Over the course of a week-long beachside getaway, Amy, having recently undergone dramatic weight loss, finds herself wrestling between loyalty to her best friend Kim and her attraction to Kim's new boyfriend.

Interview with Director Linh Tran

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

This film was an interesting process, we were part of an initiative at DePaul University called Indie Studio. I was a student when I was selected to direct an Indie Studio project, and it was not Waiting for the Light to Change. For each of the Indie Studio projects in the past, the budget was 15k and the crew were all students. We started out with a different script, but because of the pandemic, we had to come up with a new story because the script we were working with wasn't COVID-friendly. So Waiting for the Light to Change was the idea we came up with. At the time, we were looking for the story and I just decided to make something about my living experience as I was living it, in a broad sense. Like what my mid-20s feels like, and how I was navigating my relationships, while trying to figure out who I am.

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

There are definitely a lot of films out there about being in your 20s and trying to find yourself, and love and friendship. I think there is a rawness to Waiting for the Light to Change that is going to move you deeply, and if you have experienced living in your 20s, I feel like you would relate to one of these characters or think to yourself, "I know someone like that". Waiting for the Light to Change has a meditative rhythm that will probably make you stop and think.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I think every one of us at some point will leave a relationship or question a relationship that you've always been counting on, it's a part of growing up and aging and it's a big loss that comes with so many complex emotions. That's one of the main themes of our film.

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

We actually didn't have a lot of time to work on the script, we started writing in December 2020 and we shot the film in March 2021, which really didn't leave a lot of room for revisions. A lot of the script came alive on set, with amazing improv performances from our cast.

We also worked with a shoestring budget, it was technically a student project, so there were some things we couldn't do, for financial or time or other reasons. So the film really, I would say, evolved every day on set, from what it was in the script.

Behind the scenes of Waiting for the Light to Change

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We premiered at the 31st Heartland International Film Festival, where we got a great deal of positive feedback. The film does have somewhat of a challenging pace to it, but people were really into the characters and the love triangle, and how all of that plays out. I think people can see that this is a very honest portrayal of how you experience life when you're young.

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

My goal for Waiting for the Light to Change has always been to have as many people see it as possible, and it's an honor for us to feature on We're Moving Stories. You are a great platform and I really appreciate your mission. Hopefully, more people will hear and be curious about our film.

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

We are looking for a distributor for the film.

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

I have just finished post-production on a proof-of-concept short film called Video Funeral, which imagines what it would be like if my sister comes to Chicago from Vietnam to visit me with a DVD of my father's funeral, which I couldn't attend years ago. Right now, I am developing the feature script for this concept.

Interview: January 2023

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

Waiting for the Light to Change

Length: 1:28:55

Director: Linh Tran

Producer: Sam Straley, Jewells Santos and Jake Rotger

Writer: Linh Tran, Jewells Santos and Delia Van Praag

Key cast: Jin Park (Amy), Joyce Ha (Kim), Sam Straley (Jay), Qun Chi (Lin), Erik Barrientos (Alex)

Looking for: distributors

Facebook: Linh Tran

Hashtags used: #frienship #femalefriendship #comingofage #women #romance

Website: www.mlinhltran.com/waitingforthelighttochange

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

Slamdance Film Festival
Sun, Jan 22nd, 7:45 PM @ Treasure Mountain Inn Crescent Room
Tue, Jan 24th, 11:00 AM @ Treasure Mountain Inn Ballroom
January 23 - January 29 on slamdancechannel.com [online]