Nevada Women’s Film Festival / Bozeman International Film Festival 2020 – Tristan & Kelly
While backpacking through Europe, an American tourist sprays a hapless British jobseeker with mace after he accidentally attacks her. They try to part ways but fate keeps throwing them together so they grab a drink and see where this connection takes them.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Actor Sarah Ann Masse
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to write something as a vehicle for me and my *very* talented friend Toby Sebastian to star in together. Toby had been in a project with my husband (Nick Afka Thomas who is also my co-director on the film) and Toby and I had really good chemistry and got along really well. We had talked about how we'd both love to star in indie films and rom-coms. So, one night I sat at my computer and Tristan & Kelly just came pouring out of me in an hour and a half.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
The film is surprising. It starts out one way and becomes something very different but in the most organic way possible. As someone who was lucky enough to travel around Europe by myself, it feels very real to me. It feels like a night where any number of things can happen and many of them do. If you like rom-coms, you'll like this film. If you hate rom-coms, you'll like this film. It's funny, sweet, romantic, and honest.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film explores male/female relationships and the expectation of violence as a woman navigating the world. Those themes are pretty personal to my own life but I have found they are very universal as well.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script we shot was almost identical to what I wrote that first night. I asked my husband to read it over to give me notes and he suggested I take out a few redundant adjectives and it was good to go. We shot, almost word for word, what I wrote in my living room one random night. The crew we worked with enhanced my vision by bringing their talents to the table and now, that it is out in the world, the audience changes the story by how they process and perceive it. I have now written a feature version of Tristan & Kelly that I am very proud of and very keen to get made. Any producers or investors reading...?
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Only positive. I've had people of all ages, all backgrounds, all walks of life tell me how much they love this movie. How it feels like something very different and very needed. People really find joy and connection in the film and *EVERYONE* wants to know what happens to these two characters next. One person said I reinvented what a rom-com could be. That felt like the coolest, highest praise.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Not at all. I think people are getting exactly what I'd hope they'd get out of the film. If anything the feedback and reception have only filled me with more confidence as a storyteller, actor, and filmmaker.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would love more people to know that me, and my work exist. I would love to reach people and connect with them. Storytelling is important and can change the world. It's why I love doing it.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I would love to find a team to work with me on sale and distribution of the short and to find investors and a production company to get the feature made next year.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I made Tristan & Kelly to entertain people, to make them feel good, to make them think about their own life, relationships, and desire for adventure.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What do we expect from women and men when it comes to how they relate to each other?
Would you like to add anything else?
We shot this film the day after I first went public with my story of being sexually abused by Harvey Weinstein. My entire life and world were flipping upside down, I was being contacted by the press constantly, I was airing my trauma for the first time in almost a decade, and this film saved me. For so long my career was hampered by what Harvey did to me, and even now I am still dealing with the career damage of having come forward, but having work to do that was mine, that no one could take away from me was so empowering. Having a team who supported me and looked out for each other was incredible. And this film has won me awards and connected me with people who believe in me and admire my work. Tristan & Kelly features a woman who is on her own, doing scary things, and finding her strength and her voice. That's me. But I'm lucky because now, I don't have to do these things alone. And for any survivor reading this... I want you to know that *you* are not alone.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
As recently announced in The Hollywood Reporter, Sarah Ann Masse inked a deal to co-write the #metoo drama R Culture with Alexa Polar. She is also co-starring in the film. Additionally, Sarah recently launched the Hire Survivors Hollywood (hiresurvivorshollywood.org) initiative to combat career retaliation against survivors in the entertainment industry. Recently, Sarah and Nick Afka Thomas starred in The Corona Connections, a remotely filmed web series created by Ben Wicks (who was 1st AD on Tristan & Kelly and Sarah Culverhouse (who did locations scouting on Tristan & Kelly).
Interview: July 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
Tristan & Kelly
While backpacking through Europe, an American tourist sprays a hapless British jobseeker with mace after he accidentally attacks her. They try to part ways but fate keeps throwing them together so they grab a drink and see where this connection takes them.
Length: 15:00
Director: Sarah Ann Masse and Nick Afka Thomas
Producer: Sarah Ann Masse
Writer: Sarah Ann Masse
About the writer, director and producer:
SARAH ANN MASSE is an actor, writer, filmmaker, singer, and silence breaker. As one of the first women to come forward about being abused by Harvey Weinstein, she has spent the past several years advocating for the voices of survivors of sexual violence everywhere. Most recently, she has launched hiresurvivorshollywood.com to put an end to career retaliation against sexual violence survivors in the entertainment industry. In addition to her award-winning short rom-com Tristan & Kelly, Sarah is also the American half of the British-American comedy duo, We Are Thomasse which she co-created with her husband, Nick Afka Thomas. Their videos have gotten more than 15 million views online and their live show has been performed all over the world. Next up for Sarah is R Culture, a #metoo drama which she is co-writing with Alexa Polar that was recently announced in The Hollywood Reporter. A frequent collaborator of Grammy Winning singer Jason Mraz, Sarah is also the narrator of the popular YA Fantasy series The Chronicles of Kerrigan.
Key cast: Toby Sebastian (Tristan), Sarah Ann Masse (Kelly)
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, journalists, film festival directors, buyers, producers
Facebook: Tristan & Kelly
Twitter: @TristanAndKelly
Instagram: @tristanandkelly
Hashtags used: #tristanandkelly
Website: tristanandkelly.com
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: Zonino Productions
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Athens Marathon International Film Festival – ONLINE DUE TO COVID-19; Date & Time: June 12-21, 2020, Online, Price Range: FREE, View and Vote for us in the Audience Award here!; Nevada Women’s Film Festival – ONLINE DUE TO COVID-19, Date & Time: June 22-28, 2020 ONLINE STREAMING BEGINS JUNE 22. Live Q&A with Sarah Ann Masse June 25th at 5pm Pacific, Venue: Online – Click Here for Tristan & Kelly’s Listing, Price Range: $5 but use the following code for a $2.50 discount! NWFFestTristanKelly, Tristan & Kelly is part of Festival Shorts Program 1. View here!; Unrestricted View Film Festival – ONLINE DUE TO COVID-19, Date & Time: July 13th, 2020 Online, Venue: Online, Price Range: £10.75 but you can get 50% off with the code UVFF2050 Buy your tickets here! Watch here!; Bozeman International Film Festival, Date & Time: August 27-30, 2020, Venue: Various Theaters throughout downtown Bozeman, MT Also, possibly, online, Price Range: $50 – $250, Info on attending can be found here!