Sedona International Film Festival 2019 – Too Many Bodies
Too Many Bodies is a dance and music video addressing America’s need for gun reform through dance, music and passion, culminating in a website of resources for advocacy and survivor support.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Reena Dutt
Watch Too Many Bodies here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
After the shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, I counted back the years to the first school shooting I was aware of. It was nearly 20 years prior at Columbine High School. I remember having just moved to Los Angeles and flipping through my mental Rolodex of dorm friends - was anyone I just graduated with a Colorado Native? Did they go home for the summer? Were they or their families affected?
Social media was not a powerful tool at that time, and now Parkland students are making strides online with their own journey to reform through digital media. Mobilizing thousands across the country to support common sense gun laws, they mirror the youth I dreamt of being – the activists of 1968 Berkeley and New York City.
Around the same time I started thinking about a John Legend video for “Penthouse Floor” I had produced a few months prior that addressed our country’s polarizing political divide. The video garnered numerous remarks online and I further realized our need for entertainment – it’s an approachable means of expressing opinions of conflict. Perhaps members of those online audiences may not feel comfortable speaking their opinions in public, and instead, they activate by becoming living room advocates.
In the process of seeking support for the production, I learned the TOO MANY BODIES team had two degrees of separation from a fatality of the Santa Fe High School shooting, and I personally had one degree of separation from a Columbine survivor. I only learned of my colleague when she revealed her PTSD was ongoing due to the event nearly 20 years prior, and it wasn’t something she revealed to too many people.
What happens to the families who have lost loved ones? What happens to the community members who were witnesses? What happens to the survivor with life-changing PTSD? What happens to the onlooker who doesn’t know how to help?
Film and movement were always my go-to therapy, and TOO MANY BODIES brings the two together as a means to express something that is as important to my soul as is being an American. The music video is partnered with a website for survivors, advocates, and loved ones. We hope to point audiences in an introspective direction that will in turn ask them to rethink and/or activate as advocates for common sense gun laws.
The power of art as a seed for discussion is necessary. My hope with this video is that audiences join me in having those hard conversations using art as an instigator, in turn strengthening the progress of our community and our country.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
The film is a non-confrontational way to see what gun violence does to our youth in schools. It's all about the moment before and what could have been. What has been taken away from the kids who don't survive or witness the event? The video is beautifully choreographed by Nancy Dobbs Owen and the dancers are emotionally resonant. I think the film allows people to connect to the issue of gun violence and reform on an emotional level, and perhaps put aside our political differences for 5 minutes so we can take in art with a message.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Being an Arizona/North Carolinian, my passion for this project was exponential. I come from two states where it's commonplace to see a sign outside a grocery store saying "Leave your guns outside." The residents of these states truly believe that the word Reform means Confiscation. The conversation and apprehension is fear-based. Empathy with disagreements are minimal.
The question became: How do we approach a topic that affects all of us in a kind and empathetic way?
In our current climate, there is possible gun violence at the bank, the mall, at movie theatres, the 7-Eleven, Elementary Schools, K-12 schools, University, Private Schools, birthday parties, inside the home in your own privacy, inside restaurants, walking down the street, etc.
There is not one person reading this that is not a target. For me, I wanted to show that idea – we are ALL at risk in the current climate of gun laws in this nation. Our team tried our best to make sure all people were represented in the piece, including POC, women, men, LGBTQ+, adults, and children. We are fully aware that we failed miserably at representing disability.
With that, all of the above are the most prevalent theme for me – we are ALL at risk, unless we are willing to talk about gun violence and take proactive actions to make it more difficult to receive guns, AND be more conscious of our neighbors and the issues they may be facing in their own lives that would fuel the need to harm others.
Empathy is everything, and I hope through a non-confrontational format and inclusive motifs, we might be able to connect the dots a bit more, finding solutions to make every day a safer one.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script itself remained fairly identical to how it was originally written. The piece stemmed from a dream I had soon after the Parkland shooting, so I wrote it down as quickly as I could. I had a paper cut ready to go for post, and handed off the footage my first editor.
The magic in my dream didn't come out fully in the initial edit that I had mapped out. My editor and I were so married to the concept, we switched edits so we could get fresh eyes on the piece. That was a brilliant move.
