The Future Above Us
After a cosmic disaster leaves Earth virtually empty, a hopeful yet sombre woman experiencing pareidolia must decide what lengths she will go to for connection.
Interview with Writer/Director Vanessa Magic
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wrote this after the murder of George Floyd when I felt trapped in the pandemic. I was overwhelmed with sadness, grief and anger. I was tired and felt alone, so I wrote a story to explore the importance of genuine connection. In a world where we're so connected through technology, why has it become so hard to say hello in person?
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You should watch the film, because not only is the story beautiful, but so are the acting, production design, and cinematography.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I love to create stories about loneliness and grief because how we process these feelings, is so different for everyone. The characters I create will come from a place of humour to start, but as they move through their emotions those feelings will change to bittersweet. As I've come to find correct, loneliness is best cured with someone else.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script was originally 35 pages. It illustrated the monotonous daily activities of the main character Georgia, and more instances of her pareidolia as she would walk around her neighbour, finding houses and cars that looked like they had faces. But as I rewrote the script and thought about the feasibility of the project, it made more sense to make the film shorter.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
People have commented on Hannan Younis' acting, stating that she is very compelling, especially having the skill to be on screen by herself for the majority of the film. People have also commented on the production design and colours used in the film.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I'd love to find more community and those attracted to the stories I create.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I'd love to meet distributors and sales agents so I can get this film all over the world. It's a beautiful film, I'd love to share it with as many people as I can.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want people to be bold and take chances. Life is short. As George says in the film, "If you live your life, In what ifs, and hope to's, you'll be stuck.”
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
I would love it if, after this film, people went up to an acquaintance or a neighbour or a new person at a film festival and had a conversation instead of looking at their phones. Conversations lead to connection, and connection is what makes us human.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Vanessa Magic directed a digital series called Near or Far that will air in Canada on CBC Gem, March 29.
Interview: February 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
The Future Above Us
After a cosmic disaster leaves Earth virtually empty, a hopeful yet sombre woman experiencing pareidolia must decide what lengths she will go to for connection.
Length: 16:47
Director: Vanessa Magic
Producer: Shonna Foster
Writer: Vanessa Magic
About the writer, director and producer:
VANESSA MAGIC is an award-winning writer and director whose work centers around loneliness and grief, often from the eye of the outsider, with an Afrofuturist and Afrosurrealist lens. Vanessa's passion is writing stories highlighting Black female protagonists and leaving the viewer learning something new and maybe unexpected. Inspired by her dreams, she is eager to create worlds and narratives untold, unseen and filled with magic. With her sights set on the future, she is excited to create weird worlds, people and words for them to say to connect her to the cosmos.
SHONNA FOSTER is an award-winning director and producer on a mission to leave this world a better place through the art of film and television and through her commitment to supporting the careers of emerging BIPOC talent. She knew from a young age that the world of film and television was where she felt most at home.
Key cast: Hannan Younis, Adrian Walters
Looking for: distributors, sales agents
Instagram: @thefutureabove
Hashtags used: #thefutureabove
Other: IMDb
Funders: Canada Council for The Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council