A fearless group of young women fulfil their duty as taste testers for Adolf Hitler.

Interview with Writer/Director Christopher Grant Harvey

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I came across the story that inspired the film from an online article. It is based on a German woman, Margot Wölk, who revealed she'd been one of Hitler's tasters during the Second World War. The story struck a chord with me, and I immediately worked on building a story around the article. It took several years for the short film to get off the ground and finally be released.

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

Lunch With Hitler is a short film about the endurance of the human spirit. The film was inspired by accounts of the young women who were compelled into service as taste testers for Adolf Hitler at the heavily guarded "Wolf's Lair" headquarters during the Second World War.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I think there are many universal and personal themes in which anyone from any cultural background can find meaning and purpose. I never start with themes when writing a script, I usually try and answer a question, and through the exploration of this answer-seeking process, you develop the meaning.

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

Initially, there was an effort to tell the story of Lunch with Hitler precisely as described. However, the film's narrative structure is visual, which required some artistic reworking to allow for a tighter and more cohesive story to be told as the drafts rolled in. I am very proud of the end product.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

So far, the film has not hit the festival circuit in full force yet, so we are waiting for a broader release. We hope that people see this story's beauty and fragility and can be relatable even in 2023.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

So far, the film has not hit the festival circuit in full force yet, so we are waiting for a broader release for more feedback before we can answer.

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

Showcase our work on a broader stage and open it up to the world.

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

Anyone that wants to contribute and collaborate is welcome.

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

We hope it gets the conversation going about the dangers of history so often repeating itself. Great care was taken to ensure that the characters' humanity was front and centre.

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

If the setting was updated to something modern, would you feel differently about the treatment of the characters?

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you for the opportunity to showcase my work and open it up to a broader audience.

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

The writer/director is exploring his debut feature film, exploring the horror genre.

Interview: July 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

Lunch With Hitler

A fearless group of young women fulfil their duty as taste testers for Adolf Hitler.

Length: 8:00

Director: Christopher Grant Harvey

Producer: Robert Dos Santos

Writer: Christopher Grant Harvey

About the writer, director and producer:

CHRISTOPHER GRANT HARVEY is a writer and director born in Johannesburg, South Africa. At 16, he began his film career in the back garden, making short films with friends. These backyard projects showcased a strong knack for kinetic cinematography and inventive editing techniques to maximise scant production values. After a successful international film festival with his short film Tears In The Rain (2017), he has continued his intense desire to tell engaging stories.

With 40+ international awards and nominations to his name, ROBERT DOS SANTOS is without a doubt one of the visionaries changing the face of film today. This once-upon-a-time lawyer has thrown his court robes aside and plunged headfirst into the world of directing with explosive results.

Key cast: Mila Guy (Hanna), Briony Horwitz (Karen), Deborah Lettner (Maria), Andre Odendaal (Adolf Hitler)

Looking for: film festival directors, journalists, producers

Website: www.christophergrantharvey.com/lunch-with-hitler.html

Other: IMDb

Funders: Self-funded

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

TBA