Puppett, also my producer, took over and the editing process is where we dramatically shifted how we were telling the story, and you can see the final product online and at festivals. I couldn't be happier with Puppett's creative contribution to the project.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback I'm most excited by is when people say, "That was really moving and made me rethink my views." I just hope folks think through it, and then take action.
All in all, feedback has been fairly universal in terms of it being a thought-provoking piece that is beautiful to watch. I appreciate this response, although I am looking forward to screening in Sedona, where I wonder if the response will be more varied. I want to receive response from folks who may not be in agreement with our viewpoint, just so a conversation can be initiated. I want people to know we are all on the same team, we just have different views on how to get there.
Aside from that, we've won over eight awards across the country, prior to midterm elections, and we'll see how things pan out with future festivals and screenings.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
At one point, I did post the video to my high school Facebook group, and it caused a lot of ruffled feathers with my class in Arizona.
I was confronted by a small group of men who consistently blamed mental health as the issue, and truly felt that reform meant confiscation. Upon asking them if they feel domestic abusers have mental health issues (women in abusive relationships are also a primary target of gun violence), it moved the conversation to one that questions how we define mental health. In turn, the conversation became less politicized and more about definitions of how we operate as a society in terms of medical care, parental responsibilities, and relationships in romance and work.
They revealed their fear of rights being taken away to protect their families and themselves, and slowly uncovered that we all want the same endpoint, we just have different ideas of what causes brutality. It's a tough nut to crack, but with open conversation I think we can get closer to finding a solution.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I am hoping to be able to share this piece with like-minded individuals who see the value in using art as a conversation starter. I am a fairly new director, and have had the opportunity to support other directors' work as a producer, so hopefully this piece attract a community of filmmakers and audience that also want to support something like Too Many Bodies.
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 would be splendid.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope the film allows people to rethink who they are voting for, how NRA funding in politics affects our country, and perhaps make more well-informed decisions on how we want the country to be in terms of gun safety in the coming years.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
When thinking about gun violence, the first thing I think of are schools. How do you feel about the countless other attacks in public spaces and what do you feel is the root cause in our country?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you for the opportunity to be added to your community of new voices.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Reena Dutt (Director) is working on post production for a short film about free will set in the backdrop of a fairytale family. She is also in development for another short film about the impact of H4 visas on a woman from India, now living in Jackson Heights, Queens. Nancy Dobbs Owen (Choreographer) is working on a dance piece about global warming, Puppett (Producer) is in development for several pieces as a director
Interview: February 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
Too Many Bodies
Too Many Bodies is a dance and music video addressing America’s need for gun reform through dance, music and passion, culminating in a website of resources for advocacy and survivor support.
Length: 5:59
Director: Reena Dutt
Producer: Puppett
Writer: Reena Dutt
About the writer, director and producer:
REENA DUTT (Writer/Director) is a member of Lincoln Center Directors’ Lab (NYC), and an experienced producer. As director, Dutt was a finalist for the NewFilmmakers On Location competition, her short films 3 PUFFS OF GOLD travelled the festival circuit internationally, and TALL can be seen on Evite.com. She also directs theatre, from which she stems. As producer, her films have been seen in over 75 festivals including Sundance, Los Angeles Film Festivla, Frameline, and Outfest.
PUPPETT loves big and small stories that center on the human experience and deal with grey areas of morality. Her parody trailer #HiddenFences, was viewed over 3k times in its first 24 hours online. Wedlocked marks Puppett’s directorial debut and was accepted into over 40 film festivals worldwide garnering four festival awards. Another short film, Glenda, immediately followed, which went on to premiere at the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival.
Key cast: Alex Mackey (Musician), Alexandria Woodley (Hero), Michelle Acosta (Teacher), Thomas Nguyen (Teacher), Matthew Hansen (Shooter)
Looking for: distributors, film festival directors, journalists
Facebook: Too Many Bodies
Twitter: @toomanybodies
Instagram: @toomanybodies
Website: https://www.toomanybodies.org/
Other: https://www.reenadutt.com/
Made in association with: The Tim Kochis and Penelope Wong Foundation
Funders: The Tim Kochis and Penelope Wong Foundation, private donors and Seed&Spark Crowdfunding Campaign
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Santa Barbara International Film Festival (2/4/19), Sedona International Film Festival (2/25/19&2/28/19), Experimental Dance and Music Film Festival (3/21/19, Toronto Canada)