfortably tied.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Mourning happens everywhere, and each individual has to face it. In that sense, anyone can relate to it. But I haven't lost a loved one yet, so I turned The Widow into a vignette, not trying to copy or reproduce what mourning 'is'. All I have is my imagination to tap into, which makes The Widow very personal, yet also abstract.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I initially described each scene separately, wanting to create chapters, short vignettes. Until Nicolle (Márquez) suggested to perhaps turn it into a short film. I liked the idea very much but this also meant 'reinventing' everything I had shot so far. It was a long process, but one that I enjoyed very much. If I hadn't gone through this phase, The Widow would have looked very different.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
So far, I've only had positive feedback. People can easily relate to what the widow goes through. Her loss is depicted in an ephemeral way, which turns it into a hopeful film. At the same time, her pain is also very raw and tangible - an element that is unmistakenly intertwined with loss. As I incorporated imagery that is both painfully realistic and grotesquely absurd, I believe The Widow appeals to a large audience. The score created by Giovanni Spinelli also plays a major role in how people watch The Widow. Giovanni effortlessly incorporated all the elements that I was looking for: from whimsical to eery, from upbeat to nostalgic. It truly is a magnificent piece.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
As much as I always question myself while shooting and editing, once I finish a film, the result is always 'what it has to be'. Feedback makes me interpret scenes differently, or look at them from a different angle. That to me is fascinating: how the audience sees it. But it doesn't necessarily influence how I observe it. And it shouldn't. Whenever I make a film, I want it to be open enough for interpretation. In that regard, I demand a lot from the audience. I want them to be creative themselves and most of all: experience it.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would love to reach other experimental filmmakers, especially women. We Are Moving Stories is very much supportive of female and emerging filmmakers, and I am so thrilled about that!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
My goal is to reach distributors, film festival directors and other experimental filmmakers. It's my dream to start a platform or production house in which independent projects are created from scratch, a place to work together and be inspired by one another.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would love for The Widow to linger in the observer's mind.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Have you ever seen Death like this before?
Would you like to add anything else?
Merci!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently working on a new short film called Sonia. After a failed relationship, Sonia finds herself trapped in a delirium of scarlet wounds and unfulfilled sexual desires. But a random encounter in the park entices unexpected awakenings.
Interview: April 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 Widow
As she tastes the salt on her lips, a widow cannot but cry. But what better place to cool down tears, than a cold lover’s lap?
Length: 16:57
Director: Eva Depoorter
Producer: Eva Depoorter
Writer: Eva Depoorter
About the writer, director and producer:
EVA DEPOORTER is a Belgian video artist who lives and works in New York. Her videos are provocative and visceral vignettes that stimulate the viewer to surrender to what (s)he is exposed to. As a buffer against complete subjection, Eva offers an alternative to reality and invites the audience to roam the absurdist fantasy land she inhabits. The Widow is Depoorter's second short film. It won the Best Experimental Film Award at Queens World Film Festival. For her debut film Belgiac, Eva was selected and awarded by a number of film festivals in the US, Canada and Europe.
Key cast: Laurence Martin (The Widow), Nicolle Márquez (The Deceased), Pirina Dzhupanova (Death), Judit Fruzsina Jesse (Samantha Monster), Lowie Vermandel (Boy on the Beach), Eva Depoorter (Widow Mocker), Giovanni Spinelli (score and sound design), David Aaron (sax), Peter McGrath (sound recordist), Boris Palacios (VO mixer), Jamie Kimak (wardrobe consultant)
Looking for: distributors, film festival directors, journalists, producers
Facebook: Eva Depoorter
Instagram: @evabxlnyc
Hashtags used: #thewidow #experimentalfilm #shortfilm #bestexperimentalfilm
Website: www.thewidowfilm.com
Other: Vimeo
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Aviff Cannes Art Film Festival - May 23rd and 24th