Matta and Matto
In a dystopian world where touch is forbidden, Matta and Matto offer refuge to the lonely at Hotel Vaip. In the deceptive labyrinth of mind-bending rooms at their transient hotel, deepest desires are fulfilled and surpassed, but this comes at a price.
Interview with Writer/Director/Animator Bianca Caderas and Writer/Director/Animator Kerstin Zemp
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
We want to invite the audience to reflect on what intimacy and closeness mean to them and show how close normality and madness are.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You can dive into a dystopian world and discover lots of weird things. Our two main characters Matta and Matto will offer you an experience at their hotel like you have never seen before and hopefully, you'll leave the cinema feeling slightly unsettled but smiling.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The main focus of our film is the topic of positive physical human touch. Something everybody experiences differently but everybody needs to survive.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
We started off exploring different alternatives for currency. The idea of getting something in exchange led us eventually to the question: in times when human touch became a rare novelty, what would people be willing to give and risk for it?
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Weird but relatable. Everybody seemed to get a bit of a different message from the film, which is completely fine. We didn't intend to lecture or tell just one story, we wanted to evoke a feeling in the viewer. Just any feeling really.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
We love to hear how varying the things are that stood out to people the most - it's always something different and that is a beautiful thing.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
To reach a wide and diverse audience.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
That people feel touched.
The topic of intimacy is more relevant than ever, especially in today‘s world, and it is only with the withdrawal of self-evident closeness that we have learned how important physical contact with our fellow human beings is
We would love to get the viewers to reflect on their own lives, think about all the small positive interactions in everyday life and reconnect to each other on an offline base: Hug your friends and kiss your lover.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How would your life be without any physical interaction with fellow humans? What would you be willing to risk for it?
Would you like to add anything else?
<3
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Currently, we are taking a break from filmmaking. We enjoy being able to attend festivals all over the world and getting inspired by all the great films out there. Bianca started to tattoo her own sketches and explore new media for her creative work. Kerstin got back into freelancing as an animator and illustrator on different commissioned projects and doing an internship as a dog trainer on the side.
One day we would love to make another short - we don't like to force ideas but are excited to create something new together soon someday.
Interview: January 2024
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
Matta and Matto
In a dystopian world where touch is forbidden, Matta and Matto offer refuge to the lonely at Hotel Vaip. In the deceptive labyrinth of mind-bending rooms at their transient hotel, deepest desires are fulfilled and surpassed, but this comes at a price.
Length: 10:16
Director: Bianca Caderas, Kerstin Zemp
Producer: Joder von Rotz
Writer: Bianca Caderas, Kerstin Zemp
About the writer, director and producer:
BIANCA CADERAS (1990) from Basel and KERSTIN ZEMP (1993) from Lucerne, successfully completed their Bachelor in Animation 2D at the Lucerne School of Art & Design in 2017 with their short film Living Like Heta (co-directed with Isabella Luu). Their graduation film was shown at numerous animation festivals around the world, including SHORTSHORTS (Tokyo), Animafest (Zagreb) and Warsaw Film Festival.Living Like Heta received the High Swiss Risk Award at Fantoche 2017 and was awarded the Innerschweizer Filmpreis in 2019. Both moved abroad for several years after graduating: Bianca to Hamburg for her film studies and Kerstin worked in Ireland as a freelance illustrator and animator. In 2020, Bianca completed her writer/director film Jeroboam, which was made in collaboration with Kerstin. Matta and Matto 2023 is their second short film, which they directed together.
Born in 1987 in Kerns, Switzerland, JODER von ROTZ did in 2003-07 an apprenticeship as a structural draftsman, then in 2009-12, animation studies at the HSLU (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Design & Art), Animation and finally, in 2012 a Bachelor in Animation at the HSLU.
Looking for: film festival directors
Instagram: @biancacaderas, @kerstinzemp, @ykanimation
Hashtags used: #finger, #touch, #weird, #hotel, #lonely
Website: yk-animation.ch/film-categories/matta-matto
Funders: BAK, Basler Filmförderung, Bern Filmförderung, SRF, Burgergemeinde Bern
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Sundance Filmfestival (USA) , Solothurner Filmtage (Switzerland), Premiers Plans (France)