A young woman shares a connection with a car wash employee who rides along with her through an express car wash. Entranced by the bubbles and flashing lights, they begin to fall for each, but as the wash ends, things take a dark turn.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Camille Campbell and Actor/Producer Jennifer Allcott

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

We had been wanting to work together since we met in college, and so Camille immediately brought Washland Express to Jen. She wrote the script initially as an experiment, trying to blend her more comedic voice with a noir/crime story. She grew up on noir films like Out of the Past and Blood Simple, but previously she felt excluded from this particularly masculine genre. Jen was also attracted to the idea of telling a noir from the femme fatale’s point of view, which made her the perfect fit to play the complicated role of Cora.

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

Blending noir, romance and comedy, Washland Express has a surprising tone and an unusual setting. It takes place almost entirely within an express drive-thru car wash. Two misfits take a ride through the wash together, and inside this tunnel of love, they begin to fall for each other. But as the wash ends, things take a dark turn. You will literally be taken on a ride!

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

At its core, Washland Express is a love story, about two misfits finding each other. Our very flawed protagonists prove that finding your partner means finding someone who likes what’s wrong with you.

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

The biggest change involved the character of Cora. Initially, the romantic relationship fell into the traditional good-girl-bad-boy paradigm, but we decided to turn that on its head and make Cora also an antihero. The style then reflects this change. In order to believe this strange love story, there had to be a magical, surreal feel.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We are just starting our festival run, so we’re still collecting feedback, but the ending genuinely surprises people. Audiences are also responding to the bold colors and style and car wash setting.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

It’s surprised us that people have been so willing to invest in the love story. Since things take a dark turn, we thought people would object, but everyone’s been on board so far.

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

We love the idea of being part of a community that supports female filmmakers, and we’d like to meet other filmmakers who are interested in telling stories about weird, interesting women.

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

We would love to connect with film festival directors, as we’re just starting our festival run, and journalists who can help spread the word.

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

We’d like Washland Express to make people see a traditional genre in a new way and enjoy being transported to this alternate world. The next time you’re at the car wash - maybe you’ll recognize its hidden magic.

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

Are all relationships a power struggle? Are we drawn to people who are broken in the same way?

Would you like to add anything else?

You can watch Washland Express on Short of the Week on June 18th, and we’ll be at the Palm Springs Shortfest on June 20th. You can learn more about the film at www.washlandexpressfilm.com.

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

Camille is writing a nontraditional biopic that uses fantastical storytelling devices, ala Vice. Jen is producing a suspense-western short film that she’s written and will be starring in, which will be shooting in Santa Barbara this July.

Interview: June 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

Washland Express

Length: 8:43

Director: Camille Campbell

Producer: Camille Campbell, Jennifer Allcott & Kelly Bumford

Writer: Camille Campbell

About the writer, director and producer:

CAMILLE CAMPBELL is a Los Angeles based writer and director. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz’s writing program, she learned to write screenplays while working as a development assistant at River Road Entertainment and DreamWorks Studios. Her comedic essays have been published by McSweeney's Internet Tendency and Reductress. Washland Express, a short Camille wrote and directed, will screen at the 2019 Dances with Films, Palm Springs Shortfest and Vimeo’s Short of the Week. She currently assists Liz Hannah and reads for Netflix.

JENNIFER ALLCOTT is an actor and filmmaker based out of Los Angeles. She established Grand Street Films in 2015 alongside Josh Helman with the creation of their debut feature film, Kate Can't Swim, which she co-wrote, produced and starred in. While her acting career started in the theater, her love of independent film and television has thrown her further into the filmmaking world. She wrote and produced two Grand Street Short films in 2018, and currently has three projects in development. Her film and television acting credits include WGN’s Manhattan, Falling, Sunlight and Rihanna Secret Show.

KELLY BUMFORD is a Los Angeles based Producer and member of the PGA. She has credits with major networks like NBC, MTV, Bravo, E!, VH1 and Comedy Central. She worked on the Emmy winning TV series hitRECord on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and continued to work with hitRECord as a Producer for their 2016 project with the ACLU (which garnered an Emmy nomination). She spent a year on staff as a Line Producer with Popsugar Studios, and after Line Producing a Late Night Sketch Comedy pilot with Neal Brennan for Fox, she went freelance. In 2017, she Line Produced an indie feature Darkness In Tenement 45 and produced a short film Hurry Up And Wait.

Key cast: Jennifer Allcott (Cora), Josh Helman (James)

Looking for: journalists, film festival directors, distributors

Hashtags used: #washlandexpress

Website: www.washlandexpressfilm.com

Other: IMDb

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Dances with Films/Los Angeles - June 15, 2019; Short of the Week/Online - June 18, 2019; Palm Springs Shortfest/Palm Springs - June 20, 2019